Non Enchancemet STR bonus?

[Dusk Eclipse]

For an enemy in a game I am planning, I want to make a dungeon crasher brute, and to make him scary for the party I thought on having his strengh really buffed up.

I was planning having him use a belt of giant strenght +2 (or 4 not really sure) and having the arcanist of the enemy group buffing his strentgh even more, but I don't know about any spell that would stack with the enchancement bonus from the belt.

The idea of this particular encounter is having a leader (level 6 warblade Hobgoblin) a goblin wiz level 5 and some mooks (most likely 4 or 5 warriors) and the dungeon chrasher brute ( a hobgoblin fighter 6, maybe with the feral template)

I don't know how the party will be composed yet, but I will have 4 to 6 players all at ECL 6

So in short are there wizard spell that give a non-enchancement bonus to strengh?

[Ilmryn]

A rage spell would give a morale bonus to str.

[gbprime]

At ECL 6? Not that come to mind, no. Enhancement is the norm.

Edit - and apparently I fail. :smallsigh: i didn't consider Rage because nobody ever USES it. The Wizard has to maintain concentration to affect 1 maybe two targets. Now a Bard would be a bit more useful at it, but I've never seen a bard dedicate a spell slot to it.

[Snake-Aes]

Enlarge person

[Dusk Eclipse]

A rage spell would give a morale bonus to str.

hmmm fitting

Thanks
Edit:
Ok i think an enlarged rage'd dungeoncrasher is scary

[Keld Denar]

Valiant Fury (Courage 5, SpC) gives a +4 moral bonus to Str (and Con). I think there is one other spell that gives a moral bonus to Str.

Also, there is a relic belt that gives a moral bonus to Str, but I believe you have to worship Heironious. Check Complete Divine.

[Snake-Aes]

Valiant Fury (Courage 5, SpC) gives a +4 moral bonus to Str (and Con). I think there is one other spell that gives a moral bonus to Str.

Also, there is a relic belt that gives a moral bonus to Str, but I believe you have to worship Heironious. Check Complete Divine.

Caster's a wizard 5. Can't expect anything past 3rd level spells.

[Darrin]

So in short are there wizard spell that give a non-enchancement bonus to strengh?

How about drugs? Mule Pollen (Magic of Faerun p. 181) gives you a +2 untyped bonus to Str, and you can add either Rhul (Lords of Darkness p. 184) for a +4 alchemical bonus to Str or Devilweed (Book of Vile Darkness p. 42) for a +2 alchemical bonus.

[Snake-Aes]

How about drugs? Mule Pollen (Magic of Faerun p. 181) gives you a +2 untyped bonus to Str, and you can add either Rhul (Lords of Darkness p. 184) for a +4 alchemical bonus to Str or Devilweed (Book of Vile Darkness p. 42) for a +2 alchemical bonus.Oh, good idea O.O I completely forgot poisons and drugs.

Leave some to your group, it'll teach them not to abuse substances if they don't bother Identifying it(good chances they might not even pick it up)

[Dusk Eclipse]

How about drugs? Mule Pollen (Magic of Faerun p. 181) gives you a +2 untyped bonus to Str, and you can add either Rhul (Lords of Darkness p. 184) for a +4 alchemical bonus to Str or Devilweed (Book of Vile Darkness p. 42) for a +2 alchemical bonus.

I only have access to the BoVD from those ones.. I'll check it anyway thanks

Edit: Snake:.... evilness..... I like it.

[Ryuuk]

Hmm, might not be the most effective, but why not give him some psionics? Ih he had the feat Hidden Talent: Adrenaline Boost (Complete Psionics), he would have 2 power points and access to the mentioned power. Using it requires a swift action, but grants a +2 Insight to Str and Dex for 1 round.

[sofawall]

The Wizard has to maintain concentration to affect 1 maybe two targets.

Well, it's concentration+rds/level, so even w/o concentrating, Wizards are rocking 5 rounds when they first get it. 5 rounds is longer than many a fight.

[Lord Vukodlak]

Lycanthropes, in hybrid[or animal] form they can have bonuses to various ability scores.

[Bakkan]

If you're primarily interested in Strength checks, the Shape Soulmeld(Mauling Gauntlets) feat from Magic of Incarnum will grant a +2 morale bonus to Strength checks (which stacks with morale bonuses to Strength itself). If the brute happens to have an essentia pool, this can be increased further.

