Wisdom
Wisdom (Wis) describes a composite of the character's enlightenment, judgment, guile, willpower, common sense, and intuition. It can affect the character's resistance to some types of magical attack. It is the prime requisite of priests. Clerics, druids, and other priests with Wisdom scores of 13 or higher gain bonus spells over and above the number they are normally allowed to use.
Magical Defense Adjustment listed on the table applies to saving throws against magical spells that attack the mind: beguiling, charm, fear, hypnosis, illusions, possession, suggestion, etc. These bonuses and penalties are applied automatically, without any conscious effort from the character (though the player might want to remind the DM of it at the appropriate time).
Bonus Spells indicates the number of additional spells a priest (and only a priest) is entitled to because of his extreme Wisdom. Note that these spells are available only when the priest is entitled to spells of the appropriate level. Bonus spells are cumulative, so a priest with a Wisdom of 15 is entitled to two 1st-level bonus spells and one 2nd-level bonus spell.
Chance of Spell Failure states the percentage chance that any particular spell fails when cast. Priests with low Wisdom scores run the risk of having their spells fizzle. Roll percentile dice every time the priest casts a spell; if the number rolled is less than or equal to the listed chance for spell failure, the spell is expended with absolutely no effect whatsoever. Note that priests with Wisdom scores of 13 or higher don't need to worry about their spells failing.
Spell Immunity gives those extremely wise characters complete protection from certain spells, spell-like abilities, and magical items as listed. These immunities are cumulative, so that a character with a Wisdom of 23 is immune to all listed spells up to and including those listed on the 23 Wisdom row.
Wisdom Modifiers
| Ability Score | Magical Defense Adjustment | Bonus Spells | Chance of Spell Failure | Spell Immunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | -6 | -- | 80% | -- |
| 2 | -4 | -- | 60% | -- |
| 3 | -3 | -- | 50% | -- |
| 4 | -2 | -- | 45% | -- |
| 5 | -1 | -- | 40% | -- |
| 6 | -1 | -- | 35% | -- |
| 7 | -1 | -- | 30% | -- |
| 8 | 0 | -- | 25% | -- |
| 9 | 0 | 0 | 20% | -- |
| 10 | 0 | 0 | 15% | -- |
| 11 | 0 | 0 | 10% | -- |
| 12 | 0 | 0 | 5% | -- |
| 13 | 0 | 1st | 0% | -- |
| 14 | 0 | 1st | 0% | -- |
| 15 | +1 | 2nd | 0% | -- |
| 16 | +2 | 2nd | 0% | -- |
| 17 | +3 | 3rd | 0% | -- |
| 18 | +4 | 4th | 0% | -- |
| 19 | +4 | 1st, 3rd | 0% | cause fear, charm person, command, friends, hypnotism |
| 20 | +4 | 2nd, 4th | 0% | forget, hold person, ray of enfeeblement, scare |
| 21 | +4 | 3rd, 5th | 0% | fear |
| 22 | +4 | 4th, 5th | 0% | charm monster, confusion, emotion, fumble, suggestion |
| 23 | +4 | 1st, 6th | 0% | chaos, feeblemind, hold monster, magic jar, quest |
| 24 | +4 | 5th, 6th | 0% | geas, mass suggestion, rod of rulership |
| 25 | +4 | 6th, 7th | 0% | antipathy/sympathy, death spell, mass charm |
Increasing Wisdom
As characters gain experience in life and adventuring, they will gain wisdom. Ordinary people gain wisdom with advancing age, but the adventuring life will tend to accelerate that gain in wisdom. Thus, at every 4th level of experience above the first, (levels 5, 9, 13, 17, etc) players will gain 1 point of wisdom. Wisdom will never be raised above 18 in this manner.