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Wizards: Getting the Most Bang from Your Buck

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
thecosmicgoose
Dec 12, 2006 2:48:42 The Wizard class is one of the most beloved of all in the player’s handbook. With a nearly unlimited capability to learn spells, the class presents a variety of options for the crafty player. But it can be a bit intimidating to someone who isn’t used to playing the class. The tactics necessary to play a wizard effectively aren’t the most intuitive in the world. So it is to making those tactics clear that this article is written and to present an overview of how to make the most out of a Wizard PC.

Using Your Spells-per-Day: Pick your Shtick
Wizards have such a wide range of spells at their fingertips, it can be hard to decide which to prepare on a daily basis. Wizards are the most versatile of all the arcane casters, and can fill multiple rolls within the party. A blaster that dumps buckets of damage on enemies, a spy who gathers vital recon, a guardian who boosts the defensive of his ally’s, and so much more. The book “Complete Arcane” gives a much more complete rundown of the different rolls a caster can play, so rather then repeat that material here, I advise you to pick up that book if you really need a rundown.

Talk with your party and see what it needs most, then tailor your daily spell selections to fit those needs. Often, you find yourself developing a “package” of spells you’ll prepare, depending on what your party needs from you that day. No matter what flavor of roll you want to fill, your spells will need to fit the more common needs your liable to meet on an adventure. Generally, those are

A) Offensive spells. Spells you use to deal with enemies. While a fireball, magic missile, and such are classic choices, direct-damage spells like these are not your only option. Depending on your chosen strategy, Spells that affect the enemies mind, inflict status ailments, or otherwise hinder their ability to do battle are also valid choices.
B) Defensive: spells that you use to protect yourself, and your ally’s. Wizards are fragile, and having a few “mage-armors”, or “magic shields” prepared is never a bad thing.
C) The escape plan. If you adventure long enough, it will happen. Your party will be low on HP, almost no spells left, and tall-dark-and-gruesome you were trying to kill just used your ranger’s arrows as tooth-picks. It’s always good to have a spell ready to help you get away in just such a situation. But things not need be so dire for you to get use out of these spells. As stated above, wizards are squishy. And anything that keeps them out of an enemies reach is a good thing.

Have an Open Mind
Unlike other classes which have to prepare their spells in advance, wizards have a useful little ability that can be worth their weight in gold. When choosing which spells you’ll prepare for the day, be sure to leave a few slots open. A wizard can prepare spells into an open slot at any time, and it only takes 15 minutes. This opens up the wizard’s versatility hugely, particularly with “utility” spells like “floating disk”, “sheltering force” and “animate rope”. Many encounters can be more easily overcome by letting the wizard spend 15 minutes to prepare a useful spell. So rather then prepare a utility spell early in the day, a spell which you may or may not need anyway, just keep the slot open so you’ll have it free for a spell you really will need. Don’t take this feature for granted though. A wizard still needs time to prepare those spells, so this isn’t an effective strategy for combat related encounters (unless by some chance you happen to know you going to be attacked) this is why your advised to prepare your combat related spells earlier in the article. As having them on hand can be a life saver.

Schwag: Scribe Scroll
There’s a reason why wizards are given this feat at first level. Wizards may have a huge range of spells to pick from, but with a relatively tiny number of slots, they need a means of expanding their range. That’s where scribe scroll comes in. this feat is primarily used in two ways:

A) Create a backup: it’s always advisable to have a backup supply of scrolls that contain the spells you tend to use on a daily basis. Just in case a given encounter runs long and you run out of spell slots. Later in your adventuring career, craft wand can replace this feat for this reason, especially for your chosen combat spells.
B) Just in case: there are many, many spells that are limited in focus, but could prove vital to survival in rare, but deadly situations. It’s these spells that you scribe to a scroll and tuck into the bottom on your backpack, to pull out “just in case”. Stone-to-flesh is a prime example. This is not a spell you’d ever need often enough to prepare on a daily basis. But that you’d really, really need when going up against a medusa, and your rouge just got turned to stone.

