Power Attack

• Type of feat: General (Tactical)
• Prerequisite: Str 13+; BAB 1
• Required for: Cleave, Divine Might, Divine Shield, Great Cleave, Favored Power Attack.
  
• Specifics:
  

A character with this feat can make powerful but ungainly melee attacks. When Power Attack is selected, it grants options between +2 and +6 bonus to the damage roll, but at an equal cost to the attack roll.

A character wielding a two-handed weapon, or wielding a one-handed weapon with both hands, instead adds +12 to the damage dealt with this feat.

Power Attack does not add bonus damage to a light weapon (except with unarmed strikes or natural weapon attacks), but the penalty to attack rolls still applies. Certain classes like the Frenzied Berserker enjoy a more favorable bonus to damage (Single Handed Power Attack becomes +9 with Enhanced Power Attack and +12 with Supreme Power Attack; 2-handed Power Attack becomes +18 with Enhanced Power Attack and +24 with Supreme Power Attack). Favored Power Attack increases the dmg bonus x2.

• Use: Action Mode

NWN Comparison

• Power Attack in NWN gave a fixed +5 bonus to-damage with a fixed -5 to-hit penalty.

3.5E Rules Comparison

• D20 System Power Attack allows the character to select any value up to their BAB as a to-hit penalty and damage bonus.

Gameplay Notes

• Power Attack only recalculates when changing weapons.
• It can now be activated while moving.
• Shortspears should now benefit from power attack (but they cannot be 2H'ed).