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<blockquote data-quote="Mal Malenkirk" data-source="post: 108490" data-attributes="member: 834">The best way to use power attack is to use it as little as possible! If you are charging, you'll get only one attack at your highest bonus.&nbsp; If you are reasonably certain that you'll miss only on a 1, it is a good idea to use power attack.&nbsp; Do not use it so much that your odds of failure are raised above 5%, though.It's easier to calculate precisely when the DM annunces the AC up front!But during a full attack never use power attack unless one of the&nbsp; following two conditions are true;1-If your last attack hits on anything but a 1.&nbsp; This is common with dragons.&nbsp; In such a case you should sink as many BAB in damage as you can afford while still hitting on anything but a 1.2-If your best attack hits only on a 20.&nbsp; In such a scenario you might as well use a full power attack.&nbsp; A better idea would be to flee, though!If conditions 1 or 2 don't apply, never use power attack.&nbsp; This is especially true if you have a high base damage.In the case of your barbarian, the best scenario is that he hits 3 time, not once or twice with a bonus to his base damage!&nbsp; Regarding your example; against an AC 20, your odds of making a successful attack are 95%, 85% and 60% if don't use power attack.&nbsp; These odds are terrific, keep them!&nbsp; With your proposed scheme of power attack you deal 6 extra damage on each successful strike, but you'll hit much less often on average.&nbsp; Considering that your average base damage is 18, each attack missed because of the lower BAB aren't compensated by the extra damage on those attacks that do hit.Frankly, power attack is most useful as a requisite for cleave, otherwise I would not recommend taking it.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Mal Malenkirk, post: 108490, member: 834"] The best way to use power attack is to use it as little as possible! If you are charging, you'll get only one attack at your highest bonus. If you are reasonably certain that you'll miss only on a 1, it is a good idea to use power attack. Do not use it so much that your odds of failure are raised above 5%, though. It's easier to calculate precisely when the DM annunces the AC up front! But during a full attack never use power attack unless one of the following two conditions are true; 1-If your last attack hits on anything but a 1. This is common with dragons. In such a case you should sink as many BAB in damage as you can afford while still hitting on anything but a 1. 2-If your best attack hits only on a 20. In such a scenario you might as well use a full power attack. A better idea would be to flee, though! If conditions 1 or 2 don't apply, never use power attack. This is especially true if you have a high base damage. In the case of your barbarian, the best scenario is that he hits 3 time, not once or twice with a bonus to his base damage! Regarding your example; against an AC 20, your odds of making a successful attack are 95%, 85% and 60% if don't use power attack. These odds are terrific, keep them! With your proposed scheme of power attack you deal 6 extra damage on each successful strike, but you'll hit much less often on average. Considering that your average base damage is 18, each attack missed because of the lower BAB aren't compensated by the extra damage on those attacks that do hit. Frankly, power attack is most useful as a requisite for cleave, otherwise I would not recommend taking it. [/QUOTE]

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