Wizard Guide

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SUMMARY
The Wizard is the primary direct-damage spellcasting class in Albion, similar to the Hibernian Eldritch and Midgard Runemaster. The Wizard typically focuses on one line of elemental spells, based on fire, ice or earth. Wizards who specialize in Fire Magic are damage oriented, with two bolts, as well as specialized direct damage and area-of-effect spells. Those who specialize in Ice Magic have direct and area-of-effect damage spells, as well as spells which debuff resistances to cold damage. The Wizard who specializes in Earth Magic has a matter bolt spell along with spells that shield and absorb damage, area-of-effect snare and root spells, a damage-over-time spell and a ground-targeted area-of-effect spell that can be useful in RvR.

1. CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
1.1 What race makes the best Wizard?
1.2 How should I spend my attribute points?
1.3 How does dexterity and quickness affect casting speed?
1.4 What is the maximum value an attribute can be increased?
1.5 How should I specialize my character?
1.6 Where can I train my character?
1.7 What are the class titles for the Wizard?
1.8 What is a good template for a Fire Wizard?
1.9 What is a good template for a Ice Wizard?
1.10 What is a good template for an Earth Wizard?

2. SPELLS
2.1 What are the different types of spells?
2.2 What are the available specialization paths?
2.3 Where can I find a list of spells?
2.4 What is the Quickcast ability?
2.5 How does specialization affect base line spells?
2.6 How do magic items with specialization bonuses work?
2.7 How do ground-targeted AoE spells work?
2.8 Why are my bolts missing or being blocked so often?
2.9 How do resists work?
2.10 What damage types do Wizards have?
2.11 How does the bladeturn spell work?
2.12 Why does it take so long to regenerate power?
2.13 Why does my root spell fail to work sometimes?
2.14 Do damage-over-time spells interrupt spellcasting?
2.15 Can I cast a spell while moving?
2.16 How can I stop casting a spell?
2.17 What is the maximum damage a spell can do?
2.18 Can I turn off spell effects to improve graphics performance?

3. EQUIPMENT
3.1 How do focus staves work?
3.2 Does condition affect focus staves?
3.3 What types of focus staves are available?
3.4 When should I get new armor?
3.5 What types of cloth armor are available?
3.6 What types of magical armor are available?
3.7 What armor do I get from my level 50 epic quest?
3.8 Why was the armor factor lowered on my epic robe?
3.9 Should I use equipment that cons purple to me?
3.10 How do I use a staff with a spell proc?
3.11 How do I use a staff that has charges?

4. SOLOING
4.1 How should I solo as a Fire Wizard?
4.2 How should I solo as a Ice Wizard?
4.3 How should I solo as an Earth Wizard?
4.4 What monsters are resistant to my damage type?
4.5 Where are the best places to hunt with my new Wizard?
4.6 What dungeons are good to solo in?
4.7 Why do monsters keep running away from me?
4.8 What are kill tasks?
4.9 What quests are good for a Wizard to do?

5. GROUPING
5.1 Which is better for a Wizard, soloing or grouping?
5.2 What classes are good for grouping with a Wizard?
5.3 What is the best class for duoing with a Wizard?
5.4 What should be done differently when in a group?
5.5 How do I keep from dying in groups?
5.6 How do I use my PBAoE spell in groups?

6. RvR / PvP
6.1 What is the most important thing to know about RvR and PvP?
6.2 What are the differences between RvR and PvP?
6.3 What level is appropriate to start participating in RvR?
6.4 How do you get to another realm's frontier?
6.5 What are the best resistances for RvR?
6.6 What can a Wizard do in small group battles?
6.7 What can a Wizard do in large scale battles?
6.8 What can a Wizard do when attacking an outpost?
6.9 What can a Wizard do when defending an outpost?

7. REALM ABILITIES
7.1 What are Realm Abilities and how do you get them?
7.2 Do skill bonuses from Realm Ranks stack with other bonuses?
7.3 Which Realm Abilities are best for a Wizard?
7.4 Should I get the Volcanic Pillar realm ability?
7.5 Is the First Aid realm ability useful for the Wizard?

8. MISCELLANEOUS
8.1 What resources are there for Wizards on the Internet?

1. CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

1.1 What race makes the best Wizard?

There are two races available to the Wizard, Avalonian and Briton. Each race has its own advantages and disadvantages and is generally a matter of personal preference for the player.

Avalonian - Tall, thin humans from southern Albion. Many choose the Avalonian because of their naturally high intelligence and quickness, however this is offset by a very low strength and constitution. Their greater intelligence means that they have more power for spells, however as Avalonians they tend to be more visible on the battlefield and are often targeted first by enemies. Unfortunately, their higher quickness offers little benefit, other than the speed at which they swing their staff. Their low strength and constitution means they can carry less and have fewer hit points.

Briton - The average race of Albion, the Briton has no significant advantages or disadvantages. Many prefer Britons over Avalonians because they feel that it makes them less of a target on the battle field; they are not as tall, and being identified as Briton doesn't immediately reveal what their probable class is. Because Friars also carry staves, in some cases enemies may not immediately be aware that the player is a Wizard until after those first critical spells are cast. Britons have a higher strength and constitution, which means that they can carry more without becoming encumbered and have more hitpoints. However, their lower intelligence means they have less power than Avalonians.

1.2 How should I spend my attribute points?

As a Wizard, your primary attribute is intelligence (INT), the secondary is dexterity (DEX) and your tertiary attribute is quickness (QUI). You should always start with putting at least 10 points in INT (which affects the amount of power you have to cast spells) and 10 points in DEX (which determines how fast you cast spells). The remaining 10 points should generally be allocated based on your race:

Avalonian: Put 5 points in STR and 5 points in CON, raising both of these attributes to 50. This allows your Wizard to have the recommended minimum strength and constitution for any character.

Briton: Put 10 additional points into INT. Because of diminishing returns after allocating 10 points to any one attribute, this means that you'll only raise the attribute 1 point for every 2 points spent, leaving you with an intelligence of 75. Another option is to leave your INT at 70 and use those 10 points to raise your CON.

1.3 How does dexterity and quickness affect casting speed?

A higher dexterity reduces the amount of time it takes to cast a spell. Quickness has no value to the Wizard other than affecting attack speed when using a staff in melee combat. It was originally planned that quickness would affect casting speed and dexterity would affect the chance of a bolt hitting its target, however Mythic changed this several months after the game's release.

