Wizard Tips?

[Sado]

Can any of you veteran wizards tell me how you decide which spells you want to prepare? How can you possibly know at the start of the day what spells you are going to need that day? Do you just squeak by the lower levels until you have enough slots to prepare a little of everything to cover all eventualities? Or do you just stick with certain kinds of spells and hope you get a chance to use them?

 

[Li Shenron]

Can any of you veteran wizards tell me how you decide which spells you want to prepare? How can you possibly know at the start of the day what spells you are going to need that day? Do you just squeak by the lower levels until you have enough slots to prepare a little of everything to cover all eventualities? Or do you just stick with certain kinds of spells and hope you get a chance to use them?

SCRIBE SCROLLS A LOT! There's a reason why Wizzies get Scribe Scrolls for free at lv1, and it should not be overlooked

 

[Mark]

Wizard Tips?

...in heavy syrup...



YUM!

 

[Dirigible]

Or do you just stick with certain kinds of spells and hope you get a chance to use them?

Basically, yeah. Magic Missile is your friend, if you're unadventurous. If you prefer a little more bang and a little more risk, Burning Hands or Colour Spray. Attack spells are usually the best bet at levels one and two, after that you will want to diversify, especially when you get access to second levels spells.

 

[Sammael]

Scribe scrolls for useful spells that rarely come up. At higher levels, leave a few lower-level slots open so you can memorize utility spells as needed. Magic missile, fly, unseen servant, telekinesis, invisibility, and teleport are always useful.

 

[Li Shenron]

Can any of you veteran wizards tell me how you decide which spells you want to prepare? How can you possibly know at the start of the day what spells you are going to need that day? Do you just squeak by the lower levels until you have enough slots to prepare a little of everything to cover all eventualities? Or do you just stick with certain kinds of spells and hope you get a chance to use them?

I suppose you are 1st level, right? Which spells do you already know?

At first level, I would absolutely not prepare Magic Missile or other attack spells. The damage is so low that you should rather attack with a crossbow (you aren't much behind yet in attack rolls compared to the other PCs) and use spells for (1) defense and (2) utility.

At this level, scrolls are very cheap (12.5 gp + 1 xp for 1st level scrolls) so you better scribe a few of them as soon as you have time & money for two purposes: first of all, you should scribe the sort of spells which are perfect for a situation which otherwise doesn't happen every day (e.g. if you know the spell Hold Portal, Comprehend Languages or Mount, it's not worth to spend a slot every day if they're going to be used only now and then); otherwise scribe spells which are always useful "just to have one more" when you're out of daily spells (such as an extra Shield or Mage Armor).

Then concentrate on preparing spells which you are almost sure you are going to use:

- defensive spells: unless you're absolutely sure today you're not going to fight, they're never wasted; in 3.5 Mage Armor is the total winner against Shield for a long time, and it's a spell I always prepare at low levels

- utility spells (out-of-combat): Unseen Servant is the most versatile and lasts an hour; Charm Person and Hypnotism can be used to get a help very often

- offensive spells: if you decide to use a slot for an offensive spell at this level, better have some good reason. Usually the reason is that the spell achieves a non-damaging result which helps the whole party beat the enemy, and possibly affects more creatures: Color Spray, Grease and Sleep are all quite effective at this level and can easily turn into insta-kill. Don't waste your slots in damaging spells as I said above, and neither in spells which just give some penalty, because the effect or the duration may be too limited for the moment.

Finally, some cantrips are much better than others at least for some time: Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Light / Dancing Lights, Ghost Sound, Daze. Forget about damage-dealing cantrips unless you have sneak attack.

 

[Voadam]

Long lasting spells such as mage armor are good. Then use them.

A bunch of combat blasting spells. A few buffs. A few defenses such as resist energy or (from tome and Blood) energy buffer for flexible defense when you need it.

A few utility ones such as comprehend languages, knock, fly, etc.

Dispel magic is pretty good for fixing things that go bad (they charmed our fighter? I dispel it!).

If you have metamagics use them, that's what they are there for. Empowered scorching rays are very good blasts.

I like to have a few charms for getting info out of weak npcs who might not talk to me otherwise.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

At very low levels, I tend to stick with things that can quickly even bad odds such as Color Spray or Sleep. As I gain levels and get a little diversity, I try and predict what sort of thing I might be doing and prepare spells I see as most likely being useful. Will I be out in the woods or down in a dungeon? Will I be speaking with lots of NPCs or spilling their blood? It does mean that when we make the transition - walking through the woods and stumble onto a dungeon - I may not have the best choice of spells ready, but I deal with it and hope for the best until the next day.

I am also very much into finding creative uses for spells, so the more flexible the spell is, the more likely I'll take it. I usually avoid the "does lots of damage to a single foe" spells - that's what the fighters are for.

Last thing is personality of the character. My current wizard got smacked down by an invisible foe back a couple of levels. He now refuses to start the day without at least one See Invisibility known - he won't let that happen again if he can.

 

[Pielorinho]

Think of it this way:
* For a long time, the fighter is going to be dealing more damage than you.
* The fighter really shines at hurting people. You, not so much.
* The fighter has a very hard time disabling people, short of hurting them. You're great at that.

So, consider spells that weaken/disable people. Sleep, or color spray. Glitterdust (a fantastic spell: blinds a crowd, PLUS reveals invisibility!) and Scare.

Or buffing spells. But these aren't as much fun. Do a couple of them a day at most, until you're much higher level.

Daniel

 

[Doug McCrae]

I regard Sleep as the #1 1st level spell at low levels. Charm Person is also good. At higher levels it's Magic Missile.

Never bother with defensive spells, myself. I just stand behind the fighters.