Highest Strength Possible (without infinite loops)

Post/Author/DateTimePost
#1

muertog

Oct 26, 2008 23:16:23
Base information taken from this thread:
http://boards1.wizards.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-287566

Character is an Anthropomorphic Squid (2 HD +1 LA = ECL3)
Feral (+1LA)
Half Dragon (+3LA)
Mineral Warrior (+1LA)
Base creature is ECL 8
Barbarian1/Warshaper2/War Hulk 6/Primeval1/Berserk1/Frenzied Berserker1

Base Strength of 18 + 8 (squid) + 4 (feral) + 8 (half dragon) + 2 (mineral warrior)
Total of base creature: 40
Barbarian: 4
Primeval (Dire Ape): 12 (yes, I know Dire Boar would be stronger... just watch)
Berserk: 6
Frenzied Berserker: 6
Warshaper: 4
War Hulk: 6
Feats: Leadership, Primeval Wildshape, Reckless Rage (plus PrC prereqs)

Primeval Wildshape: +2
Reckless Rage: +2


Cleric 17
Prayer Bead of Karma
Ioun Stone (Orange Prism)
Domain Draught (Hero), (Evil) (To get Giant Size (OA) as an 8th level domain spell and Greater Visage of the Deity (CD) as a 9th level domain spell)
Craft Contingent Spell
Extend Spell
Persist Spell
Divine Metamagic: Persist Spell

Using Divine Metamagic (and requisite number of nightsticks) to Persist the following spells:
Craft a contingent spell upon the character to cast “Giant Size” and “Greater Visage of the Deity” upon himself (gets around the range (personal)).
Cast Girallon’s Blessing to grant 1 additional pair of arms.
Fuse Arms, which subsumes the 1 additional pair of arms, plus 4 additional pairs of arms (remember, anthropomorphic squid: has 8 arms + 2 tentacles!): +24
Elation (BoED): +2,
Greater Visage of Deity (CD): +4
Giant Size(OA): +32

This gives a bonus of 24+2+4+32 Strength to the character for 24 hours.

Total so far: Strength of 144

Since this is a Dire Ape, it is vaguely humanoid-shaped, and would be able to wear most items and wield weapons.

Belt of Giant Strength: +6
Dual wielding a Hammer of Thunderbolts (which allows a belt + gauntlets to stack) and a Furious weapon: +2
Gauntlets of Ogre Power: +2 (upgraded via MIC rules to +6)
Golden Arm of Nyr: +2
Jhuild (Rashemi Firewine): +2

Oh, and he has 12 character levels, so another +3 level bumps to str, as well as +5 from tomes/wishes.

Strength: 160

If LA and racial hit dice count towards stat bumps, put 2 more on there. If LA buy-off is allowed, pre-epic that would be another +2 levels which can be dropped into war hulk, and another 2 strength.

Note: No paragon, no Curse of the Brute, no tauric here. Curse of the Brute (I haven’t bothered to read it) gives a +21 enhancement bonus as long as certain stats are above a certain point, which overlaps with the current +12 enhancement bonus. Couldn’t see where paragon gave anything but a LA. Squid gives more (8 arms + 2 tentacles = 4*4 str) than tauric.
#2

thegodhead

Oct 27, 2008 0:16:35
Girralon's arms got updated (nerfed) in SC to be only giving you 4 arms flat out rather than extra arms,
#3

muertog

Oct 27, 2008 0:55:10
Heh. I see. +2 more arms, with Fuse Arms gives a total of 8 tentacles, 4 arms, 5*4 = +20 strength instead of +84. :P

Total strength would be 167 instead of 231.

LA buyoff would give it +2. Counting ECL towards level bumps gives another +2

Curse of the Brute would give it another +9. Total of 180 Strength.

Time to look up additional strength bonuses for stacking.
#4

jaronk

Oct 27, 2008 0:59:04
If it helps any, technically you can apply the Half Dragon template multiple times so long as it's different dragon types. It's dumb, but it does work.

JaronK
#5

muertog

Oct 27, 2008 1:03:20
Hm. Now that is an idea. Each 3 ECL hit for half-dragon gives +8 Str, while each 2 levels of war hulk gives +2 Str.
#6

pithica

Oct 27, 2008 9:12:36
If you're going to be persisting anyway, drop the belt of Giant strength and exchange for a persisted 'Bite of the Werebear' (SpC). That gives you a +16 enhancement bonus to strength (plus some other stuff) as opposed to the +6 you get from the belt.

