why are wizards so weak?

[Shard O'Glase]

That's an awful lot of extra bookkeeping, which is personally IMHO is the greatest demon of D&D at high levels.

See, I don't consider the wizard's low hit points a detriment at any level, really. He's not a melee fighter, and shouldn't attempt it. A wizard, in particular, has an excellent capacity to protect himself, if he so chooses. With Shield, mage armor, protectino from arrows, wind wall, expeditious retreat, mirror image and blur, for some examples, the mage can avoid getting hit in the first place. With things like Spell Immunity, various elemental protections, the dispels, the globes, contingency, spell turning and others, you cna protect yourself from various spell powers.

A wizard may not be a melee fighter but that doesn't mean he gets to choose whether he's in melee. This is different from game to game. But in some games the bad guys frequently get around that pesky fighter and are right in the wizards face, the wizard has an offensive line looking something like the niners And the only defensive spell he'll have up at low elvels is mage armor since its the only spell with a real duration. At high levels its mage armor and contingency. So I hope that contingency applies cause with d4 hp its really easy for even average foes to kill you before you can even get your 1st defensive spell off. In these games wizards are a bit weak, they are poweful sure, but there weaknesses can dwarf there strength, depending on how often they get pounded in the back.

In other games wizards have a nice offensive line one much better than the niners have. So they dont get sacked, they get there spells off and complete those passes every play. There the star player, the thing that the team relies uopn to win the game. Heck they dont even need those defensive spells that often, they just get to drive the offense every play.

If your given the time to cast all your wonderful spells for the right occasion the wizard is one tough class, if not there road kill. At mid to higher levels the wizard frequently needs just one spell to save his bacon, so I'd say in most encounters they likely can get a round or two. Assuming those are used for defense because he need sit in this game, the wizard works out. Not too powerful, not too weak. A couple aciton are setup round acitons, then he gets to unleash heck. Meanwhile the rest of the party is unleashing a more moderate version of heck from round 1.

 

[mythusmage]

The True Reason Wizards are so Weak

Lack of exercise and bad diet. Wizards spend all their time studying and running experiments. The chemicals and compounds they deal with (in unsafe conditions too) don't help matters any. In addition, they rely on their apprentices for cooking, and I have yet to meet a wizard's apprentice that could boil water without burning the pan. Considering the conditions they labor under it's a wonder more wizards aren't tooling around in wheelchairs with supplement oxygen, a guide dog, and a helper capuchin.

And you never want to see a wizard naked, chemical burns are ugly things. It also means they have a heightened sensitivity to cloth against the skin, which explains the voluminous robes most wear.

We will not delve into a wizard's sex life.

So the next time you meet an adventuring wizard be amazed at his fortitude, dedication and courage, and ask youself; Were I in his condition would I be so bloody stupid?