Adding fuel to this fire.

Wizards have one glaring weakness no one has mentioned yet: they have the worst creatures in the game. This fact counters the argument about their spellbooks being too flexible. How many good, solid, universally useful creatures does Arcane have? Gargoyles and Gorgons are about it. Jellies and Hydras are ok but the slow trait is particularly crippling. The Elemental creatures are no better: fire elemental, earth elemental, and iron golem are more of the same - huge guys with slow. Whirling Spirit is interesting but I'm not convinced. Every other school has a pool of at least a dozen good creatures and Arcane can't hold a candle to the likes of Steelclaw Grizzly, Zombie Brute, Panzerguard, and any of the other top tier critters.

So its true that wizards don't pay triple for anything and a lot of the 'core spells' are in school, but they pay double for any creature besides GnG. This will not settle the argument, but I never believed their spellbooks were OP.

Greetings Mage World! I just got into this game and I could use a hand. I'm playing a standard zone-heavy wizard book. My opening is:
1: QC gate on B1, cast crystal on B2
2: QC crystal on A1, move to B1, cast crystal on C1
3: summon gorgon, usually 3 from the gate, 13 from mage, leaving ~4 left for leather/enchants

At this point I want to get a wizards tower down on B2 but my opponents have had no trouble getting creatures inside the gorgon's range within a turn or so. On turn 4 I could either get out a hydra/gargoyle to defend her, or a teleport wand to keep them out. Neither option has been particularly successful. Should I get a pikewall down first? Should I skip the turn 2 crystals? Should I drop the gate and change all the creatures (arcane  creatures are kinda weak [I used to run whirling spirits but they're kinda the wrong philosophy])?

[spellbook]
[spellbookheader]
[spellbookname]ArcLight[/spellbookname]
[mage]A Wizard (Air) Spellbook[/mage]
[mage]built by the OCTGN SBB[/mage]
[/spellbookheader]
[spells]
[spellclass]Attack[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MW1A02]1 x Chain Lightning[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1A13]1 x Thunderbolt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1A07]3 x Lightning Bolt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWA01A04]2 x Piercing Thunderstrike[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWA01]1 x Arc Lightning[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1A09]1 x Jet Stream[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKA01]1 x Surging Wave[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNA01]2 x Acid Ball[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Conjuration[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKJ02]2 x Wizard's Tower[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1J16]1 x Mordok's Obelisk[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1J21]1 x Suppression Orb[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1J07]1 x Gate to Voltari[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1J12]3 x Mana Crystal[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFW01]1 x Wall of Earth[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWW01]1 x Wall of Pikes[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Creature[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MW1C09]1 x Darkfenne Hydra[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1C18]2 x Gorgon Archer[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKC08]2 x Gargoyle Sentry[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC03]1 x Devouring Jelly[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Enchantment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MW1E23]2 x Jinx[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWA01E09]1 x Hoodwink[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1E15]1 x Essence Drain[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFE07]1 x Rust[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1E35]1 x Reverse Magic[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1E29]4 x Nullify[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Equipment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MW1Q19]2 x Mage Wand[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1Q08]1 x Elemental Wand[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1Q17]1 x Lightning Ring[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1Q01]1 x Arcane Ring[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1Q23]1 x Regrowth Belt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1Q07]1 x Elemental Cloak[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWPROMO33]1 x Storm Drake Hide[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWA01Q04]1 x Leather Chausses[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1Q15]1 x Leather Boots[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Incantation[/spellclass]
[mwcard=FWI16]2 x Dissolve[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1I12]2 x Force Push[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1I28]4 x Teleport[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1I20]1 x Purify[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1I06]4 x Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWI13]2 x Seeking Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1I21]1 x Purge Magic[/mwcard]
[/spells]
[cost]Total cost: 120 pts[/cost]
[/spellbook]

I have indeed seen the Staff of Storms, I'm also looking at [mwcard=MW1C40]Whirling Spirit[/mwcard], which is especially interesting because arcane creatures are kinda weak. Maybe air could be on par with enough of these extra perks.
I don't see how [mwcard=MWBG1Q01]Gale Force Ring[/mwcard] helps; it doesn't increase damage, none of the lightning spells push, and wizards already have easy access to teleport and force push with wands and Huginn. It looks a lot like future considerations on AW's part ("We'll add more wind spells soon!").