Wizard starting spell optimization/avoiding trap spells.

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

Hey Playground, I'll be starting a new game soon! I'm looking for some advice on starting spell selection for a wizard, I don't need to be perfectly optimized however I'd like to avoid any trap choices. We'll be starting at level four. We are playing in a custom world where most spells outside the PHB are considered secret knowledge so I'd like to avoid Xanathar's and Scag spells as much as possible however if there is a golden choice that I should definitely get I can talk to the DM about it.

Current Details
Rock Gnome
Wizard (Illusion)
Stats have not been rolled but I'll probably end up with a +4 INT modifier.

Cantrips: Fire Bolt, Light, Mage Hand, Presidigitation, Minor Illusion(upgraded)
First Level: Alarm, Disguise self, Find Familiar, Fog Cloud, Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Shield, Sleep (I'm iffy on Alarm, Fog cloud, Magic missile, and Sleep.)
Second: Dragon's breath, Flaming Sphere, Mirror Image, Shatter. (I think I have too many offensive spells but I can't decide which would be the best to take or if there is a better option.)

At third level I'm planning on taking Leomunds tiny hut, and Fireball or Melf's minute meteor's if the DM approves it.

Edit: I forgot to mention, I'm the only caster in the group.

[DrowPiratRobrts]

Have you read Treantmonk's two part guide? If not you should.

[Haldir]

There aren't a ton of trap spells in this edition, thankfully. Alarm is good, but not necessary, Fog Clouds can literally make or break certain encounters, so I wouldn't be iffy on that.

Firebolt as you damage cantrip is... ok. Good damage but the amount of fire resist you see later makes it the closest thing to a trap spell you have on your list.

What you are absolutely missing is Misty Step. Get Misty Step.

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

Have you read Treantmonk's two part guide? If not you should.

I have read part one, I'm looking over part two now, I like his ideas and most of the spells I've chosen seem to be rated fairly well.


There aren't a ton of trap spells in this edition, thankfully. Alarm is good, but not necessary, Fog Clouds can literally make or break certain encounters, so I wouldn't be iffy on that.

Firebolt as you damage cantrip is... ok. Good damage but the amount of fire resist you see later makes it the closest thing to a trap spell you have on your list.

What you are absolutely missing is Misty Step. Get Misty Step.

That is a very good point, I'll switch that out for chill touch, losing 1-4 damage and gaining that rider should be a solid idea.

I'm thinking I'll drop flaming sphere and shatter for misty step and darkvision as our thief is a halfling.

[No brains]

Firebolt as you damage cantrip is... ok. Good damage but the amount of fire resist you see later makes it the closest thing to a trap spell you have on your list.

What would you suggest in place of Fire Bolt? While it is true that fire resistance is common, I think bolt is a good combo of range and power. Additionally, it's one of the few cantrips that can affect objects. It's DM-dependent, but that opens up a lot of potential for cutting Gordian knots.

[Biggstick]

Let's start at the beginning then. You should have more then one damaging cantrip. Chill Touch or Ray of Frost would work well. Trade out one of the utility (Light, Mage Hand, or Prestidigitation) cantrips for it. Personally, I'd recommend Chill Touch, as there are very few creatures in the game that are immune/resistant to both Necrotic and Fire damage.

Moving on to first level spells, I'll bold your choices that are critical for any Wizard.

Alarm, Disguise Self, Find Familiar, Fog Cloud, Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Shield, and Sleep.

What I don't see on this list that I also consider essential to any Wizard is the Detect Magic spell. So at this point we're sitting on 4 spells considered essential for any Wizard. If your DM approves spells from Xanathar's, I'd also add Absorb Elements to that list, bringing us up to 5. But moving onward, these next 4 (or 3 if Xanathar's is approved) spells need to be choices that you feel will be valuable beyond the level in which you're gaining them. All of the 4 (or 5) spells we've chosen thus far will always prove useful and valuable to our build.

With that in mind, it's really up to you the flavor you're looking for. I'd choose 4 (or 3) from this list of spells: Comprehend Languages, Disguise Self, Featherfall, Fogcloud, Magic Missile, Silent Image, and Unseen Servant. The two bolded choices would be ones I make, with the final one being dependent on my knowledge of the DM. It'd be up in the air between Comprehend Languages and Featherfall. But for an Illusionist Wizard, I'd suggest picking up Silent Image, as that spell can and will be your bread and butter spell.

I don't want to give an in depth on second level spells, but just as an FYI, Dragon's Breath is from Xanathar's. I'd make sure to grab crowd control (like Phantasmal Force) and utility spells (Misty Step and/or Invisibility) over damaging spells.

[JeffreyGator]

How hard is it going to be to get to add spells to your spellbook?

If not terribly hard, there are some that you may be happy to add when you find them especially stuff that can be rdeitually cast.

You may need Identify depending on your DM frequency of magic items and how much you can learn in one hour without Identify.

If you ritually cast unseen servant you might not need the mage hand cantrip letting you pick a different offensive spell. Chill touch is nice for that as a second damager after fire bolt.

Because you're an illusionist, I'd take color spray over sleep even if sleep has a much longer duration.

You absolutely want phantasmal force. Last campaign a fire giant got locked in its mind in a blizzard fighting ice mephitis while the party beat it down with relative impunity. It helped that we had a lore bard nerfing the giants INT saves. A possibly deadly encounter became easy.


Invisibility?

[djreynolds]

Flaming sphere is the poor man's spiritual weapon.... It's pretty good, you can basically ram them with it.

Misty step is needed, as is invisibility.

And remember to hassle every merchant for spells, who knows what you can find or buy.

[Haldir]

What would you suggest in place of Fire Bolt? While it is true that fire resistance is common, I think bolt is a good combo of range and power. Additionally, it's one of the few cantrips that can affect objects. It's DM-dependent, but that opens up a lot of potential for cutting Gordian knots.

I personally like Acid Splash or Ray of Frost- Cold resist is still pretty common, but it has a good rider when it does connect. Acid resist is basically non-existent, but that damage is pretty meh... OP went for a touch spell, which I generally don't care for because of the danger. If you're going that route you should try and get some of those neato weapon-attack cantrips from SCAG.

I would also second Absorb Elements. Always relevant and always awesome.

[Lord Vukodlak]

In the early levels sleep has god like powers. For the first three levels it might as well have been the only non-cantrip my wizard knew.
Even at latter levels it can be used to help capture foes, or people you just need to capture but aren't actually a threat to you.

Flaming Sphere is useful, its an area effect albeit a minor one however it deals damage every round and you can move it. Useful at low levels or if you're facing something though that requires kill it with fire like multiple trolls or a Hydra. This lets you continually hit it with fire damage while using your normal actions for something else.


I personally like Acid Splash or Ray of Frost- Cold resist is still pretty common, but it has a good rider when it does connect. Acid resist is basically non-existent, but that damage is pretty meh... OP went for a touch spell, which I generally don't care for because of the danger. If you're going that route you should try and get some of those neato weapon-attack cantrips from SCAG.
Chill Touch range 120ft