How is Wizard as a class for first time TLPers?

Hey all. Going to be playing on a TLP for the first time ever with Teek and my mind is racing with potential characters to start with. One class I'm strongly considering is Wizard. It's a class I've always liked and with more of an active lower level scene I'm thinking it will be pretty fun to try here. On top of that one of my favorite pasttimes on P99 was to take the Tempflux staff and AoE down whole zones at higher levels. xD

I've looked around though and have seen some discouraging posts regarding wizards. Like how they don't get taken into groups, how they're called worthless, and so on. What's the story there? Would I be shooting myself in the foot if I went with a wizard?

AE's have been nerfed, so there is that.

The best exp comes from mobs that are a few levels red to a group, those mobs also happen to resist wizard nukes on the regular. Wizards are also the only DPS class that doesn't have a mana free means of DPSing.

Wizard was my 1st class in TLP and it was amazing, I made all my starting money from porting people while LFG, sat in Gfay or CL.

You can learn a great deal about the games spell dmg system, there are lots of tricks you can do by using your characters position as well as your spells targets position.

You can dish out consistent dmg by using your rains ie. "storm" spells Energy storm, Lava storm and an Ice version name I forget and a few DD's along the way that you generally use all the way to cap because of how much dmg to mana they use.

The difference between a good wizard and a mediocre wizard is massive, a good wizard can fire off a rain on every single pull while a bad wizard blasts all his mana then afks.

You will learn when to use your spells and when not to lol.

Play around with abscond, root and your stun, these spells while not damaging can be very useful.

When played well a Wizard is a major contributor to the groups overall damage, but more importantly when $@#$ hits the fan they are capable of CCing via root/stun adds while also dropping 1-2 mobs very fast with huge DD's which will smash your mana, but could save your group.

It's honestly a super fun class to play while grouping and raiding and once you learn those you can also farm some named as well with the knowledge you learn along the way

Yep I heard of the nerf, but figured 30 mobs at a time would be fine when AoEing down lower level zones later.

Good point about the resists though. I remember how frustrating trying to nuke even a yellow mob was as a wizard. On the mana-free DPS thing though aren't there clickies one can get later?

That's the big thing I was considering. At least until PoP hits, I can be the big important porter for people. Plus there's simply no raiding PoHate or PoSky without wizards.

Agreed with the rest of your post too. I'd definitely not AFK and I'd definitely strive to be one of the good wizards. Figured a built in threat meter would make things a bit easier too.

Wizard will be fine since Kunark is released from the start!

AoEs have been nerfed for a few years now due to Color Spray line and even more so now with the 30 target limit on Enchanters.
If you werent with a bunch of enchanter friends as the wizard you werent likely getting an AoE group to start with.

As far as grouping goes, you should be perfectly fine finding groups since Kunark is going to be released.
Draught / Lures / Tears are efficient but you will want/need an enchanter in group unless you are constantly running a clarity potion.

Raiding scene:
Kunark you will be top 5 depending on the guild you join on most parses.
Once Velious drops you will be good on the giants and most of the dragons in ToV, just learn each encounter. Vyemm / Aary the dps will suffer but the others you will be fine.

Those clickies aren't actual dps. They don't compare with the mage/necro pet and chanter charm/pet for consistent mana free dps.

Most folks raid in AoC instances and you don't need a wizard to get up to those.

If you're prepared to start your own groups or patient with LFG, wizard will be fine.

If you're big on raiding, Wizard is a good choice. If you intend to solo or play group heavy, I'd honestly consider all options... unless you're dead set on wizard. In general wizards are kind of like druids in the group scene, generally seen as lepers and picked when there's no other options on the table in LFG. You won't be sought after at all, just another DPS who will likely be picked up after pet classes, monks etc. AOE groups are an exception however.

There is a ton of groups early on TLP's so it shouldnt be too much of an issue for a few months.

In the end just play what you think will be fun, but it's good to be aware of the perception as well.

I appreciate the honesty everyone, thank you. I am definitely considering other options, but wizard still appeals to me for a number of reasons. I just won't go into it thinking I'll be loved for anything but pre-PoP porting lmao.

Question here though; is solo play a viable choice on TLPs? I heard solo exp was tremendously nerfed and it's never worth it. I do plan on soloing a bit despite that due to time constraints during the day, but figured I could do what I did on P99 and get the proper tools to quad kite. Is that not a thing anymore?

