Jonathan Tweet denounces Power Attack

[Doug McCrae]

that's a tabletop play-time management issue.

It's easier to fix the rule than fix the people.

 

[Gog]

I NEVER had my barbarians do anything but either Power Attack at full or not at all. I never did see the fun in all the charts and crap.

 

[Mercule]

Huh? When has Power Attack ever slowed down a game. Every time I've seen it used, it's either a standard ("I always PA by 5") or a gut reaction thing.

 

[EricNoah]

PA grinds my brain to a halt every time I use it. I never did well on those timed math tests as a kid. I have to have a cheat sheet that shows me what happens for +5 PA and +10 PA and never pick anything other than one of those two.

As DM I always pre-include it in monster stats.

 

[dmccoy1693]

OK, you've clearly never played EverQuest.

EverCrack, no. I managed to dodge that bullet and not get hooked. Did most of my online gaming time playing online Halo.

EDIT: yea, "fast paced" is the wrong choice of words for DDO. How about, "OMG, How much longer until I make it to the next level!?!"

 

[Reaper Steve]

How about a scaling power attack that's still a binary decision point?

Power attack: add only 1/2 your BAB to your attack roll. If you hit, add 1/2 of your BAB to the damage roll.

This way it scales as you level without requiring extra feat slots (improved and greater versions) but it's still a use-it/don't use it choice.

 

[sidonunspa]

:: sniff ::

:: cry ::

:: pout ::

I will miss power attack because, it was like the only way to make my swashbuckler deal any real damage... (High dex turns into + to damage when using a rapier)

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

EverCrack, no. I managed to dodge that bullet and not get hooked. Did most of my online gaming time playing online Halo.

EverQuest is just like Halo, except instead of running around a savanna in the back of a quad, firing a machine gun, you sit in the corner of a dungeon, not daring to move, for six hours, and after every fight, you wait 10 minutes to recharge before the one guy allowed to see the rest of the dungeon goes back out and brings (hopefully) a single monster back to where six people are waiting to jump him.

It was a riveting experience.

 

[Lurks-no-More]

I have to agree with Tweet on Power Attack; it's a bit too good a feat in the first place (I don't think I've seen a single fighter without Power Attack!), and the "sliding scale" thing complicates things in the middle of the fight, as people start calculating how hard they dare to PA and still hope to hit.

 

[dmccoy1693]

It was a riveting experience.

Now I'm even more glad I didn't take the Crack. Give me a sniper rifle and max rounds anyday.