Brawn over... everything

[Alleine]

I've been attempting to make a build that focuses on strength, mainly for a monk or fighter class, my problem is that I want a race with a good strength bonus without an insane LA. However, none of the monster races seem to like being played with classes, and the normal races don't favor strength much.

What I really am looking for is a race that has a good enough str bonus so that I wont get completely screwed in all other areas in a point buy. It generally doesn't help to be strong if you can be rendered comatose through and stat drop in the first rounds of battle.

Help!

Please?

[brian c]

Half-Ogre isn't that bad; the Races of Destiny version is LA +2, overriding the +1 from Savage Species. It's +8 Str, +2 Con, -2 Dex, -2 Cha, -2 Int. You aren't any dumber or uglier than a Half-Orc, but you're a lot stronger for that +2 LA, and you get to be Large sized, which is +4 bonuses to bull rush and grapple, plus 10ft reach, and nifty +4 natural AC and darkvision. Also, large size gives you more unarmed damage as a monk.

The downsides to Half-Ogre, as opposed to LA +0 Half-Orc, is that
a) Giant type means you can't be enlarge-person-ed
b) LA +2, so you'll be a little behind your party in class abilities. ask your DM if you can do LA buyoff



Just for example, a grapple monk with this race:
+4 (improved grapple) +4 (size) +8 (starting str 26) = 16+BAB on grapple checks, and you can deal regular unarmed damage during them at no penalty, 1d8+8 at first level.

[AtomicKitKat]

The downsides to Half-Ogre, as opposed to LA +0 Half-Orc, is that
a) Giant type means you can't be enlarge-person-ed
b) LA +2, so you'll be a little behind your party in class abilities. ask your DM if you can do LA buyoff

Well, unless you can persuade your DM to let you take Human Heritage as your 1st feat.

[brian c]

Well, unless you can persuade your DM to let you take Human Heritage as your 1st feat.

True; with that feat and a friendly mage, you can be Huge sized with no problems. 20ft reach, 2d6 unarmed damage at first level (I think) and you're in business.

Also, Half-Ogres don't have a Wis penalty, so they do work just fine as monks, despite the Dex penalty.

[Talya]

While not as strong as a half-ogre, I have a soft spot for the Goliath (LA +1, +4 strength, -2 dex, +2 con, Powerful Build!).

[Tengu]

An orc has +4 to strength and -2 to all mental stats for no LA.

[Alleine]

Wow, thanks!

I was thinking of a monk that used str, since dex is mostly for AC, and that can be covered with other things. I just thought it'd be hilarious to have a monk stronger than than the fighter or barbarian.

[brian c]

An orc has +4 to strength and -2 to all mental stats for no LA.

But you also get Light Sensitivity. Half-Ogre has the advantage of Reach, Large size bonus to grapple, etc., and that Orc Wisdom penalty makes them terrible monks. I assumed the OP wanted to make a grappler; if that's not the case, then Orc might end up being a better choice. For grappling though, you have to love Large size.

Wow, thanks!

I was thinking of a monk that used str, since dex is mostly for AC, and that can be covered with other things. I just thought it'd be hilarious to have a monk stronger than than the fighter or barbarian.

Yeah, then I think Half-Ogre is the way to go. You can afford to have low Dex (for a monk) by making up for it with Wisdom.

[Alleine]

You got it right, grappling is fun.

It would have been particularly funny in our last session had I been a grabble monk, we fought a dragon which I could possibly have been up to grappling.

Looks like half-ogre then, sweet! But where does it say they can't be enlarge person'd?

[The_Snark]

They're giants; Enlarge Person targets humanoids.

The Goliath is another fair choice, with +4 Str and Powerful Build for only +1 LA.

[Talya]

If you're grappling, Goliath is even more fun. It grapples as if it were a large creature, not medium. Basically, it has all the bonuses of a large creature except for reach, and none of the penalties. (Large weapons, grappling/trip bonuses, medium creature armor class.)

[Iku Rex]

Half-Ogre isn't that bad; the Races of Destiny version is LA +2, overriding the +1 from Savage Species. It's +8 Str, +2 Con, -2 Dex, -2 Cha, -2 Int.

(It's +6 Str.)

Alleine, what level do you start at?
Which books can you use?

[Alleine]

I can use any 3.X book, my DM is very lenient.

We're currently level 7, and I've nearly died at least a half dozen times. I thought it'd be a good idea to have another character, just in case.
Man I hate breath weapons...*grumblegrumble*

[brian c]

(It's +6 Str.)

Alleine, what level do you start at?
Which books can you use?

Whoops, my bad. Still, that's a lot.

If you're grappling, Goliath is even more fun. It grapples as if it were a large creature, not medium. Basically, it has all the bonuses of a large creature except for reach, and none of the penalties. (Large weapons, grappling/trip bonuses, medium creature armor class.)

The only other thing Goliaths don't get, per RAW, is unarmed damage of a Large creature as monks. It's a reasonable houserule (or even something you can sneak past an unsuspecting DM) but by the RAW it's better to be a Half-Ogre monk than a Goliath Monk because of the unarmed damage.