You're right, this is for OCTGN. I don't play IRL. As far as Damage Barriers go, OCTGN automatically chooses which one goes off, or I'd have the Fire barrier already. Personally, the armor is worth more in the long run, as the extra damage, while nice, isn't worth all the mana it costs just to turn it on. I can get armor AND a damage barrier at a comparable price, with a potential discount that could be quite high if my Forge builds up a bit first.
As far as the wands goes, I prefer the mana-free damage I get from the Shield and Scimitar. Both can increase the damage I deal, as well as reduce the damage I take. Personally, I think everyone over-relies on Boulder, Force Hammer, and the other "must have" attack spells. Range is nice, but I'd like to see if I can build a deck that can out-damage the enemy without relying entirely on Attack Spells like those. That's also why I had Block, since it's a defense that always works.
I gotta go for a bit, so I'll leave that there, and reply to the rest of your suggestions later.