If someone would kindly provide some tips on how to approach playing a successful invoker I would greatly appreciate it.

I'm looking at a high int race and probably studying all paths, focusing somewhat more on a couple of elements (fire and lightning).

So far I'm finding swarms of Village applicants in the middle ranks and warriors completely destroy me.

What's the best strategy, as far as getting to a good place in the ranks where PKing is reasonable as an invoker? Is the name of the game to pretty much rank up as fast as possible (given that I need to master certain spells along the way) and shoot for hero, or at least sleeks? Or are there some game-changer spells that will rock in the latter mid ranks?

I don't have much experience playing magi other than shifters. When does an invoker start being able to stand up to warriors?