Jonathan Tweet denounces Power Attack

[Kintara]

that's a tabletop play-time management issue.

DM "well what does olaf do?"

PC "let's see he attacks with a +12...no wait a +4 that would mean i'd do..."

DM "well'

PC "wait let me compare atatckign at +12 to aattacking at +4 with the dmage bonus...'

DM "Next player"

Sounds like...fun.

 

[Toben the Many]

Power Attack was a horrible time-waster. Good riddance.

It was a horrible time-waster on many different levels. If a player sat there and thought about their attack roll for a few seconds, no big deal. But what happened was those few extra seconds would slow down the whole game, because everyone else was taking a few extra seconds, too. It just added more of this: "Um...I do...uh...no wait. I do this...hold on..." to the game.

Also, power attack got complex and time-consuming when you factored it in with all of your buffs and boosts.

"Oo! I got Bull's Strength. We'll I'm sure to hit him now. Wait, maybe I should power attack for 2 points, channeling my extra +2 to hit into damage. Plus, I'm two-handing it so I'd add +4 points to damage."

"Don't forget, you got bless."

"That's right! Maybe I should power attack for -3 to hit."

"You also could smite evil."

"I could do that. And channel even more of my to-hit into damage. Plus I get damage from smiting."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Okay, wait. I have a question. What if I...."

 

[Mercule]

That's it exactly. It's not that the math is too hard. It's that it's piled onto a bunch of other (trivial) calculations which together become hard to remember and manage. (Again, not hard as in it's tough math, hard as in it's more math than is fun to do 4-5 times per round every round.)

Ah. Cool. That's not what I'd been picking up from the thread. I'll admit, though, that I'm a bit tired and my comprehension may be low. Similarly, I might be a bit non-communitcative. Mostly, I was just being a bit good-naturedly sarcastic. Sorry if it reads as snarkiness.

 

[billd91]

What happens when a cashier gives you change? That's a lot more complex, what with all the different values of coins and bills.

For some people, that's not really math. But once it's obviously math, they might as well be deer caught in the headlights. I have a friend who can figure out a 20% tip on a restaurant check, but tell her she'd doing math and suddenly she can no longer do it.

 

[billd91]

Power Attack was a horrible time-waster. Good riddance.

It was a horrible time-waster on many different levels. If a player sat there and thought about their attack roll for a few seconds, no big deal. But what happened was those few extra seconds would slow down the whole game, because everyone else was taking a few extra seconds, too. It just added more of this: "Um...I do...uh...no wait. I do this...hold on..." to the game.

Meh. You get this in any game with a significant number of choices before you. Power attack is no different in this regard than choosing to fight defensively, use combat expertise, or any other tactic that trades penalties for bonuses.

 

[babomb]

Dude we already determined this between 2e and 3e.

Also... I wonder how it would work if you switched it to instead of a 1 for 1 bonus you made it a certain number of points buys you a certain die for extra damage. ie: 1 point = 1d2 2 points = 1d3 3 points = 1d4 and so on...

On average?
1d2 = 1.5 dmg
1d3 = 2 dmg
1d4 = 2.5 dmg
...
1dn = (n+1)/2 dmg

While a coarser gradation does make the feat simpler, it doesn't mean you can't crunch the numbers on it. It may speed up the decision process, but there's an even simpler solution: tell your player he's delaying until he can figure it out and move on.

 

[Najo]

How about this:



Power Attack (pre: Str 13+)

You may choose to use power attack as a full-round action. Make a single melee attack. If the attack hits your foe, add a damage bonus to your attack equal to the amount your attack roll is greater than your foe's armor class. If your attack misses, your opponent may make an attack of opportunity against you.

You may only use this feat once per round.


Or you can do this:

You may choose to use power attack as a full-round action. Make a single melee attack. If your attack hits your foe, you automatically cause a critical hit. If your attack misses, your opponent may make an attack of opportunity against you.

You may only use this feat once per round.

 

[Deverash]

My monsters have a terrible advantage in that I know the PC's ACs, and the monsters shouldn't.

Well, if you consider that the players know the monsters AC within 2 rounds of combat in most cases, I don't see that you knowing the ACs of the PCs (that are being attacked) is that much worse.

 

[Gloombunny]

If the attack hits your foe, add a damage bonus to your attack equal to the amount your attack roll is greater than your foe's armor class.

This strikes me as a much better way to solve the "more BAB than I ever need" issue.

 

[Kintara]

Well, if you consider that the players know the monsters AC within 2 rounds of combat in most cases, I don't see that you knowing the ACs of the PCs (that are being attacked) is that much worse.

Most monsters die within five rounds, in my experience. If the monster dies in the fourth round, then two rounds is nothing to dismiss.