Strength
Strength (or STR) is one of a character's three main attributes, along with dexterity and intelligence.
Strength affects the following:
- Slightly increases accuracy and damage in combat (heavy weapons with a high strength weight benefit slightly more).
- Increases constriction damage.
- Reduces the impact your armour's encumbrance rating has upon your unarmed combat speed, accuracy, evasion, stealth, and spellcasting success rate.
- Slightly decreases body armour's penalty to dodging. Dexterity is a much more efficient way to raise your EV, however.
- Slightly increases your SH bonus with shields or large shields.
- Increases the chance of doing auxiliary attacks.
- Increases the chance of doing retaliatory headbutts when you are a minotaur.
- Increases the range of large rocks.
Dexterity is often more useful than strength. The bonus damage from strength is generally very minor in all but the most extreme cases, while boosting your evasion is helpful for any character. However, a high strength score can go a long way toward allowing you to cast spells or dodge attacks while wearing heavy armour.
If your strength is ever reduced to 0 or lower, you will eventually suffer stat zero.
History
Prior to 0.15, Ranged combat was drastically simplified, removing strength from the attack delay equation. It reduced attack delay for launchers. See weapon damage and ranged combat for details.
Prior to 0.15, Strength increased your carrying capacity by 25 per point.
Prior to 0.13, the weapon damage bonus from strength was half as large. Strength also played a role in the now-obsolete Armour EV-Penalty system, which was replaced with encumbrance ratings.