Planning: That’s Just How We Roll
The essence of the Wizard class is planning ahead. The wizard is very powerful when used proactively. So get used to actively planning on how a given encounter will be solved beforehand. If you know what your party needs to do, and have a few spells that could be useful, say so, and ask for some time to rest and prepare. While you can’t foresee everything, you’d be surprised how many situations you can predict if you just take a moment to plan things out with your party.
#2
zombiegleemax
Jan 09, 2007 15:47:15 Very nice article to assist newcomers to the game. I think it could have been more in depth though. Also, personally, I try to avoid scribe scroll and other item creation feats due to the fact that they cost experience (which I have never understood; it does not cost experience to craft a ring, nor to cast a spell x # times (with few exceptions)). A wizard who habitually creates items is likely to fall behind the average power level of the party. I find it to better to leave those feats for truly original creations (homebrew, et cetera) and NPCs.
Kingly__Mage
P.S. I to hate when my blush gets turned to stone :D
#3
zombiegleemax
Jan 11, 2007 14:37:09 Kingly, wizards are expected to expend experience to create magic items to help the party; that's part of the reason that they get a little more bang for their level-buck than all other classes besides CoDzillas.

Good post, CosmicGoose, but the formatting is a little unclear and you could have gone into more depth about the basics of wizarding.
#4
jasonorlandohawk
Jan 14, 2007 21:58:35 [A Middle-aged man wearing flowing yellow robes and a white turban sits cross-legged on a magic carpet, ioun stones of power whirling about his head. Three books of Arcane Lore are stacked neatly next to him.]

Hello,

My name is Olus Snikda, the Fatespinner, and master of the Great Observatory. I see you seek some insight into the Wizardly Arts. I will gladly indulge your curiosity. Life is a game, so I suggest you learn to play it well.

Those who have spoken before me have provided excellent advice for novice wizards, and I concur with the information they have provided. However, if I may, I would like to expand upon that idea.

First, understand the art you practice. There are 8 disciplines to the Arcane Arts, so I strongly suggest you understand them. First, there is the Abjurer's trade: Magical defense. It seems potent on both a personal level, warding off attacks, dangerous enemies, and oh-too-inquisitive spells, and on a planar level, allowing it's master to banish those who are... how do you say... not quite at home. Abjuration can save your neck unlike any other kind of magic available.

Next, you have Conjuration, the magic of provision. Forget something. Not when you can call it to you in a heartbeat. It doesn't matter if you need a sword, ally, or extra pint of ale, the Conjurer can adapt to any situation b/c they always have exactly what they need, one spell away.

Then, there's Divination, my favorite school. A wise man once told me "Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance." Another kernel of wisdom is "Knowledge is Power." The Diviner trusts on a level of magic-aided planning unavailable to lesser mages.

Let's not forget Enchantment. Enchanters are subtle, but their words can turn the course of a nation. Where other schools of magic have the potential to lay waste to entire squadrons of soldiers, the enchanter's trade carefully entraps and destroys one foe before moving to another. Not flashy, but dangerous in ways the "more powerful" schools can not hope to emulate.

Speaking of the flashy schools, there's my other cup-o'-tea, the might Evocation. If you want to lay waste to an entire battlefield, there's not a better school available. You have not lived until you've used the "Meteor-Swarm/Quickened Chain Lightning Combo" to devastate over 200 troops in a few seconds... but I digress. Not subtle, but very effective. "Fortune favors the bold, my friend."

Another Flashy school is Illusion. If you are a trickster at heart, this school was custom made just for you. While it lags in terms of damage, there's a special sort of joy to be had in watching your foe chase figments from here to kingdom-come. A foe may think himself mad if he faces these spells.

Next on the list is the "Dark Arts" of Necromancy. I'll give you fair warning, tread this path lightly. Many of it's tricks draw on the darkest, most evil portions of the planes. Even good intentions can be corrupted by such things. Still, the ability to cleanly sever the life of your foe w/ a thought is no small talent. Necromancy will not destroy a large crowd in seconds (though the skeletons you create might), but it truly shines when you need to drop one foe fast.

