Boosting Strength [3.5]

[Kansaschaser]

So, I would like to boost my Strength score up as much as possible. I can take one "half" template, but no more than that. I would like to be able to do this without too many level adjustments.

With spells, items, and powers, what is the highest I can get my Strength score? I'm not looking for a temporary boost. I would like to make sure the boost lasts at least 24 hours.

Lets assume I started at level 1 with an 18 in Strength and every thing else it "up in the air".

[The Dark Fiddler]

One level of Binder to get Naberius (heal ability damage 1 point per round) and the Festering Anger (boost your strength daily for ability damage) disease will get you a strength score limited only by your age. But that's probably not what you're looking for, on the basis of being horribly cheesy, so I'm merely getting it out of the way.

Unless this is purely theoretical, I mean.

[Khedrac]

A lot depends on what you want to do with your huge strength.

For example one option would be to play the RotW Centaur - yes the LA is 2 but that just means you have 2 levels (it goes to 6) with no hit dice. The you could take a level of duskblade (say) and wheatever else you need to go Dragon Disciple - that gets you the half-dragon template without the LA, finally (just to be silly) go Warhulk.

Actually if you just want strength then Warhulk is probably a "must". The class is from MH and requires you to be large (hence centaur) - it gives no BAB (as in 0) but adds 2 str/level for 10 levels. If you can delay taking it until epic you arguably still get the epic BAB progression and then go epic warhulk...

[Kansaschaser]

One level of Binder to get Naberius (heal ability damage 1 point per round) and the Festering Anger (boost your strength daily for ability damage) disease will get you a strength score limited only by your age. But that's probably not what you're looking for, on the basis of being horribly cheesy, so I'm merely getting it out of the way.

Unless this is purely theoretical, I mean.

Alright, I knew about the Binder ability to heal ability damage, but where is the Festering Anger from?


A lot depends on what you want to do with your huge strength.

For example one option would be to play the RotW Centaur - yes the LA is 2 but that just means you have 2 levels (it goes to 6) with no hit dice. The you could take a level of duskblade (say) and wheatever else you need to go Dragon Disciple - that gets you the half-dragon template without the LA, finally (just to be silly) go Warhulk.

Actually if you just want strength then Warhulk is probably a "must". The class is from MH and requires you to be large (hence centaur) - it gives no BAB (as in 0) but adds 2 str/level for 10 levels. If you can delay taking it until epic you arguably still get the epic BAB progression and then go epic warhulk...

I was planning on starting with the Illumain race and taking the sigils that let me base my bonus spells on Strength for tons of extra spells per day.

[VGLordR2]

Book of Vile Darkness, page 30. Every day, you get a cumulative +2 strength, -1d3 constitution, and some roleplaying changes.

[Kansaschaser]

Book of Vile Darkness, page 30. Every day, you get a cumulative +2 strength, -1d3 constitution, and some roleplaying changes.

Oh, um wow. :smalleek: I'm not even sure I should do that. I'll ask my DM, but I can't see that going for very long before it goes away.

[Andion Isurand]

How do you plan on making use of your strength?

[Kansaschaser]

How do you plan on making use of your strength?

Illumain Cleric and using the sigil that lets me use Strength for my bonus spells. Then I would equip the heaviest armor possible and wade into combat.

[Fyermind]

Half minotaur if allowed (dragon magazine 313) otherwise feral is nice (+1 LA, +4 str, +2 wis, fast healing, pounce, +6 NA, more goodies) especially for clerics who can afford a level adjustment and want to go melee.

[LadyLexi]

Half-Minotaur Goliath is a solid choice for LA+2

[Andion Isurand]

you could try to make a variable half-celestial template similar to how the half-fiend was done here http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060630a

...and make it give you +8 Str and an increase in size (by picking a parent celestial of huge or bigger, if you can find one that is)

otherwise you could just go for a half-Goristro and pick up +8 str and +8 con and a size increase among other things

[Hirax]

Strictly down the road stuff for you if you start at level 1, but here you go.

Wizard5/Incantatrix10/any full caster5

Worship Lyris (Complete Warrior), take arcane disciple (luck), arcane disciple (destiny, Races of Destiny, specifically mentions Lyris as an available deity), and arcane disciple (competition, Spell Compendium)

Persist polymorph, or shapechange at higher levels, and take the form of a sun giant for 37 base strength.

Persist divine power as soon as the competition domain grants you the spell.

Persist the best bite of the wereanimal spell you can at the appropriate level.

At level 17 and higher, you can use miracle (obtained from the luck domain) to cast and persist giant size.

Turning into a sun giant then casting giant size and bite of the werebear put your strength at 85. Add a +5 inherent bonus if desired.

Choose destiny causes you to roll 2d20s on all attack rolls.

There are more spells out there that could be persisted, but we're deep into the territory of diminishing returns at this point.

