What makes Power Attack 'Good'?

[Talonblaze]

I've heard alot about Power Attack being praised over alot of other feats as being a feat that is considered quite useful. However I find its uses and advantages as a feat alone quite limiting.

It has a maximum of +5 Damage for a -5 Attack. Which at times can mean putting down that extra enemy, but in the long run I feel it can just as likely make you do 0 for that Power Miss you rely on.

The one thing that seems to give it a high notation is its use for multiple feat prerequisites. As, even I'll admit, is one of the most common things out there.

However unlike its counterpart Combat Expertise which can go to Improved Combat Expertise, Power Attack itself never actually improves (afaik). Which was surprising to me. Why was there never an advancement made for such a 'useful' and 'powerful' feat especially for warriors? (Something that perhaps could have lessened the gap between casters and warriors.)

Course, this argument could be rendered totally pointless if I am just lacking material.
Even so, other than its broad tree addition, it doesn't strike me as being this huge deal.

 

[shipratstew]

Maybe I'm wrong here but I always thought power attack didn't have the +5/-5 cap like combat expertise? Also if using a non-light weapon in two hands you get double the investment, so with a -5 you would get a +10 damage.


*Just checked the d20srd and did not see any restrictions on the amount of attack bonus you can spend, just as long as its not higher than your bab.

sent from my Android phone

 

[TwoSix]

1) Power attack is limited to -BAB/+BAB, not -5/+5.

2) Power attack does double damage if you're using a two-handed weapon, so it's actually -BAB/+(2*BAB).

3) PA isn't very good at low levels. But once you hit about 8 or so, most melee fighters will hit most monsters on a 2-4 with their first two attacks, assuming that they have some sort of haste buff to give them an additional attack. Power attack gives you a huge bonus against anything that doesn't have huge armor, assuming you're smart about trading off.

Just for illustration, my 10th level barbarian/cleric usually opens with an attack pattern of +23/+23/+18 (+10 BAB, +8 Str, +2 falchion, +1 haste, +2 charge) and does 2d4+15 (+12 Str, +2 falchion, +1 electricity).

Swapping out 5 attack for 10 damage, I still usually hit on most of my attacks and do 50% more damage.

 

[emoplato]

I've heard alot about Power Attack being praised over alot of other feats as being a feat that is considered quite useful. However I find its uses and advantages as a feat alone quite limiting.

It has a maximum of +5 Damage for a -5 Attack. Which at times can mean putting down that extra enemy, but in the long run I feel it can just as likely make you do 0 for that Power Miss you rely on.

The one thing that seems to give it a high notation is its use for multiple feat prerequisites. As, even I'll admit, is one of the most common things out there.

However unlike its counterpart Combat Expertise which can go to Improved Combat Expertise, Power Attack itself never actually improves (afaik). Which was surprising to me. Why was there never an advancement made for such a 'useful' and 'powerful' feat especially for warriors? (Something that perhaps could have lessened the gap between casters and warriors.)

Course, this argument could be rendered totally pointless if I am just lacking material.
Even so, other than its broad tree addition, it doesn't strike me as being this huge deal.

Alone it isn't that great, but it really comes into its own with a two-handed weapon. It receives double damage for the penalty. Leap attack allows a free jump check doubling power attack, tripling with two hand. Battle jump doubles all damage when falling from ten feet or more and considers the attack a charge. Then finally improved bull rush and shock trooper has an option to transfer the attack penalty to a defense penalty on a charge. So, if you have the chance, it can be an instant kill with a really high strength (the cap is your base attack modifier actually).

 

[Talonblaze]

Haha well, dunno where I got the max +5 for -5 deal. Guess it must have been the group I played with or just got it confused with Combat Expertise. Would explain why I never saw any 'Improved Power Attack' out there.

So its definitely alot more useful than I gave it credit for.

 

[was]

I find PA to be a good thing to have when you're running into foes that you just can't seem to hit. Whether it's that they have a nice AC, or your dice are just failing you, its nice to get that bonus. You can't put the bad guy down if you can't hit him.

 

[Vegepygmy]

It's also nice for breaking things (when you just need to overcome an object's hardness and deal as much hp damage as you can).

 

[Dandu]

Haha well, dunno where I got the max +5 for -5 deal. Guess it must have been the group I played with or just got it confused with Combat Expertise. Would explain why I never saw any 'Improved Power Attack' out there.

So its definitely alot more useful than I gave it credit for.

Perhaps you play Pathfinder, or your DM houseruled it?

I find PA to be a good thing to have when you're running into foes that you just can't seem to hit. Whether it's that they have a nice AC, or your dice are just failing you, its nice to get that bonus. You can't put the bad guy down if you can't hit him.

Psst, use Wraithstrike.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

It's also nice for breaking things (when you just need to overcome an object's hardness and deal as much hp damage as you can).

It's also fantastic on a coup de grace.

 

[Talonblaze]

Perhaps you play Pathfinder, or your DM houseruled it?

Naw we don't own any of the Pathfinder stuff. (We have been looking to try, but we got mixed reviews.)

I'm almost positive it was either house rule (since all of us thought it was the +5/-5 deal) or just a me blunder. Either way its thankfully rectified.

Heh, I might have to recomb my books and see what other feats we got confused through misconception and houserules for so long.