Good Low to Mid-Level Wizard Buffs

[Wonton]

So you're a Wizard. Your standard actions make reality your b****.

But without a certain amount of preparation, all adventuring parties can fall. Obviously, you're not going to be using your highest-level slots for buffing (what are you, a Cleric? :smallwink:), but those 1st-4th level slots are prime for buffing yourself and the party. So, in this thread, post your favourite Sor/Wiz buffs.

My personal favourite: Heart of Water + Heart of Earth. Hit point boost, and you can escape from anything or turn into a tank as a Swift action. Did I mention Light Fortification?

[Dusk Eclipse]

Mirror Image, mage armor, IIRC there is a mass version in the SC, Animal buffs, and I bet there are loads of more spells

[Thrice Dead Cat]

I've got a list or two of buffs from a few games back when I was playing a War Weaver.

First Level Spells
Shield - Mostly for Abjurant Champions and War Weavers or both. For the War Weavers, it saves everyone in the party on a shield.
Enlarge Person - More strength is more better.
Targeting Ray - Good if you've got archer-based swift hunters in the party, otherwise I tend to skip it.
Nerveskitter - Because going first matters!
Burning Rage - It's a decent damage boost, even if it does cost the target some HP. I tend to avoid using it until later levels until either the fire damage becomes insignificant or can simply be mitigated.


Second Level Spells
Cloud of Knives - Mainly for sneak attackers, as it's a self-buff. Works fairly well for war weavers and company that need to remove mooks but don't feel like wasting attacks on them.
Wraithstrike - Because touch attacks are easier than must succubi!
Bladeweave - Works well for a gish, as save versus daze on the first attack each round can be killer. One of my personal favorites to share with a party.
Create Magic Tattoo - Mainly here to boost your caster level, but the other options aren't bad either.
Heroics - You gain fighter feats. Now BSF in the party no longer needs to worry about being a barbarian or being a fighter. Works well in wands.
Heart of Air - By itself, it's near worthless, but I like to keep it around later to get immunity to precision damage without losing my Con score.


Third Level Spells
Haste - Extra attacks are nice. I'm a fan of quick casting this with a lesser rod after popping summons.
Greater Magic Weapon - Grab Reach and Chain via whatever tools you have and never pay for +>1 weapons again. To be fair, though, you should probably make the cleric do it, though.
Displacement - Because AC isn't the only way to not get hit!
Heart of Water - The swim speed isn't bad, but, as has already been mentioned, "free" freedom of movement in a third level slot is too good to pass up.
Evard's Menacing Tentacles - More attacks are more better, and these ones come with reach. Again, outside of war weaving it for everyone, this is another Gish style buff.
Girallon's Blessing - Because the Totemist needs more claw attacks.


Fourth Level Spells
Greater Luminous Armor - Another Abjurant Champion/War Weaver staple. RAW, you don't take multiple sets of strength damage from sharing GLA with the party.
Greater Mirror Image - Stacking miss chances for fun and profit. Unlike the lesser version, these bad boys regenerate and only eat up one of your immediate actions.
Heart of Earth - Component -less Stoneskin available as a swift action for up to CL hours? Yes, please.
Bite of the Werewolf - Lycanathropy is pretty good when it comes to stat adjustments, but the HD and LA are a pain. Not anymore.
Ray Deflection - Ranged touch attacks tend to mess you up something fierce, be it a Reach'd Shivering Touch or something else.
Invisibility, improved - Even when someone else is playing the rogue, my love for shifty-eyed spellcasters compels me to share the love and help Senior Stabbyback get his sneak attack.

[Gorbash]

Obviously, you're not going to be using your highest-level slots for buffing (what are you, a Cleric? )

Wait, what? Why not?

I have a 16th lvl wizard and out of 4 lvl 8 spells, 2 are buffs - Superior Invisibility and Mind Blank. Ok, that's high lvl, not in the scope you're refering to, but it goes the same way earlier. Greater Resistance and Superior Resistance are worth every penny the moment you get them. God forbid you don't cast Elemental Body at 13th lvl, the sheer amount of immunities is staggering.

Your game ending spells don't mean squat if you're dead/disabled and it's not like you don't have enough of them so you can't spare a few for personal protection.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

I've got to agree with Gorbash. You may have a high chance of going first, but that's not always a guarantee. It's at those times you want to make sure you don't become "it" in the good game of Rocket Launcher Tag.

[Endarire]

Sometimes, buffs are offensive. Polymorph, anyone?

[Myou]

Sometimes, buffs are offensive. Polymorph, anyone?

Certainly offends me.

[mostlyharmful]

L1
Nerveskitter (going first is the first step to uberness)
Disguise Self (everyone attacks the flashy mage, no-body can be bothered with the butler)

L2
Scintillating Scales (combine with Alter Self and a source of NA enhancement and you're a tank even to the incorporeal)
Alter Self (first in the poly line, if your DM lets you then go for it)
Invis (battlefield control means you can act with some real safety and still be uber)
Wraithstrike (for your mates or yourself, really anybody can be cool with this one)

L3
Spiderskin/Dragonskin (if you don't have a druid)
Fly (bye-bye 80% of challengers....)
Sonorous Hum (actions rule, don't get sucked down)
Bite of the Wererat (and really all the ones that come after in the bite-of line, tanking is fun as a full caster...)
Anticipate Teleport (lifesaver, plain and simple)

[Runestar]

For more fun, chained nerveskitter so everyone in the party gets +5 initiative. :smallwink: