Power Attack

[Endur]

Maximum Strength

The higher the strength, the higher the to hit bonus, the less often you miss with full power attack. When I play a character with high strength and high power attack, I like to go full power attack. Optimal power attack of x points isn't very barbarian like.

 

[Hypersmurf]

When I play a character with high strength and high power attack, I like to go full power attack. Optimal power attack of x points isn't very barbarian like.

Damned straight!

-Hyp.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

I feel kind of wussy now. My pally hasn't ever power attacked for full. I've power attacked for up to my cha bonus on a mounted charge smite, but never the full attack.

Hrm. May need to rectify that.

 

[Hypersmurf]

My pally hasn't ever power attacked for full.

Well, you miss a lot. But when you hit...!

The other PCs are dealing 1d8+3, or maybe 1d8 + 1d6 + 2... those sorts of numbers.

It's worth missing a few times to be able to roll your d10 and say "Okay, so that's seven, plus twenty..."

Efficient? Not really. Optimal? Absolutely not. Fun? You betcha!

-Hyp.

 

[shilsen]

Well, you miss a lot. But when you hit...!

The other PCs are dealing 1d8+3, or maybe 1d8 + 1d6 + 2... those sorts of numbers.

It's worth missing a few times to be able to roll your d10 and say "Okay, so that's seven, plus twenty..."

Efficient? Not really. Optimal? Absolutely not. Fun? You betcha!

-Hyp.

Damn skippy! And if you need a reason other than to make the DM's eyeballs bug out when you do hit (or the PCs, for that matter ), it saves so much time if you're not sitting around calculating variations. I just precalculate the attack and damage bonuses for full PA and just use that.

 

[Corsair]

Well, you miss a lot. But when you hit...!

The other PCs are dealing 1d8+3, or maybe 1d8 + 1d6 + 2... those sorts of numbers.

It's worth missing a few times to be able to roll your d10 and say "Okay, so that's seven, plus twenty..."

Efficient? Not really. Optimal? Absolutely not. Fun? You betcha!

-Hyp.

Or in the case of the draconic Orc Barbarian1/fighter2/orcparagon3/frenzied berzerker1 in our party (18 + 4racial + 2levels + 2draconic + 2paragon + 2gauntlets+ 4rage+ 6frenzy = 40 strength, with +7 BAB and +2 greataxe)...

Fred: "Ok, I power attack for -7, meaning I attack at +17/+17/+12 while frenzying for 1d12+38"

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Almost every Barbarian or hardcore melee Fighter I play has at least a level of Sorceror, as well as every single Paladin I have ever played.

I don't play all Power Attack, all the time-- but I love the true strike Power Attack.

I'll have to try it some time, though-- try to rack up enough to-hit bonuses other than BAB, pick a weapon with either a good critical range or a good critical multiplier, and go to town.

 

[juliaromero]

How about a 20th level Orc warlock. If you started with a strength of 16, then 20 for orc, then 24 for level increases (just an example of course).

Take Hideous blow, Monkey grip, Power attack, Leap attack, and that feat that gives you 2xstr on a charge instead of 1.5xstr. Use an oversized battle axe. Then add in a ring of spell storing with a quickened true strike and a wand of divine power which gives you a BAB of 20 and str of 30.

So, on a charge, besides other bonuses like specialization and magic, you get a big attack bonus and do:

3d6 (weapon) + 20 (str) + 60 (pa) + 9d6 + whatever extras you have

12d6 + 80 base on a hit that is at least +30 to hit

not bad starting point

Of course, it might be better to use a keen Falchion and have the 25% crit chance intsead of the extra dice from the axe since all the +80 get's doubled in that case.

 

[iwatt]

The higher the strength, the higher the to hit bonus, the less often you miss with full power attack. When I play a character with high strength and high power attack, I like to go full power attack. Optimal power attack of x points isn't very barbarian like.

APAATT

 

[iwatt]

not bad starting point

You forgot to add Shock Trooper from CW. Take the charge Penalty in AC instead of BAB

My dwarf battlereager has a running charge attack of +24 (+2 weapon) for something like 1d10 + 36. That's without Greater rage or cheesing out with FB levels. His other festa all involve amping up hps, and DR. Since his AC is something like 0. (He' s an ooze )