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Strength: That 18/XX number

MythdraconMythdracon Member Posts: 187
in Archive (General Discussion)
What does the second number stand for? I notice that sometimes a character has a simple "18" next to "strength" rather than "18/96" or "18/35." What does this mean in the D and D ruleset? Google hasn't yielded any results I understand when I searched for the answer.

Comments

  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    edited December 2012
    Only Fighter and Fighter-type classes get the /xx number. So any variation of Fighter, Barbarian, Paladin, Ranger gets the /xx. Including multi and dual classes.

    This should tell you everything you need to know:
    http://playithardcore.com/pihwiki/index.php?title=Baldur's_Gate:_Races_and_Stats#Strength
  • MythdraconMythdracon Member Posts: 187
    That clears it up nicely. Thanks for your help. :)

    Also, how does one FORCE locks? I always thought you could only pick the lock....
  • styggastygga Member Posts: 467
    Use your attack icon on the lock, it uses your "open doors" score under the ability scores section of your character record page. If a door took 45 open locks to unlock, it'd take 45 open doors to break it open (which I think 18/00 strength gives). But you don't get any experience for doing it.
  • MythdraconMythdracon Member Posts: 187
    I see. Thanks.
  • FlashburnFlashburn Member Posts: 1,847
    That XX is called Exceptional Strength, measured in a percentage from 01 for 1% to 00 for 100%. Its basically a measure of how much superhuman strength your character can summon regularly without injuring themselves, and using this strength to aid in martial combat.

    Normally people cannot do this unless put in a life-or-death situation, but thats what makes the fighter classes so special: they can call upon this surge of might whenever they want to with no ill effects like pulling a muscle.

    The reason the gap between 18 and 19 STR is so large is because 18 is the natural limit for the (demi)human body, not counting half-orcs. 19+ STR is enjoyed by the more monstrous races just because they are bigger so they are not constrained by a smaller body's relative weakness.
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