[NeoSeraphi]

I was planning on starting with the Illumain race and taking the sigils that let me base my bonus spells on Strength for tons of extra spells per day.

The problem with this is that unless you're using your Strength for anything else, this is a pretty bad idea. You'll still need a minimum score of 19 in your Wisdom, and any spells you want to cast that have saving throws will have crappy DCs.

Now, if you're just looking to make a melee cleric (which I suspect is the case) here's how you do it-

Take the lycanthropy template. No, I'm serious.

Lycanthropy is the quickest and most ridiculous way to get a huge Strength boost, period. Become a werebear and get a nice juicy +16 bonus to your Strength score whenever you're in hybrid form (and also grow to Large Size) for a mere +2 LA and 6 racial Hit Dice. If you're going to be a melee cleric you don't need that many high level spells anyway. Besides, the way the template works, you won't have to worry about getting the spells you need later. Just get the spells you need (Divine power is 4th level, righteous might is 5th level, so 9th level) then get bit by a werebear and transform yourself into a 15th level character with an ECL of 17. You won't get any XP anymore, but who cares?! You've got everything you need from your class anyway, so just go big and go bear.

[Andion Isurand]

Persist polymorph, or shapechange at higher levels, and take the form of a sun giant for 37 base strength.

Using Draconic Polymorph will add +8 STR.

[NeoSeraphi]

Using Draconic Polymorph will add +8 STR.

Using draconic polymorph has also been known to cause DMs to enter an enraged state of blind frustration that usually ends with the DM suddenly returning to consciousness and looking around to see the shocked faces of all his players before realizing that he sent a beholder army after the PCs and now they're all statues.

[Mithril Leaf]

If you're looking for the best pure strength to LA ratio, as far as WotC content goes, you can't do better than Lloth-Touched. +1 LA in exchange for +6 Str, +6 Con, +4 to hide and move silently.

[VGLordR2]

If you're looking for the best pure strength to LA ratio, as far as WotC content goes, you can't do better than Lloth-Touched. +1 LA in exchange for +6 Str, +6 Con, +4 to hide and move silently.

Half-Minotaur effectively gives a +12 for 1 LA.

[Mithril Leaf]

Half-Minotaur effectively gives a +12 for 1 LA.

Half-Minotaur isn't proper Wizard's Of The Coast though, now is it? :smallwink:

[VGLordR2]

Half-Minotaur isn't proper Wizard's Of The Coast though, now is it? :smallwink:

The OP didn't specify any such restriction. As Dragon is, like it or not, official material, Half-Minotaur is a perfectly valid suggestion.

[Mithril Leaf]

The OP didn't specify any such restriction. As Dragon is, like it or not, official material, Half-Minotaur is a perfectly valid suggestion.

Oh, I'm very okay with it, I was just operating under the standard that unless otherwise specified Dragon isn't included in these discussions. I would have mentioned it myself, and it's counterpart half-ogre, which does much of the same, were it not for that, and the fact it was previously mentioned.
I'll concede that if you consider Dragon Mags official, you are correct. Without that ruling, Lloth-Touched is indeed the best. On the other hand, if you can have 2 LA, why not go with both?

[Kansaschaser]

Half-Minotaur effectively gives a +12 for 1 LA.

That's probably the best template I've seen so far. That's even better than Half-Dragon.

[The Dark Fiddler]

Take the lycanthropy template. No, I'm serious.

Lycanthropy is the quickest and most ridiculous way to get a huge Strength boost, period. Become a werebear and get a nice juicy +16 bonus to your Strength score whenever you're in hybrid form (and also grow to Large Size) for a mere +2 LA and 6 racial Hit Dice. If you're going to be a melee cleric you don't need that many high level spells anyway. Besides, the way the template works, you won't have to worry about getting the spells you need later. Just get the spells you need (Divine power is 4th level, righteous might is 5th level, so 9th level) then get bit by a werebear and transform yourself into a 15th level character with an ECL of 17. You won't get any XP anymore, but who cares?! You've got everything you need from your class anyway, so just go big and go bear.


I strongly suggest against this. Lycanthropy's LA/RHD are way too much of a pain if you plan on having any respectable amount of cleric in your build. Going werebear, you won't get Divine Power until you hit Cleric 7, which is ECL 15, and you won't get Righteous Might until ECL 17. The suggested plan of getting bit in the middle of the campaign will likely have the other players crying foul, as you get a sudden boost to your power, and that's if your DM gives you a werebear to be bitten by in the first place.


That's probably the best template I've seen so far. That's even better than Half-Dragon.

That's not saying much; half-dragon is overpriced.

[Kansaschaser]

That's not saying much; half-dragon is overpriced.

I used to kind of like the Half-Dragon, but the more I look at it, the more I agree with your statement. It IS overpriced.