Power Attack and Critcals


Rules Questions


So, here's a bit of a question.

Is the extra damage from Power Attack multiplied on a successful critical hit? I ask because, until Mythic Power Attack came out, I always thought it was, but MPA specifically says that the damage from the feat is multiplied on a crit...

Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

Mythic Power Attack wrote:
In addition, the bonus damage from this feat is doubled on a critical hit, before it's multiplied by the weapon's critical multiplier.

Power Attack was always multiplied on a critical hit. Mythic also doubles it on a crit before you do that multiplication.

Silver Crusade

Giving a more general answer that always applies to everything, unless it specifically says otherwise:

Core Rulebook Combat Chapter wrote:

Multiplying Damage: Sometimes you multiply damage by some factor, such as on a critical hit. Roll the damage (with all modifiers) multiple times and total the results.

Note: When you multiply damage more than once, each multiplier works off the original, unmultiplied damage. So if you are asked to double the damage twice, the end result is three times the normal damage.

Exception: Extra damage dice over and above a weapon's normal damage are never multiplied.

So static bonuses (and penalties!) are always multiplied on a crit, but extra dice never are. Unless the specific source of that bonus, penalty, or extra die says otherwise, of course.


Fromper wrote:

Giving a more general answer that always applies to everything, unless it specifically says otherwise:

Core Rulebook Combat Chapter wrote:

Multiplying Damage: Sometimes you multiply damage by some factor, such as on a critical hit. Roll the damage (with all modifiers) multiple times and total the results.

Note: When you multiply damage more than once, each multiplier works off the original, unmultiplied damage. So if you are asked to double the damage twice, the end result is three times the normal damage.

Exception: Extra damage dice over and above a weapon's normal damage are never multiplied.

So static bonuses (and penalties!) are always multiplied on a crit, but extra dice never are. Unless the specific source of that bonus, penalty, or extra die says otherwise, of course.

Not all static bonuses. Precision damage, like Precise Strike, is not multiplied despite being a static bonus.


That would be the specific source...

Silver Crusade

Actually, I'm not sure what you're talking about, thorin.

The Precise Strike teamwork feat is an extra 1d6 damage, so it follows the rule of bonus dice not getting multiplied on a crit. If you're talking about the Duelist prestige class's Precise Strike ability, I'm not seeing any reason that it wouldn't get multiplied.

Or is there a third thing in Pathfinder called Precise Strike that I'm not aware of?

Grand Lodge

Fromper wrote:

Actually, I'm not sure what you're talking about, thorin.

The Precise Strike teamwork feat is an extra 1d6 damage, so it follows the rule of bonus dice not getting multiplied on a crit. If you're talking about the Duelist prestige class's Precise Strike ability, I'm not seeing any reason that it wouldn't get multiplied.

Or is there a third thing in Pathfinder called Precise Strike that I'm not aware of?

From the Swashbuckler's Precise Strike ability:

Quote:
This additional damage is precision damage, and isn’t multiplied on a critical hit.

Silver Crusade

Ok, so I guess there is a 3rd Pathfinder thing called Precise Strike. Not owning the ACG, and it not being on the prd yet, I don't know anything about swashbucklers yet. But one or two more "Precise Strikes" and they'll almost catch up to all the uses for the word "level".

But that is why my previous post said "unless the specific source ... says otherwise". Specific always overrides general. What I quoted from the Core Rulebook is the general rule of thumb, which always applies, unless a ability specifically says it doesn't, like you quoted for that swashbuckler ability.


It's on the D20pfsrd.

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / Rules Questions / Power Attack and Critcals All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.