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Well, I play Orks. For me, my powerklaw decision tree goes like this;

Is it an Ork?

If it is an Ork, can it take a Power Klaw?

If yes, does it have a Power Klaw?

If not, it gets one.

A PK is an absolutely essential investment for Orks. a PK Nob will add 1-2 extra MEQ kills to an Ork squad's expected total, either ensuring a total overkill situation (which is good) or often preventing them from losing combat (which is bad). He also gives anti vehicle and MC punch, which Orks are sadly, sadly lacking in otherwise.

Also, a squad of Nobz with 4-5 PKs or a squad of MANZ absolutely tears it up. There's nothing like the look on a Marine player's face when you say "Ok, now I get 28 S9 WS5 attacks" and pick up a handful of dice.

Gwar! wrote:Of course, back in 3rd, they were cheaper and granted you a bonus attack, which maybe has skewed your view just a tiny bit

I admit GW likes to make them weaker with every edition but I'm still a fan. The days when 10 bloodclaws with 2 fists charging out of a rhino could kill practically anything you could name are long gone. That's probably for the better regarding the game as a whole but sometimes I weep to see what has become of my BC.

My view is probably more skewed by the fact that I play Space Wolves and Orks. For both armies they function as almost the primary way of killing enemy models (well, if you're running wolves as an assault army and not a razorback spam mechanism).

(warning terrible math)

9 GH on the charge nets you an average of 1.125 dead marines, the WG and his fist alone give you 1.25 dead marines more than doubling your cc killing power for a mere 20pts (for WG) in addition to all the benefits such as ignoring FnP, instantkilling, anti-tank potential.

For orks 11 boyz charging from a trukk nets you an average of 1.83 dead marines and the nob gets you 1.7 so again about doubling your killing power along with the other bonuses.

For striking scorpions the 9 scorps get 1.5 dead marines and the exarch with his scorps claw gets 1.7 (if I remembered his attack characteristic correctly)

My math is terrible but from personal experience the nob or wolf guard almost always kills as many or more marines as the rest of his squas does.

If you fight marines their killing ability is a bargain + they turn give you the ability to hurt potentially anything in the game + instant killing to deal with nasty enemy IC's or horrible multiwound units.

Obviously against stuff with a 5+ or less save or a toughness of 3 or less the nob is stuck killing 2 guys whereas a power weapon which has more attacks now jumps up in cost effectiveness but considering how ubiquitous meq is I have never considered them a poor buy.

As an ork, what would you use instead of powerklaws to kill AV14?

It is not like there is the vast array of weaponry to choose from.

Deffrollas!

But yeah, usually the klaws.

@Gwar!:
You are of course correct, but the role of the fist has not changed...regardless of attacks and points, it functions how it has always functioned.

I think they are a risk averse players' primary choice.

Anpu42 wrote:

bravelybravesirrobin wrote:Admittedly against anything with a 5+ or less armour save they seem like the height of overkill but how many games will you play against 3+ save opponents?

What is this Overkill you speak of?