Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="DracoSuave" data-source="post: 5163762" data-attributes="member: 71571">Let's say you've got a Kobold Dragonshield, vs. a level 1 Fighter with 18 Strength, a normal bastard sword, One Handed talent.  No expertise.+4 Strength, +1 weapon talent, +3 proficiency bonus gives a base +8 to hit.That's a 10 to hit the dragonshield, 55% chance to hit.Brash Strike has an 8 to hit, which each round is 13 outcomes out of 20, or 65%.  After two attacks, that's 169/400 outcomes where you hit twice, 49/400 outcomes where you miss twice, and 182/400 outcomes where you hit once.if Shield Feint has succeeded, the next Shield Feint has a 70% chance to hit.So, missing twice occurs on 81/400 outcomes.  Hitting twice requires 14X11/400 or 151/400 outcomes.  Hitting only once occurs on 400-(81+151)=400-232=168/400 outcomes.So, going shield feint only means you do hit a little less... 2(169) + 182 = 338 + 182 = 520 for brash strike vs 2(151) + 168 = 470 for shield feint.Now, bear in mind, each outcome counts two attacks, so the math comes to 520/800 vs 470/800, or a difference of 50/800 = 1/16, or 6.25%, or the equivalent of +1.25 to hit.So, brash strike gives you +1.25 to hit vs shield feint, in exchange for combat advantage.That's why it sucks... yes it hits more.  But the cost is counter productive to sword-and-board defending.  However, if you're using an axe or hammer, the math changes because of the +Con to damage, which allows brash strike to pull ahead considerably.But without the +Con, it's too much cost for too little gain.Bear in mind, this is over two attacks.  If you happened to have had shield fient before the two attacks, then shield feint wins out hands down.  Once you get that first hit in, shield fient pulls ahead considerably.  Using brash strike at that point reduces the shield feint advantage, in exchange for a single turn of more attack.  But that costs you the opportunity of more utility in that slot.Let's be honest, brash strike with a heavy blade only looks good if you forget that paladins have Valiant Strike and Radiant Strike which do the same job but without any downside... any time you look at a power and go 'But if I had Versatile Master, I could have this better power'... and that is the ONLY power you have that you can do that with... that does not make it your best power... that makes it your worst.</blockquote>

Verification