Heroic Tier Powers: Arcane Basics
Level 1 At-Will:
Illusory Ambush (AP) The Illusionist's bread and butter. 1d6 damage, and the debuff is just extra.
Phantom Bolt: (AP) It does more damage than Illusory Ambush, but a slide is a bit worse than an attack debuff.
Storm Pillar: (AP) The Summoner's Scorching Burst. If your DM allows you to conjure it above a creature, this is Sky Blue
Chilling Cloud: (PBH1) This is like Illusory Ambush except it deals less damage and is an Area Burst 1
Cloud of Daggers: (PHB) Great for Control Wizards, but all Wizards can make use of this
Magic Missile: (PHB) Nothing Controllery about it, but it does decent damage and can be augmented to Sky Blue.
Ray of Frost: (PHB) Good damage, and the only Wizard At-Will that imposes a status condition.
Scorching Burst: (PHB) A Blast Mage's Best Friend.
Thunderwave (PHB) Great for taking a Wizard in close combat out of close combat.
Level 1 Encounter
Astral Wasp: (AP) Does decent damage and forces the opponent to move or take additional damage.
Empowering Lightning: (AP) A basic attack power with not much damage, but if you use wand of accuracy, this is Blue
Grasping Shadows: (AP) Does 1d8 damage and creates a hurtful zone. Plus, you can use Orb of Deception with it
Orbmaster's Incendiary Detonation: (AP) This is basically scorching burst that leaves behind ongoing damage. If you use Orb of Imposition, this is Sky Blue.
Staffstrike Corrosion: (AP) Horrible Damage, and the Debuff isn't that good either. Even if you use Staff of Defense, you should cloose something else.
Burning Hands: (PHB) A Blast Mage's Encounter of choice at this level. Great damage over a Blast 5 is good in my book.
Chill Strike: (PHB) Ray of Frost on steroids. great damage and a Daze make this a serious consideration.
Force Orb: (PHB) Great damage to a single target and secondary damage to adjacent targets is just the start. it is Force damage, so it is hard to resist, and it targets Reflex.
Icy Terrain: (PHB) Bad damage over an Burst 1, and knock the target prone, which actually increases its defenses against your attacks. choose something else.
Ray of Enfeeblement: (PHB) Strikes Against this: It targets Fort, it is Necrotic damage, and Weakened isn't as good as Dazed. Choose Chill Strike instead.
Level 1 Daily
Summon Fire Warrior: (AP) Your First Summon. Opportunity Attack does decent damage, and it can flank with the defender for CA. Summoners should Definetly take this.
Wizard's Fury: (D374) This just allows you to cast Magic Missile as a Minor Action. If you have augmented magic missle, then this is Blue.
Grease: (AP) Creates a zone of Diffucult Terrain for the Encounter, plus you can send any creature that enters the burst for a slide 2 or knock it prone.
Horrid Whispers: (AP) Damages enemies and gives them 2 great debuffs, knocking them prone as an afteraffect. Plus, you can use Orb of Deception with it.
Phantom Chasm: (AP) Greater Damage than Horrid Whispers, and an Auto-Immoblize plus Prone on a hit make this a great power.
Rolling Thunder: (AP) Great Damage, Plus more if the enemies move, and it targets 2 enemies within 10. Take this with Echos of Thunder to make this Sky Blue.
Acid Arrow: (PHB) Amazing Damage and Ongoing Damage are the only good things about this power, because it has nothing Controllery about it. Take this if you are a Blast Mage.
Flaming Sphere: (PHB) Does decent damage. and more to any enemy that starts adjacent to it. Move and Sustain until the end of the Encounter for maximum effect.
Sleep: (PHB) There is a reason Sleep is by far the best wizard Daily. Use OoI to knock them out, then finish them.
Level 2 Utility:
Arcane Insight (D366) Reroll an Arcana Check as an Encounter? You could do worse.
Feather Fall: (PHB) Can make the difference between Life and Death at this level.
Shield: (PHB) Use this in preperation for a Thunderwave to get you out of trouble.
Daunting Presense: (AP) Intimidate doesn't use any of your abilities, but the debuff saves this from Red.
Float: (AP) Gives you lots of freedom on the battlefield. This is a great power.
Guardian Blades: (AP) A Close Combat Wizard will love this power.
Summon Shadow Serpent: (AP) Your Rouge will love you for this power.
Expedious Retreat: (PHB) There are much better options at this level for getting out of close combat, and this is a Daily. Bleh.
Jump: (PHB) Good for going over long chasms and pit traps.
Phantasmal Terrain: (AP) EXTEREMELY Situational power, and it is a Daily.
Level 3 Encounter
Chill Claws (AP) Illusory Ambush on steroids, but nothing stellar at this level
Hypnotic Pattern: (AP) Good for mabye a few pulls over a turn, and does NO damage at all.
Maze of Mirrors: (AP) Great for locking down tough enemies for a turn. Use OoD with this.
Pinioning Vortex: (AP) Great damage, and it allows you to take an enemy out of the fight for a round and focus fire damage on it.
Shock Beetle Swarm: (AP) This is a MUCH better choice for Summoners than Hypnotic Pattern.
Color Spray: (PHB) Does Meh damage, but Dazes everyone in Blast 5. This is middle of the road.
Fire Shroud: (PHB) Does Decent damage and Ongoing damage. A Blast Mage's Choice at this level.
