Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="Someone" data-source="post: 3906129" data-attributes="member: 5656">The math has been posted repeteadly on these boards, and is quite simple. It shows that, for single attacks, you maximize average damage by power attacking up to the point where the number of sides in the d20 that allows you to hit equals the average damage, including power attack damage.As an example, suppose your total attack bonus for one charge is +10, your opponent's AC is 15 and you deal 1d8+4 damage, using a single handed weapon. You hit on a 5+: that is 16 sides on the d20. You deal on average 8,5 damage. Therefore the optimum amount of power attack is 4: you hit with 12 sides of the d20 and deal 12,5 average damage. IIRC criticals didn't alter the calculations, as power attack is also multiplied.Conclusions have been repeated several times in the thread: power attack is great for combatants who have very high attack bonuses and low damages, and who don't use a lot of iterative attacks (it's better for combatants wth high mobility). In 3.0 it was great for finesse fighters using rapiers and such. However, it isn't so great for fighters with large damage outputs. In fact, if your average damage is already 19 or more (say, flaming greatsword, Str 20 and Weapon specialization is enough) then on average you shouldn't power attack unless, after the PA penalty, you still hit on a 2+.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Someone, post: 3906129, member: 5656"] The math has been posted repeteadly on these boards, and is quite simple. It shows that, for single attacks, you maximize average damage by power attacking up to the point where the number of sides in the d20 that allows you to hit equals the average damage, including power attack damage. As an example, suppose your total attack bonus for one charge is +10, your opponent's AC is 15 and you deal 1d8+4 damage, using a single handed weapon. You hit on a 5+: that is 16 sides on the d20. You deal on average 8,5 damage. Therefore the optimum amount of power attack is 4: you hit with 12 sides of the d20 and deal 12,5 average damage. IIRC criticals didn't alter the calculations, as power attack is also multiplied. Conclusions have been repeated several times in the thread: power attack is great for combatants who have very high attack bonuses and low damages, and who don't use a lot of iterative attacks (it's better for combatants wth high mobility). In 3.0 it was great for finesse fighters using rapiers and such. However, it isn't so great for fighters with large damage outputs. In fact, if your average damage is already 19 or more (say, flaming greatsword, Str 20 and Weapon specialization is enough) then [b]on average[/b] you shouldn't power attack unless, after the PA penalty, you still hit on a 2+. [/QUOTE]

Verification