Stat allocation on Wiki
 

For most of the class topics on the wiki, there is a set of recommended stats listed first, and then a second set of recommendations that says "realistic/modern update". Which of these is more applicable for 1999?

You'll hear a lot of different opinions. My advice would be to go to the relevant forums, melee, caster, hybrid, or priest and read threads on stats. Look for someone with similar views as you and see how they allocate stats and why.

Its very open to debate and largely depends on how you play in most cases.

It is open to debaate, but the whole point of the modern updates is P99-specific.

Full stam. Really. It largely doesn't matter what class you play. Stam is going to be the hardest to max. May want 5 agi on an ogre, or dump into dex, but aggro is such a joke here anyway with mallets that stam is still king even on an ogre. Once veli is out stats matter even less but maxing stam is still king ~ Primal carries the other melee stats, wis/int cap so fast it isn't funny.

This guy is right on the money. Stamina is the only thing you NEED. Your gear will fill in the rest. If you're a caster I prefer saving 5-10 points for str so I can carry more. Otherwise it's stamina all day baby.

THIS GUY? Don't you have any idea how important I am :3

If you're raiding, an ogre warrior in Kunark gear can max their STA. I'm a SK- my Sky gear has zero STA at all- and I can max mine.

As a caster I dump points into my mana stat, because I'm going to get so much more mileage out of it. Getting INT/WIS over 200 is pretty easy when you start around 140. That way I have a solid mana pool even when I go full out on resists. As an INT caster, HP per point of STA is so laughable you may as well just take the INT on creation so you can wear more +HP gear, you'll be way ahead on the long run.

But to answer the OPs original question, the initial suggestions for important stats were the ones that came with the game in 1999 and really didn't make any sense. I'm pretty sure Wizards were told to go for INT and DEX as primary stats (maybe some idea from a tabletop game where DEX makes you aim better with your wand?). The reality is the only two stats a wizard really needs are INT and STR. The "realistic/modern" suggestions reflect actual game mechanics and effectiveness as we understand them in today's P99 min/max world. If you just want to dick around and have fun, do what you want- but know that many a person has started out that way and later wanted to play seriously and been stuck with their old decision.

Love the reply. Same reason gnome rogues are the best. Be happy and have fun.

Myu does have a good point here. As a caster in kunark, wis/int is actually kind of a problem sometimes just because we're ALWAYS wearing resist gear for fights. That said, both are kind of irrelevant when in resist gear because these raid fights are lasting a minute on the long end. AOE damage / rate is higher than i recall here by quite a bit...as is dragon regen (especially in VP) but I suppose it keeps us on our toes :P

they should add a micro transaction for respecing your original stats

not huge deal but neat for us min-maxers

some extra $ for the payroll

amirite fellas?