Phil Pfister: Highest Strength Score in the World

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Str 20-23, and (d20 Modern) the three Extreme Effort talents. They give him a +6 bonus to Strength checks, which is a bit like boosting his Strength by twelve as long as he uses full-round actions.

 

[Mercule]

Its probably worth pointing out he's likely been on the "Potions of Bull's Strength" (if you'll forgive the euphemism) for quite a while now. As are all strength athletes. So that being the case its possible he may even transcend the Str 23 racial limit for a human.

Dunno. There's a slightly different look to steroid power users. Granted, Phil's picture is with his shirt on, but the shape looks more natural than most 'roiders would have.

 

[Nyaricus]

Dunno. There's a slightly different look to steroid power users. Granted, Phil's picture is with his shirt on, but the shape looks more natural than most 'roiders would have.

In the article it even states that he goes to schools and speaks out against drug use, etc.

Well, he might just be another Bill Clinton ("I did not have se-....") but from what we got, he's clean, and even outspoken about that point.

Although *345* pounds... man, get your Neo on

cheers,
--N

 

[Daijin]

20 STRength

 

[Thurbane]

In the article it even states that he goes to schools and speaks out against drug use, etc.

Well, he might just be another Bill Clinton ("I did not have se-....") but from what we got, he's clean, and even outspoken about that point.

Although *345* pounds... man, get your Neo on

cheers,
--N

You'd be surprised about how many sporty types are vocally against drugs (which in their mind, only means "bad" drugs like heroin or cocaine), but don't even consider "performance enhancers" like steroids to actually even be drugs.

Not saying that this guy is on the juice, but just that such hypocracy is widespread in the sporting community.

 

[Thurbane]

20 STRength

That would make him an 8th Level Human Expert who rolled an 18 and bumped up his STR at 4th and 8th level.

Actually, here's a stupid question: how do non-adventuring characters level up? Would putting out a fire, making a cermaic pot, or catching fish have a CR?

 

[Zander]

Can any of you nominate other living real-world humans who are paragons of a particular ability score? Dex? Con? Cha?

My guess is that Steven Hawking would have an Int above 18, perhaps around 19 or 20, and might be considered a paragon in that regard.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey there!

That's not true. While steroid use is horrifyingly widespread, there are plenty of strength athletes (myself included) that have never juiced nor ever would.

Let me just clarify my comments, when I say strength athletes I mean strongman competitors and by 'all' I meant all the top competitors. But you could throw in all the top bodybuilders and many of the worlds top sprinters.

My training partner has competed in and won several regional natural bodybuilding competitions. He's also an MD, and I hold a PhD in Biochemistry. Neither of us would ever do something as stupid as anabolic steriods.

I applaud you and your friend. But as you rightly pointed out, he has won some natural bodybuilding competitions. We both know enough about bodybuilding to understand your friend would get nowhere in the regular competitions, where a blind eye is turned to steroid use.

It is a shame what steriods have done to sports, including bodybuilding and weightlifting.

Totally agree, I almost cried when British sprinter Dwayne Chambers was caught cheating a few years ago. It really opened my eyes to the subject. At the moment I am of the opinion that the vast majority of the people who have run under 10 seconds for the 100 metres are taking something illegal.

You only have to take a cursory glance over the roll call of cheaters to see the pattern.

Justin Gatlin: 9.77
Tim Montgomery: 9.78
Dwayne Chambers: 9.86
Ben Johnson: 9.75
Carl Lewis: 9.84

all known to be using banned substances.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hi Olaf!

I think it's a little unfair to make that broadstroke statement. I'm sure there are many people out there that aren't.

Yes, the unsuccessful ones.

Either that or I'm naive about it all.

A few years ago, Marius Pudzianowski (3 times worlds strongest man) tested positive for steroids. He was banned for a year from the IFSA. People were more shocked that they banned him, than that he was taking steroids. He simply left the IFSA and joined TWI. The strongman testing is only during the season itself, not off-season. To cut a long story short, Marius Pudzianowski was second to Phil Pfister in this years event. Knowing the advantage steroids give you, would he still be competitive without them - I don't think so.

More on topic, I don't think that the World's Strongest Man competitors would be as strong as the top weighlifters in the world. Of course it all depends on how you define "strong" I guess.

I actually think they would be stronger in terms of overall strength. Strongmen train for as many as 20 different disciplines over the season, many of which are not simply static events.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hi Mercule!

Dunno. There's a slightly different look to steroid power users. Granted, Phil's picture is with his shirt on, but the shape looks more natural than most 'roiders would have.

The taller athletes always look less musclebound, and Phil is one of the tallest at 6'6" (off the top of my head that is).

Its not impossible that Phil is the one in a billion with the genetics to compete at the top levels of strongman without steroids. But I wouldn't bet any money on it.

If he is drug free, then I totally and utterly take my hat off to the guy.