Level 1 Wizard spells

[ImSAMazing]

Allright,

So I am new to 3.5(played 5e since it was published) and I am going to play a Wizard in a 3.5 campaign. I already got my stats(8 str, 16 dex, 14 con, 20 int, 10 wis, 10 cha), chosen my Race(grey elf), my class(Wizard ofc) and my bonus feat(Collegiate Wizard). I divided my skill points, and I am going for the elf acf for wizard. I will need help with my lvl 1 spell selection(I can choose 12 with my feats if I am right, correct me if I am wrong) because I dont know the details about the campaign(it s not a Megadungeon but a sandbox-like game. I got 2 companions: a Druid and a Dustblade.

Please help me with my spell selection, any advice is appreciated. I have no experience with all of the spells, so if you want, tell a story how you used a certain spell.

[sovin_ndore]

I would start with some of the iconic guide threads:

Logic Ninja's Guide to Being Batman (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?104002-3-5e-The-Logic-Ninja-s-Guide-to-Wizards-Being-Batman)
Treantmonk's Guide to Wizards: Being a God (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1146876)

[AvatarVecna]

Hi Sam.

Protection From Evil
--Slight bonuses against evil creatures, protects from evil mind control.

Grease
--Good in-combat use, good out-of-combat utility. Very useful overall, if the situation calls for it.

Mount
--Long term summoning spell; can be used for riding, trap detection, an extra creature in combat, and so on.

Charm Person
--Makes low-willpower enemies into friends. Will not attack their other friends, but will assist you in other ways.

(Tenser's) Floating Disk
--So useful it has its own handbook (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?385848-Disciple-of-Tenser-A-Guide-to-Maximum-Tenser-s-Floating-Disk-Utility). Even if you're not abusing it, it's still useful.

Magic Missile
--It has good range, it can target anybody without total cover/concealment, it can't miss if it targets them, it affects incorporeal targets, it bypasses most forms of DR, and it gets better as you level up.

Color Spray
--This is widely known as a wonderful Save-Or-Lose spell at the lower levels, although it becomes less useful past 5th level or so.

Disguise Self
--It's decent if you're not good at making disguises; it's wonderful if you're already really good at it, because it can stack with a mundane disguise for a huge total. Lots of out-of-combat utility, but no real combat use (unless you're incredibly creative).

Silent Image
--Pretty solid low-level Illusion spell. Not as useful if you need sound as well, though.

Ray of Enfeeblement
--Decent at low levels, the main benefit from this spell is later on, when you can apply metamagic feats to it (there's a lot of potential metamagic feats that can apply to this spell).

Enlarge Person
--Put it on your party's BSF during the fight, stand back and watch as he lays waste to the enemy. Limited out-of-combat utility outside of very niche situations.

Expeditious Retreat
--Double you speed, and give yourself an effective +12 to Jump checks. Funnily enough, that's actually a better bonus than the Jump spell gives you at this level.

Feather Fall
--This spell saves lives if the unthinkable happens and the group starts falling a long distance. Falling distance is no joke, so don't treat it like one.

That's 13 spells (all of them Core) and you get 12. I would suggest dropping Disguise Self if you're not interested in putting on disguises. If the other options don't seem very interesting, you can always select spells from outside Core; while those spells aren't available on the SRD, I know a place where you can find them; I'll send you a link off-site.

[Darrin]

What sourcebooks are available? Can you use online articles? Dragon Magazine?

[Inevitability]

Firstly, are you going to specialize? If that is the case, what schools will you ban? What school will you pick?

Secondly, you seem to have at least two melee-capable creatures in your party (the druid's companion and the duskblade) so I recommend buff spells like Enlarge Person, Magic Weapon, and Protection From [Alignment]. Neverskitter can be useful too; it gets a meat shield between you and the enemy as quickly as possible.

[AvatarVecna]

Firstly, are you going to specialize? If that is the case, what schools will you ban? What school will you pick?

Secondly, you seem to have at least two melee-capable creatures in your party (the druid's companion and the duskblade) so I recommend buff spells like Enlarge Person, Magic Weapon, and Protection From [Alignment]. Neverskitter can be useful too; it gets a meat shield between you and the enemy as quickly as possible.

I've been talking with them off-site; current plan is to go Elven Generalist. Beyond that, I've been reluctant to suggest stuff outside of Core, just for the potential lack of access.

[Barbarian Horde]

Smoke Wall
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: A straight wall whose area is up to one 10-ft. square/level (S)
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial; see text
Spell Resistance: No

This spell creates a thin wall of black smoke. The wall is stationary once created. The wall blocks sight to a limited degree. Creatures on opposite sides of the wall that cannot see over it gain concealment from each other. A creature can pass through a wall of smoke, but must make a Fortitude save to avoid being nauseated for 1 round.

