Whirlwind attack -- Quick Question

[Bronn Spellforger]

With Whirlwind Attack, the description states:

When the character performs the full attack action, he or she can give up all regular attacks and instead make one melee attack at the full base attack bonus against each opponent within 5 feet.

So does this mean the fighter gets ONE attack at his highest BAB and this attack is applied to all opponents within a 5' radius or does this mean he gets an attack against each opponent within a 5' radius at his highest BAB?

 

[kreynolds]

...or does this mean he gets an attack against each opponent within a 5' radius at his highest BAB?

There's your answer.

 

[Bronn Spellforger]

But wait.. if that's true, then why would a fighter ever use his second attack (assuming he's 6th level) at the lower BAB? He could always use whirlwind attack and attack two, maybe three or four times at his highest attack. It would pretty much makes the idea of muliple attacks obsolete.

It seems to me that this feat allows ONE roll to hit all opponents in the area... basically, all or nothing.

What am I missing?

 

[Henrix]

You only get one attack at each opponent surrounding you with Whirlwind attack.

You could want to use your second attack to attack the same opponent twice, or perhaps you'd like a 5' step between your attacks.

 

[kreynolds]

What am I missing?

The probability that you will drop a single opponent in one round drastically lowers, since you can only hit them one time. Mostly, it's just really handy when you are surrounded or are presented with an amount of baddies that equal your number of base attacks. It's not that unbalancing either, considering how stiff the prereqs for Whirlwind Attack are.

 

[Caliban]

But wait.. if that's true, then why would a fighter ever use his second attack (assuming he's 6th level) at the lower BAB? He could always use whirlwind attack and attack two, maybe three or four times at his highest attack. It would pretty much makes the idea of muliple attacks obsolete.

It seems to me that this feat allows ONE roll to hit all opponents in the area... basically, all or nothing.

What am I missing?

Whirlwind attack is useless when facing a single opponent.

Whirlwind attack is generally sub-optimal when facing multiple opponents that take several attacks to kill. (Better to focus on dropping them one at a time than damaging them all a little bit each round. An opponent with 5 hit points left can still attack you for full damage, an opponent who is dead cannot attack you at all.)

 

[dr_nukem]

Or if you're in a situation where you want to do some serious tripping...whirlwind + trip + Improved Trip just rocks...not only are they on the ground, but you get a +2 to the follow-up attack, they have to spend a move-equiv to stand up, AND they can't perform a full attack action against you...good, good stuff...

 

[kreynolds]

Or if you're in a situation where you want to do some serious tripping...whirlwind + trip + Improved Trip just rocks...not only are they on the ground, but you get a +2 to the follow-up attack, they have to spend a move-equiv to stand up, AND they can't perform a full attack action against you...good, good stuff...

Ooo. That's mean. I like it. Suddenly I'm thinking of Whirlwind + Improved Disarm + weapon of disarming.

 

[Legildur]

But surely Caliban there is some break even point (lots of variables in this equation) where the use of WWA is more useful against multiple opponents that take several attacks to kill?

Given that each attack of WWA is at the highest BAB, then you are more likely to hit with multiple attacks against multiple opponents than your normal iterative attacks against a single opponent. That is, at least you are more likely to damage the other opponents along the way where they are hard to hit with iterative attacks.

Can someone do the maths like was done with Power Attack? Or ar there too many variables?

 

[CRGreathouse]

Given that each attack of WWA is at the highest BAB, then you are more likely to hit with multiple attacks against multiple opponents than your normal iterative attacks against a single opponent. That is, at least you are more likely to damage the other opponents along the way where they are hard to hit with iterative attacks.

Can someone do the maths like was done with Power Attack? Or ar there too many variables?

In the general case, there are just too many variables. For a specific case, there are lots of variables, but it might be doable, given time.

I solved the 8 solars and WWA problem on the Smackdown thread, but that was a simple problem compared to the general solution.