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<blockquote data-quote="jgsugden" data-source="post: 2361276" data-attributes="member: 2629">A few notes: 1) The answer to power attack is *not* necessarily higher AC for enemies.&nbsp; That may just make thoe foes too hard to hit for other PCs. Look at an 8th level half-orc barbarian (raged) with a 22 strength (raged to 26), weapon focus, a +3 two handed sword and power attack:Base: +20/+15 (2d6+15/19X2)Full PA: +12/+7 (2d6+31/19X2)Now, look at an 8th level rogue with a 14 str, 20 dex, weapon finesse, weapon focus and a +3 rapier:Base: +14/+9 (d6+5/18X2)If you throw a monster at a party that is hard for the fighters to hit when full power attacking, it will be hard for the other PCs to hit as well.&nbsp; In other words, nerfing power attack by raising foes AC makes many PCs useless.#2) Power attack is supposed to increase damage.&nbsp; It is supposed to make PCs hit harder.&nbsp; It is an assumed part of two handed combat in 3.5.&nbsp; Don't assume it is broken just because it is working.&nbsp; #3) People are constantly comparing two weapon combat to two handed combat by comparing average damage expended.&nbsp; That is not the true test.&nbsp; The true test is the number of foes that can be dropped in a given period of time.&nbsp;&nbsp; PCs that use high degrees of power attack often waste a *lot* of the damage they deal by 'overshooting' the hit point total of their foes.&nbsp;&nbsp; As two handed fighters deal less damage, but spread it out over more attacks, they can end up dealing more 'effective' damage, as less of their total dealt is wasted.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="jgsugden, post: 2361276, member: 2629"] A few notes: 1) The answer to power attack is *not* necessarily higher AC for enemies. That may just make thoe foes too hard to hit for other PCs. Look at an 8th level half-orc barbarian (raged) with a 22 strength (raged to 26), weapon focus, a +3 two handed sword and power attack: Base: +20/+15 (2d6+15/19X2) Full PA: +12/+7 (2d6+31/19X2) Now, look at an 8th level rogue with a 14 str, 20 dex, weapon finesse, weapon focus and a +3 rapier: Base: +14/+9 (d6+5/18X2) If you throw a monster at a party that is hard for the fighters to hit when full power attacking, it will be hard for the other PCs to hit as well. In other words, nerfing power attack by raising foes AC makes many PCs useless. #2) Power attack is supposed to increase damage. It is supposed to make PCs hit harder. It is an assumed part of two handed combat in 3.5. Don't assume it is broken just because it is working. #3) People are constantly comparing two weapon combat to two handed combat by comparing average damage expended. That is not the true test. The true test is the number of foes that can be dropped in a given period of time. PCs that use high degrees of power attack often waste a *lot* of the damage they deal by 'overshooting' the hit point total of their foes. As two handed fighters deal less damage, but spread it out over more attacks, they can end up dealing more 'effective' damage, as less of their total dealt is wasted. [/QUOTE]

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