Lastly, the school of Transmutation modifies the most important aspect of any encounter: YOU. This is the school of change, and if you can dream it, you can be it. It's worth your time to explore this school just so you can discover the joys of locking blades, blending into the shadows, or flying like a bird. What you are is not nearly so important as what you can become.

Got that? Hope so, b/c I've decided to move on.

Once you select your tactics, and you'd better come to terms w/ the fact that you just can't do it all, you need to prepare for your tactics. This is that important thing called "Gear." When people think gear, they think "Fighter's Sword," but let me tell you, a Wizard is defined by their gear in ways a fighter can't begin to understand.

It would be impossible to explain how to accomplish this in each situation, so I will serve as an example, and you may apply some of my ideas to yourself, as necessary.

While I'm not a specialist wizard, I do tend to specialize quite a bit. I'm what some would call a two-trick pony. All of the schools are powerful, but I chose two as my focus. Divination and Evocation.

As I said before, I'm a fate-spinner. Fortune Favors the Bold. I, however, have learned that Fortune Favors the Bold that are Informed much more highly. My spells are divided into two general categories: Espionage and Damage. My goal is to learn the enemy's placement and weaknesses, and then hit them hard and fast, before they can react.

I acquired items to match my taste in spells. First, I enchanted my spellbooks. They are too valuable not to protect, but I went a step further. Intelligent items can follow commands, and they tend to be very loyal to their creator. Each of my vast spellbooks contains powerful Divination effects that allow me, even if exhausted of my own spells, to gather quite a bit of information, w/ very little effort. Basic magic, but usable.

Then, I turn to my wands and Staff. If the best Defense is a good offense, then it only makes sense to load up on items that produce my favorite effects.

Now, I select my spells to compliment my formidable items, all w/ the intention of increasing my information gathering or offensive capabilities to their maximum levels. The weapons at my disposal are numerous.

But, what about defense? Good question. First, I have a Flying Carpet, and that accounts for a lot. Location is everything, even on a battlefield. However, some people can overcome this advantage, so I again turn to my spellbooks, further enchanted for my defense. One of the three is dedicated to personal defense against one powerful foe. One is dedicated to defense against a large number of less powerful foes. The third is enchanted (w/ the help of a Cleric ally of mine) to cure me should these defenses fail. It's not Full Plate, but it works.

All in all, my items enhance my ability to find you, get to you, and hit you hard, all before you have the chance to raise adequate defenses. My defenses, of course, are only moderately effective, but then again, I rarely need them. Then again, that's the way I play the game. Not everyone is follows my lead on these matters.

Let me emphasize, though, that no matter how you approach the Arcane Arts, that you select you items to do two main things: Maximize your strengths & Cover major weaknesses. Don't diversify too heavily. Remember, you can't do it all. I can't do it all, and I'm what some would call an Epic Caster.

Remember, maximize your strengths and prevent major weaknesses. Moving on...

Teamwork is essential. I journeyed in the company of a Frenzied Berserker, and let me just say, there were many times I was thankful for my Flying Carpet. Still, she was a useful ally, so it only makes sense that I select my spells w/ her in mind. Typically, I could cast two powerful area spells before she would engage the enemy, after which my area spells were vastly less useful. Still, since I knew about how many I could fire off at a time, I would prepare for that, and then move to more "ally-friendly" spells.

Same principle applies across the board. Don't prepare loud, verbal spells when in the company of shady individuals. Don't prepare obscurity-inducing magic when in the company of an archer. Keep your friends in mind.

Last, but certainly not least, let me comment on some of the other ideas. Scrolls are a wizards best friend b/c it's a spell you don't have to prepare. Don't forget them. And, I've heard that some worlds (read: GM's) don't have such hard punishments for recording your spells in this form. Scrolls are always worth the time.

Also, I concur w/ the Cosmic Goose's proposal to leave some of your spell energy available. If you're a Diviner like me, it only makes sense to plan the attack after scouting the enemy. Even if your not, flexibility like that is a luxury that Sorcerers can hardly afford.

Life is a game, your roll...