The official explanation from Mythic is that your casting speed increases by 1% for every 10 points of dexterity over 50, up to 250. With a dexterity over 250 up to the maximum (which is based on your character's initial dexterity and no higher than 300 points), your speed increases by 1% for every 20 points. All spell casting durations are clamped at 2.0 seconds, which means this is the fastest that a spell may be cast, regardless of the caster's dexterity. This information was based on an article posted on the Camelot Herald at https://www.camelotherald.com/more/403.php

However, other Wizards have noted that this information seems to be incorrect based on their own testing. An alternative calculation posted by Topo on the Vault Network message boards is:

CASTING TIME = BASE TIME * (1 - (DEX - 65) / 650)

This calculation has produced results that closely match the "real world" values posted by other casters who timed the casting duration of their spells. Furthermore, it is suggested that casting speed is actually clamped at 1.5 seconds. The complete discussion on the Vault Network can be found at https://vnboards.ign.com/message.asp?topic=36751279

1.4 What is the maximum value an attribute can be increased?

There are three basic ways which your base attributes can be increased: items (armor, weapons, jewelry, etc.), spells and realm abilities. Using items, the maximum value an attribute may be increased is 1.5 times your level, rounded down. For spells that increase two attributes, it is 1.5 times your level, rounded down and for spells that increase a single attribute, the maximum value is your level. Note that each of these can stack with one another, so for a level 50 player, an attribute can be raised a maximum of 200 points (75 points from items, 75 points from a buff that increases two attributes and another 50 points from a buff that increases one attribute). Realm abilities, such as Augmented Acuity, further increase a given attribute by 6 points for each level trained in that ability. Note that attributes are "clamped" at 300 points, with higher values having no effect on the character.

1.5 How should I specialize my character?

There are a number of common templates for the Wizard, based on what the player's focus is going to be in the game. For Wizards who want to excel at soloing and do the most damage in RvR, they would specialize in Fire Magic. Those who want a more group-oriented role would specialize in the Ice Magic. Those who prefer more of a balanced combination of solo and group-oriented spells for both PvE and RvR would specialized in Earth Magic.

In general it is recommended that Wizards focus on one primary line of spells, keeping the specialization level at least 2/3rds of their character level. A Wizard who spreads their specialization points amongst all three disciplines will find himself at a significant disadvantage, particularly in RvR.

1.6 Where can I train my character?

Your primary trainer for the Wizard class is Master Grundelth, who can be found in the main hall of the Academy in Camelot City. Your epic class quests are given by Master Vismer, who is nearby. Other Wizard trainers can be found in Adribard's Retreat (on the second floor) in Avalon Marsh, the Lethantis Association in the Campacorentin Forest and Swanton Keep in the North Black Mountains.

1.7 What are the class titles for the Wizard?

There are ten titles granted to a Wizard, starting at level 5 and changing every 5 levels after that. Currently these titles are only displayed on your character information window. They are:

Level Title
5 Apprentice Wizard
10 Wizard Adept
15 Elementalist
20 Spellbinder
25 Magus
30 Invoker
35 Thaumaturge
40 Master Elementalist
45 Master Spellbinder
50 Magus Prime

1.8 What is a good template for a Fire Wizard?

The Fire Wizard specializes in heat-based direct and area-of-effect damage, with little defensive capabilities. If you choose this path, you should not spend any specialization points until you select your class at level 5. From that point on up to level 40, put all of your points into Fire Magic. After level 40, you can start putting the half-level points into another specialization. Two common templates are:

50 Fire/19 Earth/7 Ice
This maximizes the Wizard's damage using fire, and includes the highest damage bolt and direct damage spells in Pyromancy. The 19 Earth Magic provides an AoE snare, along with a lower level GTAoE and DoT spell which can be useful for disrupting other casters in RvR.

47 Fire/25 Ice/8 Earth
This gives the Wizard the highest level DD fire spell, as well as an AoE damage spell which debuffs cold resistance and a PBAoE cold damage spell. A low level DoT is also available for disrupting another caster.

1.9 What is a good template for a Ice Wizard?

Ice Wizards have cold-based direct damage and area-of-effect spells, including a point-blank AoE spell which can be very useful in high-level PvE groups as well as keep defense in RvR. Their spells can debuff cold resistance in their targets, making them more effective against resistant monsters and players. Some templates are:

48 Ice/24 Earth/6 Fire
This gives the Wizard the most powerful PBAoE, DD and cold debuff, and AoE and cold debuff spells. The specialization in Earth provides a matter bolt, DoT, AoE snare, AoE root and low-level GTAoE spell. The Ice Wizard doesn't have the raw damage output that the Fire Wizard does, but in return has more flexibility and options available.

39 Ice/37 Earth/4 Fire
This offers a PBAoE spell as well as an AoE damage spell which debuffs cold resist, as well as a specialized matter bolt (along with the fire base line bolt), an AoE damage and snare, AoE root, and a GTAoE damage spell. This template is more of a jack-of-all-trades, having a wide variety of spells available without excelling in any particular line.

1.10 What is a good template for an Earth Wizard?

Earth Wizards have a combination of offensive and defensive spells, including a bolt, damage-over-time spell, area-of-effect damage and root as well as a ground-targeted AoE spell that is useful for keep assaults and defense in RvR. Some templates are:

48 Earth/23 Fire/9 Ice
This gives the Wizard the most powerful spells in the Earth line, including a matter bolt, DoT, AoE damage and snare, AoE root, and GTAoE damage spell. The specialization in Fire reduces the damage variance of the baseline bolt and direct damage spells, making it more viable for soloing. The Ice specialization includes the first point-blank AoE spell which can be useful for revealing stealthers.

48 Earth/24 Ice/6 Fire
This gives the Wizard the most powerful spells in the Earth line, including a matter bolt, DoT, AoE damage and snare, AoE root, and GTAoE damage spell. The specialization in Ice also provides a lower-level PBAoE spell (useful for revealing nearby stealthers), a DD snare, and an AoE damage spell with cold resistance debuff. This specialization gives the Earth Wizard better solo abilities than an Ice Wizard, while also offering a variety of spells.

2. SPELLS

2.1 What are the different types of spells?

There are six basic types of damage spells available to the Wizard: bolts, direct damage (DD), targeted area-of-effect (AoE), point-blank area-of-effect (PBAoE), ground-targeted area-of-effect (GTAoE), and damage-over-time (DoT) spells. Bolts are long range spells which damage a single target. Unlike direct damage spells, bolts are considered to be physical attacks and take into account both the inherent magic resistances and armor factor to determine if they hit their target. Bolts are most effective when the Wizard is fighting a monster single-handedly. In group combat and fighting other players in RvR, bolts are of limited effectiveness. Direct damage spells are shorter range than bolts, but only check the target's resistances to the spell to determine if the attack is successful.

Targeted AoE spells damage the spell's target, as well as enemies in a small radius around the target; point-blank AoE spells are centered around the caster and damages all enemies with the radius of the spell. AoE spells may also have an additional effect of snaring (slowing) or reducing the resistances of monsters or players attacked with the spell. Ground-targeted AoE spells allow the Wizard to target a location instead of a player; this type of spell is particularly useful for disrupting other casters and defending outposts in RvR. Damage-over-time spells injure the target over a period of time, similar to poisons.

The Wizard also has utility spells such as a self-armor buff, a damage shield, a bladeturn, a targeted damage buff and root spells allow the caster to immobilize a monster or player. Note however that unlike sleep spells such as mesmerize and stun, a rooted enemy can still use ranged weapons and cast spells, they simply cannot move. As soon as a rooted monster or player is damaged, the spell is broken and they will be able to move again.

