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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Elder-Basilisk" data-source="post: 1795192" data-attributes="member: 3146">Not so. Power attacking for a fixed value is DRAMATICALLY worse than allowing a fixed set of attacks to vary.For instance, consider three examples:1. The halberdier from the Fighter/PsyWar comparison threat (Ftr 20) vs. an AC 22 creature (I believe a summoned elder elemental is around that number).Atk: +37/+37/+32/+27/+22 for 1d10+23 points of damage normally.Normal damage: 130.625 damage (80.625 after taking DR into account)Power Attack for 5: 175.175 (129.627 after DR)Power Attack for 15 (normal optimal PA vs. AC 22): 234 damage/roundPower Attack for 16 (optimal PA vs. AC 22, DR 10/-): 194.5 (after DR)It seems to me that, by varying the amount of power attack, you can get nearly a 50% increase in damage per round in this situation.2. 10th level cleric: Hasted, Righteous Might (pre-erratta), Divine favor, using strength domain, with weapon focus and a +1 greatswordStrength 14+8 enlargement+10 enhancement=32Atk: +23/+23/+18 (+7 base+11 str+3 luck+1 weapon focus+1 enhancement+1 haste-1 size) for 3d6+20 damage (+16 str, +3 luck, +1 enh)vs. AC 16 target (raging 8th level barbarian)No power attack: 95.6175 average damage/round including critsPower Attack 5: 127.74 including critsPower Attack 7: 132.165 including critsEspecially at higher levels, optimum PA is a lot better than a fixed power attack of 5. And, while players may not be able to reliably calculate the optimum PA at tables, they can come a good deal closer to it than simply selecting a fixed number like 5. I know I happened upon something pretty close to the optimul PA number when my fighter/wizard ended up fighting an advanced legendary tyranosaurus this weekend. When my 10th level cleric was fighting the barbarian, I also landed on the optimal power attack number. Against the Clay Golem in the next battle I think I got the optimal power attack number as well. (When the optimal number is "everything" it's not that hard). And I'm a lot less organized in that regard than a good number of players I know. One friend in Vancouver has three pages of flip charts describing optimal power attacks for single and full attack against any particular AC with any given set of buffs. He keeps it in the same binder as his character sheet. Even for people who don't do calculations at the table, they usually have several groups of set power attack values (2, 4, 5, 10, and everything are the ones I see most often) and are often able to pick one that is more advantageous than 5.In short, I don't think a fixed value does justice to the effect power attack has at the game table. Using a fixed value results in a much flatter and more linear chart while using an adjustable power attack will result in a more curved  chart with higher low-AC damage and a gentler fall-off as ACs get higher.</blockquote>

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