State of the Magician

[Boarder981]

Hi all - I'm trying to get a friend to play P99. He doesn't want to play any class he played on live, and he's flat-out not interested in others. That leaves the following as potential options:

Wizard
Magician
Necromancer
Rogue

His first choice is Magician. Of course we'll try to group when possible, but he also wants the ability to solo when needed. I was under the impression that Magicians were strong soloers, but I heard their "solo XP was nerfed". Is this the case, and if so, how?

Keep in mind he'll be starting out fresh with a bit of help from me, but not twinked in any significant way. Will this be a viable path for him, or will it ultimately lead to frustration?

I appreciate any input and suggestions!