D&D 4e Wizard Class rocks!

I'll admit that I'm more of a social gamer than a seasoned one who has been doing this forever, but as a result the Wizard class had always intimidated me because it seemed overly complicated and difficult to keep track of. My group had been gaming predominantly in 3rd edition D&D and Iron Heroes until now, as we are switching to 4th edition.

I have decided that I like really the new 4th edition Wizard class, though. I know a lot of seasoned gamers hate the new system because it seems overly simplified and, as some would put it, "dumbed down" from previous editions, and I do definitely feel as though my options for character development are more limited and less enticing. But I really like the new Wizard class because it is simpler and I can better keep track of what I can do in relation to what is going on so that game play is smoother overall.

The Wizard spells may seem limited, but they do allow for creativity in their uses. I even used Mage Hand twice to turn some traps against some kobolds because of how they rigged them. And Flaming Sphere is actually worth something now (it used to be pretty lame for all that the idea seemed cool).

The main thing that I do like about 4th edition is that there is more of a spirit of collaboration as party cohesion takes precedence over individual acts of heroism. We have switched to group initiative, which also fosters this. But both things work to keep everyone engaged and involved so that the game doesn't drag on so much, especially in combat.

So, for all that I may be dismayed that I can't create the characters that I would have in 3rd edition, I have found that other things (like the Wizard class) are pretty cool and that I just need to look at everything anew.