D&D 3E/3.5 Problems with 3.5 Power Attack?

[BLACKDIRGE]

I noticed recently that the feat Power Attack in 3.5 allows double bonus damage with a two-handed weapon. For example, if you are swinging a great axe and have power attack you can sacrifice 5 points from you BAB for an extra 10 points of damage.

I havn't house rulled this yet but I have to admit I am a bit worried about the amount of damage that could potentially be dished out. My group and Ihave decided to give it a shot and see if it overbalances our game.

Has anyone had any problems with this yet? Or have you found that it works just fine?

Dirge

 

[reapersaurus]

What's the problem with fighter-types doing damage?

That's their function, and the mages don't have any problem dishing out quite a bit of damage.... why limit fighter PC's in the one area that their supposed to be effective?

 

[Corlon]

I like it because it reduces greatly the damage that the highly dexterous rogue can do with a dagger and weapon finesse.

Plus, if the double damage becoming a problem, make enemies with high AC or something to keep the fighters on their toes.

 

[Jhyrryl]

The numbers have been run, there is nothing wrong with the new power attack. Fighters are supposed to be heavy hitters, especially if they're using a two-handed weapon, sacrificing significant AC to do so. And yes, even using an animated shield, the fighter is sacrificing significant AC.

 

[BLACKDIRGE]

What's the problem with fighter-types doing damage?

That's their function, and the mages don't have any problem dishing out quite a bit of damage.... why limit fighter PC's in the one area that their supposed to be effective?

I agree. I don't think fighters should be limited in combat effectiveness.

The double damage thing just caught me by surprise and I wanted to see if anyone had actually used it in game and what the results were.

Dirge

 

[Cyraneth]

I agree. I don't think fighters should be limited in combat effectiveness.

The double damage thing just caught me by surprise and I wanted to see if anyone had actually used it in game and what the results were.

Dirge

But there is still a slight difference between "limited" and "prevented from getting out of hand"... If the feat proves to be an ogre-slayer, the melee classes might take over the field of battle entirely, only needing a wizard to create magic items, a cleric to buff, and a rogue not at all...

- Cyraneth

 

[James McMurray]

And yes, even using an animated shield, the fighter is sacrificing significant AC.

How? They lose 2 points of AC because they have to use the bonus to put animated on their shield. Is 10% really "significant"?

 

[reapersaurus]

But there is still a slight difference between "limited" and "prevented from getting out of hand"... If the feat proves to be an ogre-slayer, the melee classes might take over the field of battle entirely, only needing a wizard to create magic items, a cleric to buff, and a rogue not at all...

Wow... that's one of the most unsupported statements I've ever read on this board.
(a guy after my own heart )

How does an effective fighter take away the palpable things that wizards, clerics, or rogues do?
(BTW: all those classes have things they can do out of combat - a fighter doesn't)

I don't see you sticking up for the fighter-types over in the Scorching Ray thread, or the Eldritch Knight thread, or the Ray of Enfeeblement thread, crying out that a combat-effective wizard is infringing on the ONLY thing the fighter can do.

 

[Adam Coath]

Here is another question: If a monk power attacks with his quarterstaff while using flurry of blows should he get +2 damage per -1 penalty to hit? I don't see anything in the rules that contradicts this.

 

[dbm]

I don't have my book with me, but I'm pretty sure that when a character uses a double weapon to two-weapon fight they are no longer considered to be weilding a two-handed weapon, but rather a medium and a light weapon instead.

I think this is stated in the section where it describes how strength bonuses to damage are multiplied by 1.5 when a person uses a two-handed weapon.

Cheers,
Dan