No save sucks, I agree

The point of spells like that (1E Death Spell), I think, is so that high level mages don't have to nickel-and-dime lots of lower level opponents. They can just drop one spell and kill a bunch of henchmen in one blow. Cloudkill and Sleep work similarly. Symbol of Death and PW:Kill are also no save I believe.

...

Assassin party sounds great... two problems. 1) This campaign ain't over yet, so don't go thinking Tut's dead-dead. This is 1E, where Raise Deads can come and go. 2) Most people only have one back, so only one assassin at a time gets to try his backstab instant death blow. And 1E is notoriously bad about when that roll even applies.