Power Critical - Fixed or Nerfed?

[Demmero]

While the feat may seem balanced in the eyes of a player using it.... how much fun is it for a player facing off against an NPC with this feat?

A raging Orc Barbarian 3, wielding a Greataxe, power attacks (-3 to hit, +6 o damage) declares a Power Critical, and with the confirmation roll, instantly renders most 5th level PCs to unconsciousness, if not death.

Power Critical's prerequisites require Weapon Focus with the weapon in question, plus a base attack bonus of +4. An orc barbarian wouldn't be able to get such bonuses until 6th level.

Since a greataxe only threatens a crit on a roll of 20, I don't see whereas the +4 bonus from Power Critical will come into play very often.

Of course, when a crit IS confirmed, there's gonna be a ton of damage, but that's pretty much the case with or without the Power Critical feat being thrown into the mix.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

I used to not like the new +4 version, but now I find myself using it more and more. Especially for monsters/NPCs that don't have high attack bonuses to begin with. The +4 on those criticals really helps out.

 

[the Jester]

Power Critical's prerequisites require Weapon Focus with the weapon in question, plus a base attack bonus of +4. An orc barbarian wouldn't be able to get such bonuses until 6th level.

How do you figure?

4th level barb = BAB +4. The orc can certainly take WF at 1st level.

Am I missing something here, such as another, hidden prereq?

Anyway, on the topic of the changes to the feat, I really dislike combat feats that are x/day effects. It smacks of the supernatural, rather than raw puissance in battle.

 

[Staffan]

4th level barb = BAB +4. The orc can certainly take WF at 1st level.

Am I missing something here, such as another, hidden prereq?

I think he means that you don't get to take the feat until 6th level, since that's when you get your next feat.

 

[Tiberius]

How do you figure?

4th level barb = BAB +4. The orc can certainly take WF at 1st level.

Am I missing something here, such as another, hidden prereq?

Anyway, on the topic of the changes to the feat, I really dislike combat feats that are x/day effects. It smacks of the supernatural, rather than raw puissance in battle.

I was thinking the same way you were, until I remembered that barbarians don't get a feat at 5th level. Thus, while there is no prerequisite requirement that prohibits gaining the feat at 5th level, the fact that you don't get a feat at 5th level would preclude it.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

The feat got nerfed, but the 3.0 version was very poorly designed. As written you got a 1/day autothreat, which implies you get an autohit once per day.

The 3.0 feat grossly favored high crit multiplier weapons. It was also frightening if combined with Blessed Weapon.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

I was thinking the same way you were, until I remembered that barbarians don't get a feat at 5th level. Thus, while there is no prerequisite requirement that prohibits gaining the feat at 5th level, the fact that you don't get a feat at 5th level would preclude it.

Well, sort of. One could take 1 level of Fighter at 5th level and take it as the Fighter bonus feat.

 

[Victim]

While the feat may seem balanced in the eyes of a player using it.... how much fun is it for a player facing off against an NPC with this feat?

A raging Orc Barbarian 3, wielding a Greataxe, power attacks (-3 to hit, +6 o damage) declares a Power Critical, and with the confirmation roll, instantly renders most 5th level PCs to unconsciousness, if not death.

He couldn't do that with the old Power Critical. The 3.0 version required 12 Bab or so and Improved Crit.

 

[Demmero]

Power Critical's prerequisites require Weapon Focus with the weapon in question, plus a base attack bonus of +4. An orc barbarian wouldn't be able to get such bonuses until 6th level.

OK, I kinda suck. I should have said "A 3rd-level orc barbarian," which is what was used in the example I quoted. A Bbn3 would only have 2 feats, so It couldn't possible be power attacking with Power Critical (since Power Crit also requires the Weapon Focus feat as a prerequisite)...and its BAB would only be +3, not the other Power Critical prerequisite (which is +4 BAB). A level of Fighter could make Power Critical available, but a straight non-human Barbarian would have to be at least 6th-level to qualify for the feat.

 

[Demmero]

How do you figure?

4th level barb = BAB +4. The orc can certainly take WF at 1st level.

Am I missing something here, such as another, hidden prereq?

Nope, you're not missing a prereq. You missed the mention of using Power Attack in Green Slime's example. An orc Bbn3 would have 2 feats: in this case, Power Attack plus one other. I was trying (not so clearly) to point out that such a Bbn couldn't have Power Critical for its second feat, as that requires Weapon Focus as a prereq.