What strength level should I be....

[Shadow Draxis]

to comfortably clear the first 3 caves on normal?

[Zero]

I have not seen any significance regarding strength. I'm not even sure it actually levels, I think it's just another resource bar like food and water.

[Rie]

Strength doesn't really matter it goes up and down depending on usage of melee items. I would treat it more like a buff that continually fades away when not used.

[Shadow Draxis]

It does. Look at the strength bar when you're about to level and it gives you a number. Last time I went straight into a cave the creeps wrecked me.

[Zero]

Originally posted by Shadow Draxis:

It does. Look at the strength bar when you're about to level and it gives you a number. Last time I went straight into a cave the creeps wrecked me.

Your strength level is basically irrelevant when it comes to combat. It might have an impact on your stamina, maybe? The only thing that matters in combat is your weapon.

[Shadow Draxis]

Hints say it boosts hp too. I thought the strength bar was pointless too but i'm pretty sure it does add to the gameplay.

[Alazar]

The higher your Strength level is, the more health bar you actually have. Start a new character and you can see how many Health Pips you have. At Strength 30 you should have 6. That is 50% more health than you start with at only 4 Health Pips. I haven't personally verified that your total Vitality increases, but you can sure sprint for a much longer period of time as well.

[Lemonhead]

A lot of scientists here with such a high level of certainty about their utter wrongness.

Try to keep your Str a bit low for those first three big caves, until you have the shovel. Machete and Modern Axe are easy to acquire. I recommend the machete as your main weapon, it's speed facilitates a lot of stunlocks. Get the flashlight, and get armored. Inside you should have enough kills to keep full creepy armor until the baby hordes. Remember armor and food/water.
In my last game I went in at 14 str, the enemy count was obscene compared to my earlier games at lower str. I had, for example, three twins sitting on the shovel corpse when I got there.

Anyway, good luck. Equipment over str. Str is just a difficulty marker.

[Zero]

Originally posted by Alazar:

The higher your Strength level is, the more health bar you actually have. Start a new character and you can see how many Health Pips you have. At Strength 30 you should have 6. That is 50% more health than you start with at only 4 Health Pips. I haven't personally verified that your total Vitality increases, but you can sure sprint for a much longer period of time as well.

That's interesting to know. I never noticed the health thing since the cannibals insta-murder you no matter how much you have if you don't block/have armor.

[Noctoculus]

You never get strong enough that getting hit won't hurt. You need to avoid getting hit. Armor, parry, block, dodge.

[Cougarific]

Originally posted by Shadow Draxis:

clear the first 3 caves on normal?

I don't think "clearing" the caves should be your goal tho. You can be sneaky or fast to avoid having to clear the caves.

Trying to clear them on normal is an exercise in frustration because they can all 2-hit-kill you, while it takes 5 hits (or 10 bullets) to kill even the weakest.

[Abaddon]

On max strength (50) it only doubles your hitpoints (8 segments instead of 4 red segments on 0).
It does nothing else. Not more damage. Not more stamina. Not more armor. To only way to "clear" caves faster is getting better equip (katana, shotgut etc), get better at combat (like going 1vs1 on them) or just be sneaky.

So it's pretty underwhelming stat wise and not even worth to focus on at the current version of the game.

[Anewbous]

Lol I love when people give advice for others that's obviously not that far in the game. Get the shotgun they say. Well that takes hmm let's see oh going into the caves the very place they are having trouble. Oh let's not forget the mighty katana. You know it's super useful just can't help but to tell people to get it. Problem is that it is a late game weapon which you have to explore caves to be able to get to it. No you want to give early game advice it's simple. Go get the pistol on the beach then make a club and start spelunking.

[BORG]

Originally posted by Noctoculus:

You never get strong enough that getting hit won't hurt. You need to avoid getting hit. Armor, parry, block, dodge.

Or range attack as well. I've wrecked enemies with mere rock throwing lmao.

[1 of 1 Spiffo Plushie]

Your strength level will increase your maximum health, if you have level 50 you will have an extra 4 bars of health. You upgrade the strength by swinging an axe or melee weapons and picking up logs

[BORG]

Originally posted by euro:

Your strength level will increase your maximum health, if you have level 50 you will have an extra 4 bars of health. You upgrade the strength by swinging an axe or melee weapons and picking up logs

This is true. Keep food, water and sanity up and it comes fast.