Being a battlemage is great actually
I'm not a true wizard. Far from it. But I'm definitely not a knight or paladin. I have been mistreated by a witch before, felt unwelcome in my own tower, learned I was being used for my alchemy table. When I was younger I thought I could get by just using my tomes, and didn't care about my robe size. I started training pushing the mill stone and stopped drinking as much ichor. I riveted steel to my staff and started wearing mail under my robe (even though I use wards and don't really need to). You do feel a bit better if you move every day. It's not so much serf behavior when it balances your humors. It's not something that makes witches flock to you in the market though, not going to cast deception and tell you you'll get everything you want if you become a battlemage. I was able to get off of the plague doctor's poultice which I think is a fucking racket anyway (I do take T though. Get checked). Anyway. Some advice from a fakecel.