Melee Weapon Mastery before Improved Critical?

[Quartz]

Say your character's BAB is +8. Which of these two feats would you take?

 

[Nifft]

Remind us what Melee Weapon Mastery does?

Thanks, -- N

 

[Crothian]

Depends on the weapon being used

 

[starwed]

Almost definitely Melee Weapon Mastery, unless you have a lot of special abilities which kick in on crits.

 

[Stalker0]

Melee Weapon Mastery, its not even a question.

Thing is, since MWM is increasing my attack bonus it is also increasing the amount of times I will crit, and that's on top of the bonus is already provides.

 

[Harm]

Neither, become a mage and take a metamagic feat, they're more broken.
Melee weapon mastery is generally better than improved crit for many reasons. Applies to multiple weapons, works on constructs and undead, can improve chance to confirm crit etc.

 

[Victim]

Melee Weapon Mastery.

 

[Klaus]

It depends on your Weapon of Choice.

If the threat range is 19-20 or 18-20, I'd take Improved Critical.

If your threat range is 20, I'd take Melee Weapon Mastery.

As a reminder to the thread, Melee Weapon Mastery requires that you choose a type of weapon (Bludgeoning, Piercing or Slashing -- you must have Weapon Spec. with a weapon of this type). You gain +2 attack and +2 damage with all weapons of this type.

 

[Christian]

Remind us what Melee Weapon Mastery does?

PHB2. Choose a weapon for which you have Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization. When wielding any weapon that does the same type of damage (slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning), you gain a +2 bonus on attacks and damage.

And in answer to the original post, Melee Weapon Mastery is my intuitive response. I'll run some numbers, but I don't think it'll even be close.

 

[Stalker0]

PHB2. Choose a weapon for which you have Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization. When wielding any weapon that does the same type of damage (slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning), you gain a +2 bonus on attacks and damage.

And in answer to the original post, Melee Weapon Mastery is my intuitive response. I'll run some numbers, but I don't think it'll even be close.

Alright, here's the quickest, dirtiest math I can run on this.

Assumptions: All critical threats are critical hits (ie AC doesn't matter). Creature vulnerable to critical hits. Threat range: 19-20/x2 Two-handed weapon. With improved critical: 17-20. Melee Weapon Mastery attack bonus is converted to 4 points of damage with power attack. Total damage bonus: +6

Note: This is optimum condition for critical hits, and not ideal for MWM as often the 2 points of attack bonus would lead to more overall damage.

Variable: Damage (D)

Improved Critical Damage = 1.2 * D
Melee Weapon Mastery = 1.1*(D+6)

In order for Improved Crit to do more total damage, D must be greater than 66.

While the model is so simple the engineer in me is hurting, considering how optimum the model is for improved critical I'd say its a cold day in hell before I choose it over MWM.


One more, this time with a two handed scythe:

IC Damage = 1.3 * D
MWM = 1.15*(D+6)

D= 46