[RolandDeschain]

Hi Sam.

Protection From Evil
--Slight bonuses against evil creatures, protects from evil mind control.

Grease
--Good in-combat use, good out-of-combat utility. Very useful overall, if the situation calls for it.

Mount
--Long term summoning spell; can be used for riding, trap detection, an extra creature in combat, and so on.

Charm Person
--Makes low-willpower enemies into friends. Will not attack their other friends, but will assist you in other ways.

(Tenser's) Floating Disk
--So useful it has its own handbook (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?385848-Disciple-of-Tenser-A-Guide-to-Maximum-Tenser-s-Floating-Disk-Utility). Even if you're not abusing it, it's still useful.

Magic Missile
--It has good range, it can target anybody without total cover/concealment, it can't miss if it targets them, it affects incorporeal targets, it bypasses most forms of DR, and it gets better as you level up.

Color Spray
--This is widely known as a wonderful Save-Or-Lose spell at the lower levels, although it becomes less useful past 5th level or so.

Disguise Self
--It's decent if you're not good at making disguises; it's wonderful if you're already really good at it, because it can stack with a mundane disguise for a huge total. Lots of out-of-combat utility, but no real combat use (unless you're incredibly creative).

Silent Image
--Pretty solid low-level Illusion spell. Not as useful if you need sound as well, though.

Ray of Enfeeblement
--Decent at low levels, the main benefit from this spell is later on, when you can apply metamagic feats to it (there's a lot of potential metamagic feats that can apply to this spell).

Enlarge Person
--Put it on your party's BSF during the fight, stand back and watch as he lays waste to the enemy. Limited out-of-combat utility outside of very niche situations.

Expeditious Retreat
--Double you speed, and give yourself an effective +12 to Jump checks. Funnily enough, that's actually a better bonus than the Jump spell gives you at this level.

Feather Fall
--This spell saves lives if the unthinkable happens and the group starts falling a long distance. Falling distance is no joke, so don't treat it like one.

That's 13 spells (all of them Core) and you get 12. I would suggest dropping Disguise Self if you're not interested in putting on disguises. If the other options don't seem very interesting, you can always select spells from outside Core; while those spells aren't available on the SRD, I know a place where you can find them; I'll send you a link off-site.


This is a great list. Take this advice. Maybe throw in the Sleep spell(it won't remain useful long, but at 1st level it's great).

[Honest Tiefling]

I'm pretty bad when it comes to the game, so I'll spare you the pain and spare myself the humiliation of trying to suggest some spells. However, I will suggest that you speak to the party. Someone at the table willing to help you is going to be a lot better then a whole bunch of us (sorry, guys). See if either player is willing to aid you in using the spells. (The druid list shares some goodies with the Wizard, so they might be of service).

Failing that, try to ask the DM for help. In my experience getting the DM to help doesn't work as well as another player thanks to trying to control a herd of cats, but it wouldn't hurt to ask if they have any advice about it.

[emeraldstreak]

power word: pain

[HalfQuart]

power word: pain
Unless you can use hit-and-run tactics regularly, Power Word Pain takes too long to be useful for PCs. It is killer when used against PCs by NPCs, though, so I recommend staying away from it entirely to not give your DM any ideas.

A couple other useful 1st level spells are Identify and Mage Armor. You can probably put off Identify until a bit later, as you won't have many magic items or enough money for the material component for a bit.

I'd also hold off on taking Grease and get it at 2nd level -- it's a good spell, but only lasts 1 round/level.

[ericgrau]

At level 1 the strongest spells are going to be sleep and color spray. You have 4 spells per day so may as well get both. That leaves room for 2 backup spells. Burning hands is devastating against low level weenies and more reliable than color spray since it's save for half, reflex saves tend to be a hair lower and because at level 1 fewer things are resistant to fire while more are immune to color spray or sleep. Against individual foes or maybe groups of 2-3 it's weaker because they likely have more hp. Their saves are slightly higher too, true, but not by much. Magic missile is the ultimate reliable backup spell, but even at level 1 the damage is a bit piddly. It's better as it scales. It wouldn't be bad to scroll 1 or 2 as a backup though. At level 2+ shocking grasp gives decent low level damage, enough to one shot a mook with no save, but at level 1 it's no good. Silent image is always nice, and could make a great 3rd or 4th spell. Charm person is likewise a powerful backup spell. Nerveskitter (spell compendium) is always powerful at any level. Burns your limited spells per day fast, but it might be nice to have 1 copy if you don't expect a long adventuring day.

