Thinking about Power Attack

[xechnao]

PA as it is it does not make any sense IMO.
In my book PA should have been an aggressive attack with low consideration on defense. That is while performing a PA you should get a bonus to damage and a malus to AC.

EDIT: rkanodia beat me to it.

 

[BryonD]

IMO the first way catches the flavor better.

Simon is already just getting by on brute force, so a feat based on increasing brute force over skill has minimal effect. Which makes sense. Pete has developed a lot more skill but when he uses power attack it becomes a wild swing, rather than a well targeted blow.

The whole idea of giving up BAB (talent) for more raw power is exactly the flavor intended.

I also think letting a low level character easily get that big a damage bonus would not be a positive change.

 

[BryonD]

My problem with using strength as the modifyable variable, is that now, conceptually, what I would be doing is giving up some of the force of my attack to increase the force of my attack. My brain hurts trying to calculate how exactly I could accomplish that. (please edit out any snarkiness that may be contained in my analysis, if it is there it is unintentional).

I was thinking the same thing. As is you trade skill for power, this change would be trading power for power, which doesn't make sense.

 

[Li Shenron]

Why is Power Attack working better for the skilled fighter than for the really strong fighter?

Because the average skilled fighter normally doesn't have the Power Attack feat, while the average strong fighter does.