Help me pick my spells this level

[King Atticus]

So just leveled and need to pick spells for my character in a (up to this point) low-level campaign. Quick character breakdown...Lvl 3 NE Human Wizard (Illusionist). Master Specialist (Illusion), 3 banned schools are; Evocation, Conjuration and Divination (worked it out with the DM). I use Shadow Weave Magic so Enchantment, Illusion and Necromancy are cast at +1 to the save, Transmutation at -1 CL unless it has the (Darkness) Descriptor and no light spells. Going to be going Shadowcraft Mage then Shadow Adept (FR). Only Evil member of the party so trying to stay incognito on the obviously evil stuff, at least until later levels. Up to this point my most offensive spell is Color Spray, I'm yet to pick up anything that does damage directly. I've got the Collegiate Wizard feat so at each level I get 4 spells known and I have a fairly long list I'm debating over.


Slide, Greater (Spell Comp)
Phantasmal Assailants (Spell Comp)
Shadow Mask (Spell Comp)(Mostly For RP stuff)
Entice Gift (Spell Comp)
Heat Leach (Frost)
Vision of Entropy (FC1)
Dance of Ruin (BoVD)(Evil spell but shouldn't be IMO)
Hypnotic Pattern (PHB)
Invisibility (PHB)
Minor Image (PHB)
Mirror Image (PHB)
Blindness/Deafness (PHB)
False Life (PHB) (As I'm still very squishy)
Wall of Gloom (CArc)


These are the ones that I was looking at but if you have better suggestions I'm open to them.

TL/DR: I've got 4 2nd LVL spells I need to pick...suggestions?

[vampire2948]

Invisibility is a good choice, excellent way to get out of a bad situation. Just ask V.
From Necromancy, Ghoul Touch is an excellent save or lose spell for this level [Fort save or paralyze]
Alter Self could be interesting. Though it'd be more awesome if you were something like a tiefling.
Maybe Fox's Cunning for +2 to spell DCs? Important for illusions.

[Fouredged Sword]

Alter self is universaly good. Never build a spellcaster who can cast it without it.

[NecroRick]

I'm a big fan of Spectral Hand. Note that it is incorporeal, so most of the stuff you'll run into at this level won't be able to screw with it. Chill Touch if you spend most of your combat rounds wondering what to do.

Or Belker Claws is a nasty 'thank you for playing' spell to combo with it.
Creeping Cold (Extended) if you can get it is brutal.

But... what am I saying. You appear to have done very well for yourself as a non-blaster. Why not keep doing whatever it is that has worked so well for you, only more so?

Have you read the Wizard as God guide? The one that keeps going on about letting the Big Stupid Fighter win the encounters? That sounds like the style of play might be right up your alley.

Dance of Ruin looks okay... if you want to TPK. Consider the chance of doing 40 points of damage to your other party members. The odds might not be good, but it only has to happen _once_. Apart from that there is something to be said for keeping your spells from one or two books - e.g. PHB and Spell Compendium.

Some of those other sources (Frostburn) are likely to get the DM to pull out and start polishing his ban-stick.

[King Atticus]

I'm a big fan of Spectral Hand. Note that it is incorporeal, so most of the stuff you'll run into at this level won't be able to screw with it.

Belker Claws is a nasty 'thank you for playing' spell to combo with it.
Creeping Cold (Extended) if you can get it is brutal.

But... what am I saying. You appear to have done very well for yourself as a non-blaster. Why not keep doing whatever it is that has worked so well for you, only more so?

Have you read the Wizard as God guide? The one that keeps going on about letting the Big Stupid Fighter win the encounters? That sounds like the style of play might be right up your alley.

This character is kind of a departure for me. I usually tend to be more in the mix either more blasty or a brute force type. I've made it through so far without damage spells but shape battlefield and concentrate gets a little tedious for me so I'm looking at some other options as well this level. I haven't seen that guide but I'll look it up.

Where can I find Creeping Cold? I'm not familiar with it.

Thanks for the help everybody, I'll consider Alter Self as well.

[Keld Denar]

Wait...you banned Conjouration? You know that you can't replicate the entire Teleport subschool with Shadow Illusions, right? Ouch! Very ouch!

As far as spells...I can't think of too much that hasn't already been mentioned. Phantasmal Assalant is pretty nifty. You can have Major Image as a 2nd level spell with the Gnome Illusionist ACF in UA, which makes it a very solid pick. Wall of Gloom is another solid pick.

And Dance of Ruin is an [Evil] spell because its based on the effect of what happens when 3+ Vrocks do the Macarena together. Spell based on Demon = Evil.

[King Atticus]

And Dance of Ruin is an [Evil] spell because its based on the effect of what happens when 3+ Vrocks do the Macarena together. Spell based on Demon = Evil.

Fair enough :smallbiggrin:

Yeah as far as conjuration goes it was a hard one to give up. But fluff-wise it fit best, plus we already have a conjurer.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Ray of Stupidity (SC), automatically disables any animal it hits, as well as many magical beasts and various other monsters which typically have a lot of HP and a dangerous full attack.

Command Undead (PHB), automatically gain control of any mindless undead you cast it on. That means skeletons and zombies and maybe a few others, so always target the most powerful opponent and make it turn on the others or its master (or get a Lesser Rod of Chain Spell in CA and take control of everything).

I'll agree that Alter Self is an extremely good choice, turn into a Troglodyte or a Crucian (MH) for an amazing natural armor bonus, or into an Avariel (RoF) for flight. Link. (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=343.0)

[NecroRick]

Where can I find Creeping Cold? I'm not familiar with it.


Spell Compendium. It's worth considering if you're going down the Persistent Megacheese route, since the extend feat is a pre-req.

[King Atticus]

Spell Compendium. It's worth considering if you're going down the Persistent Megacheese route, since the extend feat is a pre-req.

I just read through it, it looks awesome...but it's a Druid spell. How would a Wiz be able to cast it?

[NecroRick]

I just read through it, it looks awesome...but it's a Druid spell. How would a Wiz be able to cast it?

Oops. My bad. Too much time artificing lately. Sorry.

[King Atticus]

Oops. My bad. Too much time artificing lately. Sorry.

:smallbiggrin: No worries brutha, I appreciate the advice.

[gbprime]

Wait...you banned Conjouration? You know that you can't replicate the entire Teleport subschool with Shadow Illusions, right? Ouch! Very ouch!

You can do without most of them, though tactical teleports are nice. And most of your travel needs are met by Shadow Walk.