Yeah... Confusion isn't really neceessary except for comedic purposes. Much safer to use when you have a Wizard Staff later in the game than it is to use up a possible ICE2 slot.

And about frost wolves on the peninsula:
What? You level there after you have level 4 magic? You don't just go to the giant cave and get your Steel Armor while you're in the area?
And why don't you run from the Frost Wolves in the first place? The only monsters I fight on the peninsula are ZomBulls. They give the best experience, have the most weakpoints as opposed to the frostwolves who require the use of a lv. 4 spell, don't always die after a shot of FIR2, give lousy XP and gold comparatively, and always have the oppertunity to FROST you before you cast the spell anyway. ???