cleave and power attack question [Archive] - Wizards Community

cleave and power attack question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
someonelse812
09-11-07, 12:10 PM One of my PCs is a fighter with the cleave and power attack feat tree. A question came up in the game last night, he used his power attack to drop an enemy, then he used cleave to hit another enemy. On this cleave attack, can he use power attack? After he has made this cleave attack, he still has more attacks in the round because of his high base attack, so can he continue his full attack?

Here’s what happened last night, it just seemed like he was kicking more ass than he should have been so I just want to know if this is actually allowed within the rules as I am not very experienced with DMing high level play (they are Lv12).

There are three bad guys crowding the door, the fighter steps up and takes out the first guy with one hit, with his reach (he is large) he makes a cleave attack on the guy behind the first one. Then he hits that guy again with his second regular attack, that drops this guy, so he turns to the other guy, who is also in reach, and makes a another cleave attack with great cleave, then he uses his third regular attack to drop the third guy.
mvincent
09-11-07, 12:24 PM On this cleave attack, can he use power attack?Yes... in fact he must (at the same amount as the previous attack).

After he has made this cleave attack, he still has more attacks in the round because of his high base attack, so can he continue his full attack?Yes, but those must also be power attacks (also at the same amount).

from the rules (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#powerAttack):
"Power Attack
On your action, before making attack rolls for a round, you may choose to subtract a number from all melee attack rolls and add the same number to all melee damage rolls. This number may not exceed your base attack bonus. The penalty on attacks and bonus on damage apply until your next turn."

it just seemed like he was kicking more ass than he shouldA large PC with cleave will do that (i.e. reach and cleave have excellent synergy against hordes of mooks... kinda like a fireball). Note though; the cleave feat (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#cleave) says:
"You can use this ability once per round."

So the PC would've needed Great Cleave (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#greatCleave) to do what you describe.
someonelse812
09-11-07, 10:45 PM yes, he does have great cleave.

thanks for clearing that up for me.
heffroncm
09-12-07, 04:50 PM So, he put in three feats, a significant investment for a character that gets 18 (19 if human) for a trick that only works in the right situation (which those three at the door was perfect for). Seems reasonable

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
someonelse812 09-11-07, 12:10 PM	One of my PCs is a fighter with the cleave and power attack feat tree. A question came up in the game last night, he used his power attack to drop an enemy, then he used cleave to hit another enemy. On this cleave attack, can he use power attack? After he has made this cleave attack, he still has more attacks in the round because of his high base attack, so can he continue his full attack? Here’s what happened last night, it just seemed like he was kicking more ass than he should have been so I just want to know if this is actually allowed within the rules as I am not very experienced with DMing high level play (they are Lv12). There are three bad guys crowding the door, the fighter steps up and takes out the first guy with one hit, with his reach (he is large) he makes a cleave attack on the guy behind the first one. Then he hits that guy again with his second regular attack, that drops this guy, so he turns to the other guy, who is also in reach, and makes a another cleave attack with great cleave, then he uses his third regular attack to drop the third guy.
mvincent 09-11-07, 12:24 PM	On this cleave attack, can he use power attack?Yes... in fact he must (at the same amount as the previous attack). After he has made this cleave attack, he still has more attacks in the round because of his high base attack, so can he continue his full attack?Yes, but those must also be power attacks (also at the same amount). from the rules (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#powerAttack): "Power Attack On your action, before making attack rolls for a round, you may choose to subtract a number from all melee attack rolls and add the same number to all melee damage rolls. This number may not exceed your base attack bonus. The penalty on attacks and bonus on damage apply until your next turn." it just seemed like he was kicking more ass than he shouldA large PC with cleave will do that (i.e. reach and cleave have excellent synergy against hordes of mooks... kinda like a fireball). Note though; the cleave feat (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#cleave) says: "You can use this ability once per round." So the PC would've needed Great Cleave (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#greatCleave) to do what you describe.
someonelse812 09-11-07, 10:45 PM	yes, he does have great cleave. thanks for clearing that up for me.
heffroncm 09-12-07, 04:50 PM	So, he put in three feats, a significant investment for a character that gets 18 (19 if human) for a trick that only works in the right situation (which those three at the door was perfect for). Seems reasonable