2.2 What are the available specialization paths?

Spells are organized into different groups (called spell lines), in which more potent versions of the same spell become available as the character progresses in level. For example, armor factor buff spell in the Path of Earth starts with the spell Amethyst Shield. As the Wizard increases in level, he acquires new spells in this group (line) of spells until he reaches level 50 and has the Enhanced Diamond Shield. So each spell in a line of spells performs the same basic function, it's just that higher levels of the spell in the same line are more effective.

Groups of spells are organized into different paths, based on the element that they use (Earth, Fire or Ice) and are divided into base and specialized lines. Base line spells are spells that every Wizard gets, regardless of specialization. In other words, a Wizard that only specializes in Ice will still get the base spells from the Earth and Fire paths. The spells in the specialized lines (Calefaction, Liquifaction and Pyromancy) are only available if specialization points are spent on them. In general, the spells in a specialized line are more powerful and require less power than similar spells in the base line.

There are three spell specialization paths available to the Wizard:

Path of Earth: Armor factor self-buff, damage-add buff and damage absorption buff. Wizards who specialize in Calefaction get a damage shield buff, a matter-based bolt, an AoE damage spell with snare effect, an AoE root, a ground-targeted AoE spell and a DoT spell.

Path of Fire: A heat-based bolt and DD spell, AoE damage spells. Wizards who specialize in Pyromancy get a bolt on a different timer from the base line bolt, as well as an improved DD spell.

Path of Ice: A cold-based DD spell and single-target root spell. Wizards who specialize in Liquifaction get a point-blank AoE damage spell, a cold-based DD spell with snare effect, as well as DD and AoE spells with cold resistance debuffs.

Which path a player chooses depends on their own personal playing style and preferences. If you are looking to play a Wizard that is all about damage, then specialize in the Path of Fire. If you want to have a good mix of damage and crowd-control spells then specialize in the Path of Ice. If you are looking to play more of a group-oriented character and support role in RvR, specialize in the Path of Earth.

2.3 Where can I find a list of spells?

A current list of all of the available Wizard spells can be found on the Camelot Herald at https://www.camelotherald.com/spells/

2.4 What is the Quickcast ability?

Quickcast is an ability that you receive when you choose your class specialization and become a Wizard. You should place it on your quickbar, similar to how you use the Sprint ability. When you select Quickcast, it allows you to cast a spell in half the normal time with very little chance of interruption, at the expense of increased power usage. The ability is on a 30 second timer, and there is a brief-delay after quickcasting of 1-2 seconds in which you cannot cast another spell. In general, quickcast is best used as a last resort, when a monster or player is in melee range. Either finish them off with a DD spell if they are low on hit points, or root them so that you can back up or make a run for it.

2.5 How does specialization affect base line spells?

In addition to providing you with new, or more powerful version of spells in your line of specialized spells, it will also increase the damage done by your base line spells. If you spend no specialization points in a line, then your damage variance will be very large, ranging from 25% to 125% of the listed damage. As you allocate points to the specialization path, the damage variance will decrease so that on average you will be doing more damage as specialization increases. When the specialization level reaches 2/3rds of your character's level, base spells will do 75% to 125% of listed damage. Specialization over 2/3rds your character level will also increase the upper range of damage, with a fully specialized character (one where your specialization level is the same as your character level) will do 100% to 150% of listed damage. It is possible to raise your specialization level over your character level using magic items, and this will further reduce the damage variance although the effects are minimal.

2.6 How do magic items with specialization bonuses work?

Magic items can be used to increase your specialization level, such as an amulet which gives +1 bonus to Fire Magic specialization. This will reduce the damage variance for those lines of spells, thus increasing your average damage, however it will not grant you any new spells in the specialization path. To receive new spells in a given line, you must allocate specialization points.

2.7 How do ground-targeted AoE spells work?

The ground target AoE (GTAoE) spell is in the Calefaction (Earth) specialization. It is an area effect spell that, instead of being cast on a target, is cast on a particular spot on the ground. This can be useful for uncovering stealthers, or for nuking areas you can't actually see, since GTAoE spells have no line-of-sight check. Its major limitation is that, because of its 6-second recast timer, it does very limited damage.

To get a ground target, hold down the F5 key (or whatever key you may have mapped it to on your keyboard). You will see a crosshair appear at your feet. This is your ground target. You can move the ground target forward and back by holding F5 and using your move forward/move back keys. Side-to-side movement is accomplished by turning your character. You can even change the height of the ground target using your look up/look down keys.

This means that a GTAoE can be used, for example, to attack players the tower in a keep. The lack of a line of sight check means that you can slide a ground target under the keep door and attack whoever is on the other side, without seeing them at all, and without them being able to see you.

2.8 Why are my bolts missing or being blocked so often?

Bolt spells are designed to hit targets at a very long range, and do a lot of damage. However, they have a long casting time and are on a 20 second timer that limits their use. Also, unlike direct damage spells, bolts are considered to be physical, and as such are affected by both the target's magic resistances and their armor factor which can cause bolts to miss more frequently by heavily armored targets. In addition, they can be blocked by shields or if the target is engaged in melee combat with another player.

This is a frequent source of frustration for all bolt casters, since bolts frequently miss or are blocked during RvR. Not to mention that large ball of fire streaking out from your hands tends to clearly identify you to your enemies and makes you a prime target for their assassins or other ranged attackers. Generally speaking, bolts are useful for Wizards who are soloing in PvE, since it allows them to pull and kill monsters before reaching them. However, as they are currently implemented, bolts are not useful in group PvE or RvR. One possible exception, if you are specialized in Fire or Earth, is using your bolts against another cloth caster; their low armor factor and hit points mean that it's possible to kill them by casting a bolt and then quickcasting a follow-up bolt.

Problems with bolts is the number one issue for all bolt casters, regardless of realm, and is fundamental problem with the design of the game. It is also frequently the number one issue reported on by the class Team Leaders (TLs) to Mythic, who has promised to address the issue at some point in the future.

2.9 How do resists work?

There are two basic types of spell resistance, one which affects the chance of spell "landing" on the target (similar to whether or not a melee character hits with their sword, for example) and one which affects the damage and/or duration of the spell. Your chances of landing a spell are roughly 85% against a target which the same level as you. The lower the target's level in comparison to your own, the higher the chance the spell will hit; the higher the target's level, the lower the chance is that your spell will affect them. If the spell fails, you will get a message that it has resisted the effect. In this case, the target is completely unaffected by your spell. Note that there is a to-hit modifier which affects both melee and spellcasters which increases with each player attacking a given target. Therefore, the more players which are attacking a higher level monster (or another player), there's a greater chance that your spells will be successful.

