Did I screw up? (fighter feat selction)

[Kae'Yoss]

I keep seeing power attack mentioned in this thread. It has been my impression form the various math magicians on this board that power attack is a sub par feat, and that the extra damage you do does not compenate for the increased number of misses. It has ben my impression that the entire purpose of poer attack was to give you the pre-req for cleave which is a good feat. So waht am I missing fro so many people to be saying take power attack.

That's your error! Don't apply math to power attack!

No, seriously: My bladesinger has Power Attack, and uses it (almost) all the time. I usually can hit with most of my attacks, even with power attack active, and so it increases my damage potential. I often also use True Strike to improve one of the attacks (often the last one), and apply Power Attack massively. Combine that with power critical for an almost guaranteed crit, and you really rock.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Not even overwhelming critical from ELH increases your multiplier (although many have house ruled it that way), but only give you crappy bonus d6 (which don't really matter on a crit, especially for a strong warrior).

Tell me that isn't a epic feat but just a normal feat in the ELH. Honestly I wouldn't spend 1/4 of a feat on that lame feat. OOHH 1d6 scarrrrryyy.

Oh and I think there is some supplement out there with a different power critical that add+1 to the crit. Quint fighter maybe or Kalamars PG, I don't know but it sounds familiar.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Never, ever consider TWF without taking your first level as a Ranger.

It has a certain feeling of min-maxing to it, and not everyone likes that. Also, some might be deterred by the XP penalty this might involve.

I play a ninja who wields katana and short sword, and I play him stright - and I haven't regretted it yet: I get no XP pentalty (my Favored Class is Rogue), and I have all the nice ninja abilities (like sneak attack, ninja dodge, speed of darkness) one level earlier that way.

 

[celtonline]

Thank you all again for your input. I'm not sure what I will do with the character immediately but you've given me a lot to think about.

There's one important element that was brought up that bears repeating, especially to myself: This is not a competition between me and the other players. Looking back over the course of the game I think I've done all right.

All this goes to say there's one crucial thing that I've done to improve my situation-

Change my attitude.

I spent today remembering the course of the campaign and all the things that have gone well for me:

I commissioned the dwarven waraxe (as a masterwork) but the smith gave it to me for nothing after we saved him from death at infernal hands.

I took out an owlbear who had me in its clutches with a handaxe.

I used two weapon fighting to subdue an assassin before he could escape.

I struck through the leg of a wickerman to stop it from being pulled to a fire and tossed on.

I grappled an cultist before he could put torch to the wickerman.

I stood shoulder to shoulder with my friends and cut down charging gnolls.

I got a masterwork battleaxe at third level, the same time the ranger got his bow.

I tanglefooted the ranger to save him from fauns' enchantments.

I'm the one who bought signal whistles for the group and blew on mine to give the rest of the party another chance to break the fauns' thrall.

I defended xvarts who were in Greyhawk seeking help from fanatical lawful good clerics.

I grappled with skeletons, throwing one into another.

I chopped down wraiths as we explored a barrow.

I held up a stone slab that was going to cut off our route while the others pitoned it into place.

I slew a howler in two strokes as two of its like savaged me.

I hacked in two the shadowdancer who slipped out of nowhere to backstab the ranger, allowing the rest of the party to concentrate on taking out an evil druid, mage and a vrock.

Taking the time to think of how things have gone I think I've done okay. I had a couple of bad moments and I was looking at things from a skewed perspective. There are things I could have done to improve my lot and I'll keep them in mind in the future, as well as some of the suggestions here and from a discussion with my GM last night. But most importantly I'm not going to think negatively when things are fairly even all around. I’m going to think about what I can do to make things better, not how I may have been shafted. Because my GM has run a pretty good game and my fellow players have been fun to play with. Sometimes we all have to be reminded of that.

 

[Requiem]

Well said.

Requiem

 

[Kyramus]

Power critical is not an increase in multiplier????
(knows he read it somewhere, he'll have to go back and find where the feat is and exact wording)

Sorry folks if it isn't the right feat that I was thinking about.
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about Power Attack. It's mainly if you are buffed or not. If you have bull's strength, then you can sacrifice up to 2 points of attack to damage. OR if you have some sort of strength enhancer then use it. the extra points of damage is always good.