Hit roll is useful below 17, for the same reason - armor class is.

If you know how to stack - ac as a mage you should also learn how to counteract that. There have been times I'd come at a mage as melee in the teens to be met my misses on many of my attacks. That meant I was not rocking enough dam roll.

Awhile back I got into a back and forth with Daurwyn and I do think you can stack enough hit roll to get past any amount of lowbie -ac (silver rapier, two silvery rings, and a high lvl bless is like +20 hit roll), but it may be to the detriment of doing significant damage with those hits, saves, or hp.

But once you start into the upper teens both hit roll and -ac lose their effect. I believe this is because of how the underlying DIKU mechanics are based on DnD 2nd edition armor class and THACO. THACO included your level into whether or not you hit.