The problem there is probably low penetration and low accuracy relative to reflex. Assassin/Evoker fireball does much more damage (full penetration, doubled damage, critical hit). Think I'll try a death ...
So what you are saying is the pure wizard that the game gave me at the beginning is essentially a worthless wizard and that to have a viable wizard I have to multiclass into assassin to take advantage of stealth mechanics from the multiclass, or I could use my whole team to buff my mage/debuff the enemies just so the one blast actually does some damage. Once again I might as well just take all melee and use all that time I would have spent casting buffs/debuffs and the spell to instead just slaughter the other team.
Also, how do you propose I hit the ranged characters with the flail modal with my melee characters? If I go to do that I might as well just kill them with my melee characters because it will be faster anyway.
If you want to cast a BAMF massive fireball that causes massive damage to multiple enemies with a single shot, yes. Or you could just use your per-rest empower point. Or invest in Alchemy to get better effects from potions and buy or craft (you can "craft" with the console now, but crafting will be implemented in the game) potions or scrolls.
Ranged weapon users have:
Upgraded Wounding Shot---causes Hobbled (-5 dex = -10 reflex)
Crippling Shot (Hobbled)
Blinding Shot (Blinded, -5 perception = -10 reflex, stacks with hobbled)
Withering Shot (Weakened, -5 strength = -10 fortitude)
Bleak Walker Flames of Devotion (Sickened, -5 constitution = -10 fortitude, stacks with weakened)
You can use the hunting bow modal to shoot more quickly, especially if you already have high accuracy from Ranger or Paladin abilities.
For reaching enemies quickly, melee Barbarians have Dragon Leap and Wild Sprint, melee thieves and rangers can use escape (escape *into* combat with +50 deflection) and evasive roll (Nimble inspiration, +5 dex = +15% action speed).
I was using the default characters given. I had none of those to use and I'm assuming if I use the default companions in the game I may or may not have any of those to use either, which I like to use the companions in the game to get some of that rp in the rpg.
Regardless, I didn't say I needed to do massive damage. Just useful damage. 31 damage on a spell that takes 8.5 seconds to cast and recover from is completely not useful. In fact it is so useless it was actually detrimental to my encounter to even try to set up the use of it. I would have been better off just taking my fighter in and getting the melee guys on him and jumping to the back line with my 2 rogue characters and killing the 2 ranged characters in back in approximately 4 seconds and then coming back to fight the melee guys from two sides. My wizard could just stand in the corner picking her nose for all the good she did.