Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Rikk30 03-13-06, 09:43 AM	I have a question on power attacks. My 6th level fighter now has a second attack. He wants to power attack monster A. The rules say a power attack at you base attack level is the max you can do. So for the first attack he does a 6 point power attack. Now for the second attack can he do a 6 point attack or can it only be 1 point? The table for the fighter shows 6/1. :confused: Also if the second attack can be a 6 point could he do a 1 point instead? The way I read the rule is that both attacks have to be at the same base attack level, 6 for both or a 1 for both not a 6 for the first and 1 point for the second. Thanks! :)
Bob Loblaw 03-13-06, 09:52 AM	Power Attack will apply to all your attacks until your next round. This includes iterative attacks (the first and any others you may have), off-hand attacks, attacks of opportunity, and any other time you may end up with an extra attack (rapid shot, flurry of blows, etc.). You only choose one value for your Power Attack. So in your example, if you Power Attacked for 6 points, then you have a -6 to all your attacks until your next round.
kjenks 03-13-06, 10:19 AM	Power Attack does not actually give a penalty on your BAB. It just gives you an attack penalty. SRD === POWER ATTACK [GENERAL] Prerequisite: Str 13. Benefit: 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. [...] === So if your level 6 fighter has Str 18 and a +1 greatsword, he has two attacks (as a full-round action), the first at +11 and the second at +5; that's +6 BAB, +4 Str, +1 enhancement. Damage is 2d6+7; that's 1.5x Str bonus or +6, +1 enhancement. If he uses Power Attack, he can choose any number from 0 to 6 and subtract that number from all of his attack rolls, and he can add twice that number as bonus damage for using his weapon with two hands. PA | Attack | Damage 0 | +11/+5 | 2d8+7 1 | +10/+4 | 2d8+9 2 | +9/+3 | 2d8+11 3 | +8/+2 | 2d8+13 4 | +7/+1 | 2d8+15 5 | +6/+0 | 2d8+17 6 | +5/-1 | 2d8+19 Big Power Attack does a lot of damage, but it doesn't hit very often against a big AC. Using a big Power Attack number also makes you more vulnerable to disarm, sunder and grapple because that number affects ALL of your attack rolls, even opposed attack rolls to avoid these attack forms.
Dragonteuthis 03-13-06, 10:29 AM	Your table has a slight error.
Rikk30 03-13-06, 10:58 AM	Thanks for the replies on this. One thing that did not register in my mind is that this affects all rolls not just my attacks. Could be bad against a smart foe who uses grapple sunder etc. One more thing, the AoO on the grappler would be a power attack I assume? Thanks again
kjenks 03-13-06, 11:42 AM	Setting your Power Attack number applies to all of your attacks, including any AoO(s) you might make before your next turn. You can only set your Power Attack number on your action, so you can't change your Power Attack number specifically for your AoO. An interesting side-effect is that you can't set your Power Attack number before your first action, so even if you have Combat Reflexes so you can make an AoO while flat-footed, your Power Attack number will be zero for that AoO. Another side-effect is that you might want to make a double-move into a position where you could possibly make an AoO and set your Power Attack number, even if you can't make a normal attack that round, just in case you do get an AoO.