(Note: minor spoilers, maybe, but only if you haven't even been to Gilded Vale yet.)
I'm playing a ranged rogue, and I've got two fighters, since I purchased one before I found the one at Gilded Vale. That's OK (though I would have done things differently, if I'd known I would already get a fighter), but I just can't figure out how to use Aloth the wizard effectively.
I would love fire- and cold-based attacks for some enemies, but I can't use them without hitting my own characters and/or putting Aloth on the front line, where he doesn't last long at all (reasonably enough). Scepter and rod attacks also seem to hit friendly characters in the way (unlike arrows) - and like his magic missile spell, they do mundane damage, which is also a bit disappointing. (I'm struggling to get past damage resistance.)
He does have some debuffs, though it's hard to tell if they're doing us any good. He also has to get close to use them and wait until my fighters have stabilized the front line (if they ever do - those damned shadows!), since they seem to affect friends, and not just enemies. So, most of the time, Aloth seems to have nothing useful to contribute.
For the shadows, I used his rolling fire spell to start the fight, then had him run away. That worked OK if I was lucky enough to hit them (and the fire didn't bounce back into us). But then, he was pretty much useless for the rest of the fight, except as a target (since the shadows almost always targetted him, whether he initiated the fight or not).
His cold spell works OK against slimes, but he has to be in melee range, which is not such a wise idea for a wizard. For other enemies, once the battle is stabilized, I can sometimes move him around to the other side, so he can use his scepter. But by then, the battle is pretty much over, one way or another.
So, what am I missing? How should I use Aloth? I'm only playing on normal difficulty, but the battles are plenty hard enough for me (just about right, I'd say).
PS. I'm loving this game. Best Kickstarter investment I ever made! I normally prefer sandbox games, but so far, the setting and the story in this one has been superb. I can't wait to find out what happens next.