In the past I've always gone with 25 Int/5 Sta because that Int helps on a brand new first character and Classic/Kunark era gear gives us a good bit of freedom to pick +HP items instead of +Int/Mana items. I don't remember it exactly, but 2012-2015 Blue Sess sat somewhere around 200 Int but had 1.8k-1.9k HP. Come Velious though, so many of the best +HP items are also +Int/Mana items, so there's no real trade off going on.

I've been toying with both Dex and Sta necro, and related to what I said earlier, both feel to me like they play better as twinked characters. That 85 Int is just rough on one's mana capacity in the early to mid game when the character doesn't have enough cash together to get good Int items in addition to the more important big +HP items.

Edit: For a bit of fun while camping AC, I decided to put together my item of choice for each slot and then figure out the ideal starting stats if I were to somehow get every one of those items. Starting stats: +12 Dex, +14 Intelligence, +4 Strength. STA will always be greater than 255, but Int will hit exactly 255 and Dex will hit exactly 240 for 31 average seconds per proc (couldn't get 255 for 30), and Strength will hit 207. I guess I'll try that for my next necro!

I went stamina but I think necro really doesn’t care. For mana you just need a decent mana pool, since it’s more about mana regen than the size of your tank. And 48 hp won’t ever be a big deal.

You should have simply linked the thread to your guide. While I'm DE until I die, you're my necro brother from another mother....

Would stamina be a crazy choice? Most into it and the rest in int?

not at all, thats probably the most common these days

Exactly. INT is much easier to cap on a cloth caster since their gear has a lot of INT on it anyway. STA will be less likely to be capped, which means you will get more mileage out of it in the long run.

Stamina every time. I also prefer gear that has both hp/mana like jaded rings/bracer or black sapphire ears, that one seb staff with EB on it but also 100 hp/mp and so on.

plat tiara from guk.

any class that charms to solo wants hp gear

hp >>> mana every time as long as you can cast a few charms and a few roots/mezes on a full mana bar

Anyone saying you can "easily" cap Iksar INT, please post a Magelo so we can judge what sort of gear you're defining as "easily acquired", especially if you're advocating a 25 STA/5 INT split which results in 90 starting INT. If you're stacking HP gear as you should be (because +HP gives way better returns than pumping STA), it's actually quite difficult to max Iksar INT until you've got a good amount of Velious no drops.

Yeah its not "easy" but max mana pool is basically useless compared to max hp.