Also, the belt and gauntlets do not stack. Both are enhancement bonuses. Neither does the Ioun stone. I would likewise double check the other items (and spells) listed, as they also are likely enhancement. (The firewine may be alchemical.)
#7

yawar

Oct 27, 2008 9:37:39
Mr. Roboto is not an infinite loop and it can more or less that high of buffed properly.
#8

muertog

Oct 27, 2008 9:46:12
If you're going to be persisting anyway, drop the belt of Giant strength and exchange for a persisted 'Bite of the Werebear' (SpC). That gives you a +16 enhancement bonus to strength (plus some other stuff) as opposed to the +6 you get from the belt.

Also, the belt and gauntlets do not stack. Both are enhancement bonuses. Neither does the Ioun stone. I would likewise double check the other items (and spells) listed, as they also are likely enhancement. (The firewine may be alchemical.)

Belt -and- gloves stack per Hammer of Thunderbolts (DMG). I'll look into the Bite of the Werebear, though.

You are right about the Ioun stone. Surprised that it is an enhancement bonus... would have figured it for an unnamed considering the price and relative rarity of that item.
#9

pithica

Oct 27, 2008 9:56:20
Yeah, the Ioun Stones are overpriced. They do the math for a +2 Enhancement bonus, then double it as the IS' is slotless.
#10

ancientdragon

Oct 27, 2008 10:03:56
Actually, record is, if I'm not wrong, 187.
#11

tshern

Oct 27, 2008 10:16:43
If it helps any, technically you can apply the Half Dragon template multiple times so long as it's different dragon types. It's dumb, but it does work.

Indeed, but it's subpar too.

Check out Lolth-touched. +6 to STR and CON for mere +1 LA.
#12

jaronk

Oct 27, 2008 19:17:56
Sure, and that should be in there too, but you can't stack Lolth Touched multiple times, so that would be in addition to, not instead of.

JaronK
#13

tshern

Oct 27, 2008 19:25:39
Sure, and that should be in there too, but you can't stack Lolth Touched multiple times, so that would be in addition to, not instead of.

Definitely so. Stacking it would be a little weird...
#14

jaronk

Oct 27, 2008 19:45:23
"Lolth touched me multiple times!"

"Yes, and can you point out on the doll exactly where she touched you?"

JaronK
#15

daimon

Oct 28, 2008 3:48:47
"Lolth touched me multiple times!"

"Yes, and can you point out on the doll exactly where she touched you?"

JaronK

Bwahauhauhaauhaa
Thanks!
#16

noldorforce

Jun 12, 2009 0:31:39
Is there any way to include the Power Leech spell in this? If so, you could Extend it (with periodic Restorations) to get double your CL as an enhancement bonus to Strength - likely more than you have here.
#17

Balthanon

Jun 12, 2009 8:04:01
"Lolth touched me multiple times!"

"Yes, and can you point out on the doll exactly where she touched you?"

JaronK

Maybe that's where the abilities really come from-- standard settlement offered by Lolth's lawyers in the civil case. ;)
#18

zendu

Jun 12, 2009 16:07:45
Belt -and- gloves stack per Hammer of Thunderbolts (DMG).

Wut?
#19

_v_

Jun 13, 2009 7:20:27
Belt -and- gloves stack per Hammer of Thunderbolts (DMG).

Wut?

Muertog is correct.
I don't know how that character found the artifact though.
#20

pithica

Jun 13, 2009 12:01:22
You still get more strength from a persisted Bite of the Werebear, unless you're taking the belt or gloves epic.

Of course, the artifact does read that all bonuses from belts/gloves stack, so it may be a good way (if you can find the artifact) of stacking a belt of magnificence with gloves of dex for a +12 dex adjustment, potentially pre-epic.
#21

berigen

Jun 14, 2009 0:45:31
Base information taken from this thread:
http://boards1.wizards.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-287566

Character is an Anthropomorphic Squid (2 HD +1 LA = ECL3)
Feral (+1LA)
Half Dragon (+3LA)
Mineral Warrior (+1LA)
Base creature is ECL 8
Barbarian1/Warshaper2/War Hulk 6/Primeval1/Berserk1/Frenzied Berserker1

Base Strength of 18 + 8 (squid) + 4 (feral) + 8 (half dragon) + 2 (mineral warrior)
Total of base creature: 40
Barbarian: 4
Primeval (Dire Ape): 12 (yes, I know Dire Boar would be stronger... just watch)
Berserk: 6
Frenzied Berserker: 6
Warshaper: 4
War Hulk: 6
Feats: Leadership, Primeval Wildshape, Reckless Rage (plus PrC prereqs)

