like Elves. They have good starting INT, a high cap and decent DEX (which helps in DEF and slightly helps in ATK with spells). They have a low CON max though. They also are good with swords and raising INT will help even more. In the past, a +ATK weapon also adds to spell to-hit and I've seen no word this was changed. So a smart Elf who gets +10 swords will be able to equip a decent +120 ATK sword without spending a point in swords. This was a strategy of mine in the past and worked very well. Another strategy is to get Bladeweaver and have 2 swords, with both bonuses stacking. But more staves are showing up with +ATK bonuses and staves also have really nice effects for casters, like +INT and +Mana regen and such.

Humans are fine. Shades, Irekei, Aelfborn either have reduced SPI or INT, which are the two most important stats for Wizards. Still viable, though. Shades get hide innately and detect invisibility (though not very powerful). While a Wizard gets invisibility at lvl 50, it's not bad to have hide too. Also a Shade will be able to see all those invisible Wizards and Channelers and maybe Black Masks-because their hiding ability is lower.

For starting runes I will likely take either +20 max INT/SPI or maybe Witchsight or maybe +movement speed. Though they change a lot, so bear that in mind. +5 Warding/Sorcery is also very very helpful at low lvls. Sorcery will be used throughout your career likely, so you are saving some trains there. Keep in mind you WILL hit your racial maximums on THREE of your attributes around lvl 35. So any bonuses you can add to the cap will help you later. Since Runes you find in game cost trains to apply, by applying them now you are saving some trains at the cost of attributes.

Raising CON/SPI early or later doesn't affect the end pools of Hit Points/Stamina/Mana. A 30th lvl character who put all their points in SPI first and a 30th lvl character who waited until their 20's to max it will have exactly the same mana.

Below I list spells as [LVL you get them] [Name of spell] [Description]. I didn't bother putting the exact effects or mana cost because every build that stuff is tweaked, so it's kinda pointless. This is how it is right now. February, 2003.