-4 Str

-4 Str Git Bak In Teh Kitchen1!!

-4 Str is a meme and trollbait from /tg/. The term is used as a shorthand way of saying that all women -- especially adventurers -- are significantly weaker than men, and ought to take a -4 modifier to their strength score.

History

Though its origins are shrouded in mystery, some evidence has come along to point to -4 Str's beginnings, or at least a very similar concept.

An oldfag says: "This meme is at least as old as 1978. Check page 15 of 1st ed. AD&D: a table for racial min/max for each stat and gender, but the only real difference is -1 Str for femme Dwarves, -2 Str for femme Elves, -3 Str for femme Gnomes and Halflings. All the other stats -- Int, Wis, Dex, Con, Chr -- are the same for both genders. Cue bashing of Gary Gygax."

There are other differences than the list above, like female humans only getting up to 18/50 Strength where male humans can reach the max cap of 18/100.

Most systems aren't stupid enough to try something similar. Not even GURPS, though it does suggest those who are married to "realism" can sell off or forego buying one or two points of ST. Amusingly, this gives you exactly the points needed to purchase the "Common Sense" advantage.

See Also:

• Women are Underpowered in d20
• List of world records in athletics

Gallery

• 
  A wild musclegirl appears! Wat do?
• 
  1st Ed D&D; the origin of the meme?
• 
  Who says there are no mods in /tg/?
• 
  I bet 30 internetz that she couldn't do this without the power armor. That, and a Space Marine is even stronger (true, but Space Marines also have much more genetic modifications).