it seems like something that is good when you need it. (and when you need it you NEED IT 
)
my main question is, how often do you need it, and how much fortitude is too much?
(also, for info sake, i’ll be playing a battle mage with an extra rank in fortitude)
Situational I reckon. Sometimes you may not need it, other times you may use it all.
My first character, heavily armoured with two handed sword, found a rank of fortitude very useful indeed, saved his life several times. My current battle mage has some fortitude from a shield, but so far I’ve not needed it, but that’s partly due to being in a group of folk who get me up quite quickly. It really does depends on the kind of tactics you’ll be employing. I actually think getting relentless with an item or saving for it might be more useful due to be constantly dropped by cleaves in the last few battles.
One rank is okay, two ranks are good, three ranks are excellent, four+ ranks are taking the mickey slightly…
I have 1 rank on character and 1 from Oakenheart Shield, granting em a count of 3+1+2 minutes. This is to allow enough time for the battle to sweep over me, and then sweep back again.
OTOH, I’m also packing Unstoppable, to allow me to keep getting back up.
But that’s a sword and board frontline knight.
As a battlemage, I’d say that 1 rank, maybe another from gear of possible, is about all you’ll need.
Hunger of the Draughir is a cheap way to get an extra rank, and the roleplay effects (and the “vile meal” style of casting it) are always entertaining.
It definitely is very situational but is a skill that can literally save your live.
As for hunger of the Draghir, there are better cheap rituals you can get that are more beneficial and you can only have one at a time.
I’m not sure how often this would come up but Surging Flame potions do not work on you if your under a “Venom” effect (as “at” 30 seconds you die from the Venom and the Tincture kicks in “after” 30 seconds). If you have a point of Fortitude, that will give you a 40 second death count and the potion will activate, getting you back up on 3 hits.
That is incorrect on the surging flame
“This potion automatically activates the next time you are dying. After 30 seconds you are restored to 3 hits and stop dying even if venomed (does not cure the venom).”
I asked for a rules call on this and got that clarified a couple years ago. it’s got an explicit “this even works if venomed” for that reason. In general, anything with a disclaimer like that is there because it overrides the normal rules for that situation.
I would say its an amazing skill and would recommend a couple levels for anyone who is taking the field.
Our group role play very disciplined and pragmatic. When one of us goes down and we are forced to retreat, we don’t need to panic to save you comrade/s. 2 ranks (Which I have with aid of the free light armour under plate) gives 6 mins of bleed out. You can fall back in good order, quickly heal up, take a swig of water,regroup, dress your line and then advance properly with little risk to the group as a whole. We have had some one with a 15 min bleed out, get separated behind the gate bottle neck and save him with a minuet to spare.
Its an underrated skill that means people don’t have to panic if you go down.