[Olus tosses some bone dice at your feet before floating off.]
#5
zombiegleemax
Jan 28, 2007 11:20:49 I like this article. Once I get to high school next year, I plan to join a D&D group as a wizard. This will be very helpful.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 thecosmicgoose Dec 12, 2006 2:48:42	The Wizard class is one of the most beloved of all in the player’s handbook. With a nearly unlimited capability to learn spells, the class presents a variety of options for the crafty player. But it can be a bit intimidating to someone who isn’t used to playing the class. The tactics necessary to play a wizard effectively aren’t the most intuitive in the world. So it is to making those tactics clear that this article is written and to present an overview of how to make the most out of a Wizard PC. Using Your Spells-per-Day: Pick your Shtick Wizards have such a wide range of spells at their fingertips, it can be hard to decide which to prepare on a daily basis. Wizards are the most versatile of all the arcane casters, and can fill multiple rolls within the party. A blaster that dumps buckets of damage on enemies, a spy who gathers vital recon, a guardian who boosts the defensive of his ally’s, and so much more. The book “Complete Arcane” gives a much more complete rundown of the different rolls a caster can play, so rather then repeat that material here, I advise you to pick up that book if you really need a rundown. Talk with your party and see what it needs most, then tailor your daily spell selections to fit those needs. Often, you find yourself developing a “package” of spells you’ll prepare, depending on what your party needs from you that day. No matter what flavor of roll you want to fill, your spells will need to fit the more common needs your liable to meet on an adventure. Generally, those are A) Offensive spells. Spells you use to deal with enemies. While a fireball, magic missile, and such are classic choices, direct-damage spells like these are not your only option. Depending on your chosen strategy, Spells that affect the enemies mind, inflict status ailments, or otherwise hinder their ability to do battle are also valid choices. B) Defensive: spells that you use to protect yourself, and your ally’s. Wizards are fragile, and having a few “mage-armors”, or “magic shields” prepared is never a bad thing. C) The escape plan. If you adventure long enough, it will happen. Your party will be low on HP, almost no spells left, and tall-dark-and-gruesome you were trying to kill just used your ranger’s arrows as tooth-picks. It’s always good to have a spell ready to help you get away in just such a situation. But things not need be so dire for you to get use out of these spells. As stated above, wizards are squishy. And anything that keeps them out of an enemies reach is a good thing. Have an Open Mind Unlike other classes which have to prepare their spells in advance, wizards have a useful little ability that can be worth their weight in gold. When choosing which spells you’ll prepare for the day, be sure to leave a few slots open. A wizard can prepare spells into an open slot at any time, and it only takes 15 minutes. This opens up the wizard’s versatility hugely, particularly with “utility” spells like “floating disk”, “sheltering force” and “animate rope”. Many encounters can be more easily overcome by letting the wizard spend 15 minutes to prepare a useful spell. So rather then prepare a utility spell early in the day, a spell which you may or may not need anyway, just keep the slot open so you’ll have it free for a spell you really will need. Don’t take this feature for granted though. A wizard still needs time to prepare those spells, so this isn’t an effective strategy for combat related encounters (unless by some chance you happen to know you going to be attacked) this is why your advised to prepare your combat related spells earlier in the article. As having them on hand can be a life saver. Schwag: Scribe Scroll There’s a reason why wizards are given this feat at first level. Wizards may have a huge range of spells to pick from, but with a relatively tiny number of slots, they need a means of expanding their range. That’s where scribe scroll comes in. this feat is primarily used in two ways: A) Create a backup: it’s always advisable to have a backup supply of scrolls that contain the spells you tend to use on a daily basis. Just in case a given encounter runs long and you run out of spell slots. Later in your adventuring career, craft wand can replace this feat for this reason, especially for your chosen combat spells. B) Just in case: there are many, many spells that are limited in focus, but could prove vital to survival in rare, but deadly situations. It’s these spells that you scribe to a scroll and tuck into the bottom on your backpack, to pull out “just in case”. Stone-to-flesh is a prime example. This is not a spell you’d ever need often enough to prepare on a daily basis. But that you’d really, really need when going up against a medusa, and your rouge just got turned to stone. Planning: That’s Just How We Roll The essence of the Wizard class is planning ahead. The wizard is very powerful when used proactively. So get used to actively planning on how a given encounter will be solved beforehand. If you know what your party needs to do, and have a few spells that could be useful, say so, and ask for some time to rest and prepare. While you can’t foresee everything, you’d be surprised how many situations you can predict if you just take a moment to plan things out with your party.
