So, level one wizards only get to use two spells per day and they have to be chosen and locked in at the start of the day, whereas you get more cantrips to start off with and there's no limitation on the number of times you can use them per day.
[Re: this.] Aha! Between your explanation and finally getting around to searching up "cantrips" I finally have the full picture! Thank you :)
My only frame of reference for a magic system like this is Blood Omen, so henceforth going to make fun of fledgling Kain for being a level one wizard any time he runs out of magic and has to desperately throw Flay, Flay, Flay behind him as he hightails it out of there:






















