Gothic II Complete Strength Guide

This guide describes every single bit of strength, that can be obtainted from bonuses in Gothic 2!

Strength training 101

First things first, make sure to take off any belts, amulets or rings that boost the attribute you're about train. This will allow you to avoid unnecessary penalties for crossing the training thresholds (TT), which is good, since with each threshold crossed the training costs more learnings points (LP).

Below are listed the TTs for strength and agility:

From 10 to 29, each point costs 1 LP (5 for 5)

From 30 to 59, each point costs 2 LPs (10 for 5)

From 60 to 89, each point costs 3 LPs (15 for 5)

From 90 to 120, each point costs 4 LPs (20 for 5)

From 121+, each point costs 5 LPS (25 for 5)

Secondly, make sure to use the TTs to your advatange. For example, if you have 10 strenght and 30 LPs train your strength to 29, then train it for 5 whole points. This way you'll have 34 strength points, but 4 of them will have mitigated the training penalty (saving you 4 LPs as a result).

Bonuses

Make sure to utilise the bonuses AFTER you're certain you don't intend to train your strength anymore, otherwise you will lose more learning points, by training it later on!

Here's a quick summary of all strength bonuses that do not require learning point (set aside Alchemy and Stone Tablets):

CH 1:

• Alchemy, Zuris + 27
  
• Praying + 10
  
• Amulet of Strength, Erol +10
  
• Stone Tablets, Khorinis + 8
  
• Belt of Force +5
  
• Elixir of Strength, Paladins' Ship +3
  
• Ring of Force +3
  
• Thekla's Stew +2 (+3 if you become a mercenary)
  
• Apples +2
  
• Teach me to hit harder, Erol +1

Total Amount for Paladin and Mage: +71
Total Amount for Dragon Hunter: +72

CH 2:

• Stone Tablets (Jarkhendar) +14
  
• Belt of Strength, Sengrath (replaces belt of force) +5
  
• Ring of Strength, Huno +5
  
• Elixir of Strength, Zuris +3
  
• Fire Strips, Snaf +1
  
• Steaming Meat Stew, Bandit Cook +1

Total Amount for Paladin and Mage: +100
Total Amount for Dragon Hunter: +101

CH 3:

• Dragonroot, Sagitta +3
  
• Ring of Power, Lutero (replaces ring of force) +1
  
• Thekla's Stew +1

Total Amount for Paladin and Mage: +105
Total Amount for Dragon Hunter: +106

CH 4:

• Slay Hosh-Pak, Oric +3

Total Amount for Paladin and Mage: +108
Total Amount for Dragon Hunter: +109

CH 5:

• Dragon Egg Potion, Neoras +3 (only for Mage and Paladin)
  
• Dragonroot, Constantino +3
  
• Thekla's Stew +1
  
• Tears of Innos +5 (only for Mage)

Total Amount for Dragon Hunter: +112
Total Amount for Paladin: +115
Total Amount for Mage: +120

CH 6:

• Embarla Figasto +15 (for Mage and Paladin) and +30 for Dragon Hunter (two EFs available)
  
• Dragonroot, Milten +3
  
• Elixir of Strength +3
  
• Dragonroot, left of the stairs with hidden door +3

Total Amount for Paladin: +139
Total Amount for Mage: +144
Total Amount for Dragon Hunter: +151

Alchemy

The only person capable of teaching you how to brew the Potion of Strenght in Chapter I is Constantino. You can either start an apprenticeship with him or learn how to brew a random potion from another alchemist. Either way, he will demand 20 LPs in order to teach you the recipe for Potion of Strength. Find all the dragonroots (9) and just nine King's Sorrels in Khorinis.
By the way, they aren't any Dragonroots in Valley of Mines nor in Jarkhendar. However, there is one, findable dragonroot in Irdorath, it's located to the left of the stairs leading to the room with the secret door, guarded by the orcs.

