why would a bull's strength wand or potion

[Hauteclaire]

not raise my str? It did for awhile then i used a tome and got a +4 str item and now when i use the wand nothing happens. Just curious if anyone knows?

[Lewcipher]

If you have a +4 STR item or better, Bull's strength potions (and wands) will not add anymore to it.

[Razcar]

It's about how bonuses stack in DDO (and D&D). Bull's Strength gives the same type of bonus as the bonus to Str on an ordinary + Strength item ("Enhancement"-type - not to be confused with the "Enhancements" you buy for Action Points by the way). So the highest only applies, or in your case, they are the same (+4).

But, for example, if you would drink a Rage potion (or get the spell cast on you) that Str increase would stack since it is another type of bonus, a "Morale" bonus.

Bonuses in DDO belong to different "types", such as Luck, Competence, Morale, Insight, Enhancement etc. Generally bonuses from different types stack when buffing the same stat, but buffs from the same type does not. So only the highest buff to Str from the "Enhancement"-type applying is what is confusing in your situation.

What exactly stacks and not, and with what, can be tricky to know when starting out, but it will get clearer in time. The type an item or spell belongs to is usually listed in its description text, so check there.

[Hauteclaire]

thanks for the replies and explaining this to me. I was a bit worried at first I did something wrong, as I am struggling with this build a bit.