I have this sorcerer with 10 Endurance, and she always dies (not just faints) first thing in any fight. I just don't get it, my second frailest character is my cleric with 14 Endurance, and she almost never dies. Is the difference really that great?

Also, when a spell says, say, "10-14 Ice damage per level" I assume they mean that, say, a level 2 character would do 11-15 damage?

Survival of your character is measured by:
1. HP.
2. AC.
3. Resistances.
Endurance increases amount of HP you have, On it's own it isn't a measure of survivability.

10-14 spell damage per level means 20-28 damage for level 2 character. You multiply both numbers by level.

There is a fountain in a temple dungeon on Clouds of Xeen that will permanently raise Endurance if it's below a certain level and can be used infninitely. As a result, if you can find that fountain, your starting Endurance no loner really matters.

Also, note that even with equal Endurance, Sorcerers have lower HP than Clerics. Also, race matters, so Elven Sorcerers get even fewer HP. I suspect Elf might not be the ideal race for Sorcerer.

In terms of per level damage, here's how it works using fireball as an example:
Damage is 3-7 per level. What this means is that the game randomly chooses a number out of 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, and then multiplies by level. For example, a level 10 Ranger will deal 30, 40, 50, 60, or 70 damage (each equally likely) before resistance is applied. The spell would then cost 20 sp and 2 gems.

Note that this can be annoying with Power Cure. A level 50 caster has a full 1 in 11 chance of getting unlucky and only healing 100 points, even though 600 is possible and 350 should be the average.

Wow. That seems to make level-relative spells superior pretty darn quick.

Actually, melee attacks grow faster than spells in power. Holy Bonus adds one point of damage per caster level *per hit*. So for example, assuming the attacker is a Knight or ninja and the caster is the same level:
Level 20: 5 attacks, Holy Bonus adds 20 per attack, 100 extra damage.
Level 30: 7 attacks, Holy Bonus adds 30 per attack, 210 extra damage.
Level 40: 9 attacks, Holy Bonus adds 40 per attack, 360 extra damage
Level 50: 11 attacks, Holy Bonus adds 50 per attack, 550 damage

Notice how quickly the damage grows? This isn't even accounting for the fact that you get stronger weapons. Obsidian weapons deal 50 extra damage per hit, and there is one special weapon in Clouds of Xeen that ignores physical resistance (and it can be passed around without using up a turn).

Also, remember that Holy Bonus affects the entire party and lasts until rest or sunrise. As you can see, it ends up far stronger than any spell (except maybe Mass Distortion in special situation).

Also, of note, I believe Adventurer difficulty triples melee damage making these numbers even more ridiculous. Also remember that barbarians get even more attacks.

A character dies in WoX when the negative hitpoints get as low as the hitpoints the character would have fully healed.

Southwest of Nightshadow is someone who gives you a quest which leads you to a temple a few squares in the east of it.
In the Southeast in this temple is a pool which can raise endurance permanently by 5 repeatedly up to 21-25 (doesn't work in the CD Version).

They changed that in the CD version? How does it work in that version?

Also, what else did they change? (Was the "begger" typo fixed, for example?")