The Wizard is the mage class in Dark And Darker. Wielding either a Staff or a Spell Book, the Wizard can deal massive damage while also providing buffs for their team. Much like the Ranger, the Wizard is a glass cannon, but that damage output (especially the fireballs) make the class a lot of fun to play.

RELATED: Dark And Darker: Class Guide

This guide covers the best Wizard builds for new players, some ideas for max level characters, as well as an overview of perks, abilities, and some gameplay tips.

We have updated this guide for the 2023 February playtest of Dark And Darker. We've included some more information on how to run this class as a solo in the new Goblin Cave queue.

Wizard Class Overview

The Wizard is a powerful class in Dark And Darker, viable in solo and group gameplay. You'll find there are a lot of different ways to play the Wizard depending on your spell, perk, and ability set-up.

• Pros
  • Lots of powerful spells
  • Some buffs for party members
  • Ranged magic & Haste are both very strong
  • Has the ability to meditate to regenerate spells mid-run, unlike the Cleric
  • Deals massive damage at a consistent rate, definitely one of the most powerful classes in the game

• Cons
  • Squishy, low health pool
  • Slow interact and movement speed
  • Can really struggle in solos, especially if you come up against fast Rogues and Rangers

Let's take a look at the Wizard's perks and abilities.

Wizard Perks And Abilities

Perks
Arcane Specialization	With each time you cast a spell, you get a small 1% damage boost and casting speed (stacks up to 5)
Arcane Mastery	More damage (5%) and faster casting speed (1 second faster)
Fire Mastery	5% extra fire damage and burn lasts longer (2.5s)
Ice Shield	Overall armor rating is improved to 20, anyone who hits you gets inflicted with the Frostbite melee debuff (reduced armor, slow movement)
Mana Surge	Improves magic damage bonus for a short window
Melt	Fire spells and damage when hitting an enemy also reduce their physical damage protection by 10% for a short time
Quick Chant	Spells cast 20% faster
Reactive Shield	Creates a shield that will absorb 10 damage that lasts for 10 s, will only activate when you get hit, has a short cooldown period
Sage	Improves your knowledge by 10%
Abilities
Intense Focus	The next spell you use only takes 0.1 seconds to cast
Meditation	Restore spell usage (40 spell cost replenished over 10 seconds)
Spell Memory 1/2	You need these to be able to use spells on your run, choose one for one spell wheel, choose two for two spell wheels

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In Dark And Darker, you are able to take any perk and ability you want, but you unlock new perks at different levels. You get one free perk at level 0, then the following perks are unlocked at level 5, 10, and 15.

Starter Wizard Perks And Abilities

At level 0, you can only pick up one perk, and we think that Quick Chant is just the go-to. Spells are the best part of the Wizard's gameplay and being able to cast them 20% faster is excellent for tight situations and PvP.

In terms of abilities, you pretty much have to take Meditation to replenish spells in the dungeon. Then you need to pick up one Spell Memory slot so that you can actually use spells. Meditating between engagements might feel cumbersome, but this becomes less problematic the further you level your character.

Is The Wizard Viable For Solo Play?

A skilled Wizard can be a menace in solo play. The damage output you have, even with basic gear, is extremely high. A well-placed Fireball or some Magic Missiles can completely decimate other similarly low-geared players. Fireballs and Missiles are also very difficult to dodge.

The main problem you face as a solo Wizard is the fact that your interaction speed is extremely slow, and your movement speed is also very slow. You are a sitting target after you've dumped your spells. During the first few levels, you also need to Meditate a lot during your runs. This can be a disaster if someone walks up on you.

The new Goblin Cave solo runs have a lot of powerful mini-bosses, such as the Skeleton Champion & various Wraiths. The Wizard is one of the most reliable at taking these out as a solo player, as you can put out enough damage to defeat them.

Wizard Spells

The Wizard's bread-and-butter is spells. Here's a look at all the spells available to you.

