+1 Bonus to Str at level up.
Description
Str Bonus is a support ability that gives a permanent stat boost to the user's Strength while they gain a level with the ability equipped. It can be used for stat-maxing and level grinding to have higher maximum Strength even without Str junctions.
Obtained[]
Str Bonus is learned by the Guardian Forces Ifrit and Cactuar. Ifrit is obtained at the tutorial dungeon at the start of the game, and can then learn Str Bonus for 100 AP after mastering Str+40%, which itself becomes available after mastering Str+20% (the player can master them instantly with Strength Love and Power Wrist).
Cactuar is recruited by defeating Jumbo Cactuar on Cactuar Island, reachable on a flying transport, and already has every type of Stat Bonus ability learned.
If the player removes Str Bonus with Amnesia Greens, there is no way to get it back.
Mechanics[]
Str Bonus gives the user +1 Strength on top of their normal stat gain when they level up with the ability in effect. When the user is on Level 100, the ability will be ineffective.
Use[]
Str Bonus is an excellent ability to have equipped when gaining levels, especially for Squall, Zell, and Irvine for their Limit Breaks, though Strength is an overall good stat to raise for everyone as it determines the power of normal attacks. The maximum Strength value is 255, which the player can reach without stat grinding simply with Str-J and Str+% abilities; however, if the player has been leveling up with Str Bonus, they can reach 255 with fewer spells or lesser magic types.
If the player wants to grind their Strength via leveling up, the player can set Ifrit to learn their Strength-booster abilities as soon as recruited to unlock Str Bonus at the earliest, and use items to learn the Str+% abilities where possible. The best min-maxing strategy is to remain on a low level until the player gets Cactuar and then level up with numerous Stat Bonus abilities in effect simultaneously.
As a character can have maximum four support abilities in effect at once, one cannot ever co-equip all Bonus abilities. The player could choose between Str Bonus and Mag Bonus depending on the character's best Limit Break's damage type, or leave HP Bonus to the wayside. After getting all Bonus abilities, a fast leveling up place is on Island Closest to Hell where the player can quickly defeat enemies with Quistis's Degenerator and Death spells in ST-Atk-J even with a low level party. To avoid leveling up before having all Bonus abilities, the player can have KO'd party members, escape random encounters, equip Enc-None, and use Card and Petrify to defeat enemies.
Stat-maxing is unnecessary for a normal playthrough, even for superbosses, but stat grinding will make the party noticeably stronger by the end. Damage caps for 9999 for all abilities whose damage is calculated from the character's Strength, and so if they can hit this threshold further Strength-boosting is unnecessary. Other means of boosting Strength are with the Str Up item and by devouring a Level29+ T-Rexaur.
As bosses do not give EXP, before engaging one the player should swap their Stat Bonus abilities for percentage stat boosts or other useful support abilities like auto abilities.