My wife and have settled into DB now and she has gotten to a puzzle where power attacks are necessary.
It was funny, because she didn't know how to do left/right power attacks. She's played SK over 400 hours and her current build is a burly 2H/archer nordic gal. And she only does straight-ahead power attacks.

This got me to thinking, that there is a bit of a design flaw in power attacks if there is no real incentive to utilize them. I know personally, I use power attacks often enough but very rarely do I use the left/right/back power moves.

Perhaps Beth needs to reimagine the power attacks? maybe assign a specific move to WASD while holding down for the charged attack? The moves can be any number of things depending upon weapon. The Dragon Age series and KoA:R have good examples of what could be done to bring power attacks back into the game, imo.

They did something similar when they redid flame/frost/lightning effects between OB and SK. All 3 became more strategic and no longer was it simply a choice of what color blurb was going to hit your target (although, yes, enemies like vamps really hated fireballs).

Thoughts?

The power attacks are just for looks. I know what you're talking about.

There is no reason to do the other sideways power attacks. I normally use the standing and running ones.

I use the sideways power attack with two handed weapons, but that's because I have the sweep perk. I also use the sprinting, because of the great critical charge and critical charge perks. I use power attacks mostly on groups and tougher enemies, or as an opener/finisher.

Never actually seen the sweep perk in effect.