New Power Attack: Self imposed Conditions

[Stalker0]

This is new idea I had, gaining power by taking on self imposed negative conditions.

Here's the example:

Power Attack
Benefit: As a free action right before making an attack, you can increase the damage die on your melee weapon by 2 steps. After the attack is made, you are weakened until the end of your next turn.

So let's say I'm a two hander wanting to do a big brute strike. Normally my weapon does 2d6, with this it does 2d10...or 6d10 for brute strike. After the attack, I am weakened until the end of my next turn.

Basically its allows the fighter to go "all out" for an attack, but suffer a momentary fatigue from the powerful blow.

 

[eleventh]

I was thinking of making it a save ends condition so that it's more of a gamble. It might go away at the end of your turn or it might be there for a few rounds. That would also be an interesting combination when partying with a character that grants lots of saving throws (such as a cleric or paladin). However, maybe too interesting.

 

[Starfox]

A while ago, I suggested a 4E version of Combat Expertise along these lines. I think the idea is viable.

 

[erf_beto]

Funny you mentioned it, I was just thinking about a Power Attack like feat for spellcasters/implement users:

(Em)Power Spell
As a minor action, the next power with the implement keyword you use does additional 2 damage (3 at paragon, 4 at epic) but you grant combat advantage to enemies until the start of your next turn.

Something like that...

But you're talking about plain combat options, not feats, right? Things like Charge, Run or Total Defense. I'd be ok with more of those

 

[Alex319]

Power Attack
Benefit: As a free action right before making an attack, you can increase the damage die on your melee weapon by 2 steps. After the attack is made, you are weakened until the end of your next turn.

So let's say I'm a two hander wanting to do a big brute strike. Normally my weapon does 2d6, with this it does 2d10...or 6d10 for brute strike. After the attack, I am weakened until the end of my next turn.

Basically its allows the fighter to go "all out" for an attack, but suffer a momentary fatigue from the powerful blow.

As written, this seems potentially very powerful, especially at high levels, when the increased damage can be multiplied by high [W] powers or multi-target powers, and where there are lots of potential ways to get rid of conditions early.

Also, I would definitely use this power every round before any round in which I plan to use my standard action on something that deals no damage (like an attack that only inflicts a condition). Even as a low-level Warlord, I could alternate this Power Attack and Commander's Strike and avoid any effect from the weakness.

 

[BendBars/LiftGates]

I like this idea. I would recommend that you keep to the "[condition] until the end of your next turn" plan. Giving saving throws eventually lets players min/max until they get to use the power with a high chance of making their save every time.

 

[Merlin the Tuna]

I think this goes a long ways towards making Power Attack the end-all be-all melee feat, if that's what you're going for. That effect will fade out at higher levels since you won't have quite so much burst potential, but for the Heroic tier this looks fantastically good.