Monks and Power Attack...what gives?

[Satori]

So, I've been fooling around with some ideas for a mobile, leap attacking monk. As I perused the various feats available, I came across some sexy feats like leap attack and Jump Kick. Power Attack happens to be a prereq for these, as well as some other sexy monk feats like Roundabout Kick and Circle Kick.

So, I figured that Power Attack would function for unarmed strikes like a one handed weapon...so you can imagine my surprise when I saw that Unarmed Strikes are ALWAYS considered light weapons...

Meaning POWER ATTACK IS ABSO-FLIPPIN-USELESS!

That can't be right! How can so many awesome Monk feats require a useless Feat as their prereq? How can the monk, considered by some to be the ultimate combat controller, have absolutely no use for such a common and useful feat?

Am I wrong, or is there something I'm missing?

 

[Crothian]

That's funny, I never had a monk go with any of these so never really noticed the feat can not be used by them for punching. I'd guess its a hold over from 3.0 but I have no idea

 

[Merlion]

Apparently you are technically right.

However I think this is another of the silly deals where you have the rules as written on one hand, and logic and balance on the other.

I say logic and balance win....theres no reason a monk shouldnt be able to Power Attack.

 

[Artoomis]

I always like to quote the rules first in discussions like this:

...You can’t add the bonus from Power Attack to the damage dealt with a light weapon (except with unarmed strikes or natural weapon attacks), ...

There you have it. You CAN use Power Attack with unarmed strikes.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Yeah - I was wondering what the drama was about.

 

[Satori]

Aha! I was reading just the table from Crystalkeep, where it had no mention of Unarmed being the exception.

Thanks!

 

[Doctor Shaft]

But is it really all that useful for a monk? BAB for a monk is already average enough. What's five points going to do for you? Roundabout Kick is only really useful when you crit against someone (okay, I suppose getting yet another damage attempt is still good), and the leap attack stuff is only good if you can actually hit the guy.

I wonder why they changed power attack though for all the other weapons? Why the sudden light weapon exemption?

 

[Caliban]

I wonder why they changed power attack though for all the other weapons? Why the sudden light weapon exemption?

Because mathematically it made power attack better for low strength fighters (with weapon finesse) wielding two light weapons than it did for high strength fighters with a single weapon. I believe that's also why power attack now gives a +2 damage bonus per -1 penalty on the attack roll when whielding a two handed weapon.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Power Attack is useful for anyone who ever wants to perform a coup de grace or overcome hardness/DR (and have the attack bonus to spare).

 

[Kahuna Burger]

Because mathematically it made power attack better for low strength fighters (with weapon finesse) wielding two light weapons than it did for high strength fighters with a single weapon. I believe that's also why power attack now gives a +2 damage bonus per -1 penalty on the attack roll when whielding a two handed weapon.

And dear god, we can't allow a fighting style that requires 3 or more feats to be better than just one! That was one of the worst changes in 3.5, in my not so humble opinion. Two handed weapons already have the 1.5 stength and a higher die, twf or finnesse already required feat investment and lost damage if you didn't also have the str. Why tilt the scales further?