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On page 33 it says of the Power Attack feat: "Add an amount equal to your Strength modifier to your melee damage rolls for one round... subtract the same amount from your melee attack rolls for 1 round."
Does this mean you can only use Power Attack once per combat encounter? Since the sentence says "rolls" I assume iterative attacks in the same round all add the Power Attack bonuses. So what's the point of the rule adding the words "for 1 round?" The wording is a little confusing.
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 6
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On page 33 it says of the Power Attack feat: "Add an amount equal to your Strength modifier to your melee damage rolls for one round... subtract the same amount from your melee attack rolls for 1 round."
Does this mean you can only use Power Attack once per combat encounter? Since the sentence says "rolls" I assume iterative attacks in the same round all add the Power Attack bonuses. So what's the point of the rule adding the words "for 1 round?" The wording is a little confusing.
It relates to how the Combat feats work in PF RPG - you can only use one per round. So if you choose to use Power Attack, you are not using any other Combat-labeled feat, and the benefits end just before the start of your next round.
It relates to how the Combat feats work in PF RPG - you can only use one per round. So if you choose to use Power Attack, you are not using any other Combat-labeled feat, and the benefits end just before the start of your next round.On page 33 it says of the Power Attack feat: "Add an amount equal to your Strength modifier to your melee damage rolls for one round... subtract the same amount from your melee attack rolls for 1 round."
Does this mean you can only use Power Attack once per combat encounter? Since the sentence says "rolls" I assume iterative attacks in the same round all add the Power Attack bonuses. So what's the point of the rule adding the words "for 1 round?" The wording is a little confusing.
I REALLY hat this.
It relates to how the Combat feats work in PF RPG - you can only use one per round. So if you choose to use Power Attack, you are not using any other Combat-labeled feat, and the benefits end just before the start of your next round.
Pathfinder's Power Attack is not a Combat Feat. It is a regular Feat. You can combine it with a Combat Feat.
The wording means that once you activate Power Attack it is valid for a duration of one round (i.e. until your next turn starts).
Example: a Level 1 Fighter with STR 14 (no special weapon or other modifiers) can usually attack with their longsword at "+3 melee (1d8+2)".
If they activate Power Attack, it becomes "+1 melee (1d8+4)"
If they activate Power Attack and are using a greatsword, it becomes "+1 melee (2d6+6)"
I took it to mean as above that it applies to all attacks made until the beginning of your next initiative. This speeds combat when you have a character using Power Attack by taking away the need to sit and consider how much Power Attack they want to apply to this swing, and then how much do they want to apply to that next swing, and then how much... ad nauseum.
You use Power Attack and the penalty/bonus applies to all swings you make right up until it's your go again.
I can see good and bad to it. The main drawback is that you can't scale it down with iterative attacks. If you have 4 attacks, you can't apply 15 points of Power Attack, then 10, then 5, then 0 to ensure you're doing the most damage and maximizing your potential to hit with each swing. You pick something in the middle and it applies to all 4 attacks. So the early attacks when you're almost certain to hit anyway, you're doing somewhat less damage. The later attacks are now easier to hit and you're doing somewhat more damage.
Personally, I would rather retain that choice myself and scale it with each hit. But I can see the advantage it adds to speeding combat overall.
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I took it to mean as above that it applies to all attacks made until the beginning of your next initiative. This speeds combat when you have a character using Power Attack by taking away the need to sit and consider how much Power Attack they want to apply to this swing, and then how much do they want to apply to that next swing, and then how much... ad nauseum.
You use Power Attack and the penalty/bonus applies to all swings you make right up until it's your go again.
This is already how Power Attack works in 3.5. You choose one number when you start attacking and it stays this number till the beginning of your next turn. So there was no change in this part of the feat.