Super bodyguards with super strength

[Eaglejarl]

tl;dr: What's a reasonable way to get a small army to each have a strength of 30-40?


As I've mentioned before, I'm writing a novel (link in my sig) which is set in a D&D universe. Some of the major secondary characters are the Landguard, an order of paladins (*) sworn to protect the nation and serve its ruler.

Back when I started writing it, I designed the Landguard and listed off all the equipment they carried. I just noticed, however, that I made a mistake: I gave them Girdles of Giant Strength based on what I remembered from playing 2nd Ed, back when giant strength actually meant something (storm giant strength was +7 AB / +14 damage, and a carrying capacity of "sure, why not?"). Yesterday I was reading the item lists and I discovered to my horror that my lovely Girdle of Makes-A-Difference is now a Belt of Not-Really-That Giant Strength. +6 strength only yields an extra +3 to AB and damage and about +100 pounds of carrying capacity.

Based on the charts, I'd like them to have a strength somewhere between 30 and 40 on a more-or-less permanent basis. What's a reasonable way to do that using sourced material (i.e., not homebrew or custom items)?

My restrictions are:


No Psionics
No Epic anything, although characters can continue past 20th level
with linear growth
No plot-significant homebrew
No custom spells or magic items
No metamagic.

(*) Most of the Landguard have levels in other things, typically Wizard or Cleric.

[JeminiZero]

Shapechange (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/shapechange.htm). For example, the Wizards can shapechange into Solars (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/angel.htm), and then use the Solar's change shape ability to disguise themselves back as the wrinkly old men they originally were. Also applicable to Druids (although they have wildshape anyway). Clerics may be able to access Shapechange through domains.

Also: Festering Anger. Disease provides +2 to strength, but deals con damage. Just keep the disease, watch your strength go up, and heal the con damage. Also works well with Cancer Mage which provides immunity against the ill effects of disease.

I see you do not allow metamagic, but if you did, Clerics have 1 more option: Persisting Consumptive Field (+2 Strength per creature that dies with no cap), and then spam summoning elementals using the Summon Elemental Reserve feat, and massacring them.

[drack]

half minotaur, goliath, water orc, hobgoblin races tend to add allot as I've seen in a level 7 game I'm in... (all barbarians everywhere!)
Out of rage:
half minotaur water orc has 33 str
feral half minotaur goliath has 39 str
Half minotaur hobgoblin has 25 str
beyond that rage with two feats nets you +8, abyssal domain can net you four more, and something horn as a extra material component adds +2 str (untyped) to whatever effects a buff normally gives you, I think it was minotaur horn, but I might just be saying that because I was just talking about allot of them...

[Derpldorf]

The War Hulk would serve the purposes of Super Strength fairly nicely. They gain a full +20 Strength over ten levels in addition to various tree swinging, boulder chucking shenanigans. Unfortunately, there are quite a few drawbacks that would likely bar your people from taking it. For one, you have to be Large or Larger. Secondly, you basically lose all access to Int/Wiz/Cha skills... Not so good for your proposes I'm sure.

[Khatoblepas]

The War Hulk would serve the purposes of Super Strength fairly nicely. They gain a full +20 Strength over ten levels in addition to various tree swinging, boulder chucking shenanigans. Unfortunately, there are quite a few drawbacks that would likely bar your people from taking it. For one, you have to be Large or Larger. Secondly, you basically lose all access to Int/Wiz/Cha skills... Not so good for your proposes I'm sure.

Serpent Kingdom's Trait Removal can fix No Time To Think, but otherwise your Feral Half Minotaur Water Orcs can have 50 Strength, no problem.

It's a shame you don't do Psionics, as a Psychoactive Skin of Proteus can get you Sun Giant form easy, which has 37 Strength. You can then outfit your noncasters in Fleshshifter Armor to give them Alter Self to look like their normal form.

[Metahuman1]

Give them the half Golem template, and after they've been in the order for a couple of years the order opts to get a cleric or Wizard to use Wish or Miracle for free to remove the LA if the independent character doesn't buy it off immediately.

Then you just need a permanent Alter Self to make your limbs look normal, and no one need know that your arm or leg is giving you between +6 and +12 Strength, +4 Con, Natural Armor and DR and maybe some other special ability. (Tweak as you like by forgetting to use special ability's and maybe building in extras to the Graph to protect it from special weaknesses it might have, such as a Riverine shell or some such on an Iron Golem Graph to prevent Sundering and Rust Monsters from screwing you.)

[The Insanity]

War Troll as race would make them overall badass. Add class levels and templates and you'll have nice elite soldiers at your disposal.

[OrlockDelesian]

I don't get the question. It is a novel. You can just say, "the moment someone becomes a member of X society, his/her god gifts him/her with exeptional strength"

[drack]

It's a D&D novel, you use D&D mechanics.in the story, and D&D players read it as an epic D&D adventure story.

