Is very risky indeed. Typically mages at low levels have magical items like damage casting wands to increase damage output. You can certainly PK other characters with magical devices, items and good timing but often it will be a case of "spray and pray*".

Some classes (typically melee based) start with a good amount of power at lower levels, but weaken as they progress toward hero. Mages are the reverse. Real PK power for mages doesn't really start to show until around level 35 and they often peak at hero for most classes, though semi-skilled conjurers have decent options before then.

Two milestones for you will be your elementals (any align) and your higher tier servitors such as archons/angels (typically for goodies) and demons/devils for evils**. Evil and Neutral can use both good and evil servitors have a harder time controlling servitors which are not of their alignment. There are a number of other PK powers which are useful toward hero.

For now you are still very fragile. There's no reason not to dabble in PK but be careful with that familiar as there are serious downsides to letting it die, and expect to eat lots of PK-deaths before you get the formula right if you do.

*This term was something I heard in an earlier discussion today and really sums up lowbie mage combat well.
**Associated helpfiles: help 354-358, help 421, help 371, help 337. Also, the "spell" command in CF will show the level you can obtain these spells.