If the spell lands on the target, then another set of resistances come into play. These are the bonuses or penalties that are given as a result of race, armor type and magical items as well as buff and debuff spells. These don't have any effect on whether or not a spell lands, but rather on how much damage the spell does or how long it lasts. When you damage another monster or player, the effects of their resistance bonuses or penalties are shown in parenthesis next to the damage total. For example, if you cast a fireball at a wolf, you might see damage like 55 (+5); this means that you did additional damage because it is vulnerable to fire. On the other hand, if you attack a player and see damage like 160 (-40) this means that you would have hit them for 200 points of damage, but they had a 20% resistance against your damage type.

2.10 What damage types do Wizards have?

Spells in the Path of Fire and Pyromancy specialization do heat based damage. Spells in the Path of Earth and Calefaction specialization do matter based damage. This damage type is generally neutral, with few bonuses or penalties against most creatures. Spells in the Path of Ice and Liquifaction specialization do cold based damage.

2.11 How does the bladeturn spell work?

Aura of Incineration is a base line spell that all Wizards get at level 19, and is commonly referred to as a bladeturn spell. When cast, it will protect the Wizard from a single melee hit, absorbing all of the damage. The spell only affects the Wizard (it cannot be cast on others) and must be recast after each time it absorbs an attack. Note that if your attacker is higher level than you, they have a chance to penetrate the spell's barrier and damage you. In addition, the assassin classes will always penetrate a bladeturn if they successfully use a stealthed attack style against you.

2.12 Why does it take so long to regenerate power?

Power regenerates at a different rate, depending on how much you've used. The general rule of thumb is that the more power that you have, the faster the power that you've used will regenerate; if you drop below 50% power, then power regeneration slows considerably. If you've used all of your power, then plan on sitting down for a few minutes and taking a break.

When soloing, take quick breaks between each kill, perhaps sorting through the loot you've collected. You'll ultimately spend less time regenerating your power that way. If grouped, don't dump all your power into a mob; there are other players there, let them do their part as well, rather than nuking everything to oblivion and then forcing everyone to wait on you to recover.

If you have done some RvR and have enough points, then the first ability you should train is Mystic Crystal Lore. You can use it to increase your power by 30% every 5 minutes, outside of combat. If you do use more than 50% of your power every once in a while during a fight, you can use MCL to boost your power over the 50% mark and thereby increase your regeneration rate. It's one of the most useful realm abilities for casters for both PvE and RvR.

2.13 Why does my root spell fail to work sometimes?

The root spells are generally affected by the level of the creature or player that you are attempting to root, not your level of specialization. Different levels of the spell only affect the duration of the root, not its ability to land against a given target. Against a target that is the same level as you, you have about an 85% chance that the root will succeed. As their level increases relative to your own, the chance of the spell landing decreases.

Another problem that new Wizards frequently encounter is that they will quickcast a root spell when a monster is in melee range, the spell is successful but the root immediately breaks and the monster continues chasing them. More often than not, this is because the Wizard has cast the damage shield buff (Shield of Magma) on themselves. Because this spell inflicts a small amount of damage to any nearby enemies, it has the effect of breaking the root that was just cast. Unfortunately, the only solution is to simply not use this spell.

2.14 Do damage-over-time spells interrupt spellcasting?

The initial damage from a DoT based spell will interrupt spellcasting as with any other direct or area-of-effect damage spell, but subsequent damage over the duration of the spell will not. However, a DoT spell will prevent a stealther from re-stealthing. It should be also noted that an assassin's DoT poison act the same as spells, but bleeding styles will interrupt you each tick.

2.15 Can I cast a spell while moving?

None of the standard spells currently available to the Wizard are of the instant-cast type (also called "shouts") which can be cast while moving. However, there is an instant-cast AoE damage spell called Volcanic Pillar which Wizards can train as a realm ability, costing 14 points.

2.16 How can I stop casting a spell?

Currently the only way to cancel a spell once you've started casting it is to move your character. Note that you can turn or /face a target and that will not interrupt the spell.

2.17 What is the maximum damage a spell can do?

The number of points of damage that a spell does is displayed when you "delve" the spell by right-clicking on the icon and pressing Shift+I. The maximum amount of damage that the spell can do is 300% of the value listed. So, for example, if a spell is listed as doing a damage of 219 points, the maximum damage it can do is 657 points. Additional damage can be done if you get a critical hit, and that damage is in addition to the base damage of the spell.

2.18 Can I turn off spell effects to improve graphics performance?

Yes, there are three settings which you can use to control how spell particle effects are displayed. To disable all spell particle effects, enter the command /effects none in your chat window. To disable all particle effects other than your own, use the command /effects self and to re-enable all spell effects use the command /effects all. Note that disabling spell particle effects in large scale raids can significantly improve graphics performance on some systems.

3. EQUIPMENT

3.1 How do focus staves work?

Focus staves reduce the amount of power it takes to cast a spell. If you do not have a focus staff, or the staff does not have any focus in the line of spells that you're casting, then the power cost is 120% of its listed value. If you have a staff with focus in that line, but the focus level is lower than the level of the spell then the power cost is 100% of the listed value. If the focus level of the staff is the same or higher than the level of the spell, then the power cost is reduced on a sliding scale, based on that level difference.

Note that it is the level of the spell, not your level of specialization, which determines how the focus staff affects your power consumption. Another common mistake is thinking that the focus level indicates a bonus to a given line of spells. For example, a staff with a focus level of 11 in Fire does not modify your specialization in Pyromancy, nor does it affect the amount of damage that your fire-based spells do. Focus staves only affect the amount of power that a spell consumes. To see how much power a given spell uses, right-click the spell icon and press Shift+I.

If you can afford it, always attempt to use a focus staff with levels slightly higher than your current character level. In most cases this means that the staff will con orange or red to you, and will degrade slightly faster than one with lower focus levels. However, the power savings will result in less downtime, making the faster leveling worth the expense.

3.2 Does condition affect focus staves?

Yes, testing has shown that the condition of your staff affects how much power you use when casting a spell that the staff has focus levels in. Each time that you cast a spell, it is counted as using the staff. It is recommended that you keep your staff above 90% condition. Some Wizards have reported significant changes in power consumption when condition drops as low as 95%. Note that frequent repairs will not cause your staff to degrade faster; items lose durability based on their condition and quality when repaired, not the frequency with which they are repaired.

3.3 What types of focus staves are available?

In addition to the focus staves that you can purchase from merchants, there are a number of focus staves that are available as quest items or loot dropped from monsters. In the following table, the level is the approximate level at which the staff can be obtained. For quest items, it specifies the minimum level required to obtain the quest. The foci are listed as Earth/Fire/Ice so that a staff which is listed as 15/10/10 has 15 levels in earth, 10 levels in fire and 10 levels in ice magic. A value of zero means the staff has no focus for that type of magic.