And now for a lesser known trick. Nonproficient (-4) improvised throwing weapon (-4 - 2 per 10') large size (-2) flail + true strike (+20) to deal 2d6 damage reliably at range once per two rounds. 16 gp, 10 lbs. It's about as effective as 2 magic missiles at level 1 but saves spell slots and it gets twice as strong (in terms of damage per round) if you can true strike immediately before the fight. Sure you could use a greatsword, but it's 50 gp. Plus this way you get to carry around a spiked basketball chained to a baseball bat to throw at foes. And be effective. Also if you attack a foe at your range limit of 50' for an additional -10 to hit you can tell everyone how you rolled low and missed. With true strike.

You'll also want utility spells in your spell book; spells you don't normally prepare but are nice to have in case you get 24 hours notice of an event. Mount is great for this, and if you really needed to you could horse the whole party with 24 hours notice. Likewise tenser's floating disk to mule things. Identify is the ultimate one for having lots of time to do it later, but level 1 is too early for it. At level 1 mage armor is too brief to prepare normally but it's good to have in your spellbook in case you know the day will be short. At level 1 14-16 AC is a lot. Other utility spells that don't often get advance notice should be on scrolls instead.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head that isn't better off on a scroll.

[RolandDeschain]

Unless you can use hit-and-run tactics regularly, Power Word Pain takes too long to be useful for PCs. It is killer when used against PCs by NPCs, though, so I recommend staying away from it entirely to not give your DM any ideas.

A couple other useful 1st level spells are Identify and Mage Armor. You can probably put off Identify until a bit later, as you won't have many magic items or enough money for the material component for a bit.

I'd also hold off on taking Grease and get it at 2nd level -- it's a good spell, but only lasts 1 round/level.

I'm kind of in agreement on Grease, but will mention that needing that one round while facing off against a bunch of mooks in a hallway or cave entrance, comes up more often than you think it would. If you wanna try on BFC to see if it's something you enjoy, or if it's going to be a great compliment to your party, Grease is awesome....

[Chronos]

Personally, I would not recommend Sleep. It does basically the same thing as Color Spray, but not as well. Yes, the increased range is nice, but the drawback is the one-round casting time, and that's not worth it. That's enough time that almost all enemies will almost always be able to either charge you and disrupt your casting, or move away out of your range.

[Brova]

silent image is good, especially as a complement to sleep and color spray. All the random stuff that is immune to sleep or color spray loses to a silent image of a wall of lava.

[ImSAMazing]

The game setting is going to be a Megadungeon.

[RolandDeschain]

Personally, I would not recommend Sleep. It does basically the same thing as Color Spray, but not as well. Yes, the increased range is nice, but the drawback is the one-round casting time, and that's not worth it. That's enough time that almost all enemies will almost always be able to either charge you and disrupt your casting, or move away out of your range.

That's a fair argument, but preferably you've got meat sacks in the party to prevent that. But you're right, if you're solo-ing a bunch of mooks, Sleep isn't for you.

[ImSAMazing]

That's a fair argument, but preferably you've got meat sacks in the party to prevent that. But you're right, if you're solo-ing a bunch of mooks, Sleep isn't for you.

True. And that's why there are other spells!

[ImSAMazing]

Any other spell idea's? Online articles/Dragon Magazine is allowed as long as it is legal in 3.5.

[sovin_ndore]

Along the lines of the flail suggestion, I also suggest looking at non-proficiently using a Net! It is a touch attack reusable debuff and as a touch attack will be easier to tag that guy in full plate than resorting to a crossbow when you are not bristling spells. It also combos well with the Ray of Clumsiness [SC] spell if you need a significant targeted debuff for a low level BBEG.

I will also go ahead and suggest the cantrip Amanuensis (also from Spell Compendium), you get all cantrips in your spellbook for free anyhow, and you never know when copying a book in a matter of minutes will be useful.

Lastly, a great buff Spell from level 1 is Fist of Stone[CA].

Not immediately useful, but I think the best 1st level spell may very well be Loresong [Dragon Magazine 335], providing huge skill buffs.

[AvatarVecna]

Fist of Stone is a good buff spell to have as a permanent item, but combine the non-CL-based duration with the personal range, and it makes for a pretty lousy buff on a non-gishy mage.

[sovin_ndore]

Fist of Stone is a good buff spell to have as a permanent item, but combine the non-CL-based duration with the personal range, and it makes for a pretty lousy buff on a non-gishy mage.
It will definitely diminish in effectiveness as you level, and will remain a remnanat in your spellbook. But at the lowest levels, it can make up for alot of your combat inability and is certainly arguably on par with hitting Enlarge Person on your Fighter for DPS. It does put you at risk, though, so Probably dangerous if you aren't playing with Abrupt Jaunt.

[AvatarVecna]

It will definitely diminish in effectiveness as you level, and will remain a remnanat in your spellbook. But at the lowest levels, it can make up for alot of your combat inability and is certainly arguably on par with hitting Enlarge Person on your Fighter for DPS. It does put you at risk, though, so Probably dangerous if you aren't playing with Abrupt Jaunt.