#2 zombiegleemax Jan 09, 2007 15:47:15	Very nice article to assist newcomers to the game. I think it could have been more in depth though. Also, personally, I try to avoid scribe scroll and other item creation feats due to the fact that they cost experience (which I have never understood; it does not cost experience to craft a ring, nor to cast a spell x # times (with few exceptions)). A wizard who habitually creates items is likely to fall behind the average power level of the party. I find it to better to leave those feats for truly original creations (homebrew, et cetera) and NPCs. Kingly__Mage P.S. I to hate when my blush gets turned to stone :D
#3 zombiegleemax Jan 11, 2007 14:37:09	Kingly, wizards are expected to expend experience to create magic items to help the party; that's part of the reason that they get a little more bang for their level-buck than all other classes besides CoDzillas. Good post, CosmicGoose, but the formatting is a little unclear and you could have gone into more depth about the basics of wizarding.
#4 jasonorlandohawk Jan 14, 2007 21:58:35	[A Middle-aged man wearing flowing yellow robes and a white turban sits cross-legged on a magic carpet, ioun stones of power whirling about his head. Three books of Arcane Lore are stacked neatly next to him.] Hello, My name is Olus Snikda, the Fatespinner, and master of the Great Observatory. I see you seek some insight into the Wizardly Arts. I will gladly indulge your curiosity. Life is a game, so I suggest you learn to play it well. Those who have spoken before me have provided excellent advice for novice wizards, and I concur with the information they have provided. However, if I may, I would like to expand upon that idea. First, understand the art you practice. There are 8 disciplines to the Arcane Arts, so I strongly suggest you understand them. First, there is the Abjurer's trade: Magical defense. It seems potent on both a personal level, warding off attacks, dangerous enemies, and oh-too-inquisitive spells, and on a planar level, allowing it's master to banish those who are... how do you say... not quite at home. Abjuration can save your neck unlike any other kind of magic available. Next, you have Conjuration, the magic of provision. Forget something. Not when you can call it to you in a heartbeat. It doesn't matter if you need a sword, ally, or extra pint of ale, the Conjurer can adapt to any situation b/c they always have exactly what they need, one spell away. Then, there's Divination, my favorite school. A wise man once told me "Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance." Another kernel of wisdom is "Knowledge is Power." The Diviner trusts on a level of magic-aided planning unavailable to lesser mages. Let's not forget Enchantment. Enchanters are subtle, but their words can turn the course of a nation. Where other schools of magic have the potential to lay waste to entire squadrons of soldiers, the enchanter's trade carefully entraps and destroys one foe before moving to another. Not flashy, but dangerous in ways the "more powerful" schools can not hope to emulate. Speaking of the flashy schools, there's my other cup-o'-tea, the might Evocation. If you want to lay waste to an entire battlefield, there's not a better school available. You have not lived until you've used the "Meteor-Swarm/Quickened Chain Lightning Combo" to devastate over 200 troops in a few seconds... but I digress. Not subtle, but very effective. "Fortune favors the bold, my friend." Another Flashy school is Illusion. If you are a trickster at heart, this school was custom made just for you. While it lags in terms of damage, there's a special sort of joy to be had in watching your foe chase figments from here to kingdom-come. A foe may think himself mad if he faces these spells. Next on the list is the "Dark Arts" of Necromancy. I'll give you fair warning, tread this path lightly. Many of it's tricks draw on the darkest, most evil portions of the planes. Even good intentions can be corrupted by such things. Still, the ability to cleanly sever the life of your foe w/ a thought is no small talent. Necromancy will not destroy a large crowd in seconds (though the skeletons you create might), but it truly shines when you need to drop one foe fast. Lastly, the school of Transmutation modifies the most important aspect of any encounter: YOU. This is the school