(This applies to the 1st edition based games.)

I noticed a couple odd things about the rules for hafling fighters:

1. A halfling fighter can reach level 6, but only with 18 strength.
2. A halfling can't have more than 17 strength,

My question is, is there any way, without hacking, to get a level 6 halfling fighter?

I had a fighter in Pool of Radiance with a strength of 15 wearing Gauntlets of Giant Strength boosting him to 18/00. When I exported him to Curse of the Azure Bonds, he lost all his equipment, but retained his 18/00 strength.

So I guess there is that.

Level 5 or 6, what's the bloody difference? You only get that extra half APR at lvl 7 anyway.

To me, just because something doesn't give you an advantage doesn't mean it isn't worth looking into. I am curious as to how the games work, and how they behave in unusual circumstances. (I have read, for example, that a character who is over the racial level cap can continue to level up, for example, and I find that sort of thing interesting.)

Sure, so you could create a human fighter at level 7 and hex edit him into a halfling.

It's 1st Edition AD&D rules... why try to find ways around it?

If you want to know how the game works, do a Google search for "1st Edition AD&D Players Handbook PDF" and you'll see the source material.

That's a common bug (to be more precise, it always happens) when transferring characters from PoR to CotAB, and definitely what I call a Good Bad Bug. It's also easy to avoid by simply un-readying the gauntlets before exporting the character.

I suppose this bug could give natural 18/00 strength to characters who can't naturally have it? (In particular, I could get even a female halfling (normally limited to 14 strength) to be that strong)

Do any other character transfer routines have similar bugs, and if so, could I get a character with a natural strength of 19 or higher without hacking?

Yeah, put Gauntlets of Ogre Power on your female halfling fighter and transfer her to Curse. Surprise! Natural 18(00) strength. There's your workaround. Keep in mind she's still stuck at 6th level though.

Yes, absolutely. None that I can recall off the top of my head.

Curse to Secret: they'd keep their enhanced strength. You could get characters with 'natural strength' of 24 by leaving the Girdle of Storm Giant Strength on.