Self-buffing strength?

[J-H]

In NWN, Blackguards got the ability to cast Bull's Strength on themselves 1x/day (they didn't get normal spells). Are there any classes other than barbarian or normal casters who get any STR-boosting abilities like that?

I'm wanting to make someone with full BAB who can reasonably get himself up to absurd strength levels without a ton of LA.

[Llama231]

Well, the best thing for this would probably to go CoDzilla.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Kensai from Complete Warrior gets an ability called Power Surge, which can boost his strength by +8 but for no more than 5 rounds at a time. You also get a nearly free +10 weapon out of it. Sadly it doesn't get full BAB, but a free +5 Speed Wounding weapon should more than make up for that.

There are classes which can just cast Str-boosting spells. Duskblade from PH2 gets full BAB and can cast Bull's Strength, plus it gets a lot of spells/day so you'll surely be able to have at least one for every encounter. It can easily become a fairly powerful class just by taking Arcane Strike (CW), definitely worth a look.

[Keld Denar]

It should be noted that in 3.5, Bull Str provides an Enhancement type bonus to Str. Almost all items that boost Str are also Enhancement type bonuses. Bonuses of the same type don't stack, except in the case of Dodge bonuses and Circumstance bonuses from different circumstances. Any melee character who expects to spend most of their time in melee who isn't a Cleric should probably just get a Belt of Giant Str +4 or +6, because then they don't have to spend actions in combat to increase their Str, and they don't have to worry about that bonus being dispeled.

I remember NWN 1 allowing Bull Str to stack with another Str item, but NWN changes a fair enough number of rules that this is hardly the most major change.

[sonofzeal]

I believe Tattooed Monk has one that gives a bonus to Strength. You may have to pull some ex-monk shenanigans to get it into your build, but it's a possibility.

[Douglas]

I remember NWN 1 allowing Bull Str to stack with another Str item, but NWN changes a fair enough number of rules that this is hardly the most major change.

Sadly, NWN2 still didn't get the bonus stacking rules right. They got it right for AC, but absolutely nothing else. Ability score increases just don't stack at all even when they should (Righteous Might is a size bonus, dammit), and all other bonuses stack completely even when they shouldn't.

[Thurbane]

Off the top of my head:

+4		Racial		Orc
+4/+6/+8	Unnamed		Barbarian Rage 1/11/20
+2		Size		Enlarge Person (potions)
+4/+6		Enhancement	Belt of Giant's Strength
+1 to +5	Inherent	Manual of Gainful Exercise

The Dragon Disciple PrC gives +4 to STR at the loss of +1 BAB over 4 levels, but requires spontaneous arcane casting. The Orc Paragon class gives +2 to STR with no BAB loss.

Assuming a starting STR of 15, your orcish Barbarian 12/Bard 1/Paragon 3/Dragon Disciple 4 can get to STR 44 with BAB +18 by 20th level (STR 36 while not raging and drinking potions).

I'm sure there are many, many others out there that I haven't thought of.

[Keld Denar]

Righeous Fury (Pal3, SpC) is a personal spell that gives +4 moral bonus to str for rounds/level. Also gives +CL temp HP, cap of 10, and hp stick around for a lot longer.

Valiant Fury (Courage5, SpC) is a close range spell that gives a +4 moral bonus to str AND con, plus the benefit of an extra attack that is similar, but non-stacking with haste.

There is a belt, I think its in Complete Divine or Champion, that is a Relic. It gives a +str bonus that is a Sacred Bonus. Using the rules in MIC for enhancing items, you could have +6 str gloves and still wear this belt for what I think would be a total of +10 str. Since its a relic, you need to either be a cleric and sacrifice a spell slot, or be anyone and take the True Believer feat from Complete Divine. That feat also opens up the Pious Templar PrC from Complete Warrior, not a bad one to take if you are already taking the terribad True Believer feat for another reason.

[Bayar]

Fist of stone. For 1 minute you get +6 to STR. Sorc/Wiz 1.

