What makes Power Attack 'Good'?

[Jackinthegreen]

If you really want to make Power Attack shine there's always the Frenzied Berserker's Supreme Power Attack which trades -1 attack for +4 damage when using a 2h weapon. As odd as it sounds I have a Ranger/Monk/Barbarian/Deepwarden/Fist of the Forest/Frenzied Berserker build coming together nicely for lots of attacks and Rage variations, plus Shock Trooper of course,

 

[Dandu]

As odd as it sounds I have a Ranger/Monk/Barbarian/Deepwarden/Fist of the Forest/Frenzied Berserker build

Poser.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

3) PA isn't very good at low levels. But once you hit about 8 or so, most melee fighters will hit most monsters on a 2-4 with their first two attacks, assuming that they have some sort of haste buff to give them an additional attack. Power attack gives you a huge bonus against anything that doesn't have huge armor, assuming you're smart about trading off.

I haven't calculated it for 3.5. Long ago I brute-force calculated it for 3.0 and found that it was nearly worthless: You always took it if you needed a 20 to hit anyway (exploiting the min 5% hit chance of the game) or if you would hit on a 1 (exploiting the 5% miss chance.) Other than that the only case that was left was the one I didn't calculate: Attacking against DR. I would assume it had some benefit then but I didn't crunch the numbers.

 

[Jackinthegreen]

Poser.

I'll admit, I got the Deepwarden/FotF combo from you. A least it's functional!

 

[HoboGod]

Even if it were only up to -5 penalty, power attack is still a great way to add extra damage. Here's a 5th level Orc Barbarian using a masterwork greatsword with 20 Str using Power Attack vs Different ACs. (This is even assuming you rolled poorly and your highest stat was a 15, increased to 16 at 4th level, also that you haven't been able to afford any magic items to increase your strength, you don't have weapon focus, and you're not using rage. Take this table as 4 lower than a fully optimized build. Also note that these numbers reflect monsters immune to critical hits and does not include bonuses to attack gained from charging or flanking where best to take advantage of power attack.)

Optimal Power Attack is the power attack this orc should use to deliver the highest average damage. Average damage is derived from multiplying average weapon damage * chance to hit.

AC > Optimal Power Attack
10 > MAX
12 > MAX
14 > MAX
16 > Power Attack +4
18 > Power Attack +3
20 > Power Attack +2
22 > Power Attack +1
24 > Power Attack +0
26 > Power Attack +0
28 > Power Attack +0
30 > Power Attack +0

From this table, you can see that this Orc Barbarian should be taking advantage of his Power Attack to some degree as long as his opponent is beneath AC 24 (if fully optimized, beneath AC 28.) Don't believe me? Check my math. (If it's wrong, don't yell at me and just politely correct me. It's 3 AM and I've been in a mosh pit earlier this evening.)

 

[Empirate]

I haven't calculated it for 3.5. Long ago I brute-force calculated it for 3.0 and found that it was nearly worthless: You always took it if you needed a 20 to hit anyway (exploiting the min 5% hit chance of the game) or if you would hit on a 1 (exploiting the 5% miss chance.) Other than that the only case that was left was the one I didn't calculate: Attacking against DR. I would assume it had some benefit then but I didn't crunch the numbers.

Even if it came down to "expected damage/round is equal with or without PA", it's a nice feat in that it gives you options. This is especially true if you consider that, in some situations, you're going to be buffed like there's no tomorrow, while at other times, you're going to have no buffs running at all. Being able to convert a bunch of attack bonuses into damage bonuses is just great! If you charge downhill into somebody's flank (+5 total attack bonus), you want to make that one attack a telling one. If you've buffed with Bull's Strength, Haste, Prayer, Inspire Courage, and use Arcane Strike for a total attack bonus of +8 or so, and you're facing a bunch of tough mooks, you'll want to savor the opportunity to mow them all down in one strike instead of two. In situations such as these, the options PA affords you are good to have - while at other times, when you need to hit that AC in the first place, you can just refrain from using PA. Unlike Monkey Grip, for example.

Bottom line? Options are good to have.

 

[Dandu]

Also, Leap Attack + Shock Trooper.

And Wraithstrike, but I already said that.