of change, and if you can dream it, you can be it. It's worth your time to explore this school just so you can discover the joys of locking blades, blending into the shadows, or flying like a bird. What you are is not nearly so important as what you can become. Got that? Hope so, b/c I've decided to move on. Once you select your tactics, and you'd better come to terms w/ the fact that you just can't do it all, you need to prepare for your tactics. This is that important thing called "Gear." When people think gear, they think "Fighter's Sword," but let me tell you, a Wizard is defined by their gear in ways a fighter can't begin to understand. It would be impossible to explain how to accomplish this in each situation, so I will serve as an example, and you may apply some of my ideas to yourself, as necessary. While I'm not a specialist wizard, I do tend to specialize quite a bit. I'm what some would call a two-trick pony. All of the schools are powerful, but I chose two as my focus. Divination and Evocation. As I said before, I'm a fate-spinner. Fortune Favors the Bold. I, however, have learned that Fortune Favors the Bold that are Informed much more highly. My spells are divided into two general categories: Espionage and Damage. My goal is to learn the enemy's placement and weaknesses, and then hit them hard and fast, before they can react. I acquired items to match my taste in spells. First, I enchanted my spellbooks. They are too valuable not to protect, but I went a step further. Intelligent items can follow commands, and they tend to be very loyal to their creator. Each of my vast spellbooks contains powerful Divination effects that allow me, even if exhausted of my own spells, to gather quite a bit of information, w/ very little effort. Basic magic, but usable. Then, I turn to my wands and Staff. If the best Defense is a good offense, then it only makes sense to load up on items that produce my favorite effects. Now, I select my spells to compliment my formidable items, all w/ the intention of increasing my information gathering or offensive capabilities to their maximum levels. The weapons at my disposal are numerous. But, what about defense? Good question. First, I have a Flying Carpet, and that accounts for a lot. Location is everything, even on a battlefield. However, some people can overcome this advantage, so I again turn to my spellbooks, further enchanted for my defense. One of the three is dedicated to personal defense against one powerful foe. One is dedicated to defense against a large number of less powerful foes. The third is enchanted (w/ the help of a Cleric ally of mine) to cure me should these defenses fail. It's not Full Plate, but it works. All in all, my items enhance my ability to find you, get to you, and hit you hard, all before you have the chance to raise adequate defenses. My defenses, of course, are only moderately effective, but then again, I rarely need them. Then again, that's the way I play the game. Not everyone is follows my lead on these matters. Let me emphasize, though, that no matter how you approach the Arcane Arts, that you select you items to do two main things: Maximize your strengths & Cover major weaknesses. Don't diversify too heavily. Remember, you can't do it all. I can't do it all, and I'm what some would call an Epic Caster. Remember, maximize your strengths and prevent major weaknesses. Moving on... Teamwork is essential. I journeyed in the company of a Frenzied Berserker, and let me just say, there were many times I was thankful for my Flying Carpet. Still, she was a useful ally, so it only makes sense that I select my spells w/ her in mind. Typically, I could cast two powerful area spells before she would engage the enemy, after which my area spells were vastly less useful. Still, since I knew about how many I could fire off at a time, I would prepare for that, and then move to more "ally-friendly" spells. Same principle applies across the board. Don't prepare loud, verbal spells when in the company of shady individuals. Don't prepare obscurity-inducing magic when in the company of an archer. Keep your friends in mind. Last, but certainly not least, let me comment on some of the other ideas. Scrolls are a wizards best friend b/c it's a spell you don't have to prepare. Don't forget them. And, I've heard that some worlds (read: GM's) don't have such hard punishments for recording your spells in this form. Scrolls are always worth the time. Also, I concur w/ the Cosmic Goose's proposal to leave some of your spell energy available. If you're a Diviner like me, it only makes sense to plan the attack after scouting the enemy. Even if your not, flexibility like that is a luxury that Sorcerers can hardly afford. Life is a game, your roll... [Olus tosses some bone dice at your feet before floating off.]
#5 zombiegleemax Jan 28, 2007 11:20:49	I like this article. Once I get to high school next year, I plan to join a D&D group as a wizard. This will be very helpful.