Ray of Frost and Cloud of Daggers; Red Headed Stepchildren of Wizard At-Wills?

[Rechan]

Every instance I've heard of people playing wizards, they're usually picking up Scorching Burst and Magic Missile. I can understand that - area effect burst, and 2d4+int damage per round. Solid.

However, I think Ray of Frost and Cloud of Daggers both have definite benefits if you're creative. Ray of Frost attacks fort - it's not going to be as useful against Brutes (who have a higher Fort than AC, if you saw the statistical writeup of defenses), and Soldiers don't seem to do a lot of moving around. But Skirmishers, Lurkers, Controllers - they move, and they might flee. Perfect targets for being slowed. It also prevents an enemy from shifting, which utterly buggers skirmishers.

As for Cloud of Daggers, it only fills one square, which isn't great for controlling the field. It does, however, provide a nice tactical advantage when you have a fighter in the party. You put the Cloud of Daggers underneath an enemy he has Marked. If that enemy shifts out of that square, he gets a free attack. If it doesn't shift, it takes damage. Also pushing people into the field is a nice added bonus to damage.

 

[Boarstorm]

Cloud of Daggers can also be quite useful for closing off part of a hallway, forcing the monsters to come at you one or two at a time.

 

[Rechan]

Hallways are still 10' wide? I thought larger spaces is necessary for 4e, with all its movement!

 

[Kraydak]

Cloud of Daggers is the highest damage single-target wizard at-will (unless you really sacked wis, which is a dreadful choice for a wizard), AND it opens up significant tactical opportunities with forced movement (which 4e is chock-full of, to the point that it reduces tactical options). I'm more worried about people NOT taking Magic Missile.

 

[keterys]

Cloud of Daggers is pretty good *coughs*Automatically kills minions*cough*

Just saying.

 

[Victim]

It also prevents an enemy from shifting, which utterly buggers skirmishers.

I don't see anything in the descriptions of Slow or Shift to indicate that slow prevents a shift.

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

I like Ray of Frost, myself. Especially for a human, elemental-type. Grab Ray of Frost, Scorching Burst, and Thunderwave. (I love Thunderwave. An AOE damage with push? Yes, please.) Anyway, you've got all the bases covered in your at wills: single target damage/debuff, ranged burst, and a blast with a dash of control.

Not having Magic Missile hurts, but only in that I feel like I'm missing something iconic for my DnD wizard. That feeling will dissipate with practice, I imagine.

 

[keterys]

I like all of the wizard at-wills, personally. They did a good job there. Magic missile is longer range, can be used with a bracer of perfect shot, and works with a couple warlord powers... and everything else has cool specials

 

[Zelc]

Magic Missiles deals an average of 5+int damage to one target. Cloud of Daggers deals an average of 3.5+int+wis damage to one target. So if you have 14 or more wis, Cloud of Knives is the most damaging single-target at-will power for Wizards.

 

[Argyuile]

I like Ray of Frost, myself. Especially for a human, elemental-type. Grab Ray of Frost, Scorching Burst, and Thunderwave. (I love Thunderwave. An AOE damage with push? Yes, please.) Anyway, you've got all the bases covered in your at wills: single target damage/debuff, ranged burst, and a blast with a dash of control.

Not having Magic Missile hurts, but only in that I feel like I'm missing something iconic for my DnD wizard. That feeling will dissipate with practice, I imagine.

You can also use magic missle as a basic ranged attack which is something none of your other powers get. I have to agree that in my mind ray of frost is the must have. That slow is invaluable for controlling the battlefield.