• Tier 1: One Cost Spells
  • Zap - Direct magic damage that also inflicts a burn that lasts one second.
  • Light Orb - Light spell to ruin those pesky shadows.
  • Ignite - You can set the target's weapon on fire which will inflict burn. Be careful, this spell can hit the enemy, too.

• Tier 2: Two Cost Spells
  • Slow - Reduces target's movement speed by 40% for 2.5s
  • Ice Bolt - Direct magic damage to target and will slow them - likewise, this can hit an ally.

• Tier 3: Three Cost Spells
  • Magic Missile - Individual missiles (10 of them) that do 12 damage each, fires continuously until you move.
  • Haste - Applies a movement speed buff to an ally that lasts for 12 seconds, this spell will hit yourself if you are alone.

• Tier 4: Four Cost Spells
  • Lightning Strike - Targeted AoE after 4s, deals lightning damage in a small area.
  • Invisibility - Turns the target invisible and makes them invisble, can be cast on yourself if alone.
  • Fireball - Huge AoE fire attack that deals damage in a small-ish area.

• Tier 6: Six Cost Spells
  • Chain Lightning - Chain lightning spell that chains through multiple enemies within a 400m radius, chains up to three times. Be careful - this will chain to yourself if you are stood nearby.

Starter Spell Set For Wizard

As a level 0 Wizard, you will only have access to 12 Knowledge points. That means you can only take 12 points worth of spells into the run.

If you are confused about how the spell system works in Dark And Darker, go check out our guide and then come back.

Here's how your starter spell set might look as a Wizard.

This is a very viable spell loadout for a beginner Wizard. Both Magic Missile and Fireball are considered some of the best spells in the game.

Don't forget: You should also fill your Spell Priority Bar with other spells on the wheel, even if you don't have enough knowledge. This is because you may unlock more Knowledge via gear, pendants, amulets, etc, as you complete the run.

RELATED: Best Solo Classes In Dark And Darker

Starter Wizard Build

In summary, here's how your level 0 Wizard will look in-game.

Max Level Wizard Build

At max level, you will have access to all four perks and potentially more spells depending on your Knowledge level.

Best Perks For The Wizard

• Quick Chant - Increased spell cast speed is essential. Best perk for the Wizard.
• Fire Mastery - Extra fire damage and burn duration.
• Mana Surge - Extra base magic damage.
• Arcane Feedback - Extra arcane damage, scales very well with Magic Missile, one of your essential Wizard spells.

There are alternative Wizard set-ups that are designed to buff/shield your allies. Experiment with your Wizard loadout depending on whether you're going solo or playing with friends.

Best Wizard Gear To Look Out For

There are a few key items/attributes you're looking for as the Wizard.

• Spell Book or Staff? There are pros and cons to both, but we really like the speed of a Spell Book, especially if you pick an item with Spell Casting Speed. The Crystal Ball can be viable, but it's spell casting speed isn't as good.
• You're also looking for gear that has + to all attributes.
• Extra magic damage is good, too.
• Don't worry too much about movement speed, although it can be useful to pick up - most armor will reduce your movement speed anyway.
• Overall, we like to run a Staff with the Wizard as it provides the most damage output. The Crystal Swords are decent for solo Wizards as it means you can have a weapon that provides consistent damage without casting spells.

Gameplay Tips For Wizard

Here are some general gameplay tips for the Wizard.

• The Wizard is a bit of a slow starter, and you won't feel the pure power until you're stacked up with decent gear and full perks. The grind is a bit slow.
• You will likely find yourself as the target in most group engagements. You can use Haste to empower an ally (Barbarians are a great choice for this), or apply to yourself to get out of situations.
• Be careful with your spells, because it can be easy to hit yourself and your allies.
• Cast Speed is the absolute best attribute to pick up - this impacts how quickly you cast Magic Missiles (the deadly spell), and how quickly you can Meditate to regen spells.

NEXT: Dark And Darker: Beginner Guide