Level 5 and running into SP problems

[Zachski]

Yep, already starting to feel Wizard's limitations. But the ability to change spells in any tavern is precisely as addicting as Sorcerer's cast speed and spell points.

I'm an elf, but that extra 20 SP from Elven Arcanum I isn't enough.

I'm starting to wonder if I should just ignore my level 3 spells for the moment, unless I party play. Regardless, I've run into a few problems. Right now, I have 374 SP and 23 intelligence.

1. Fireball costs a whopping 15 SP to cast. While this is cheaper than 20 SP, it still quickly drains my SP, even when I gather as many enemies as I can find together.

2. Extended Haste costs freaking 30 SP. That's almost a tenth of my SP bar for a minute's worth of 40% run speed.

It seems like the most obvious answer to me isn't to add more SP, but change how I'm using it. Namely, I need to change my normal spell layout.

My current spell layout:

1: Niac's Cold Ray, Shield, Jump, Feather Fall
2: Web, Blur, Knock
3: Fireball, Haste

As far as other level 3 spells go, I still need to build up my collection -- other than Fireball and Haste, I also have Frost Lance and Lightning Bolt.

I realize that web and fireball are incompatible, which is why I'm thinking of switching at least Fireball out. And Haste is probably not that useful right now, but I have Anger's Step which is 10 minutes of Exp. Retreat, so it's not that imperative that I load up Exp. Retreat as a spell.

I don't want to use Master's Touch. For one thing, I have 8 strength (because I wanted to start with 16 Con). For another... I don't want to use Master's Touch.

[SarKarNor]

At level 5, my casters still carry big sticks and hit things with them. Haste can be had from a clicky or a bottle If your web works, then CC and hit 'em with a stick. Also, do you have the SP clicky necklace from... is it Korthos? I have that thing on every single blue bar I have

[Pape_27]

always liked to pass down wands to my low level arcanes. MM wands, Fireball wands, etc can really make a difference in stretching out the low level sp pool.

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[marinerfan]

Agreed, speak softly and carry a big stick at level 5.

My preferred method in the early levels is melee stuff (if you don't want to do this, that's fine but you'll have to be a bit more careful with your sp pool), gather them up on me then alternate between melee, acid splash (4-6 sp?), and burning hands (4-6 sp?). If you invest a bit into fire and acid those two spells should be cheap and do at least ok damage. Niac's cold ray, scorching ray, and frost lance are all pretty good low sp options as well.

I don't use haste unless I'm in a group that can actually kill things. If the group is mostly terrible, I am very stingy with buffs.

[Zachski]

At level 5, my casters still carry big sticks and hit things with them. Haste can be had from a clicky or a bottle If your web works, then CC and hit 'em with a stick. Also, do you have the SP clicky necklace from... is it Korthos? I have that thing on every single blue bar I have

8 strength isn't very conducive to hitting things over the head with a big stick with :P I suppose I could use Bull's Strength to boost it up to 12 Strength, but why do that when I could just blast the poor suckers?

I suppose I could grab a staff that has a damage mod on it, though... I just like having the spell power more.

My web does work most of the time, but honestly the last place I want to be when enemies break free of the web is right next to them.

Hard to pass down a wand to my arcane when said arcane is currently the highest level character on the server :P

Frost Lance is kinda meh right now. It won't really be useful until I'm level 7. Then again, it doesn't have a save, hmm...

I suppose using both Burning Hands and Acid Spray together will be good, then using Frost Lance as my "sniping" spell.

Any spells you would suggest having?

[Therigar]

The number of spell points you have will never be enough. You need to start now in understanding how to conserve them. The first thing to understand is this: If you don't need to do it, let another party member take care of things.

That may sound a bit obscure, Do what? you might be wondering.

Basically, any and every thing. If you don't need to buff, don't. If you don't need to crowd control, don't. If you don't need to kill, don't. That is why you have a party -- so that they can do things too.

The next thing to understand is this: Don't use spell points if something else will do the job for you.

You need to buff or CC -- use wands or scrolls. You need to kill stuff -- use wands or scrolls or weapons, whatever works for you.

Now, you are at the point where you can safely use spell points. If you NEED to and if NOTHING ELSE will work, cast away.

Finally, as everyone else will tell you, get spell point items, con-op, torc, etc.

But, learn the first two things and live them. Spell points won't be an issue for you if you do.

[OsOscarius]

Fireball is neat, but as you've noticed it can cost a bit too much to use at lv5. Also, I sort of prefer acid blast.

A tip is to not use haste unless you really need to. As you said you have Angers Step. For an arcane the difference between +25%(retreat) and +32%(haste) movement speed isn't great enough to waste 30sp/minute on.
The melees will love the haste, but it that level they can't expect to be permanently hasted, unless they carry pots themselves of course.
Pop a haste during key encounters, most notably any end boss.

I agree with Therigar that using pots, scrolls and wands to buff is very handy. Grabbing blur, invis, shield and the like can save loads of sp.
I sort of disagree on the damage part, but that's only my opinion.

