DM: Building a Monster - Attacks with Riders

[Baptor]

Dungeon masters,

When you make a monster and calculate its damage per round or per attack, if you make an attack with a rider, how much damage do you subtract from the attack?

For example you have an undead with a claw attack at +6 that deals 3d6 (10) slashing damage. Say I want to add something similar to a ghoul's paralysis to the attack. Would you still have it deal 10 damage? How much would you nerf the damage by to compensate for the rider?

[Zman]

In the case of a paralysis type effect like a Ghouls that affects only one target I would count it as doubling the damage of the attack for determining final CR. So, I'd probably cut the damage from the attack in half if you wanted it to stay at approximately the same CR.

A lot of effects like riders and special abilities need to be massaged for the creature to end up at the right CR. Sometimes there is more of an art to it than not.

[MrStabby]

I roughly use spells as a comparison.

Paralysis corresponds to hold person, a level 2 spell. Scorching ray is a level 2 spell so it is comparable. Add scorching ray damage to determine CR.

In reality I would round it down somewhat as SR is likely to be resisted, as it is a melee effect (maybe) so cant be used against any enemy of choice and as it is against a save that is often pretty good.