Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lord Zardoz" data-source="post: 3896956" data-attributes="member: 704">Note:  I am a DM, not a player.I like power attack simply because it manages to provide nearly the same kind of tension as a save or die spell without being nearly as potentially game wrecking.  When in the hands of the "Barbarian Lunatic of the Week", I can max out the power attack, and still have a reasonable chance to hit due to the strength bonuses.  When it does hit, I do very scary amounts of damage, but generally not enough to one shot a PC to -10 hp or less.With the same opponent not power attacking, I can probably hit more often, and statistically I may do more damage that way.  But the lifespan of the typical NPC opponent is pretty short.  Scoring 2 or 3 hits for 1d10+5 at +11 to attack rolls is a hard hit, but not distressing to the front line types.  They are laying in just as much damage, and they have a cleric to fall back on, and a spell caster who will blast the guy with some magic missiles.  A good fight, but not memorable.But on a maxed power attack for 1d10+17 at +5 to hit, that changes the situation.  I may only hit once instead of 4 times.  But I now have the players attention, and they know they are one critical hit away from biting it.As a DM, power attack lets me create more tension in a combat encounter without dropping more loot.  As a player, Power Attack lets me treat stronger opponents as fodder.  I lose to hit due to the attack penalty, but I am more likely to get use out of Cleave if I do use it.END COMMUNICATION</blockquote>

Verification