As you're only level 5 it's fair to stick to un-meta'ed acid spray/flaming hands. At this point they will do 2/3 the damage of a fireball, but with 1/5 the cost.
As levels increase you will want to swap, as burning hand and acid spray cap at caster level 5, but at the moment they are at their prime.
Swapping shield and feather fall (pick up the cheap scrolls at the market instead) to these two and keep them off cooldown and you can get some pretty decent AoE damage for a cheap price.
Just remember to keep on your toes so you don't get hit too much, they are close range spells.

I also like to grab scorch, which adds even more AoE. However Web/Blur/Knock is decent enough, if a bit too supporter-ish for me.

With AoE done on spell level 1 you can grab a single target spell at 3. Lightning bolt and ice lance are both decent.
If you got decent DC's you can stick to Niac's, it does rather obscene damage for 4sp if you have the int to have it stick most of the time.

As always with lowbie wizards, keep it easy with both buffing and meta-magics. These can drain your sp bar way too fast.

And finally, stick to it. Everything will get better at level 7.

[Aashrym]

At 5th level your first level spells are still your cheapest options. Save the higher level spells for bigger burst if it's more of an emergency, and it actually doesn't really do much more damage than your first level area spells yet. Wands and scrolls if you have them and the eternal wands are pretty useful still at that level.

The common way to make the damage spells work is to rotate burning hands and acid spray.

Another method becoming more common is sonic blast for the range and daze with it, and electric loop as the back up to it. If you have +1 caster level to 1st level spells then at 5th level that sonic blast does 4d4 burst damage and no save, and a will save or be dazed. If you spam that into groups you will do damage and add some basic CC/damage mitigation.

You can cast darn near a hundred of those spells. Use expeditious retreat scrolls or clickies for movement; it's not worth haste for you unless it's for a tough fight and you've groups with melee's for it.

Once you get into some SLA's later on it will be easier to stretch out SP, and at 7th level when you have access to AoE DoT's you will see a big difference.

If you still have trouble with SP using the spells and relying on scrolls and wands when you can then it would be time to look at masters touch and a big axe.

EDIT: I just wanted to add you can cast three 4 SP spells for 5d4(15d4) for 12 SP vs one Fireball (5d6) for 15 SP, in order to better illustrate where you will see better SP economy.

[Alternative]

At those levels my usual gameplan is to cast extended blur/heroism/bull's str and swing a crafted +1 holy staff/axe of righteousness (I prefer staff personally but many people like axes or mauls, so whatever works for you).

[Lonnbeimnech]

1. keep doing what you've been doing and buy sp potions
2. invis, run to the end, kill the red name and recall.
3. master's touch great axe rage potion bull's str

Take your pick.

ps, people loves them some frost lance and whats the other one, niac's sp depletion or something? anyway, stay away from single target spells.

[cru121]

sonic blast all the way!

[Uska]

Up until lvl 7 or so grab a great axe or something masters touch and play wack a mole

[aristarchus1000]

Sonic Blast is like having an SLA at level 1. It should hold you over until level 7 when you get Wall of Fire and/or Ice Storm.

[Mastikator]

Any spells you would suggest having?

Charm Person, Master's Touch
Bull Strength (or use potions if you can afford), Blur
Web, Haste

You'll get a lot more mileage for your SP out of that until level 7, then you get mileage from acid rain and firewall.
Using Charm, Suggestion and Dominate is extremely useful, but not popular when in party, because you don't really need to kill all the monsters really, do you?

Edit- also, as said before, buy wands for buffs and utility (like jump, shield, blur, haste), they're extremely cheap per charge compared to scrolls and potions.

[Rawrargh]

When running a low level wizard solo I ussually just pop out an invis wand or scroll, run like hell, eventually get a bunch of mobs after me, run circles for a while and drop them with a fireball or an acid blast.
If you can't blast every mob down, try to skip as many as possible.

[Limey]

During the lower levels as a wizard, save the nukes for bosses and target rich situations. Other wise masters touch, two handed weapon, str buffs etc.

[Postumus]

If you are soloing a lot charms are a way to conserve SPs and redirect aggro away from you. Many quests you don't need to kill everything and a few charms here and there will keep the crowd occupied while you invis (comes in scrolls even) and run past.

[evilgardengnome]

At low levels I like Summon Monster. Use scrolls or wands if you want to conserve SP. A summon will draw agro away from you and will spot mobs way before you too. And they last 10min. that's huge at lower levels.

[EnjoyTheJourney]

As was indicated earlier, sonic blast will get you to level 7. It ricochets and gets a lot of mobs, in crowds, and it's inexpensive crowd control. Melee mobs are particularly likely to miss, which is helpful for your teammates up in front of you, swinging swords and such.

Unless you run with players who routinely have ship buffs, resist energy is also a very nice low level buff to carry.

These steps, and avoiding the urge to try to "perma-buff" short term buffs like haste (or displacement) should really help your SP bar.

[MartinusWyllt]

I alternate the carnifex and a holy maul at that level and take enough strength to avoid incap by ray of enfeeblement.

I know it doesn't feel wizard-y but it is kinda fun.