I took this for my Whirling Frenzy Lion Totem Barbarian Venerable Dragonwrought Kobold.

[Lycanthromancer]

Despite not having full BAB, psychic warriors are, quite probably, the most powerful martial class in the game. They even beat out ToB classes, though they don't usually have the stamina.

As for Strength-boosters, do you want bonuses on grapple-checks, maneuvers (such as trips, disarms, etc) damage rolls, or attack bonus? Because psychic warriors get powers that can do all of those. A minimally-augmented expansion alone grants a +2 to Strength and an additional size category, which has scads of benefits (just look at all of the bonuses a higher size category grants to just about everything a martial character can do, including reach). You can also get other powers that give insight bonuses to attack and damage (offensive precognition/prescience), enhancement bonuses to attack and damage (metaphysical weapon/claw), the ability to drain Str of foes to add to your own (strength of my enemy), enhancement bonuses to Str/Dex/Con/Int/Wis/Cha (animal affinity), lots of very damaging natural attacks (bite of the wolf/claws of the beast/form of doom), and that's not even going into the Expanded Knowledge feat or research (by which you can get everything from black lotus extract via psionic minor creation to shapeshifting via metamorphosis).

It might not be a full-BAB class, but damn, is it great in melee.

[Crow]

Here you go.

All you need to start self-buffing strength.

[Draz74]

War Hulk (a PrC) gives +2 STR per level ...

In return for no BAB progression and some other limitations. (It's really only supposed to be used by monsters.)

[Thurbane]

War Hulk (a PrC) gives +2 STR per level ...

In return for no BAB progression and some other limitations. (It's really only supposed to be used by monsters.)

Indeed - and unless you take a LA +2 or higher large race (or take the risk on permanent Enlarge Person), you can't qualify. Those LA and racial HD are really going to hurt BAB on top of the War Hulk non-advancement.

[monty]

Indeed - and unless you take a LA +2 or higher large race (or take the risk on permanent Enlarge Person), you can't qualify. Those LA and racial HD are really going to hurt BAB on top of the War Hulk non-advancement.

Or you take the Half-Minotaur or Half-Ogre template from one of the Dragon magazines. Net +12 to Strength from the template, counting the size increase, and makes you Large (assuming you were originally Medium) for +1 LA and no hit dice.

[Draz74]

I think the Dragon Mag Half-Ogre is now officially pre-empted by the Races of Destiny Half-Ogre, which is much less cheesy and replaces its former incarnation. However, Half-Minotaur is still free game, and extremely cheesy.

[Paul H]

Hi

If you don't mind not having full BAB:

Druid 11/Master Many Forms 2. Cast Bite Weretiger.

In Firbolg (13HD Lge Giant) Form:

Str 48 Dex 17 Con 29
AC 29 (Unarmored)
HP 13D8+117
BAB +8/3

Try attacking with Lge Gt Sword +27/22 Dam 3D6+27 (Non magic wpn)

That's my type of tank

Cheers
Paul H

[monty]

I think the Dragon Mag Half-Ogre is now officially pre-empted by the Races of Destiny Half-Ogre, which is much less cheesy and replaces its former incarnation. However, Half-Minotaur is still free game, and extremely cheesy.

Technically different, since one's a template and the other its own race. Not that it matters, since Half-Minotaur is better at everything, as far as I can tell.

[Tengu_temp]

War Hulk (a PrC) gives +2 STR per level ...

In return for no BAB progression and some other limitations. (It's really only supposed to be used by monsters.)

Monsters... or clerics. As if Divine Power wasn't broken enough...

[monty]

Monsters... or clerics. As if Divine Power wasn't broken enough...

Persisted Righteous Might could give you the necessary size, too. Enlarge Person is weak.

[Curmudgeon]

The Lolth-Touched template (Monster Manual IV) gives +6 STR (and other things) for +1 LA, but with severe alignment consequences.