> It is true that at the start, a single level 0 wizard can't take out much of anything. So, I create a semi-throwaway "escort" character for the wizard, and once my wizard gets up to level 4 or 5, I ditch him and delete him from my roster. From then on, my wizard (destined to become a sorcerer and then an assassin) can manage by himself.
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Easier to start out with a level 0 knight, get a few levels for the HP, switch to sorcerer for a few spells (and get at least up to the first group attack spell) and THEN switch to wizard. With the basic sorcerer spells and the HP you got from knighthood your wizard will be able to survive quite well.

After you get RESTORE, you can switch back to sorcerer and get a few higher level sorcerer spells, up to, say, FIREBURST. Then you can switch to assassin and take out everything on level 4. Then switch back to sorcerer and get the remaining spells, then switch to wizard and get all of those, and finally back to permanent assassin status. Seven class changes seems like a lot, and you can probably improve on this strategy a lot, but it's a quick way to do a 1-character game -- and I agree that 1-character game is a lot quicker and cleaner than a 6-character game.