Assuming THW, Power Attack, Leap Attack...

[Zergrusheddie]

Assuming all the feats that enhance Power Attack are taken to net an 8:1 Ratio or something, which is the more deadly between a Barbarian or a Fighter? Or is a Barbarian1/Fighter19 better because of all the extra feats as well as grabbing Lion Totem?

[Keld Denar]

Its not quite that simple. Probably some combination of Fighter, Barb, and a few PrCs like Exotic Weapon Master and Frenzied Berzerker that would produce the highest damage. But yea, enough Fighter to get the feats you need, and the rest Barb would be a prefered mix.

[Zergrusheddie]

Its not quite that simple. Probably some combination of Fighter, Barb, and a few PrCs like Exotic Weapon Master and Frenzied Berzerker that would produce the highest damage. But yea, enough Fighter to get the feats you need, and the rest Barb would be a prefered mix.

Figured it would be something like that. Was just wondering because it seems like the amount of Feats that a Fighter get may outweigh Rage.

[Eldariel]

By those guidelines, Barbarian 20 would be the most damaging (by about 3 points of damage) because of Greater/Mighty Rage. Nothing the Fighter gains over Barbarian actually allows him to charge better than the Barbarian (unless we're talking about a Knockback Dungeoncrasher, but that's a different matter entirely). What Fighter's feats will buy him is versatility and less one-trick-poniness. Of course, a PrC is the way to go to truly maximize the damage. Frenzied Berserker multiplies your PA returns, so it's an easy choice. You'll need few levels in something like Stalker of Kharesh to gain a very wide Favored Enemy though (such as Stalker's Favored Enemy: Evil) and pick Favored Power Attack for the maximum multipliers. And you need to a mounted charge Leap Attack, however that works out. Assuming you Charged last round too, Combat Brute is in effect.

Total multipliers:
x2 Basic
x3 Combat Brute
x4 Favored Power Attack
+x2 Leap Attack
+x2 Frenzied Berserker

=x2 by the most conservative reading. Reading Combat Brute and Favored Power Attack as modifying your base damage would lead to x12 multiplier.


EDIT: I dug up the old Theorethical Optimization board's The ÜberERcharger (http://web.archive.org/web/20080214233419/forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=401662) (unfortunately it does not exist outside Web Archive anymore due to all the hassle that occurred when the whole Gleemax Meltdown took place and TO was collapsed into CO); once upon the time a world record as far as charging damage goes. Remember that much of today's material had yet to be printed, but it does respectable 16000 damage.

[Keld Denar]

It doesn't multiply out straight though, because of where the () are. First you look at PA.

FB CHANGES your PA multiplier from 2:1 to 4:1. This isn't a multiplier, but an actual change of the base equation.

Leap Attack increases your PA by 100%. That brings us to 8:1 base.

NOW, you add on all of those other factors.

2x Battle Jump
2x Headlong Rush
2x Valorous Weapon
3x Great Axe crit (assuming crit)
=
x6 multiplier, or 6x8= 48:1 PA, essentially.

Not sure where Stalker and Favored PA fit in there though....hmmmm.

[Eldariel]

As per errata, Frenzied Berserker adds +100% your normal PA damage to your PA damage. Same goes for Leap Attack. Therefore base 1:8 is unattainable.