Wizard Research Spells

[BarackObooma]

It will be easier for you than any other class to get your research materials since you can port around and check vendors.

What I usually did was this:

1. Use your training points to max out research for your level. Don't try to depend on skilling up on combines.
2. To find the runes you need, spend time porting around and checking all the vendors you can but especially where there are mobs around your level. The vendor in plane of air probably won't have level 16 runes but the vendors in oasis probably will.
3. Buy ahead of time - if you can afford it, when you find a rune that makes a non-store bought spell (don't buy runes that only create spells you can already buy off a vendor), pick it up and bank it. You might not find your level 16 runes today but you might find a level 24 or 29. Then you won't have to chase after them later.
4. Auction buying runes in East Commons.
5. If you see other wizards in EC, ask them if they have any extra runes they'd be willing to sell (some might even give you free).
6. Ask a higher level wizard to combine your runes for you. They have a much lower chance of failing (you won't ever be trivial on your combines until a number of levels after the spell level) so you don't have to go looking for the runes all over again. Have a Lexicon with you that you can loan them. Most don't mind helping if you have everything ready for them.
7. Check P99 auctions for the runes or the spells they make. Most time, it's cheaper (time = money) and easier to just buy it from someone else. It even shows you if one of the people that was selling it is online!
8. Dumpster dive! If you're in an area that is very likely to have your level runes drop, sort the vendors items by price (lowest to highest) and start buying out the lowest priced stuff until it disappears from inventory. Then you can resell it back. When you refresh the merchant, they'll have new things for sale that were sold after the things you bought. They could have everything you're looking for hidden in their inventory but they can only show so many items at a time.

Hope this helps.