why do gnomes get +1int, -1wis, can be clerics, but cant be a mage. seems like poor design

Unfortunately, there are only 3 good races in EOB games - human (for single class), dwarves and half-elves (for multi class)

Elves can't be resurrected;
Gnomes and halflings are worse in every way to the good 3 races in stats and class selection.

I never resurrect anyone. My party members don't die.

In the tabletop game (AD&D 2e), gnomes can be illusionists but not generalist mages. Hence, the intelligence boost makes *some* sense.

The Eye of the Beholder games don't implement specialist mages, so no illusionist. As a result, gnomes have no arcane caster option (except maybe bard, and I'm not sure if EotB implements it; I know Dungeon Hack does), and therefore have no use for intelligence.

Hence, as a result of a decision made by SSI, gnomes have no use for their boosted attribute. They *could* have fixed this by allowing gnomes to be mages, but they didn't.

(Fortunately, 3e got rid of racial class restrictions (except for some prestige classes, which CRPGs don't usually implement), but no SSI game uses 3e.)

There are only a handful optimal race/class selections in EOB.

Human - The BEST by far for any single class because of their no level restriction.
Dwarf - High constitution: Excellent Fighter/Clerics and Fighter/Thieves
Half-Elves - Excellent Fighter/Mages, Cleric/Mages, Thief/Mages, and tri-class.

The other 3 races are worthless dumpster garbage

If you play the EOB trilogy without grinding xp for hours (which you don't need, the games are well balanced), you'll never reach a level cap.

You kinda need to grind to get those high level spells in a timely manner.
In all three games.