Since you are at level 6, you could have him take the Bonus Essentia feat (same book) to give him 2 essentia, which he could invest in the gauntlets to get a total +6 morale bonus to Strength checks for the cost of two feats.

[faceroll]

Have him chug potions. Potion of enlarge person, potion of bullstrength, alchemical stuff, finish with a potion of rage. By that time, his mooks should be dead and he can wade into the party. Or have him drink 'em as he listens to the rogue try to open the door into his chamber.

[Snake-Aes]

I think greatest effect will be obtained by a gory description of the sudden enlargement(cast just as they enter the room) of someone with unnaturally bulging muscles, with blood coming out of his ears and mouth so hard he's gritting his teeth, wailing his warcry with bloodshot eyes seething with rage.

(best part will be after all that when they loot him and he has..."only a +2 belt?" and a "weird powder that makes you dumber and tingles your nose")

[Godskook]

Since you are at level 6, you could have him take the Bonus Essentia feat (same book) to give him 2 essentia, which he could invest in the gauntlets to get a total +6 morale bonus to Strength checks for the cost of two feats.

AFB, but do you even get the second point to your cap by L6?

[Bakkan]

AFB, but do you even get the second point to your cap by L6?

Exactly at level 6, in fact.

[olelia]

Dusk Giant? :smallbiggrin:.....*runs away*

[Dusk Eclipse]

Dusk Giant? :smallbiggrin:.....*runs away*

Maybe I'll use them later, but I need the 6th levels of fighter and that would send the CR into the 10ths rate...

[Snake-Aes]

the whole STR Drug + Berserk + Enlarge Person + str belt made me think of Bane.

[Dusk Eclipse]

....>_<... great now I can't picture him without tubes filled with drugs...

[Flickerdart]

Water Orcs have +4 STR, better than Hobgoblins. To integrate him, you could have him be some sort of slave (mind-controlled or the normal kind) to the hobgoblins, or perhaps part of an allied band of Orcs passing through the hobbo settlement/whatever.

[Snake-Aes]

Well, you can always make the enlargement delay for a couple rounds and, once he blows his surprise round screaming with pure hatred and chopping something, have him say "There is much more to me than meets the eye".

[Sc00by]

There's always undead grafts from Libris mortis? Though looking at them you might have to fidde the NPC WBL guidelines a little... (or alter them slightly?)

[Jorda75]

Grafts all the way, I think there are some in Lords of Madness or whatever the abberation book is called.

[Snake-Aes]

I wonder how accessible those grafts would be...

[Sc00by]

I wonder how accessible those grafts would be...

He's the DM... As accessible to the character that wants/needs them as they need to be. Accessible to a mostly good aligned (I assume) adventuring group? I'd guess not.

[Snake-Aes]

He's the DM... As accessible to the character that wants/needs them as they need to be. Accessible to a mostly good aligned (I assume) adventuring group? I'd guess not.

I'm more concerned on explaining why the villains of this thread would be able to have those.
Also, the whole "undead=evil" thing is a whoooooooooole can of worms I'd rather not open here, so I think it's not a very good idea to use that to keep the party from using those.

[Jorda75]

My epic barb had to go to the Underdark to get his, it was pretty rough but for me it was worth it :)

[Sc00by]

I'm more concerned on explaining why the villains of this thread would be able to have those.

They work for a Necromancer Lich BBEG? Maybe the mooks are skeletons to keep with the feel of it? Maybe he had an accident at work and to avoid expensive legal bills his employer sorted him out with an arm with extras? Maybe (and this is the good one) the DM wanted his nameless mook who will be dead in 6 rounds time to have an undead graft?
The reality is that @ 25k the cheapest one is outside the grasp of a 6th level NPC, so it's a moot point. :smallwink:


Also, the whole "undead=evil" thing is a whoooooooooole can of worms I'd rather not open here,

Yeah they're all good aligned, right? The being damaged by positive energy thing is just a trick of the light. Or something :smalleek:
Regardless, I was implying that under normal circumstances Good aligned parties get beaten round the head with a DMG if they start trying to get bits of them choppped off and replaced with undead bits.

And to be honest if they really WANT to have undead bits attached, you can make getting them a lot of fun too.
They may even be able to afford the graft by the time they get there if you do it right. :smallwink:

[Snake-Aes]

Yes, it is. And I said I don't want to open the whole debate about undead here -.-