Expertise & Power Attack: can they be used simultaneuosly?

[krunchyfrogg]

Just curious.

TIA

 

[Crothian]

Yes they can. You're not going to hit anything, but you can do this.

 

[lukelightning]

Yep. Some people may have a mental disconnect...how can you hit hard and fight defensively? But these people aren't 6th level fighters.

 

[el-remmen]

Shifting this over to Rules. . . [/MOD]

 

[Enkhidu]

By RAW, yes you can.

We've been mulling over houseruling it so that you can only combo up to your max BAB, however (so that we don't get a 15th level fighter taking Improved Combat Expertise, PA, and then taking a -30 to hit on attacks).

 

[UltimaGabe]

Heck, I wouldn't have a problem with a Fighter taking a -30 to all attacks to get a +15 to AC and a +15 to damage. After all, who's he gonna hit? His main attack is gonna be at a +0 at best (assuming a 15 BAB, 24 str, +5 weapon, and weapon focus, greater weapon focus, and some other miscellaneous +1 modifier), not to mention his second and third attacks at -5 and -10, respectively.

What's so unbalanced about that?

 

[Aust Diamondew]

Heck, I wouldn't have a problem with a Fighter taking a -30 to all attacks to get a +15 to AC and a +15 to damage. After all, who's he gonna hit? His main attack is gonna be at a +0 at best (assuming a 15 BAB, 24 str, +5 weapon, and weapon focus, greater weapon focus, and some other miscellaneous +1 modifier), not to mention his second and third attacks at -5 and -10, respectively.

What's so unbalanced about that?

My sentiments exactly.

Very tactically unsound, except against guys you need a 20 to hit anyway, and then you should be running away not swinging at him.

I don't think you need a special rule to prevent stupid fighters from doing stupid things.

 

[lukelightning]

I could totally picture a skilled fighter keeping on the defensive, waiting for the exact right moment (if it comes) to unleash a power attack.

 

[kigmatzomat]

It's most useful when fighting something that either has unhittable AC (meaning you need an 20 to hit anyway) or has unbeatable DR (meaning you need to the power attack to hurt it). I've done it myself in an epic game while fighting in an antimagic zone (losing all those stat buffs and item boosts for a 3.0 duelist was a drag).

 

[IanB]

Heck, I wouldn't have a problem with a Fighter taking a -30 to all attacks to get a +15 to AC and a +15 to damage. After all, who's he gonna hit? His main attack is gonna be at a +0 at best (assuming a 15 BAB, 24 str, +5 weapon, and weapon focus, greater weapon focus, and some other miscellaneous +1 modifier), not to mention his second and third attacks at -5 and -10, respectively.

What's so unbalanced about that?

...wraithstrike? *watches for lightning bolts from the sky*