Primeval Wildshape: +2
Reckless Rage: +2


Cleric 17
Prayer Bead of Karma
Ioun Stone (Orange Prism)
Domain Draught (Hero), (Evil) (To get Giant Size (OA) as an 8th level domain spell and Greater Visage of the Deity (CD) as a 9th level domain spell)
Craft Contingent Spell
Extend Spell
Persist Spell
Divine Metamagic: Persist Spell

Using Divine Metamagic (and requisite number of nightsticks) to Persist the following spells:
Craft a contingent spell upon the character to cast “Giant Size” and “Greater Visage of the Deity” upon himself (gets around the range (personal)).
Cast Girallon’s Blessing to grant 1 additional pair of arms.
Fuse Arms, which subsumes the 1 additional pair of arms, plus 4 additional pairs of arms (remember, anthropomorphic squid: has 8 arms + 2 tentacles!): +24
Elation (BoED): +2,
Greater Visage of Deity (CD): +4
Giant Size(OA): +32

This gives a bonus of 24+2+4+32 Strength to the character for 24 hours.

Total so far: Strength of 144

Since this is a Dire Ape, it is vaguely humanoid-shaped, and would be able to wear most items and wield weapons.

Belt of Giant Strength: +6
Dual wielding a Hammer of Thunderbolts (which allows a belt + gauntlets to stack) and a Furious weapon: +2
Gauntlets of Ogre Power: +2 (upgraded via MIC rules to +6)
Golden Arm of Nyr: +2
Jhuild (Rashemi Firewine): +2

Oh, and he has 12 character levels, so another +3 level bumps to str, as well as +5 from tomes/wishes.

QUOTE]


You are stacking a lot of bonuses such as Enancement and so on. I believe only unnamed, luck, and dodge bonuses stack.
#22

nice2meetu

Jun 14, 2009 20:27:17
Get an adapted clockworkarmor for the final form.
+4 circumstance bonus to Str.
#23

tshern

Jun 15, 2009 5:52:23
Where is this Curse of the Brute from? Sounds exactly like the shenanigans I am looking for.
#24

innabinder

Jun 15, 2009 8:57:02
Where is this Curse of the Brute from? Sounds exactly like the shenanigans I am looking for.

Imarvintpa says it's from Defenders of the Faith (p 84); I haven't been able to find a 3.5 update yet.
#25

mathias1313

Jun 15, 2009 13:53:25
I am pretty sure that Warhulk gives +2 str per lvl not +1
#26

Endarire

Jun 15, 2009 20:04:35
Warhulk gives +2 STR per level but no BAB.
#27

emy

Jun 15, 2009 20:54:15
Indeed, but it's subpar too.

Check out Lolth-touched. +6 to STR and CON for mere +1 LA.

Lolth-touched is great, but I think the point with Half-Dragon is that it's repeatable; Half-Dragon could replace all of the War Hulk levels.

Two half-dragon templates gives 4 more Str than 6 levels of War Hulk. However, with level-adjustment buyoff, going past 3 LA is inadvisable, since more class levels could be squeezed in. Hmm...
#28

emy

Jun 15, 2009 22:10:00
Have you considered abuse of the Artificer infusion Item Alteration? In addition to your cleric cohort, you could use the Dragon Cohort feat to get an ECL20 Dragonwrought Kobold Artificer, I think... Which could be a great boost.

Consumptive field and festering strength also give unnamed bonuses to strength (limited only by the number of squirrels you have available, and by how much time passes, respectively) so I'm not going to use them either. Same with the stuff that the OP mentioned he wasn't using.

A Fiend of Corruption buddy could give another +3 that stacks with everything else. Fiend of Possession could give +4 profane, though I'm not sure how to fit it in. Maybe the FoP and FoC could be the same creature (the cohort from Leadership), and the Artificer (replacing the Cleric) could be a Dragon Cohort?

I am also assuming that Jhuild does not stack. Lolth-touched has to be applied to a nongood, nonlawful creature, but that creature should be able to become good later (so that it can benefit from the Arm).

Based on the OP's calculations, modified slightly. I haven't checked if it can meet the PrC requirements with so few HD.

I also haven't checked the specific wording of each of these strength boosts, but most of this post is copied from the OP's, with a couple of the thread's suggestions included, as well as an addition of my own. I've included book acronyms on everything, as well as listed the bonus type, for the bonuses that are typed.

