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Message: <blockquote data-quote="fuindordm" data-source="post: 6430688" data-attributes="member: 5435">Possible strategies for an abjurer to contribute at low levels (in no particular order)1. Take a level of cleric, or a feat to get one 1st-level cleric spell. Their abjurations are more varied and better than yours! For example, Sanctuary can help a rogue or fighter get through enemy lines to attack a high-value target, or Shield of Faith can boost your front-line fighter to AC 22 and dramatically increase their staying power. There was another cleric spell that gives an ally damage resistance but you take the other half of the damage; so you can cast it, refresh your ward, and protect your friend all at the same time. Ask your DM if you can revise your character build slightly along these lines.2. Ask your DM if you can revise your spellbook, in particular the true strike/witch bolt combo that was ruled illegal. Maybe you're dead set against learning sleep because it's so overdone, but maybe you can pick up a better damage dealer.3. The abjurer's low-level power protects you, but it isn't doing any good if you stay away from combat. This is a little daring, but until you can ward your allies, one option is to get in the thick of things and absorb an attack, letting the damage-dealers stay in the game longer. This is contingent on your having decent HP, you wouldn't want to get taken down by a hit that blows through your ward and drops you to zero. For example, use minor illusion to give your staff a scary blazing aura and move forward to engage the fighter's preferred target. The enemy attacks you, soaks your temporary HP, then the fighter steps up and gets in the attacks. You just bought your friend another round of combat. You can even stay there for several rounds drawing attacks with Shield: get hit, wait for next good roll by enemy, cast shield (refreshing temp HP), repeat.4. Focus fire. It doesn't matter if your cantrip does only d10 damage, if you cast it in the right place at the right time. Keep track of damage done to enemies, and use your cantrip only on the one who is most badly hurt.  Wizards of any kind can be great "finishers".  I can't tell you how many times as a DM I've gotten one last hit in on the party because the monster had only 1 HP left. Magic Missile is even better for this, of course.But I agree with everyone else, wizards don't shine at low levels by design. The abjurer has it particularly hard because their best spells protect the party against magical effects, which are not abundant at low levels. When you start pulling out Dispel Magics and Counterspells to nullify the fireballs coming at the party, they'll be very happy to have you around. When you cast a magic circle to keep out a handful of summoned creatures or protection from energy against a dragon, you're dramatically changing the balance of power in an encounter.  But in the low-level world of mercs vs bandits, I understand that you feel at loose ends.So anyway, there are a couple of strategies that I would consider, if I were playing an abjurer and didn't want to rely on the traditional wizard mainstay spells. And I think it's more than reasonable to ask the DM to let you rebuild the character, since we're all getting used to the new edition.</blockquote>

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