Mal Malenkirk
First Post
I'm one of those 2 spoilsport that rated this feat ''Of limited use''.
When do you use it?
IMO it's only really useful in a very specific situation where
1 - You are facing a powerful melee based bad guy. Fire Giant for example.
2 - It's your turn (obviously, or you couldn't use the feat) and...
2a - you don't think you can kill it on your action
2b - you don't think that your combined actions + those of any ally that act before the monster can kill it.
3 - you have good reasons to believe that this monster will kill you on his turn if you keep your standard AC.
4 - There is no hope of being healed before it's the monster's turn to act.
Otherwise, you have to remember that offense is better than defense most of the time in any turn based game. The best way to survive is to slay your opponent swiftly. If you can substract 10 from your attack and still hit your opponent with regularity, you might as well use power attack to do 10 points of extra damage on each strike. It will kill the monster quicker and so protect you just as well.
No to mention that power attack is just one feat.
When do you use it?
IMO it's only really useful in a very specific situation where
1 - You are facing a powerful melee based bad guy. Fire Giant for example.
2 - It's your turn (obviously, or you couldn't use the feat) and...
2a - you don't think you can kill it on your action
2b - you don't think that your combined actions + those of any ally that act before the monster can kill it.
3 - you have good reasons to believe that this monster will kill you on his turn if you keep your standard AC.
4 - There is no hope of being healed before it's the monster's turn to act.
Otherwise, you have to remember that offense is better than defense most of the time in any turn based game. The best way to survive is to slay your opponent swiftly. If you can substract 10 from your attack and still hit your opponent with regularity, you might as well use power attack to do 10 points of extra damage on each strike. It will kill the monster quicker and so protect you just as well.
No to mention that power attack is just one feat.