Level 7 Wizard help

[Tyger]

Hi all,

I am just getting back into the D&D gaming experience after not playing since 2nd Edition AD&D... so I am rusty as heck!

I've been playing the party wizard (human generalist) who is heading into the PrC Mage of the Arcane Order next level (level 8 that is). Our party is comprised of a Psychic Warrior, Cleric, Crusader (ToB), Ranger and a Scout.

I just hit level 7, and am selecting my spells from level 4. Thus far I have been slacking off horribly (still thought that Fireball was a viable tactic!) but I've read a lot of great guides, including Logc Ninja's Guide to being Batman, so I am getting a better handle on how to play my wizard. Still feeling kind of lost though with regard to my level 4 spell choices. Due to the spell research system that the DM is using, it makes a lot of sense for me to focus on the fourth level spells for my 2 freebies here, as the levels one through three are easier to learn. The sourcebooks that we are allowed are PHB, PHBII, DMG and the Spell Compendium (YEAH!).

Any suggestions?

[jlousivy]

dimension door is always a great spell
and probably one of the best 4th level spells--- black tentacles

invis greater if you have a rogue-- he'll love you

enervation... personally i'd wait on this one for a little bit, but another great spell

[its_all_ogre]

improved invisibility, stoneskin, enervation, ray of exhaustion(? cannot remember if its 4th level though).

[Bears With Lasers]

Confusion or Fear are fight-enders on their own. Definitely pick one of them up. (Which one is better depends on your party's tactics.)

Enervation doesn't really come into its own until higher levels; scribe it from a scroll or another caster's book eventually.

Black Tentacles is top-notch battlefield control at this level.

Solid Fog has no save, no SR, and if they don't have Freedom of Movement or teleportation, it'll take them three or four rounds to get out of it; that's enough time for your party to kill their buddies, or buff up and prepare to gang-beat the monster.

Greater Invisibility is always useful, both for you and for the melee types. Against creatures that can't see through it, it's like doubling a melee guy's hit points, or making yourself pretty much untouchable. Rogues love it, too--sneak attack away while it lasts.

If you're going to pick up any damage spells, make it one of the Orb Of spells from CArc/the SpC. Orb of Force caps sooner, but it's force damage, making it a good choice.
Burning Blood is a good Fort-save-based disabler.
Assay Spell Resistance is a very good choice; if you've got it, beating SR isn't an issue.

[Tyger]

Yeah, Black Tentacles is on my short list... maybe I should post that here....

1) Defenestrating Sphere: Just love the idea of tossing folk into the air... off chasms, etc.
2) Dimension Door: Who doesn't love short range teleports. Lower level its funcionality seems low though, as I could only take 2 party members with me.
3) Black Tentacles: Grapple, held and damaged enemies? What's not to like!
4) Solid Fog: Again, seems like great battlefield control, but until you can add some damage into that, its really just a delaying tactic. Definitely one to get later though, maybe now.
5) Summon Monster IV: I know, wizards shouldn't summon. But it really ties into his RP.
6) Stoneskin: Great spell and I am sure the warriors would love me, but the party is pretty broke at the moment, so that 250 GP per casting is a bit steep for us.
7) Wall of XXXX: Great battlefield control again.
8) Charm Monster: Nothing like getting the bad guys to do your work for you.
9) Greater Invisibility: Nice nice nice. No sneaky rogues though, and it would still work great for the warriors.

Always open to other ideas and suggestions though.

[Bears With Lasers]

Yeah, Black Tentacles is on my short list... maybe I should post that here....

1) Defenestrating Sphere: Just love the idea of tossing folk into the air... off chasms, etc.
2) Dimension Door: Who doesn't love short range teleports. Lower level its funcionality seems low though, as I could only take 2 party members with me.
3) Black Tentacles: Grapple, held and damaged enemies? What's not to like!
4) Solid Fog: Again, seems like great battlefield control, but until you can add some damage into that, its really just a delaying tactic. Definitely one to get later though, maybe now.
5) Summon Monster IV: I know, wizards shouldn't summon. But it really ties into his RP.
6) Stoneskin: Great spell and I am sure the warriors would love me, but the party is pretty broke at the moment, so that 250 GP per casting is a bit steep for us.
7) Wall of XXXX: Great battlefield control again.
8) Charm Monster: Nothing like getting the bad guys to do your work for you.

Always open to other ideas and suggestions though.

Defenestrating Sphere is the best spell ever by the name alone, but it's not really that good. Dimension Door isn't that useful at this level (Fly should take care of most problems you'd be using D-Door to deal with; pick up Overland Flight next level, incidentally). Solid Fog is a delaying tactic. Sometimes, delaying is really valuable. That's three rounds for you and the cleric to buff people, cast other spells into the fog, etc... or run away, if need be. Golem? Solid Fog + Ventriloquism scroll, it'll follow your voice around the fog while your party goes by. BBEG? Solid Fog, cleric casts Divine Power/Divine Favor/etc, you cast Haste, Fly, Enlarge Person, and the like. It's a great spell.
Black Tentacles and Confusion/Fear are a good two to go with, though, really. Read Confusion carefully--Confused creatures try and attack the last person to hit them instead of rolling on the confusion table. Good to get'em beating on each other, but if you attack one, it'll target one of you. (Of course, dealing with a suddenly non-tactical opponent, one at a time, is very handy.) With Fear, they start running away, and you have to chase them (and preferably corner them).

[ravenkith]

Resilient Sphere + Manyjaws.

[Stevenson]

Phantasmal Killer. That is all.

[Bears With Lasers]

...because giving them *two* chances to save against the spell is a good idea?

[marjan]

Greater Mirror Image is good defensive spell but you sould skip it for now if you Mirror Image.

[Stevenson]

...because giving them *two* chances to save against the spell is a good idea?

Well, we got a will save. Okay, one.

Now, a fort save. Now, either way, something bad happens on this save. They succeed-3d6 damage, not too great, but not pittance either. They fail-they die. Maybe 1.5 saves. And a bunch of monsters don't have too great of a will save.

[marjan]

Yes, but they usually have good fortitude and doing 3d6 dmg isn't priority.

[Tyger]

Yeah, have to agree with the optically empowered bear here... Phantasmal Killer was on my "if I find the scroll and can't find a buyer I'll scribe it in" list. Just doesn't seem like that great a spell. As an effect, its snazzy to be sure, but its just a bit underpowered.

[marjan]

And it is Fear and Mind-Affecting so this means great deal of enemies will be imune to its effects.

[magnar]

Not much I can add, the experts have all been here... but no wonder Mephisto had so much gold! Casting stoneskin repeatedly and never paying the 250 gil. I wonder what his bankers had to say about that?