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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Kid Charlemagne" data-source="post: 572951" data-attributes="member: 93">I've got an 11th level fighter that uses Power Attack quite often, and is really built around that as a main focus (along with Cleave and Greate Cleave - he's a bruiser first and foremost).For your charcter right now, I can't see much use for Power Attack in most cases - your Attack bonus can't be much more than +6 or +7, and it's tough to give up much at that level.  It will become more useful as you get up to the high single digits and low double digits in levels.  My fighter's main feats are Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, and Improved Critical.  He's focused/specialized with a scimitar, which is also Keen for that 12-20 crit range.It's tough to give up any bonus to hit when you could lose a chance at confirming the (in this case, frequent) crit threats, however it's worth it in several situations.I typically will power attack where I think a roll of 7 or better will still hit.  My Fighter has a +19 to hit, so that means if the enemy has an AC 20, I'd power attack for 6 or 7.I'll also be more likely to Power Attack if I am only getting a standard action attack - if the only attack I get is at +19, I might as well take some off the top.  If I have full round of three attacks, that last +9 one is unlikely to hit, so I'll be more likely to hold off.I ESPECIALLY power attack if I can manouever myself into a position with several opponents that I think could go down with a successful crit.  As an example, we had a fight with several flunky rogues whom I guessed where in the 7th-8th level range.  That means they probably had 35-45 hitpoints each.  On a crit with full power attack, my fighter could do up to 52 points of damage (minimum 42) with one swing.  If I crit and take the one rogue down, I keep going at full attack bonus.I moved into a flanked position (leaving myself vulnerable to sneak attack, and took two of three rogues down with crits on a full power attack.  The third lived.  The rogues didn't live long enough to sneak attack.Another example from one of the PC's in my game (also 11th level fighter):  They were fighting ghasts with around 24 HP.  He was doing around 15 HP per attack, and there were a lot of them (the ghasts, that is).  He ramped up his power attack, and suddenly he could move up to a ghast, kill it, and never worry about getting hit for the paralysis effect - or at teh worst, they'd move up get one attack, and be killed before the next round, when he'd have to deal with a full round attack of claw-claw-bite.That's the key thing - if you can hit hardest, then maybe the enemy never gets the chance to hit back.So, in short, Power Attack when:1. You can still have a decent shot at hitting anyway.2. You have the opportunity to take out a dangerous opponent quickly.3. When you must move before attacking.4. When it might buy you a chance to Cleave/Great Cleave.  It's really fun to Cleave a whole bunch of 25-30 HP creatures.  You can't do that often at high levels.Don't Power Attack when:1. You need as much attack bonus as possible.2. When you are in position to take a Full Round Attack (or at least don't use as MUCH Power Attack).</blockquote>

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