Level Name Focus Location
6 Old Staff of the Elements 5/5/5 Tomb of Mithra
10 Mithran Staff of the Elements 11/11/11 Tomb of Mithra
14 Staff of Melting 15/10/10 Salisbury Plains (Grove Nymph)
15 Wizard Staff of the Imposter 18/18/18 Keltoi Fogou
30 Earthen Staff 34/0/0 Lyonesse (Peallaidhs)
30 Staff of the Fire Tempest 26/26/26 Camelot (Quest Reward)
30 Worn Asterite Wizard Staff 28/28/28 Stonehenge Barrows
30 Wizardly Slender Ebony Staff 35/35/35 Stonehenge Barrows
35 Maligned Avernal .. of Earth 36/0/0 Darkness Falls (Emerald Seals)
35 Maligned Avernal .. of Fire 0/31/0 Darkness Falls (Emerald Seals)
35 Maligned Avernal .. of Ice 0/0/37 Darkness Falls (Emerald Seals)
35 Staff of the North 30/30/30 Snowdonia (Hollow Man)
40 Staff of Frozen Tears 43/33/33* Camelot (Quest Reward)
43 Deathly Wizard Staff 38/38/38 Pennine Mountains (Angau)
45 Accursed Avernal .. of Earth 43/0/0 Darkness Falls (Sapphire Seals)
45 Accursed Avernal .. of Fire 0/49/0 Darkness Falls (Sapphire Seals)
45 Accursed Avernal .. of Ice 0/0/44 Darkness Falls (Sapphire Seals)
48 Polished Granite Staff 50/0/0 Dartmoor (Granite Giant)
48 Avernal Malison .. of Earth 50/0/0 Darkness Falls (Diamond Seals)
48 Avernal Malison .. of Fire 0/50/0 Darkness Falls (Diamond Seals)
48 Avernal Malison .. of Ice 0/0/50 Darkness Falls (Diamond Seals)
48 Bitten Staff 0/0/50 Llyn Barfog (Needletooth Devourer)
48 Mouldering Staff 0/50/0 Llyn Barfog (Fester)
48 Nibbled Staff 50/0/0 Llyn Barfog (Needletooth Devourer)

(*) The primary focus for Staff of Frozen Tears may be selected at the time the reward is given. The staff will have 43 levels in the selected path, with 33 levels in the other two paths.

3.4 When should I get new armor?

Cloth armor has half of the armor factor (AF) of other armor types, and has no absorption (ABS). Therefore, the importance of armor for a Wizard is not entirely in the protection that it offers, but also the bonuses it provides to attributes and skills, or the increased resistance it provides against certain types of attack. Note the level of a piece of cloth armor is equivalent to its AF, so 20 AF robe will con yellow to a level 20 character.

Unlike melee classes, which generally attempt to make sure that they have armor at or near their level, it's acceptable for a Wizard to continue wearing lower level armor for its bonuses until a better replacement can be found or purchased. In other words, if you have a cap that adds +4 INT, it is better to keep the cap even if it is a few levels lower, rather than replace it with a higher level cap that has no bonuses. This is not to say the armor factor is completely irrelevant, since there are times that you can find yourself facing a melee attack and a higher AF will reduce that damage. However, on the balance of things, the bonuses any one piece of armor provides can outweigh the protection that it provides. A good rule of thumb is that it's time to replace a piece of armor when it cons green (or gray) to you. Note that Wizards also have a spell which increases their armor factor, and should make sure that this spell is active at all times.

3.5 What types of cloth armor are available?

The following table lists the cloth armors, level and the approximate amount of money a tailor would charge for a complete set. Note that some crafters may charge more or less, depending on availability, quality and other factors.

Material Level Cost
Woolen 1-3 5sp
Linen 4-6 1gp
Brocade 7-11 4gp
Silk 12-16 11gp
Gossamer 17-21 34gp
Sylvan 22-26 68gp
Seamist 26-31 102gp
Nightshade 31-36 153gp
Wyvernskin 36-41 230gp
Silksteel 42+ 345gp

The minimum skill for the tailor to make a complete set of armor is 80, plus 100 for each additional material level. In other words, to make a full set of woolen would require 80 skill in tailoring. To make a full suit of gossamer would require a skill of at least 480 and a full suit of silksteel would require a skill of at least 980.

With spellcrafting, higher quality items are in demand and are very expensive. For example, a full set of 100% quality silksteel double-stitched quilted armor will sell for about 5pp.

3.6 What types of magical armor are available?

In addition to quest items, magical cloth armor is available as 'drops' from creatures, both in dungeons and on the surface. In some cases, various armor pieces are dropped, and so the general name for that armor type is listed (for example, there are Aged Mithran Cloth Boots, Caps, Gloves, Pants, etc.) In some cases there is only a specific type of armor available, and that is included in the name (for example, Spellhurler's Vest).

Level AF Name Location
1-8 5 Silvered Mildewed Black Mountains South
9-16 13 Aged Mithrian Tomb of Mithra
10-17 14 Of the Lost Salisbury Plains (Grove Nymph)
11-18 15 Resilient Salisbury Plains (Giants)
12-19 16 Ancient Mithrian Tomb of Mithra
16-23 20 Resolute Salisbury Plains (Druids)
20-27 24 Hob Hunter Tepok's Mine
21-26 25 Spellhurler's Vest Cornwall (Moor Boogey, Elder Beech)
23-30 27 Netherworldly Robes Snowdonia, Cornwall (Bucca)
23-30 27 Smoldering Robes Snowdonia, Cornwall (Giant Skeletons)
24-31 28 Insurgent Keltoi Fogou (Spiritualists)
28-35 32 Eye-Studded Llyn Barfog (Cyclops)
29-36 33 Aqueous Lyonesse (Dunters, Farmers)
30-37 34 Silken Soultorn Darkness Falls (Emerald Seals)
31-38 35 Glittering Arcanite Snowdonia (Snowdon Grims)
32-39 36 Faded of Risen Stonehenge Barrows
39-45 42 Delusional Power Stonehenge Barrows
40-46 43 Stonepin Woven Dartmoor (Granite Giants)
42-50 46 Ancient Ebony Stonehenge Barrows
42-50 46 Shimmering Soultorn Darkness Falls (Sapphire Seals)
45-50 49 Gossamer Soultorn Darkness Falls (Diamond Seals)
45-50 49 Ichor Lined Llyn Barfog (Fester)
45-50 49 Woven Spirit Pennine Mountains (Cyhraeth)

3.7 What armor do I get from my level 50 epic quest?

When you complete your level 50 epic quest, you will get six pieces of armor as your reward:

Bernor's Numinous Robes: +24 HP, +14 Power, 4% Cold, 3 shield charges (75 AF)
Bernor's Numinous Sleeves: +16 INT, +18 DEX, +4 Earth Magic
Bernor's Numinous Cap: +21 INT, +13 DEX, 8% Spirit, 8% Thrust
Bernor's Numinous Gloves: +18 INT, +16 DEX, 8% Heat, 8% Matter
Bernor's Numinous Pants: +4 Fire Magic, 8% Energy, 8% Cold
Bernor's Numinous Boots: +22 DEX, +4 Cold Magic, 8% Energy, 8% Body

All armor pieces have an armor factor (AF) of 50, 100% quality with a 35% bonus. In summary, your epic armor will give you +24 hitpoints, +55 intelligence, +69 dexterity, +16% resistance to energy, +12% resistance to cold, and +8% resistance to body, heat, matter, spirit and thrust damage.