[Eaglejarl]

It's a D&D novel, you use D&D mechanics.in the story, and D&D players read it as an epic D&D adventure story.

Bingo.


Thanks for all the help, everyone. Are there any magic items that provide a strength boost that would stack with Belt of Giant Strength?

[Metahuman1]

I forget the name off the top of my head but all six stats have a wounderous item, a book, printed in the DMG that can give you a +1 to a +5 to the relevant stat. There rather expensive though.

[drack]

An artificer could rig something up to give you several times the bonus (they can temporarily change the type of enchantment to something else on a small list)

Yeah, book of exercise or something +5 inherent bonus (like you get from casting wish five times fast)

There are also buffs that could be made into items if you're looking for more.

Edit: remember, it can also just be a lucky son-of-a-gun that got higher starting stats then everyone else...

[Metahuman1]

Now that I think about it, a Candle of Invocation would be way more cost effective, have a ceremony were they use it upon being initiated to wish themselves up a +5 Inherent Bonus to Str. Hell, why stop there, why not go a step further and give them a +5 to Con, Dex, Wis, Cha, maybe even Intelligence?

[drack]

Because stories are boring without imperfection. :smallbiggrin:

[Eaglejarl]

An artificer could rig something up to give you several times the bonus (they can temporarily change the type of enchantment to something else on a small list)

Ah, shiny, that sounds good.

What book do Artificers (or more specifically, that change-enhancement-type ability) come from? I'm looking on http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Artificer_(3.5e_Class) and it doesn't mention the ability to change enhancement type. (Btw, my understanding is that I can't post copyrighted information here, but I can link to sources that have it. I'm not sure if dandwiki includes copyrighted information but, if does or if I'm not allowed to link to copyrighted stuff please let me know and I'll delete this post.)

And, actually, I was forgetting about the basic "+1 every 4 levels" boost. Assuming they all start with about a 16 strength that would go a ways towards getting them where I want them. +3 or +4 from level, +6 from the Belt, that gets them to a 26. If I can find a few more points somewhere else (or just bite the bullet and use custom items), then I'm good. I haven't dealt much with their history or backstory yet, so I could do something like "they have a dedicated group of mages cranking out Tomes of Healthful Exercise +5 (or whatever it's called. With the belt and the level gain, that would get them to the 30 I'm looking for.

[drack]

Ah yes, it's an infusion that does it. May cost a bit o' xp, but being an artificer there'll be ways about that. Anwyho it's eberon campaign setting I think.

Edit: technically you're not supposed to do anything that could be considered distributing copyrighted information. That said talking about copyrighted information is allowed and people often link small bits to better discuss it/know what each other is talking about. But were you to, for instance, link a PDF of a book you wouldn't be in a good place. ;) Anywho I could link the class, but I find for infusions it's simpler to just crack the book.

[Averis Vol]

Edit: remember, it can also just be a lucky son-of-a-gun that got higher starting stats then everyone else...

Oh yea, and the prodigy template from DMG II. Gives +2 to a stat and some boost to some skills.

[Metahuman1]

Because stories are boring without imperfection. :smallbiggrin:

Who says this is with out imperfection? This just means you can safely dump there stats and have them still end up playable. And you'll want the bonuses to some of those, like Con, anyway.

[Eaglejarl]

Ah yes, it's an infusion that does it. May cost a bit o' xp, but being an artificer there'll be ways about that. Anwyho it's eberon campaign setting I think.

Edit: technically you're not supposed to do anything that could be considered distributing copyrighted information. That said talking about copyrighted information is allowed and people often link small bits to better discuss it/know what each other is talking about. But were you to, for instance, link a PDF of a book you wouldn't be in a good place. ;) Anywho I could link the class, but I find for infusions it's simpler to just crack the book.

Cool, I'll find the Eberron book. Thanks.

Re: copyrighted stuff -- thanks. You're not a mod so this is not official, right? If a mod wants me to take it down I'm happy to, but my current understanding is that I don't need to. (I accidentally picked myself up a warning due to Failure To Read on my part, so I'm being careful. I try to be a good member of any community I join.)

[drack]

I remember I was just playing a character who had 1 to each physical stat after aging penalties. Now I was playing him as an NPC to die off (rolled him propperly and such), but that sort of character has great storyline/fluff potential.....

[Deadline]

16 base stat + 6 from belt + 5 from tome + 3 from being level 12 = 30.

Does that about cover it? 5 wish spells will replicate the tome/manual, if necessary.

[Eaglejarl]

16 base stat + 6 from belt + 5 from tome + 3 from being level 12 = 30.

Does that about cover it? 5 wish spells will replicate the tome/manual, if necessary.

Yep, that's perfect. I'll also check out artificers; I might want to use some of their stuff here and there.

Much appreciated everyone!