New Spells for Lvl1 Wiz

[Nail]

No to Magic Missile and Hypnotic Pattern.

Yes to Mage Armor.

The rest are open to taste, really. IME, wizards are best at low levels with area of effect spells. Grease, Color Spray, Silent Image, and Sleep make great Wiz 1 choices.

One of the big questions you haven't answered for us yet is scroll availability. If you (a wizard) will find it difficult to find new spells, or (IMPORTANT!) to get down-time to scribe spells into your spell book, you'll need to be careful with your 1st level choices....drop sleep for instance.

For example: As a DM starting a new campaign (level 1 to eventually level 10!), I intended to allow the PCs plenty of downtime. It didn't play out that way, and the party's wizard was rather hampered.

 

[Chupacabra]

Wow, thanks gang for all the suggestions. I never even considered Grease. Good call.

Feel free to keep the hints and tips comin'.

As for scroll availibility. I'm not too sure what the DM has in mind just yet. I know we are starting the campaign out in a small town and our first trip will be to another not-quite-so-small town, but definitely not the kind of place where magic shops will be plentiful. Generally the DM frowns on "Magic Wal-Marts" and places where you can easily buy magic goodies. I can't say that I disagree with him b/c I'm the same when I DM. But all in all, I can see my character's access to new scrolls and such as being fairly limited.

As for downtime, based on a past campaign run by the DM, I think that might be a problem also. Our game group tends to keep things going with little regard for things such as rest, scribing, item creation, etc. So even if I manage to buy or find copyable scrolls, my PC's ability to devote the necessary time to scribe them may be limited. But this is just conjecture.

And once again, thanks for the help everyone.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

Grease is your god. Bow to it. It takes anyone out of fighting, can have an area affect, can keep objects out of an enemy's hands, help you escape from grapples..the uses are endless.

Leaves opponents vulnerable to sneak attack too. Rogues love it.

 

[Thanee]

Yep, Grease can be a pretty cool spell.

The wizard in my PbP used it recently to disarm a rather nasty dwarven fighter, which made him surrender eventually.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Nail]

So even if I manage to buy or find copyable scrolls, my PC's ability to devote the necessary time to scribe them may be limited.

This is the biggest (bar none) problem with wizards. They absolutely REQUIRE downtime. No other (core) class does. None.

 

[Chupacabra]

This is the biggest (bar none) problem with wizards. They absolutely REQUIRE downtime. No other (core) class does. None.

This situation was almost a deal-breaker in my decision to play a wizard. I just took it on faith that my PC will have the needed time in the campaign to devote to the 3 R's of acane casters: reading (spellbooks), 'riting (scrolls) and researching (new spell acquisition).

If my PC doesn't get this needed time.....well, I better just buy a ton of bolts for my light crossbow, 'cuz thats about all I can contibute to the party.

 

[Thanee]

You could consider the feat that gives you 4 new spells every level up for free instead of 2.

Complete Arcane (p. 181; hard to find ).

Bye
Thanee

 

[Nail]

Wow!!!!

I've read that splat book thoroughly, and never saw the side bar. Harrmmmmfffff!

 

[Thanee]

As I said, it's hard to find...

Bye
Thanee

 

[TheYeti1775]

I proved how effective Color Spray was to a very well proven DM.
The mage started as more of a scared kid, that changed later in the story.
The cannibal in the party loved the fact he could quickly kill his prey without damaging the meat.