3.8 Why was the armor factor lowered on my epic robe?

Wizards who completed their quest for their epic armor prior to version 1.53, released on September 25, 2002, will notice that their robe has lost several levels and reports a lower armor factor. This is the result of upgrading the material so that it was the same as the epic armor for other classes. To exchange your robe for a new one, see Gardowen Egesa in Camelot. Note that this can only be done once, and does not affect Wizards who completed their quest after version 1.53 was released.

3.9 Should I use equipment that cons purple to me?

High level items which con purple can be useful to a Wizard, frequently because they offer higher focus levels or better attribute or resistance bonuses. The downside is that higher level items will degrade faster when they are used. For armor and other items you wear, this means they degrade when you are attacked in melee. Since this is (hopefully) a rare occurrence, wearing higher level magic armor and jewelry can often be quite beneficial.

On the other hand, your staff is considered to be in use whether you're casting spells or attacking something physically with it. This means that staves will tend to degrade much faster than other high level equipment that you're using. Also keep in mind that there is a point where an item will simply be too high level for you, and get a message that says something like "the magic of this item fails to affect you". In that case, simply vault the item and wait a few levels then try to use it again.

3.10 How do I use a staff with a spell proc?

When you have a staff with a spell proc, there is a random chance that when you hit something with the staff, the spell effect will be processed, typically inflicting additional damage. For the spell proc to work, your character level must equal to or higher than the staff (in other words, the staff must at least con yellow to you) and then you must actually go into melee mode and hit your target. Of course, this means that it's functionally useless for a Wizard, but that is how all weapon procs currently work. To determine if your staff has a spell proc, delve its properties by right-clicking on the staff and then pressing Ctrl+I.

3.10 How do I use a staff that has charges?

To use a charged staff, you must first equip it and then drag the staff icon to an empty slot on your hotkey bar. Press the Use Item key (by default, the letter 'E') and then immediately press the hotkey you just created. You can only use a charged staff once every two minutes, and switching to a different charged staff won't let you bypass the timer.

You can recharge your staff at a Recharger NPC, which can be found in Camelot (and?). The cost varies, typically ranging from 10 to 50 gold. Note that once Spellcrafting is implemented, players will also be able to recharge items.

4. SOLOING

4.1 How should I solo as a Fire Wizard?

Fire Wizards have two long range bolts on different timers, as well as direct damage spell in their specialization line which makes it extremely easy for them to solo yellow and orange con creatures that are vulnerable to fire. In some cases its possible to solo red con creatures, however this is not recommended since it is risky and results in excessive downtime. The typical sequence of spells for a soloing Fire Wizard is bolt-bolt-DD-DD where the first bolt is in the specialization line, and the second is in the base line. You should generally use the direct damage spell in your specialization line since it uses less power and does more damage than the base line spell.

If one of your bolts miss, be prepared to quickcast a root, back up a bit and throw another bolt followed by one or more DD spells. If both bolts miss or you are being resisted heavily, it's recommended that you root and run. He who runs away lives to nuke another day.

4.2 How should I solo as a Ice Wizard?

Ice Wizards have two direct damage spells in their specialization line, one with a snare component that slows down the incoming creature and one that debuffs any inherent resistances to cold based attacks. For the Ice Wizard, the typical sequence of spells is DD-DD-DD followed by a quickcast DD to finish it off if needed. The first DD should be the cold debuff, followed by snare DDs.

4.3 How should I solo as a Earth Wizard?

Earth Wizards have a bolt, along with damage-over-time and direct-damage snare. When combined with some specialization in Fire, this gives the Earth Wizard three bolts on different timers, and a strong direct-damage spell. The typical sequence of spells is bolt-bolt followed by a DoT and DD if needed. When fighting orange con creatures, you may need to quickcast root, back up and finish it off with another bolt and then DD until dead.

4.4 What monsters are resistant to my damage type?

Fire and Earth Wizards should solo creatures that are humanoid, animal or plant. Certain types of undead, specifically bony undead and ethereal undead, also have some minor vulnerabilities to fire. Lizards and reptiles tend to be neutral, while insects, demons and elemental creatures tend to be resistant to fire based attacks. Note that matter based damage from Earth bolts tends to be neutral, with no bonuses or penalties, against most creatures.

Ice Wizards should solo creatures that insect or reptilian, as well as fire-based elementals or demons. Most monsters that are vulnerable to heat damage are resistant to cold damage, which can make soloing somewhat more difficult.

4.5 Where are the best places to hunt with my new Wizard?

When you first start out as a new Elementalist, you will either start in one of two locations, depending on your race. If you are an Avalonian, you will find yourself in Lethantis, in the Campacorentin Forest. If you selected a Briton, then you'll begin in Cotswald in Camelot Hills. Both are areas that have a wide range of low-level creatures for you to hunt. For the first four levels, hunt anything that cons green or blue to you. Hunting green con creatures is slower, but also allows you to earn more coin. Make sure that you hunt humanoid creatures such as skeletons or brownies to get a collection of tattered woolen armor. It's not the best, but it will help and it's better than nothing. Don't forget to use your shield spell to boost your armor factor. You'll be fighting hand-to-hand with your staff a lot in the beginning, so that's important.

Level 4 can be a challenge for Fire Wizards since they haven't spent any of their specialization points. This means that you'll have a wider damage variance and on average doing somewhat less damage than an Ice or Earth Wizard who's been able to allocate their specialization points from the start. If you save your level 3 trainer quest until you hit level 4, and then do that quest along with your level 4 trainer quest, you'll earn about 3 bubbles worth of experience. Stick to blue con creatures, and keep in mind that once you hit level 5, life as you know it will change significantly for the better.

At level 5, you get to choose your class as a Wizard, you get the Quickcast ability and you'll have new spell lines available to you. If you want to be a Fire Wizard, now is the time that you put all of those specialization points into Fire Magic. Your bolt(s), direct damage and root spells will become your mainstay for hunting creatures.

If you've started out in Lethantis, then you have a wide variety of animals, humanoids and even some undead to hunt. Here's a breakdown by level of what is close to your location:

Level 5: Sylvan goblins, rotworms and large skeletons
Level 6: Sylvan goblin hunters, young boars, tree spirits and pixies
Level 7: Sylvan goblin hunters, forest bears, pixies, giant spiders
Level 8: Oak men to the far east, undead filidhs/druids, druid seers, fading spirits
Level 9: Mindless minions, druid sacrificers, sylvan goblin magicians, dryads
Level 10: Will o' wisps, sylvan goblin warriors, filidh sacrificer

Most of these creatures are found to the east and southeast of Lethantis, with higher level mobs being further away. Be aware of creatures that are linked together, since attacking one will bring the other creature along with it. An example of this is the tree spirits and large skeletons to the east. Some are linked, and some are not, so only careful observation will help you determine which is which. Once you've gotten a few levels, you can use linked creatures to practice your rooting technique and get experience with taking on more than one monster at a time.

