Strength

Strength is one of the six character abilities. It's a very important character ability for fighters, paladins, rangers and barbarians. It determines how often a character hits with his weapons in combat, how much damage is delivered, how much a character can carry and a change to open doors or chest without picklocking. It also effects which items a character may use which are in range of the chosen class.

Equipment
There are always items in their class which have a different strength requirement for their type of item.

Permanent strenght boosts

 * Manual of Gainful Exercise in Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition.
 * Machine of Lum the Mad in Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal.