Fighter Feats – Power Attack path

I’d like to take a look at the ways one can be enticed into a prestige class. For the purposes of this work, I’ll just be using the “core rules” of 3rd edition: the PHB, the DMG, and the Monster Manual. All else being equal, a prestige class should allow a character to more deeply explore an aspect of his class.

Toward this end, I will examine two extremely flexible classes, the Fighter and Rogue, as well as a sampling of prestige classes that work well with these.

Starting with the Fighter, I’ll break down the fighter feats into highly-compatible units that I’ll call paths. First, the Power Attack path.

The Power Attack path

The fighter starts with the Power Attack feat and starts adding on abilities that require this. Power attack allows a strong fighter to divert bonuses from his to-hit roll into his damage roll (up to the base attack bonus, or 1/lvl for a fighter)

Once armed with Power Attack, the doors are opened for Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, and Sunder. PowerAttack/Cleave allows a character to use Great Cleave as well.

This entire subset of the Fighter discipline can be had at lvl4, (lvl3 for humans)and can be of great benefit to a strong fighter with a healthy dose of bloodlust.

  1. Power Attack, Cleave
  2. Improved Bull Rush
  3. Sunder
  4. Great Cleave

Cleave lets you carry an attack through to a second opponent if you “drop” the first target (hit a 4hp kobald for 5 damage, and you get a free attack on the next kobald).

Improved Bull Rush allows a bull rush attack without the penalty of an attack of opportunity. For clarification, a bull rush is when you knock back an opponent instead of damaging. Very handy for fights near ravines, on bridges over bottomless depths, and other such dramatics. Also the target of a bull rush draws attacks of opportunity as he is knocked back, making this an excellent “support” maneuver. Bull Rush attacks rely heavily on strength.

Sunder lets you whack the living snot out of other folks’ weapons and shields without provoking an attack of opportunity. The utility of this should be obvious: bad guy ain’t so bad if he’s holding a shattered stump instead of a big sharp weapon. Due to “hardness” rules in D&D, a high strength greatly benefits your odds of significantly harming another combatant’s weapon.

Great Cleave is like Cleave, but if you drop the first opponent, and drop the second opponent, you can just keep on going untill there’s nothing left within reach.

The Power Attack path has two feats that prevent attacks of opportunity on strength-based maneuvers, and three that enchance damage-dealing.

2 thoughts on “Fighter Feats – Power Attack path

  1. andy

    hello, i have a fighter and i was wondering if i had to get power attack in order to get cleave because as i was in a rush to level up i didnt notice wether or not it was required.

  2. Burrowowl

    Sorry, no Cleave without Power Attack, and no Great Cleave without Cleave. It’s all there in the Player’s Handbook. Sunder and Bull Rush also require Power Attack, but that’s their only requirement.

    Also note that Power Attack requires a Strength attribute of 13 or greater.

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