Crazy ask I know, but I recently played a Tier 1 game as a wizard and felt relatively useless. We were only level 1, so I know that was the big factor, but we're starting a new campaign after wiping the last one and I'm considering bumping my wizard up to level 10 and trying again.
How should I be playing my character to feel like I contribute? Was it just because we were so low level that I didn't have all my crazy utility spells to make me feel useful or is that normal to feel like I'm just the smart one and then have to rely on my party to manage the rest? Any tier 3 players out there to comment?
In the early levels, the fighters protect the mages, at high levels the mages protect the fighters.
So in the 1st couple of levels, you throw down range a single magic missile and then go home to nap. So if you start at level 1 and climb to the upper levels, a wizard can be just about useless. But babysitting is worth it when the party starts getting to high levels. Jumping to Level 10 feels like cheating.
Wizards big usefulness does come from their utility. And you may not have a ton at level 1, but more than you think. First is to remember ritual spells, which really help boost your low level effectiveness. Comprehend languages, for example, may not come up often, but when it does it’s clutch. Ditto things like detect magic or floating disk.
Then in fights, remember direct damage spells aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Fireball, when you get it, can be really flashy, but hypnotic pattern is like a win button.
And I really have to disagree with the above poster. Back in 1e, sure, but now, you can keep contributing. Heck, I don’t even take magic missile anymore, as cantrips generally outperform it.
It can come down a lot to how often your party is getting into combat. If you're level 1 with 2 spell slots and getting into 6-8 fights per long rest, you're going to find yourself stuck spamming firebolt pretty quick. But if you're dealing with one or two big fights, you can worry less about your spell slots.
Ditto on what Xalthu said about ritual spells. Find familiar, detect magic, identify. Provided you have en extra 10 minutes to spare, you can make it through social and exploration scenarios without using a single spell slot.
L1-2: you’re not capable doing or sustaining the damage of martials. But your utility is great: detect magic, minor illusion, grease, identify, find familiar, jump
Defense: shield
If somehow you’re forced into combat: Toll the Dead, Sleep
Starting at L3, you can cast (2) 2nd level spells and you start to be able to hold your own if forced into combat, with Phantasmal Force or scorching ray.
And your utility and defense increases (alter self, misty step, invisibility, suggestion, mirror image, web, rope trick, detect thoughts). With all this you should be able to avoid death (just don’t take falling damage 😂)
Crazy ask I know, but I recently played a Tier 1 game as a wizard and felt relatively useless. We were only level 1, so I know that was the big factor, but we're starting a new campaign after wiping the last one and I'm considering bumping my wizard up to level 10 and trying again.
How should I be playing my character to feel like I contribute? Was it just because we were so low level that I didn't have all my crazy utility spells to make me feel useful or is that normal to feel like I'm just the smart one and then have to rely on my party to manage the rest? Any tier 3 players out there to comment?
Going back decades, but not really changing:
In the early levels, the fighters protect the mages, at high levels the mages protect the fighters.
So in the 1st couple of levels, you throw down range a single magic missile and then go home to nap. So if you start at level 1 and climb to the upper levels, a wizard can be just about useless. But babysitting is worth it when the party starts getting to high levels. Jumping to Level 10 feels like cheating.
Wizards big usefulness does come from their utility. And you may not have a ton at level 1, but more than you think.
First is to remember ritual spells, which really help boost your low level effectiveness. Comprehend languages, for example, may not come up often, but when it does it’s clutch. Ditto things like detect magic or floating disk.
Then in fights, remember direct damage spells aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Fireball, when you get it, can be really flashy, but hypnotic pattern is like a win button.
And I really have to disagree with the above poster. Back in 1e, sure, but now, you can keep contributing. Heck, I don’t even take magic missile anymore, as cantrips generally outperform it.
It can come down a lot to how often your party is getting into combat. If you're level 1 with 2 spell slots and getting into 6-8 fights per long rest, you're going to find yourself stuck spamming firebolt pretty quick. But if you're dealing with one or two big fights, you can worry less about your spell slots.
Ditto on what Xalthu said about ritual spells. Find familiar, detect magic, identify. Provided you have en extra 10 minutes to spare, you can make it through social and exploration scenarios without using a single spell slot.
L1-2: you’re not capable doing or sustaining the damage of martials. But your utility is great: detect magic, minor illusion, grease, identify, find familiar, jump
Defense: shield
If somehow you’re forced into combat: Toll the Dead, Sleep
Starting at L3, you can cast (2) 2nd level spells and you start to be able to hold your own if forced into combat, with Phantasmal Force or scorching ray.
And your utility and defense increases (alter self, misty step, invisibility, suggestion, mirror image, web, rope trick, detect thoughts). With all this you should be able to avoid death (just don’t take falling damage 😂)
Started playing AD&D in the late 70s, took a 40 year hiatus, re-started with 3.5 and 5e in 2023