Strength 18/90?

I know you can have a strength of 18, but sometimes I see strengths like 18/67 or 18/34 or 18/98. What's the difference with them, and should I be trying for the highest? I didn't see any mention of them in the manual.

Also, when I'm rolling for stats, do you get less points sometimes then you do other times? Cuz sometimes I can get like 18/65 strength, 17 dex, 17 constitution, and have 2 extra points left, and other times I have no extra points left. It seems random when I click the "reroll" button. Seems kinda cheesy.

[Memnoch]

Any score between 18/01 and 18/00 is called exceptional strength and only fighters can have it. The ability score tables at the back of your manual will have the exact to hit and damage bonuses as well as the additional weight you can carry. Basically the higher the better.

You would only have points remaining if you made a change to existing ability scores. You can lower some scores that you aren't important to your class (eg intelligence for a barbarian) and add them to ones that are (eg strength, dexterity). You can't go above racial limits in any case.

[The.Relic]

Also, if you play as a Half-Orc fighter you can have a maximum of 19 for strength and constitution. The downside is that if you want to explore the romance aspect of the game, the ladies aren't attracted to the big green buck toothed he-man.

Can't imagine why. Aerie's certainly naive enough. Maybe if you told her you were a handsome prince, and a witch cast a spell on you.