If you've started out in Camelot Hills, then you're in one of the most popular (and populated) leveling grounds for new players. Although you may end up competing more for creatures to hunt with other players, you're also more likely to find another player who's willing to help you out by "buffing" you with higher level damage or protection spells, or even pass on some equipment that they're no longer have any use for. Here's a breakdown by level of what is close to your location:

Level 5: Large skeleton, river drakeling, emerald snake
Level 6: Wild boar, river sprites, bandits, rotting zombies
Level 7: Adder, filidh, undead filidh, highwayman, bandits
Level 8: Devout filidh, bears, dragon ant drone and soldier, manes demons
Level 9: Devout filidh, filidh sacrificer, boulderlings, bandit thaumaturge
Level 10: Filidh sacrificer, boulderlings, brownie nomad, bandit messenger

The layout of Camelot Hills has groups of monsters of different levels, rather than steady progressions of higher level ones as you get further away from the town. It's recommended that you bind in Prydwen Keep and use that as your base of operations, with trainers in Camelot not far off to the northwest. For level 5 and 6 the large skeletons and drakelings can be found to the west of the keep, with river sprites and bandits further west across the river. For the remaining levels, go to the bridge to the southeast. From there, to the southwest there are bandits, to the southeast bears, filidh, boulderlings and to the east there are zombies, demons, more boulderlings and undead filidh.

After level 10, it's time to branch out and explore the world. The Salisbury Plains and Avalon Marsh are both good areas for you to develop your character on up to around level 20. For an excellent collection of Albion maps and monsters, be sure to visit Kirstena's Atlas at https://www.io.com/~caladin/kirstena/

One last thing to keep in mind is that before level 6, there is no experience penalty for dying. Don't be afraid to take a chance on an orange or red con creature at level 5, just to see what it's like and to get a sense of what you can do. Don't worry about making mistakes, it's the best way to learn and get a feel for your new Wizard character.

4.6 What dungeons are good to solo in?

In general, dungeons are dangerous places for Wizards to solo because most of them lack the space that is needed to effectively use bolts or reposition oneself after a monster has been rooted. Wandering monsters, even if they are lower level, can easily kill the unsuspecting Wizard. However, there are some dungeons with areas suitable for soloing as a Wizard. Always use common sense and extreme caution when soloing in dungeons.

Catacombs of Cardova
Located in western Cornwall (location 30000,50000), the Catacombs are filled with undead Roman soldiers. Most of the undead here are level 29-36 and are found along the walls of the tomb. This is generally not a good dungeon for Wizards to solo in because of the possibility of unexpected aggro and the fast respawn rate. However, on the surface there are legionarius positioned near the standing stones that surround the entrance which can be good for soloing Wizards. Note that it is recommended that you do not hunt the rooters (large pigs) in the area, since it will cause you to lose faction with the nearby farmers. If the farmers are hostile to you, you will not be able to use the only stable that is available in western Cornwall.

Darkness Falls
The best dungeon for soloing Wizards is unquestionably Darkness Falls in Camelot Hills (location 53000, 52000). It has large, cavernous rooms with plenty of space and creatures ranging from level 15 up. The downside is that the entire dungeon is a PvP area, and the ability to enter it is determined by which realm controls the most territory at the time. The entrance to Darkness Falls is just east of the Prydwen Keep bridge, inside a ruined church. There are various undead and minor demons that roam the area, so lower level players should be careful. Note that unlike other realm dungeons, regular "loot" does not drop from creatures. Instead, you get "seals" which you can use to trade with the Imp merchants near the entrance. There are three types of seals: emerald, sapphire and diamond. Emerald seals drop from the lowest level monsters, such as the apprentice necyomancers and plated fiends. Sapphire and diamond drop from the much higher level monsters deeper in the dungeon. Speak to Bolo near the entrance for more information about the Imps.

Keltoi Fogou
A dungeon located southeast of Caer Ulfwych, deep within the Campacorentin Forest (location 61000,54000). This is a haven used by the druids of the area, and is populated with creatures that are level 20-28. Note that the Keltoi themselves are hostile, but there are a number of creatures within that are aggressive towards intruders. Wandering aggro, and twisting passages which can cause your target to be no longer visible, makes this a poor dungeon for soloing.

Stonehenge Barrows
This dungeon is located at the center of Stonehenge in the Salisbury Plains (location 37000,36000), and is populated by monsters from level 36+. The entrance area with the decayed tomb raiders, as well as the goblin cavern behind it, can be a good area to solo. The biggest concern there is that it can be crowded with other players. Other good areas for solo Wizards are the Advisors and the "Echo Room" with the skeletal tomb keepers and echoes of life.

Tepok's Mine
A mine in the South Black Mountains (location 4000,2000) that has been taken over by goblins, Tepok's Mine has creatures that range from level 16-40. The entrance ramp going down has cave bear cubs and fisher hatchlings which are neutral (non-aggressive). Past this, there is an open cave, with stairs and a platform to the north. There are goblin watchers and other creatures which are good for levels 22-25, and the goblins have caster drops (Hob Hunter). Beyond this entrance area, Tepok's becomes a series of corridors and connecting rooms with a high number of wandering monsters, and is not recommended for soloing.

Tomb of Mithra
A tomb located east of Prydwen Keep in Camelot Hills (location 55000,38000), this is a dungeon filled with undead, levels 6-15. There are a large number of wandering monsters here, and the tomb consists of branching corridors linking various rooms. It is not recommended that new Wizards attempt to solo in this dungeon. However, there are a number of good surface areas for soloing nearby, including the undead filidh and druids immediately to the south.

4.7 Why do monsters keep running away from me?

When fighting a monster, it is not uncommon for a caster to nuke it several times, then root it, backup a bit and nuke it some more, repeating the process until it dies. This is called kiting, and although its a rather inefficient use of power, it allows casters to solo much higher level monsters. After the game's release, Mythic decided to make several changes to the game which would make it more difficult to kite monsters. Here's a few things to consider:

When you root a monster and it is not engaged in combat for several seconds afterwards, it will start to regenerate hit points very quickly. There's little point to rooting a monster and simply waiting for the root to break, since it will be near or at full health again.

If the monster is rooted or snared and you get too far away from it, it will run away from you. Try to stay inside the general range of your direct damage spells, even if you're going to cast another bolt at it. If the monster turns to run, you basically have enough time to quickcast a bolt or a DD. If you don't kill it, it will wait until about 75% of its health has regenerated and then come back after you. In this case, be prepared to root it and start over, or run. Note that if you chase the monster while it's running away from you, it will always try to keep itself just outside of the range of your bolts, so it's usually not worth the effort to try and chase it down unless it's severely injured (less than 10% of its hitpoints). If you want to kill it, wait for it to come to you.