Icy Rays: (PHB) Ray of Frost for 2. Plus it Immobilizes.
Shock Sphere: (PHB) Does the same amount of damage over the same area as Burning Hands.
Level 5 Daily
Summon Abyssal Maw: (AP) One of the best wizard summons. Even non-summoners should consider this.
Acid Mire: (AP) Great damage, plus Auto-damage, and more if the target falls prone. Use with OID for maximum affect.
Glitterdust: (AP) Very situational power only useful in places with concealment.
Phantasmal Assailment: (AP) I just can't say enough good things about this power. Great damage, Ongoing damage, and CA for everyone make this a stellar option.
Visions of Avarice: (AP) Basically Hypnotic Pattern tries again and fails miserably. However, with some blast mages, this allows them to hit more targets on they're next turn and is Blue.
Grasp of the Grave: (D372) Decent damage, and a debuff that stays in a zone for the whole encounter.
Bigby's Icy Hand: (PHB) Locks Down an enemy and deals damage with Sustain minor.
Fireball: (PHB) One of the Blast Mage's Large-Area, High Damage powers.
Stinking Cloud: (PHB) Creates a big Hurtful Zone that you can move and Sustain.
Web: (PHB) This would be great execpt for the fact that it does NO damage whatsoever.
Level 6 Utility
Wizards Escape: (PHB) Helps you get back to the Defender for protection.
Emerald Eye: (AP) There are much better options at this level.
Fire Shield: (AP) This power is the absoulute best at this level, and not only for Close combat wizards. Keeps you safe for the entire encounter.
Summon Iron Cohort: (AP) Quite overshadowed by Fire shield, but Good for Summoners.
Disguise Self: (PHB) A highly situational power that only lasts for an hour. This depends on your DM and campaign.
Dimension Door: (PHB) If you want Close Combat protection, take Wizard's Escape or Fire Shield.
Levitate: (PHB) Allows you to escape most Brutes and Soldiers, and some Lurkers and Skirmishers.
Spectral Hound: (AP) The main use of this power is for Flanking.
Dispel Magic: (PHB) Most Monsters that create conjurations (and that isn't many) have a high Will defense.
Invisibility: (PHB) Any party with a Rouge or a Ranger will love you for this power.
Wall of Fog: (PHB) The thing is, this thing blocks LOS for your allies too.
Level 7 Encounter Concussive Echo: (AP) Decent damage, plus Auto-damage if the enemy makes an attack. With Echoes of Thunder, this is Great.
Enemies Abound: (AP) Good damage and sets up flanks quickly. The only problem is the Burst size.
Tomebound Ooze: (AP) Astral Wasp all grown up, plus a nice rider for Summoners.
Twist Space: (AP) The only problem with this power is the horrible damage.
Worms of Minauros: (AP) Completely overshadowed by Tomebound Ooze.
Thunder Cage: (D375) Great damage, and the extra damage can be triggered by forced movement
.
Fire Burst: (PHB) Worse in every respect than Winter's Wrath.
Lightning Bolt: (PHB) The thing that saves this from a lower rating is the flexibility of targets. If you take this, take it with Tome of Readiness.
Spectral Ram: (PHB) This power does great damage, but suffers from knocking the target prone, which increases it's defenses against some of your attacks.
Winter's Wrath: (PHB) Does better damage than Fire Burst, and leaves behind a damaging blizzard.
Level 9 Daily:
Summon Arrowhawk: (AP) Not quite as good as Abyssal Maw, but it is the first summon to Mark.
Animate Dead: (D372) Not nearly as good as Summon Arrowhawk. Face of Death: The only problem with this power is that it makes the enemy Helpless. Not Uncounsious.
Mordenkainen's Guardian Hound: (AP) Great for any wizard, but Summon Arrowhawk is better for summoners.
Taunting Phantoms: (AP) It's fun to make enemies attack themselves.:D
Visions of Ruin: (AP) Great control-oriented power. use with OoD for maximum effect.
Ice Storm: (PHB) I'm not a huge fan of creating diffucult terrain, but the damage is good and so is the debuff.
Lightning Serpent: (PHB) Great damage, and Slowing the target is just extra.
Mordenkainen's Sword: (PHB) Does Meh damage, and it has to be Sustained for more attacks.
Wall of Fire: (PHB) This is one of the powers that screams I AM WIZARD, HEAR ME ROAR!
Level 10 Utility
Feywild Spell Surge: (D366) Barf. This is horrendous for a daily, even if you are an Eladrin.
Repelling Shield: (PBH1) Basically Shield with a small Push. And that was 8 levels ago...
Mass Resistance: (AP) More Leaderish than Controllery, but Resistance can save your 
sometimes.
Summon Hammerfist Crusher: If you don't care about getting into somewhere Stealthily, use this to blast your way through.
True Seeing: (AP) Nothing Escapes your sight. Reveals Invisible and gives Insight bonuses for you.
Dimensional Rift: (PHB) Allows your whole party to cross that 500 foot deep chasm easily.
Blur: (PHB) Another option for getting out of a sticky situation.
Mirror Image: (PHB) Take Blur instead. Resistance: (PHB) Not as good as Mass Resistance.
Illusory Wall: (AP) Your allies can see through it, but not your enemies. Add that to the attack, and you have a great power.
