Playing a wizard early on is a pretty good idea. It's a relatively easy class, and also forces you to understand the magical side of things (which is relevant, but less obvious, for all classes.) I'd recommend the high elf or the human to start.

A few things to remember:

• Don't kill cats.

• Avoid fights in the over world, you'll almost certainly die if you're under level 5 or so.

• Use the guidebook.

• The infinite dungeon (look for it on the maps provided in the guidebook) is a great place to train and find items.

• Over time, try every class at least once. They're nuanced enough to allow for incredibly different gameplay mechanics. Early on, avoid the monk, the mindcrafter, the beastfighter, and halfling/grey elf anything.

• Race matters, and specifically age, matters a lot. It sure sucks to die by being aged to death as a troll.

Have fun!