What's better Power Attack vs. Weapon Focus

[Imaro]

Just curious to find out which you would tak as a 1st level fighter if you could only take one. So tell me is it Power Attack or Weapon Focus.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Weapon Focus, if I had to pick a default from these two. Though really, it would depend on the character in question. Maybe neither. . .

 

[3d6]

At 1st level, Weapon Focus is better. The ability to take a -1 penalty on attack rolls to gain a +2 bonus on damage rolls isn't as useful as a +1 bonus on attack rolls. Power Attack becomes more useful at later levels, when your attack bonus starts to vastly outstrip the AC of your opponents.

 

[Victim]

Power Attack. Then you get Cleave. At low levels, you'll often be able to down common enemies in a single blow AND you don't have many attacks, so Cleave is a huge advantage. For most standard fighters, it's hard to not justify taking Cleave at low levels.

 

[Ibram]

Its a bit to wide open a question. Both are good feats for different types of characters.

Rogues, Archer types, and some melee builds work better with weapon focus over power attack. But for straight up melee builds power attack is better (that gets better and better at higher levels).

Weapon focus and power attack are also 'gateway feats' (like dodge) in that they are the first feat in a tree of feats. However PA is linked to several very powerful feats (cleave, great cleave, ect..) where as WF doesnt realy lead anywhere (Weapon Focus and Improved Weapon Finesse are the only ones that come to mind).

 

[S'mon]

As pointed out, PA at 1st lets you take Cleave for your 2nd feat. No-brainer.

 

[Enforcer]

I agree with those who said Power Attack and Cleave are great at low levels. I'd pick Power Attack as well (and Cleave at level 1, using my regular and bonus Fighter feats).

Weapon Focus is pretty useful after Power Attack, however, as its almost like getting a 1-pt. Power Attack on every roll for free.

 

[JRR_Talking]

can you be a human fighter 1st level and have weapon focus, power attack and cleave.

 

[Fishbone]

If I'm stuck at level 1 fighter for all eternity then I have to take Weapon Focus and EWP for some killer weapon like Spiked Chain, Greathammer, or Mercurial Greatsword.
The +1 to hit is enormous and worth more than lowering your chance to hit. Going the Power Attack route is dangerous. I can't say for certain but a level 1 weapon of choice battle between fighters who have taken both options the Weapon Focus/EWP character should come out on top.

 

[Jeph]

A few years ago, I made a spreadsheet that calculates the average damage of an attack, taking attack bonus, average damage roll, damage dice that aren't multiplied in a crit, target's AC, threat range, and critical multiplier into account.

Assuming you've got a Strength 16 fighter using a non-masterwork greatsword, here're average damage stats against AC 13, 15, and 17 enemies for a character with neither Power Attack nor Weapon Focus, for a character with Weapon Focus, and for a character Power Attacking for 1 point.

None --
AC 13: 7.26
AC 15: 6.05
AC 17: 4.84

Weapon Focus --
AC 13: 7.865
AC 15: 6.655
AC 17: 5.445

Power Attacking for 1 --
AC 13: 7.26
AC 15: 5.94
Ac 17: 4.62

The correct choice for optimizing your damage output at 1st level is Weapon Focus. In fact, Power Attack is gonna do nothing but hurt your effectiveness. I'd wait to pick it up until you've got a significant portion of your attack bonus that you can convert to damage, and attack bonuses start to outrun AC values.