Jemal's page

Sleep mentions it specifically b/c for sleep it's an automatic success, which isn't how Aid Another normally works.
With any spell that doesn't specify how it works DIFFERENTLY, one must assume that it works NORMALLY.

and as for how is the wizard supposed to help? Have you never seen a movie / read a book where somebody's trying to fight off some form of mind control, and their friend is trying to talk them through it?
"This isn't you, get ahold of yourself. Remember the yellow crayon?" etc.
Granted that example is for charms/compulsions, but Hold isn't much different.
"OK listen to me, .. clear your mind, imagine the magic as a wall around your mind, focus your will like a sword.. you're good with swords remember? Now smash that wall!"

etc etc etc.

Yeah, at strength 7 your encumbrance is so low that wearing a masterwork backpack costs your 4 lbs to gain 3.

Well to be fair, that's not just a problem at str 7.

In short, MW backpack isn't actually worth it unless your str is already 12+

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Sorry that was a bit off topic from OP, so to answer the OP:
We try to enforce it as much as possible around here, and even players will remind other players of things. Occasionally a player will obfuscate a bit.. not outright cheat, but just not bother adding their total b/c they "might" be close, and then they can just say they don't know.

Personally I always know my weight for several reasons, and I have played sessions with Medium or even Heavy Encumberance penalties.