Strength represents the measure of the physical strength or how much can your character lift and how many push-ups can it do? As a result it directly affects the following character stats:

• Dam
• Speed
• Weapon Speed
• Weapon Class - # renamed from thaco_bonus, since thaco (really thac0) is an acronym for 'to hit AC 0' - in old AD&D, it was a literal number. This bonus here is to hit any AC.
• Carry Capacity

It is also used in the following skills:

• Jumping for reach 1 or 2 tiles
• Clawing for Dam and Wc
• Flame Touch for Dam and Wc
• Karate for Dam and Wc
• One Handed Weapons for Dam and Wc
• Punching for Dam and Wc
• Two Handed Weapons for Dam and Wc
• Throwing for Dam , chance of breaking , reach , speed
• [] ← more to add here

A characters strength can be permanently improved by using:

• Strength Potions