[Merkin]

Fire! My mage is a fire specialist, and she kicks big bad butt! Every level, her points go into wizardry and fire, with the4 other three going where needed. At level 7, she can cast four 4th lev. firebalss, and just devastate a mob. Also, energy blast is one hell of a single-target attack. I don't worry too much about buff spells with my mage, that's the priests job. Earth is the handiest realm for me after fire. Web is a great immobilizer (when it works) and whipping rocks does pretty good damage. Divine at this level only has one spell I use, enchant blade. I don't have any water spells, and one air spell that I never use, and wish I would have saved the pick.

So my advice:
First, increase NOTHING but INT and PIE on your mage's attributes.
Second, every level up put three points to wizardry, three to fire. Use the other three for whatever non-fire realm you're using the most.


Get Energy blast for your first spell, save the other pick (you'll be glad you did when higher level spells open up) If you have to use both your spells, get terror.
You will get light quite soon (another fire spell) use it all the time to build up your fire spell points.

Pass up all other first level spells. At second level get enchant blade and web. As you shouldn't have too many points in these realms yet, use them as often as you can.

For you're thrid level spells, yeehahh! Fireball, baby. Use it lots, you can have fire skill up to 50 before you hit Arnika, easy. Whipping rocks also does good damage at this level, but doesn't have near the range of fireball.