The A-List: The Wizard's Best Spells For Every Situation

[Echoes]

Under defense, mind blank is a premier spell. It also serves double duty under obfuscation when coupled with some form of invisibility or shapechanging, because it stops true seeing.

For counter-intelligence, I'm a huge fan of detect scrying. Coupled with nondetection or mind blank, it makes for a nice "you can't see me but I can see you" trick and gives you enough info to launch a counter-attack via teleport.

For action enhancement, arcane spellsurge effectively quickens every spell you cast, and drops summons down to a standard action. However, it is more abusable as a Sorcerer. If you're including spells you can add to your list, arcane fusion and it's greater cousin are extremely powerful as well.

I have to second the shapechange -> elemental weird idea for intelligence gathering. Free action contact other plane is powerful (the weird abilities were reprinted in Frostburn and remained free actions).

[Caelic]

Glyph Seal ( <= 2nd level spells) and Glyph Seal, Greater ( >= 5th level spells). You can put personal range spells into them. So, for example, you could put a 300gp Crystal of Return, Least on the BSF's sword, and the glyph seal right next to where he grabs it, so he gets a wraithstrike when he draws his sword.

Delicate Disk does the same job for spells up to 5th level, so there's an app for that.

[awaken DM golem]

(late as usual)

I'll 2nd TMonk20's thread linked above, post #2 has the links.

I think getting a little Psionics onto a Wizard's list of possibilities, is generally do-able.
Say around level 9 or 10, Leadership Cohort Erudite 7 with Spell To Power for the sharing and caring.
Metamorphic Transfer feat is within reach, and cheap. Alter Self = Shapechange lite.
Dragon #349 Chameleon Crafting feat can allow Scrolls Of Psi-Powers ... therefore learnable.

[Endarire]

LogicNinja's Batman Wizard Guide

I recommend you include links to Batman and GOD Wizards in your main post.

[X-Codes]

For low levels, power word pain is great for damage, as is nosh's energy whip.

I would refute the idea of Power Word Pain being good for anything, since it overkills weak monsters and doesn't do enough against strong ones.  It's probably the best first-level blast at first level, but by level 4 I'd be looking to switch off to Hail of Stone or even Magic Missile, assuming I'd prepare anything other than comprehend languages, grease, etc.

So, for purposes of this thread... I don't think it's quite up to snuff.

[Redeemer of Ogar]

Delicate Disk does the same job for spells up to 5th level, so there's an app for that.

I was briefly all over that spell... until I realized that each disc was the size of a frisbee. Palm-size I could live with, but Tron Discs, not so much.

[Widow]

Battlemagic perception L3 (Heroes of battle) needs to go on the list.  An immediate action counterspell is always good.

[RealMarkP]

Has anyone mentioned Stop Heart: Subject drops to -8hp immediately.

[dna1]

I thought I would throw my 2 cents in. ok now Im not breaking them down into catagorys, but these are some of the spells ALL of my casters take.

*Spells -not doing a huge list, just some must haves
1- true strike/alarm
2- Wings of Cover(MUST HAVE)/ familiar pocket/ see invis
3- manyjaws/permiable form/ slow
4- wings of fury(MUST HAVE)/ evervation/d.door/assay resistence
5- wall of force
6- contingency/ tactical teleport(MUST HAVE super usefull)
7- force cage(highly suggested)/ powerword blind/ limited wish
8- ottos dance/ ottos telekinetic sphere/ power word petrify
9- timestop/shape change

[awaken DM golem]

4) Psychic Reformation converted ... too good, too useful.

[Widow]

Delicate Disk does the same job for spells up to 5th level, so there's an app for that.

I was briefly all over that spell... until I realized that each disc was the size of a frisbee. Palm-size I could live with, but Tron Discs, not so much.

Yeah, a familar belt or whatever it is called with 64 10lb pockets goes well assuming the wholes are big enough.  One disjunction though and you are back to square one.

Level 2:
Heroics (SC):  Grants the target a fighter bonus feat for 10 minutes per level.  Improved Initiative is a fighter bonus feat.  So are Martial Study and Martial Stance.

Martial study grants you a new class skill, I wonder if you could use this to make it a class skill during leveling for cheaper/more ranks or help with early entry into something without multi-classing.

[lans]

Should Mobility be split into long term and one shot? Like Phantom steed vs Dimension Door?

[Endarire]

Mobility
I agree with splitting long-term (at least a minute per level) and short-term mobility spells.

[Bozwevial]

Martial study grants you a new class skill, I wonder if you could use this to make it a class skill during leveling for cheaper/more ranks or help with early entry into something without multi-classing.

Strictly according to RAW, you spend skill points before you pick a feat, so I'm afraid not. At least not at the level you take Martial Study.

[telehax]

He's talking about casting heroics while gaining your level-up skill points so that you can allocate them into things that aren't class skills.
Which, honestly, really depends on your DM and how he feels about non-permanant stuff being used during level-ups. Or how he abjucates levelling up in the first place.

[Widow]

He's talking about casting heroics while gaining your level-up skill points so that you can allocate them into things that aren't class skills.
Which, honestly, really depends on your DM and how he feels about non-permanant stuff being used during level-ups. Or how he abjucates levelling up in the first place.

Too bad heroics has a range of touch, a persistent version would make it much easier to level while the spell is up with 24 to 48 hour coverage.

[nijineko]

chain of eyes or swarm of eyes are quite handy for intelligence gathering.

[Caelic]

Isn't it interesting how many of the "absolute must-have best spells" are right out of the PHB?  Makes you think.

[Bozwevial]

Isn't it interesting how many of the "absolute must-have best spells" are right out of the PHB?  Makes you think.

That DMs who claim core is balanced and absolutely anything else is broken have their heads up their asses?

[CantripN]

Mystic Shield is a must-have for protection once you get 8th level spells. Immunity to 6th and lower level spells, and making all attacks against you non-magical is awesome.

Ice Shield is a VERY good defense at high levels, and impossible to ignore to the most part.