Character is an Anthropomorphic Squid (SS, 2 HD +1 LA = ECL3)
Lolth-touched (MM4, LA +1)
Feral (SS, LA +1)
Half-Dragon x3 (SRD, LA +9)
Barbarian1/Warshaper2/Primeval1/Berserk1/Frenzied Berserker1

total ECL 20

Base Strength of 18 + 8 (squid) + 4 (feral) + 24 (half dragon) + 6 (lolth touched)
Base creature's strength: 60

Class features:
Barbarian (SRD): +4
Primeval (Dire Ape) (Fr): +12
Berserk (CW): +6
Frenzied Berserker (CW): +6
Warshaper (CW): +4

Running total: 92

Feats
Primeval Wildshape (Fr): +2
Reckless Rage (RS): +2

Running total: 96

Spells
[Girallon’s Blessing (SpC): no str bonus, but improves Fuse Arms by adding extra arms]
Fuse Arms (SpC): +24
Elation (BE): +2 morale
Greater Visage of Deity (CD): +4
Giant Size (OA): +32 [i]size
Bite of the Werebear (SpC): +16 enhancement

Running total: 174

Items
Clockwork Armor: +2 circumstance
Jhuild (Una): +2
Arm of Nyr (DF): +2
Devilweed (BV): +2 alchemical

Overall strength: 180

I've probably made a mistake or two in here. Most notable is how I completely ignored PrC prereqs. I didn't even look them up. Corrections are extraordinarily welcome.

edit:

Cohort:
Divine Minion of Sebek Bladeling Cloistered Cleric 1/Factotum 8/Fiend of Posession 5/Fiend of Corruption 1 (only the last 6 class levels are vital. I just like Factotum)

Dragon Cohort:
Dragonwrought Kobold Cleric 17/Ordained Champion 3

Instead of using Craft Contingent Spell to get around the personal range of the buffs, have the Cleric use Ordained Champions spell channely thingy. (it's less expensive.) If that won't work, then maybe the cleric could summon up a Throne Archon (the only monster with Channeling) and have it use channeling to hop into the cleric's body, who then uses channeling to hop into you. Failing that, yeah sure, Craft Contingent. Or a Spellguard of Silverymoon.

You can change into a member of your own kind or even into yourself.

Applies to Draconic Polymorph (which is based on Polymorph, which is based on Alter Self).

So, before using Primeval Form, going berserk, and such, get Draconic Polymorphed into yourself, for a starting Str of 68. Does this work?

With Draconic Polymorph, and a FoP/FoC cohort, the total goes up to 195 Str.

With an artificer... I think you could get around 225~ish? With artificer any typed bonus that's less than +6 is worthless, since a bonus for that type could be added by stacking on a bunch of +6 enhancement items, then changing their types to luck, circumstance, morale, etc. I guess it's only limited by how many bonus type names (other than sacred and profane) you can remember. Dodge bonuses can't be added, since those are explicitly to armor class only, IIRC.

edit #2: whoops, not enough HD for a Dragon Cohort. I'll try to fix that (while avoiding too much str loss) as well as PrC qualification some other time.

edit #3: putting the 6 war hulk levels back in reduces Strength by 4, but I think it fixes the qualification stuff, for a final strength score of...

191

~
#29

nice2meetu

Jun 15, 2009 23:15:26
Get an adapted clockworkarmor for the final form.
+4 circumstance bonus to Str.

How I love citing myself :D
#30

emy

Jun 16, 2009 1:47:29
How I love citing myself :D

If you're waiting for it to be added to the OP, don't hold your breath; check the post date.
#31

nice2meetu

Jun 16, 2009 8:58:32
If you're waiting for it to be added to the OP, don't hold your breath; check the post date.

Well, yours is "+2" and mine is a few post before yours^^

I could hve said more, but this was the cutest I could come up with.
#32

emy

Jun 16, 2009 13:37:18
Well, yours is "+2" and mine is a few post before yours^^

I could hve said more, but this was the cutest I could come up with.

Whoops, I completely overlooked that error. Thanks.

The build has bigger problems than that, though.

I'm trying to figure out how the build in the first post of this thread qualified for any of those prestige classes. It doesn't have polymorph or the shapechanger subtype for Warshaper, +5 BAB for War Hulk, +8 BAB for Primeval, +5 BAB for Berserk, or +6 BAB for Frenzied Berserker.

I'll work on it a bit and see what I can do.