IQ to power spells

[Skarg]

Originally Posted by Steve Plambeck

Our PC wizards that started with high IQs (and therefore less ST) rarely lived longer than one or two adventures. And they did stick to the rear and let the heroes screen them as much as possible. If you start with ST 8, and after spending just 3 or 4 points powering spells, one arrow can kill you. Mortality was very high among all our players wizards in the early years!

The ones that tended to survive longer were the ones with very conservative IQs, ST at least 10 or 11, DX at least 14, leather armor, and fought with swords as often as not.

Thanks Steve! Yeah, we had a pretty high wizard mortality rate too, especially for less experienced wizards in smaller parties.

We saw quite a few cases of "kill the wizard first if you can!" (along with "kill the heavy polearm users before they can skewer us!"). Survival does mean you need to avoid being a vulnerable focus of attacks somehow. Not looking or acting like a wizard (or halberdier ;-) ) certainly avoids that, but also only lasts till they see you cast spells. Denying all opportunities for attacks is the main other one I know.

Originally Posted by MikMod

The perfect story to explain why a lot of people (most people?) house-ruled that fatigue can't help kill you.

Yes. Spell fatigue becomes a cushion where you may hopefully collapse before death and no longer be a priority target.