@harry: Staffs are fine, but they mainly only augment your magical prowess. For more information on spells, see below...
@3$man: Whoops, sorry, I deleted my answer to your spells question (the answer would be that you start with stuff like freeze, but then spells get more complicated. You will have a semi-limited amount of spells: you won't have to prepare them like in D&D, but they will take a drain on your energy - when you're tired, you can't cast any more spells). You will suck at melee as a Wizard, but you have familiars AND you will have a squad of creatures that your kingdom will give you to protect you. Starting equipment will be up to you - some type of robes and a staff. If you want to change your element now, then sure. It'd be a drastic measure to change it after the game starts, though. (treason much?) Nymph's tears will be one of the more complicated spells you'll get as a more experienced water Wizard - it will probably just summon a nymph, with some restrictions.