[DF] Easy arcane magic for Dungeon Fantasy

[mlangsdorf]

My group's regular GM is busy with his kids, so I'm stepping in to run Mirror of the Fire Demon for a group of semi-inexperienced GURPS players. I'm trying to minimize the complexity of the game and focus on the sneaking, killing, and looting.

I'm using the Dungeon Saints article for the group's cleric, and it works very well: the player isn't getting stuck in options paralysis with dozens and dozens of spells, but she has 3 useful learned miracles (Flesh Wounds, Lay on Hands, and Smite) and understands the whole "pray for unpredictable miracles" concept. The combination reduces her options in combat from about 30 to 4 (pray, Smite, hit people with sword, run away) which is very helpful. Outside of combat, she's still got the full potential utility of a normal cleric, since she can heal people or ask for any generic miracle she needs.

Is there a good similar concept for Wizards? I don't want to hand someone a list of 30 spells with weird dependencies, casting times, and what-not. That's not useful. And even Ritual Path Magic, my preferred alternate solution, is probably too complicated for anyone who isn't fairly skilled at GURPS.

I'd like something that replicates the feel of the normal DF Wizard - magical utility guy with some combat ability - but minimizes option paralysis. Building a bunch of specific advantages like "magic shield spell", "magic zapping spell", and "flight", possibly as alternate abilities of each other, is a possible solution, but I'm worried that the mage will lose too much utility. Full blown modular abilities, while amusing, would cost too much and leave us back in the realm of option paralysis which I'm really trying to avoid.

Suggestions?