Arcane Duelist and Power Attack [Archive] - Wizards Community

Arcane Duelist and Power Attack [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Narcanos
09-05-06, 09:30 PM Wait a minute....arcane duelists can subtract damage from their weapon in order to gain to-hit bonuses. Is there anything to stop one from subtracting say, 12 points of damage from a greatsword to increase its to hit bonus, and then using power attack to gain 24 points of damage instead? Seems like it would mix well into a gestalt.
allenchan
09-05-06, 09:39 PM Nope, nothing stopping it. Can even make some entertainin FB/leap attack builds with it, too. Its been done a lot before (considering arcane duelist is 3.0), and Id ont think anything recently has revolutionized it (maybe some synergy with ToB Im not aware of).
Khan the Destroyer
09-05-06, 10:31 PM Is there anything to stop one from subtracting say, 12 points of damage from a greatsword to increase its to hit bonus, and then using power attack to gain 24 points of damage instead?
Yes. You have to have a minimum of 1 damage. So you could only subtract 11 points of damage. You would increase your attack bonus by 11, then subtract 11 from your to-hit to deal 22 more points of damage with Power Attack. Effectively, you have gained 11 points of damage for free.

(And I'm aware that I'm nit-picking :).)

As Allenchan mentioned, it is best to use this with higher Power Attack multipliers (Supreme Power Attack, Favored Power Attack, Leap Attack, etc.). But, Arcane Duelist has lame requirements, and is a sort of lame class beyond Dexterous Attack and adding your charisma to AC.

In a gestalt build though, go to town. But remember that you can't have 2 prestige classes progressing at the same time. Also, the ability is limited by weapon damage, and then by BAB. A 3d6 weapon will allow you to subtract 17 points of damage (goliath greathammer, greathorn hammer). Maybe a greathammer with that spell that increases bludgeoning weapon damage (I can't stand not having my books).
Seerow
09-05-06, 11:26 PM Yes. You have to have a minimum of 1 damage. So you could only subtract 11 points of damage.

Your strength and enhancement bonuses are counted in that though. Since by that time you at LEAST have +1 from class features, probably more from actually enhancement, and almost certainly some strength, you can take as much as you want.
Surreal
09-06-06, 12:13 AM And if you have a DM who insists that you attack with a finessable weapon (as implied by the class, but not actually RAW), your two options to still get power attack are:
1) Elven Courtblade (RoTW) - two handed weapon, slashing, high crit range
2) Dragonsplit (MM4) - one handed, considered light for purposes of finesse and TWF, variable piercing/slashing and high crit or high range

There might be more, but #2 is my current favourite.
Auldar
09-06-06, 12:21 AM Maybe a greathammer with that spell that increases bludgeoning weapon damage (I can't stand not having my books).

Mighty Wallop, or Greater Mighty Wallop.
Xeraph
09-06-06, 05:17 AM Arcane Duelist could turn out very strong in a Charisma based Gestalt Gish. The Mirror Image Strike thingy, with alot of duplicates and Arcane Strike seems like a good idea.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Narcanos 09-05-06, 09:30 PM	Wait a minute....arcane duelists can subtract damage from their weapon in order to gain to-hit bonuses. Is there anything to stop one from subtracting say, 12 points of damage from a greatsword to increase its to hit bonus, and then using power attack to gain 24 points of damage instead? Seems like it would mix well into a gestalt.
allenchan 09-05-06, 09:39 PM	Nope, nothing stopping it. Can even make some entertainin FB/leap attack builds with it, too. Its been done a lot before (considering arcane duelist is 3.0), and Id ont think anything recently has revolutionized it (maybe some synergy with ToB Im not aware of).
Khan the Destroyer 09-05-06, 10:31 PM	Is there anything to stop one from subtracting say, 12 points of damage from a greatsword to increase its to hit bonus, and then using power attack to gain 24 points of damage instead? Yes. You have to have a minimum of 1 damage. So you could only subtract 11 points of damage. You would increase your attack bonus by 11, then subtract 11 from your to-hit to deal 22 more points of damage with Power Attack. Effectively, you have gained 11 points of damage for free. (And I'm aware that I'm nit-picking :).) As Allenchan mentioned, it is best to use this with higher Power Attack multipliers (Supreme Power Attack, Favored Power Attack, Leap Attack, etc.). But, Arcane Duelist has lame requirements, and is a sort of lame class beyond Dexterous Attack and adding your charisma to AC. In a gestalt build though, go to town. But remember that you can't have 2 prestige classes progressing at the same time. Also, the ability is limited by weapon damage, and then by BAB. A 3d6 weapon will allow you to subtract 17 points of damage (goliath greathammer, greathorn hammer). Maybe a greathammer with that spell that increases bludgeoning weapon damage (I can't stand not having my books).
Seerow 09-05-06, 11:26 PM	Yes. You have to have a minimum of 1 damage. So you could only subtract 11 points of damage. Your strength and enhancement bonuses are counted in that though. Since by that time you at LEAST have +1 from class features, probably more from actually enhancement, and almost certainly some strength, you can take as much as you want.
Surreal 09-06-06, 12:13 AM	And if you have a DM who insists that you attack with a finessable weapon (as implied by the class, but not actually RAW), your two options to still get power attack are: 1) Elven Courtblade (RoTW) - two handed weapon, slashing, high crit range 2) Dragonsplit (MM4) - one handed, considered light for purposes of finesse and TWF, variable piercing/slashing and high crit or high range There might be more, but #2 is my current favourite.
Auldar 09-06-06, 12:21 AM	Maybe a greathammer with that spell that increases bludgeoning weapon damage (I can't stand not having my books). Mighty Wallop, or Greater Mighty Wallop.
Xeraph 09-06-06, 05:17 AM	Arcane Duelist could turn out very strong in a Charisma based Gestalt Gish. The Mirror Image Strike thingy, with alot of duplicates and Arcane Strike seems like a good idea.