For what it's worth too I would love to raid and do want to pick a decent raiding class. I also like the fact that the wizard epic isn't extremely difficult, as I've never earned an epic during relevant content.

Solo play for xp is indeed very slow and unrewarding on TLP's. I'd seriously consider duo boxing if you plan to spend a ton of time solo.

Eh I really don't like boxing. It's awkward and frustrating for me. Also wouldn't I need a second computer to box on Teek at first anyhow?

With that being the case though I'll likely try to blast ahead in levels riding the initial low level grouping train, then when high enough I can port during the day/try to group at night. That's if I do go wizard or druid anyhow.

Yep

Alas I don't have one so boxing isn't an option. xD

Played a Wizard main on 2 different TLPS at the start.

1) You are not very good DPS even in Kunark for groups. Most other DPS will beat you on sustain and like Druids with healing you will be one of if not the very last DPS picked for joining a group. Truth be told, unless you have friends to pity invite you, your gonna either be forming every single group or sitting LFG constantly. Maybe a little hyperbole there, but seriously, Wizard is probably dead last in groups (except id say pre-epic rogue).

2) Solo in TLP is so bad you are better off just logging off and getting on another time to join a group. Especially as a Wizard, cause you wont have a huge mana pool and killing 4 mobs at a time kiting them around is maybe the most inefficient way possible to level. Id wager for every hour you spend soloing you could have done that in 5 mins in a group.

3) You are great in raids. Every guild will want you in raids as Wizards are very good all the way till Meleequest starts in the, about GoD era. So that is good!

4) You can make decent money porting, but the whole Sky/Hate thing is kind a nonstarter because 90% of the population uses AoC's and you don't need a wizard to port you for that.

I always really enjoyed the Wizard when I played them, especially in raids. I always felt inferior in groups compared to pretty much any other DPS cause Wizard sustain just isn't there (even 1 rain per mob, is nothing compared to what Mages/Monks/Encs are doing). Wizards ARE good at the "oh crap" moments when someone pulls too many. They can go ham for 30 seconds and down a few mobs really fast and save a group (Though you'll probably have a chanter anyway, so not needed).

There is a reason Wizard is probably the LEAST played class at max level...cause most people don't make it to max on a Wizard without Guild/Friend help. This is why every guild will want ya cause there is never enough wizards. It is a long and difficult journey to get to 60 on a Wizard.

My advice, join a guild early and make some friends.

There are 3 different nuke clickies with unlimited charges and useable by wizards available already in Kunark.
They are not amazing DPS, but they can be clicked immediately after a real nuke (during casting cool down) adding a some extra dmg inbetween normal nukes - and in situations where mob(s) have to die asap but you are lom, oom or simply unable to sit down to med then these clickies will allow you to be able to continue adding dmg.

Solist's Icy Wand drops super rarely off any mob (supposedly) in Kurn's Tower.
58dmg (cold based). 5sec cast time. Lvl12 req.

Shield of the Primal Mind is quested (no evil races/classes).
400dmg (Lure type: -300 to fire resist check). 13,5sec cast time. Lvl50 req.
This is the easiest one by far to obtain (all required quest drops are from solo/group nameds).

Solist's Robe of Abrogation drops off "Milyex Vioren" in Veeshan's Peak .
855dmg (magic based). 14sec cast time. Lvl50 req.

Well ... no and yes.

While what you describe is the common misconception about wizards in groups (although certainly true for wizards that only ever use single target nukes) then a good active wizard with a keen situational eye can do more than their fair share of the dmg in a group using rain AE, interupting caster mobs with stuns (healers, gaters and AE), provide root/snare CC and get everyone out safely in a picnh with evac - all of which will help reduce downtime greatly.

But yeah, many players do see wizards just as you describe them and for that reason then finding a group as a wizard can often take a long time ... at least if putting up LFG is all that you do.

In short - being active is the key to success for a wizard.

Thank you again everyone for your insights.

So, as it stands, I'm now strongly considering either Necromancer or Ranger instead lols.

Wizards get a bad rap on tlps. Cast fire on the blue dragons and ice on the red ones. Don't clear trash that's for the lesser classes like monks or rangers. Never sit at full mana. You'll be fine

All this talk about rains but go ask the enchanter how they feel about that. So unless you're in a specific AoE group, put that rain away.