- Offense -
The third area in which a wizard needs to excel is offense. He must be able to reliably neutralize enemies, ideally with a minimum expenditure of resources.
ContentDirect Damage Spells: A wizard will frequently need to deal with enemies through the simple expedient of dealing massive damage.Level 5:Telekinesis (PHB): Properly employed, Telekinesis can do a devastating amount of damage, and it has numerous other uses to boot.
Ability Damage Spells:Neutralizing an opponent by attacking his ability scores is frequently faster and more efficient than seeking to overcome him through hit point damage.Level 1:
Level 2:Ray of Stupidity (SC): Another spell that's so good it breaks the game. Even in its base form, guaranteed to neutralize ANY animal-intelligence critter, no matter HOW big, that doesn't have spell resistance. As a level 2 ray, it can easily be enhanced to the point where it can eliminate anything with less brainpower than a black ethergaunt.
Level 3:Shivering Touch (Frost): 3d6 Dexterity damage can shut down a LOT of big, clumsy powerhouses.
Incapacitating Spells:Some spells can neutralize an opponent with a single shot. Such spells tend to be all-or-nothing, and as such, a risky proposition. The best spells of this sort are the ones that are either very difficult to resist, cause harm even on a successful save, or both.Debuff Spells:Many spells do not directly incapacitate an opponent, but instead negate his own combat effectiveness. A helpless opponent is effectively neutralized.Level 2:
Glitterdust (PHB): A valuable dual-function spell. Serves both to blind opponents and to detect invisible or hiding opponents. Unaffected by spell resistance, which is a definite plus. Combine with Sculpt Spell for best results.
Level 4:
Assay Spell Resistance (SC): Swift-action +10 bonus to overcome a specific creature's spell resistance for 1 round per level. A must-have against high-SR opponents, particularly if you're not a conjurer.
Enervation (PHB): Entire offensive strategies can be (and have been) built around this spell. On its own, it's a fairly minor debuff. Enhanced by the right combination of metamagic, it's a godslayer.
Level 6:
Greater Dispel (PHB): A staple with good reason. Useful for a variety of purposes, including nullifying an opponent's buffs.
Buff Spells:Frequently, the indirect approach is best; rather than directly neutralizing an opponent, a wizard can enhance the effectiveness of his allies, making them able to more efficiently neutralize the opponent.Level 2:Alter Self (PHB): Really, what needs to be said? The entire Alter Self/Polymorph/Shapechange spell chain is so good that WotC essentially said, "We give up on trying to make this balanced, you should really just not use it." Alter Self can (with judicious selection of forms) be a flight spell, waterbreathing spell, hefty natural armor buff, and more--all rolled into one.
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.
Wraithstrike (SC): Making all of your attacks touch attacks for a round? Hello, power-attacking hydra! Very good as a level 2 spell; very, VERY good as a level 8 Persistent spell; BRILLIANT as a less than level 8 Persistent spell.
Level 4:Polymorph (PHB): Like Alter Self, only moreso. If you can't break the game using Polymorph, you're not trying. Even if you try very hard NOT to break the game with Polymorph, it's simply the best return-for-investment buff spell around.
Level 5:Draconic Polymorph (Drac): ...well, okay; I lied. Polymorph may not be QUITE the best return-for-investment buff spell around. Persistent Draconic Polymorph has a higher investment required, since you need Persistent spell and a way to circumvent the costs--but results in a superior Polymorph that lasts all day.
Level 8:Polymorph Any Object: If anyone can figure out a way to include PaO in the game WITHOUT throwing game balance out the window, please let me know. It's not so much a character buff as a way to rewrite your character to your own specifications.
Level 9: Shapechange (PHB): The king of the Polymorph spells, and one of the Big Five that dominate level 9 with their ability to redefine game reality--the other four being Gate, Miracle, Wish, and Time Stop. The ability to also grab the Supernatural abilities of the subject creature makes this spell almost infinitely powerful and versatile. Like the rest of the Big Five, it's extremely difficult to categorize under one category; with just a little creativity, it can be used for most of the purposes on this list.
Ally-Producing Spells:In addition to relying on allies, a wizard should be able to produce his own, whether through summoning them directly or by turning enemies into allies.Battlefield Control Spells:A wizard must be able to dictate the conditions of battle to favor him and his allies, and to maximize the effectiveness of their offense.Level 1:
Grease (PHB): A prime example of a spell which maximizes the effectiveness of offense. If the opponent lacks 5 ranks of Balance, he's considered flat-footed, and your sneak attackers can light him up.
Level 5:
Freezing Fog (SC): Combines the effects of two excellent battlefield control spells, Solid Fog and Grease, to excellent effect.