Power Attack
( Player's Handbook v.3.5, p. 98)[Fighter Bonus Feat, General]
You can make exceptionally powerful melee attacks.
Prerequisite
STR 13,
Required for
Anvil of Thunder (CW) , Area Attack (SS) , Awesome Blow (MM4) , Awesome Blow (MM3) , Awesome Blow (MM) , Awesome Blow (MM5) , Awesome Smite (CC) , Bear Fang (CW) , Blood-Spiked Charger (PH2) , Blowhard (SS) , Brutal Strike (PH2) , Brute Fighting (RE) , Cleave (PH) , Cobalt Power (MoI) , Combat Brute (CW) , Cometary Collision (PH2) , Deep Impact (PsH3_) , Devastating Critical (EL) , Dire Flail Smash (CR) , Divine Might (CW) , Divine Might (DD) , Divine Might (FP) , Dragonfire Assault (DM) , Epic Sunder (CW) , Favored Power Attack (CW) , Flay (PH2) , Flying Kick (CW) , Focused Sunder (XPH) , Great Cleave (PH) , Great Sunder (PsH3_) , Improved Bull Rush (PH) , Improved Overrun (PH) , Improved Overrun (SF) , Improved Sunder (EA) , Improved Sunder (PH) , Instinctive Consummator (CP) , Knockback (RS) , Leap Attack (CAd) , Netherese Battle Curse (LE) , Overwhelming Critical (DMG) , Overwhelming Critical (EL) , Power Lunge (EA) , Power Lunge (SF) , Psionic Weapon (PsH3_) , Pushback (MH) , Quell the Profane (BE) , Ragewild Fighting (RE) , Reckless Offensive (EA) , Reckless Offensive (Rac) , Resounding Blow (BE) , Roundabout Kick (CW) , Ruinous Rage (EL) , Shield Charge (DF) , Shock Trooper (CW) , Smiting Power (CV) , Sunder (PH) , Three Mountains (CW) , Thunderclap (SS) , Wingstorm (SS) , Shock Wave (Dr) , Wingstorm (Dr) , Overwhelming Critical (Dr) , Rend (Dr) , Overhead Thrust (Dr) , Power Throw (CAd) , Favored Power Attack (DC) , Staggering Blow (DC) , Despana School (DrU) , Power Lunge (Gh) , Devastating Critical (Dr) , Divine Might (DF) , Divine Shield (DF) , Improved Shield Bash (DF) , Empty Hand Mastery (OA) , Flying Kick (OA) , Foot and Fist Mastery (OA) , Roundabout Kick (OA) , Stone Breaker (SoS) ,
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.
Special
If you attack with a two-handed weapon, or with a one-handed weapon wielded in two hands, instead add twice the number subtracted from your attack rolls. You can't add the bonus from Power Attack to the damage dealt with a light weapon (except with unarmed strikes or natural weapon attacks), even though the penalty on attack rolls still applies. (Normally, you treat a double weapon as a one-handed weapon and a light weapon. If you choose to use a double weapon like a two-handed weapon, attacking with only one end of it in a round, you treat it as a two-handed weapon.) A fighter may select Power Attack as one of his fighter bonus feats (see page 38).