Keep in mind that re-rooting a monster has diminishing returns, so that the duration of the root will decrease each time that you cast it. Generally speaking, roots are designed to allow you to recover from missed bolts, resisted spells or unexpected aggro. While it's still possible to use roots to kite red con monsters, the waste of power and resulting downtime, as well as the experience point cap, makes it wasted effort.

4.8 What are kill tasks?

Kill tasks are like mini-quests where you go hunt for a specific type of creature, kill it and return for a reward that typically includes coin and experience (as well as anything that drops from the creature you killed). There are two different types of kill tasks, ones for levels 20 and under, and ones for over level 20. If you are level 20 or lower, go to a named guard (in other words, one that has a proper name, not just Guardian) and /whisper task to him. He will either assign you a task, or tell you that you're not powerful enough yet. In that case, find another named guard nearby. Different guards have different level ranges that they provide tasks for. Once you've been assigned the task, simply kill the required creature and return to the same guard within two real hours. If you die, or take longer than two hours, you will fail the task and get no reward.

After level 20, a different type of kill task is available for higher level characters. In this case, you don't go to a guard. Instead, some NPC will reward you for turning in certain items that drop occasionally off of specific creatures. For example, Lynd Moidg in Swanton Keep will reward you with 200,000 XP for each 'Grim Scraps' you turn in. These drop off the Faint Grims in Snowdonia. Note that not every Faint Grim will drop the item, which is identified as unique by being labeled with capital letters (similar to how magic items are identified). Also, if the item is stackable, do not stack them. You get the same reward if you hand in one, or a stack of ten. The maximum number of any one item that you can turn in for a reward is fifteen. In other words, after turning in fifteen of the Grim Scraps, the NPC will tell you that they no longer want them. However, you can continue to turn in items to other NPCs as long as you are the appropriate level. A list of known high level kill tasks can be found on The Faithful of Galahad's website at: https://www.thefaithfulpaladins.com/killtasks.html

4.9 What quests are good for a Wizard to do?

Your trainer will provide you with quests every few levels. It is required that you complete these quests in order, and you cannot cancel one quest to move on to the next.

Level Quest Name Reward
1 Immediate Resolution Experience, Coin
2 Commencement Experience
3 Association Experience, Coin
4 Guild Preparation Experience, Coin
7 Stones of Power Jewelry, +4 INT or +2 INT/+1 POW
11 Wisdom Ring, +2 POW, +1 Ice Magic
15 Scura Tragedia Ring, +6 INT, +1 Earth Magic
20 La Morti Pala Robes, +10 INT, +12 HP
25 Animare il Morti Cloak, +1 POW, +6 DEX, +1 Fire Magic
30 Legione Perso Staff, +15 INT, 26 Focus
40 Arc of Ages Staff, +33 HP, 33 Focus (Varies)
43 Symbol of the Broken I Ring, +9 INT, +2 Fire/Ice/Earth Magic
45 Symbol of the Broken II Cloak, +7 INT, +7 DEX, +6 POW
48 Symbol of the Broken III Experience
50 Symbol of the Broken IV Epic Armor (q.v. section 3.7)

In addition to your class trainer quests, the following quests are also useful for Wizards:

Level Location Contact Reward
4 Camelot N. Gate Cmdr. Burcrif Ring, +3 DEX
5 Prydwen Keep Hugh Gallen Belt, +6 HP
6 Lethantis Olorustos Jewelry, +3 CON
7 Cotswold Lady Eowyln Necklace, +1 INT, +1 Fire Magic
7 Humberton Guard Reed Bracelet, +4 INT or +4 DEX
9 Snowdonia Station Cranly Cap, +4 INT, +1 POW
10 Snowdonia Station Ember Jewelry, +4 CON
10 Humberton Keep Niea Belt, +1 INT, +2 POW
10 Camelot Vadri Pade Ring, +3 INT, +6 HP
12 Prydwen Keep Sir Jerem Cloak, +1 QUI, +2 POW
11 Ludlow Maggie Armor (Varies), +4 INT, +3 DEX
14 Camp. Station Kealan Robe, +4 INT, +4 DEX
16 Camelot Hills Brother Codeth Belt, ???
16 Lethantis Mairi Necklace, +2 INT, +2 POW
17 Sauvage Castle Lt. Kuebler Necklace, +9 INT
19 Caer Witrin Dugan Jewelry, +9 CON, +3 STR
20 Adribard's Retreat Aiellana Sleeves, +3 INT, +3 POW, +2 DEX
21 Swanton Keep Omis Jewelry, +4 POW, +6 HP
28 Camelot Librarian Pelan Belt, +8 POW
36 Caer Ulfwych Grindan Halig Cloak, +12 INT, +6 DEX, +6 HP
45 Cotswold Master Kless Cap, +9 INT, +6 POW, +7 STR

5. GROUPING

5.1 Which is better for a Wizard, soloing or grouping?

Wizards can easily solo yellow and many orange con creatures that are vulnerable to their damage type. This often leads to wondering whether or not it's ultimately better to solo, particularly if you have had bad experiences with groups at the lower levels. The answer really depends on the individual style and preferences of the player; some prefer to always be grouped with other players, while others enjoy time alone. For the most part however, the first ten levels or so is when you learn how your spells work together and how to solo effectively. However, grouping with other players at the higher levels will significantly reduce downtime and increase the speed at which you level because you'll be able to fight larger groups of creatures, which leads to better experience bonuses. Even if you're inclined to solo and do it very well, be sure to trying grouping with others. If you're in a low level group, keep in mind that you may need to educate them as to how Wizards function in a group. Patience and a positive attitude will go a long way to ensuring the success of your group.

5.2 What classes are good for grouping with a Wizard?

Wizards group well with most classes, often most successfully with those that can control who a creature attacks (aggro management) such as Paladins and Armsmen. Infiltrators and other classes with heavy front-loaded damage can also work well with Wizards, particularly if the creature is vulnerable to his damage type. Grouping with other casters or clerics can be more complicated, since it generally requires timing between them to insure that one of them doesn't end up tanking the mob while the other one ends up running for his or her life.

5.3 What is the best class for duoing with a Wizard?

The single best class for duoing with a Wizard is the sword and shield Paladin, combining the abilities of the best offensive and defensive classes in Albion. The Paladin's strength is primarily in the ability to control aggro and heal during combat. They have a powerful shout which can be used to taunt monsters, and a heal chant to ensure that they keep control of the monster while you are free to cast your highest level direct damage spells. Try to fight monsters which con orange or red and, if possible, are vulnerable to both of your attack types (for example, fire and slash damage). If you can find monsters that come in pairs, then root one and then kill them one at a time; you'll get the group bonus without much risk or increased downtime.

5.4 What should be done differently when in a group?

The first thing to remember is that in groups, bolts are broken and typically only useful for pulling (attracting the attention of a creature). If you're in a dungeon, you should forget about bolts altogether and pull with a low level, direct damage