Part of that depends on the fighter in question, but yeah, FoS can be pretty decent...as long as you don't mind going into melee...and have a way of getting out of melee (like Abrupt Jaunt, which isn't available to Elven Generalists)...and you're not using a higher age category than adult (when literally any older age category is better in general for mages)...

[sovin_ndore]

...and you're not using a higher age category than adult (when literally any older age category is better in general for mages)...Yeah, some of this is probably colored by the fact that adding age categories is generally frowned upon in my gaming circles (no doubt due to Venerable Dragonwrought Kobolds and other occasional manipulations).

[AvatarVecna]

True, but Venerable (anything other than DKs) is still pretty good, even if it's not cost-free. I've actually convinced the OP to go Venerable, after helping them adjust their attributes so they don't totally suck afterward.

[sovin_ndore]

True, but Venerable (anything other than DKs) is still pretty good, even if it's not cost-free. I've actually convinced the OP to go Venerable, after helping them adjust their attributes so they don't totally suck afterward.
Even for a wizard, I am not even sure I would want to take the additional -6 to physicals... that is extremely debilitating.

[AvatarVecna]

It won't be so bad once they've got a few levels under their belt, but it's pretty risky at level 1. Still, it's ultimately a difference between 4-7 HP and 1-4 HP; either way, a hit means you're dying, and a crit means you're dead, so it's not a huge difference. Honestly, the Str penalty was looking like the bigger limiting factor, since Str 2 has a light load of 6 lbs, but they're working out something with the druid and their animal companion to carry some stuff. Also, it helps that I've adjusted their final strength to a more workable 4, although getting more than that will mean lowering their Con score below a final total of 8.

Venerable is a great option for a higher-level wizard, but it's a bit of a risk for lower-level wizards.

[Cedar]

What's good about 'Amanuensis'? I don't really see the benefit of copying a book..

--

My standard set of prepared spells for a lvl 1 wizard, who focusses on directly targeting opponents:

Colour Spray, Grease, Silent Image, (Mount/Mage Armour)/another of the first three.

Gives you multiple options: long/short range casting. Reflex/Will save. Colour spray is often 'I win' at level 1. Even though Grease has a short duration during first level it can be really useful to give more precious time to your party in the first round, especially in tight places. Also nice utility against grapples or targeting enemy weapons. Mage armour is nice with colour spray, although it'll probably cost you an extra round. Silent image has lots of options:
-Scaring opponents ('summon' a monster in their path/create a 'blade barrier' or other nasty spell)
-Luring opponents (chest of gold)
-Hiding (create an extra wall behind which you can hide)
-'Changing' the battlefield (create a 'chasm'/walls/pits etc.)
-Create an extra 'copy' of another player or yourself.

Change your prepared spells around a bit, see how effective they are and change accordingly. But keep some variation in your prepared list, unless you're absolutely sure you only need a certain effect/will save in an encounter.

[ericgrau]

Personally, I would not recommend Sleep. It does basically the same thing as Color Spray, but not as well. Yes, the increased range is nice, but the drawback is the one-round casting time, and that's not worth it. That's enough time that almost all enemies will almost always be able to either charge you and disrupt your casting, or move away out of your range.

And when you get in range for a color spray you instantly drop to the counter attack, which unlike your spell has no save. You do have AC, but that's a bit laughable for a level 1 mage. Since it's a mega-dungeon you might manage a mage armor that lasts the adventuring day though. If you don't have allies you want color spray, while if you do have a party to stand in the way of would-be disrupters you want sleep. Foes can't move out of the 110' range in time, especially in a megadungeon, or if they do they'll be out of the fight for 2 rounds and you can still tag any that didn't flee. It's a win-win. Or get both spells. Sleep for general use, color spray for when you get ambushed (if not withdraw / lie there unconscious since you got hit in the surprise round).

You could be venerable and take toughness to counteract it. Sure toughness will suck later and be a waste of a feat, but it fully counteracts the level 1 hp loss from being venerable. So if you won't get venerable without toughness, ask yourself if it's worth a feat to get the benefits of venerable. And also hope your DM allows retraining.

[Silvrfox]

Decide what you want to do as a wizard, debuff, buff, battlefield control etc. You're limited for now to about 1 or 2 spells per encounter. Caltrops in spell compendium is a cantrip that scales nicely, and don'd forget mage armor and sheild, both nice for their jobs. With your high dex, use a bow elfy Mcelf, and your chance to hit even an armored target is comparable to the fighter. True strike for important hits. Careful firing into melee :0 Friendly fire..isn't.

Edit: Get a sword too, you're proficient. Look like the party archer, not the squishy wizard. :)