I was hoping someone more in the know would answer you, but seeing as no-one has, here's my 2 pence.

1) I just had a play through to confirm, and I also can't see a way to orient the formations, they appear to position themselves based on the direction your wizard is currently facing. This shouldn't be much a problem, as the formations are near useless anyway. They may help a bit in defending, in which case point the right way first, but the second you get an enemy in range they all go off on one anyway.

2) For the custom stuff, are you on multiplayer, or scenario? For multiplayer I can totally configure my character with any spell config I like. I can't find any scenarios to play, I don't know what they do.

It may be that if you haven't completed the main campaign then you can't get access to the higher level spells for mutliplayer. If not I'd advise you do, as it's a good campaign, and should help you get to grips with things.

Sorry I can't help more.

Thanks for the replies.

You find the formations useless?! I find them very useful it makes sure you got all your troops in the fight, instead of those at one end of the formation waiting a few (critical) seconds before jumping in or not seeing the enemy at all.

And I think the problem I have is that I have not finished the campaign, think that you need to at least once before you are allowed to customize spell books. If that is not the case for you then please tell me exactly how you do it, I might just be being blind and can't see something blatant.

The strength in the fight, from my experience of the game is from balancing your troops between being Guardianed, towards attacking. The single player game is completely winnable by camping out on a manalith with all your troops guardianed, then just bleed the enemy of their troops.

Formations might be useful, I've just not used them. I get the feeling they were not really implemented as a real feature so much as a nice to have simply because the game is so fast. It's good to have your people in formation set on guard in a formation (but then the orientation does not matter as you're moving). Lining up a defense in a formation? I just never would (guardian takes that away). Different strategies I suppose. I just pack them all in a group around me, the range of the ranged, makes small differences like that seem even smaller.

Anyway, play the campaign, it really is worth it. Personally my favourite line is the very last one.