Stone Tablets

You can learn how to read Stone Tablets from Myxir, whom you can find in the Ancient Ruins, along with the rest of the Water Mages. To learn all three languages you need 30 LPs, but since they are only level I and level II strength tablets in Khorinis, you can learn the language of peasants and warriors for now (15 LPs).
Also, make sure to learn lockpicking (10 LPs), since some of the tablets are locked in chests, which can be only lockpicked (this applies mostly to Jarkhendar). You can learn it either from Thorben (Carpenter, Khorinis) or Ramirez, who's located in the Thieves' Guild, Khorinis.
Once you reach Jarkhendar, you should learn the third language aswell, so you can read all the tablets.

Artifacts

Belt of Force

Price: free

The very first strength boosting item can be found in Xardas' Tower, just in the beginning of the game. It's located on the lowest level, on a bench, amongst plants.

Ring of Force

Price: free

It's located above the cave, east of Khorinis, where the Orc Warrior guards the teleportation stone. It's a bit tricky so I've made a few screenshoots to help you with the search.

Amulet of Strength

Price: 1000

Can be bought from Erol (the merchant below the bridge near Akil's Farm), once he reaches his hut (located not far away from Orlan's Tavern, on the way to Onar's Farm, where Buster lives).

Belt of Strength

Price: 1000

May be bought from Sengrath, a Knight residing in the Castle, Valley of Mines. It's also available in Chapter I, provided you know how to enter the Valley without transitioning to Chapter II.
Make sure to replace the Belt of Force with it (+5 strength).

Ring of Strength

Price: 500

Is obtainable from Huno, the smith in Bandit's Camp. Replace the Ring of Force with it (+2 strength).

Ring of Power

Price: 800

The Ring of Superiority can be bougth from Lutero, Upper Town.
Replace Ring of Force with it (+1 strength).

Shrines

You can gain up to 10 strength from praying. You can pray succesfully only once a day! So after you pray head off to the nearest bed, sleep till the next morning and repeat till you've received 10 strength. Make sure to spend 100 gold, no less, otherwise you will be granted health points instead of attribute bonuses. What's more, the shrine may also grant you dexterity instead of strength, so make sure to save before each prayer. The closest Shrine to Khorinis is located south of the town, on the path leading to Xardas' Tower, it is also one of the best locations to do all of your prayers at once, since you can quickly rotate between the shrine and the beds located at Lobart's farm.

Apples

If you consume 25 apples you will gain 1 strength point, you do not have to consume them all at once, the game will remember the amount you've eaten at any time.
They are 3 merchants that sell apples - Rupert, he's nearby Lothar's first position, behind a market stand. Coragon, owner of the tavern located nearby Vatras' location and Fisk, a merchant in the bandits' camp in Jarkhendar. Also, you can beat up everyone in the harbor district of the city for additional XP and apples (most of them carry at least one). There's no penalty for these brawls, so you won't be charged by Andre at all. Moreover, the bandits in Jarkhendar have a chance of carrying an apple in their invetory. So do the farmers on Lobart's, Akil's, Bengar's, Onar's and Sekob's, also applies for the farmers dwelling within Orland's tavern. However, beating them up is not the greatest idea in the early stages of the game, since it may result in a hostile predisposition towards you and harsh fines from Lee, if the farmers benefit from Onar's protection.

Miscellaneous Food

Thekla's Stew

Thekla's a cook located in the left house on Onar's Farm. She gives you two tasks in Chapter I, one of them is to defeat Bullco and the second is to bring her a medicine from Sagitta. She rewards you with a stew in Chapter III aswell, once you free Bennett from slammer. The final stew is available in Chapter V, after you've killed all the dragons.

Fire Strips

Snaf sends you on a culinary adventure, with one particular goal - to brew booze. Once you manage to distill Lou's Hammer simply deliver it to Snaf in order to receive Fire Strips +1 strength.

Hot Steaming Stew

The cook in the Bandit's Camp (Jarkhendar) will give you for free a stew, which like Tekla's stew, increases your strength by one.

Findable Potions

Paladins' Ship

The very first findable potion is located on the paladin's ship, below the deck, along with other a couple of other potions. Here's a video showcasing how to get on the ship:

Zuris' Potion

Once Chapter II begins, Zuris will have for sale a Potion of Strength for measly 800 gold.

Hosh-Pak

In Chapter IV, the Paladin Oric (located nearby Garond's Throne), will ask you to slay Hosh-Pak.
Make sure, that before you accept the quest, to say "I need equipment", then he will offer you 4 types of potions and one them happens to be a Strength Potion.

Dragon Egg Potion

This option is available only for Paladin and Fire Mage.
You get it when you bring a Dragon Egg to Neoras (a fire mage located in the Monastery's
underground).

Embarla Figasto

You learn it from a recipe, which can be found on Irdorath.
Ingredients: 10 Dragon Eggs, Sulfur, Black Pearl, Lab Water Bottle.

Tears of Innos

Found in Xardas' Vault below the Monastery in Chapter 5. Grants 5 strength.
It's available to all factions, but only a Fire Mage can benefit from consumption, other classes due to the lore reasons die, it might be possible to survive, if high enough amounts of hp are obtained from brewing Health increasing potions, however even then you will not receive the additional stats.

Irdorath

The first chamber where the Blackmage is, has on the left plenty of mana and healing potions, there's also a Potion of Strength on one of the Alchemy Tables.

[Borislav]

You're absolutely right, the potion is not available to Dragon Hunters, thank you for pointing that out. I've also managed to notice another 2 mistakes:
1. The potion brewed by Neoras gives 3 strength, instead of 5, this change was introduced in Notr to bring it in line with normal strength potions.
2. The Dragon Hunter is given an additional Thekla's Stew upon becoming a Mercenary and therefore pulls ahead by 1 point.

[wtacik3223]

Hi. I noticed that in chapter 5 you put 117 str for dragon hunters as well as paladins. But if dragon egg potion is not working on dragon hunters shouldn't it be 112?

[Borislav]

I'll have to revisit NOTR again, which is actually a good idea since I haven't played it in a while. Originally I intended to do one for Mana and the Mage as well, explaining how to survive the early game and the most cost-efficient spells.

[SkullKnight]

Awesome guide ! any chance you'll do a similar one for Dexterity in the future ?

[Borislav]

Maybe there were in the vanilla Gothic 2 (before NotR was released), but sadly I don't remember since the last time I've played it was over a decade ago. However, I am certain there are no Dragons Roots in VoM on the steam NotR version.

[Piromaru]

Hmm I remember there was Dragon Roots in the Valley of Mine like near Hosh-Pak (and Fero's Sword) or near the Swamp Dragon. Did the devs removed them in NotR or my save is bugged?

--
PS: It is funny that the Orc Elites don't drop D-Roots in NotR, but the Paladins still may drop Goblin Berry

[DMauler]

Thanks for replying. I read this exploit in every guide I looked into. Be it old guides on gothic fansites, gamefaqs or in newer ones. It makes sense because why would some weapons and trinkets lower your stats just for the sake of it? But the thing is, it doesn't work.

Either way, I really enjoyed this game. I wasn't able to get into it for ten years or so, and this time I found this to be one of the most inmersive games I have ever played.

[Borislav]

I've never attempted this exploit, but if it doesn't work - it's probably because the game developers thought. If I were to hazard I guess it probably doesn't have anything to do with your class being Mage.

[DMauler]

I'm playing NotR as a Mage. I'm currently on chapter 4 with 64 points of base strength trying to develop it even further. I've equipped the Ring of the Orcish Warlord so my mage can have 44 points of strength, thinking I could train the ability for 2LP but every STR trainer asks for 3LP instead. Is this a bug? Is because I'm a mage? Thank you in advance.

[Borislav]

The 27 strength is the sum granted by the nine potions of strength you can brew in the Khorinis area, the process is detailed in the Alchemy section.