Should the Iron Defender add it's Strength Modifier to its Force Empowered Rend?

[Damon_Tor]

Force Empowered Rend is a melee weapon attack. And melee weapon attacks by default get strength modifier added to their damage unless a superceded by a specific rule.

It seems to me that the intention is that the Iron Defender use your PB in place of it's strength modifier not in addition to it. But it doesn't say that anywhere, so the general rules SHOULD apply. So the Iron Defender should get an additional +2 to damage, or more if the artificer wants to use an infusion to put a belt of giant's strength on it.

Thoughts?

[stoutstien]

Probably not worth complicating it. If a player wants to use the ERLW version I would allow it.

[Civis Mundi]

Force Empowered Rend is a melee weapon attack. And melee weapon attacks by default get strength modifier added to their damage unless a superceded by a specific rule.

It seems to me that the intention is that the Iron Defender use your PB in place of it's strength modifier not in addition to it. But it doesn't say that anywhere, so the general rules SHOULD apply. So the Iron Defender should get an additional +2 to damage, or more if the artificer wants to use an infusion to put a belt of giant's strength on it.

Thoughts?

I'm not really sure why it would.

The text says, "See this creature’s game statistics in the Steel Defender stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places."

It doesn't say it adds proficiency bonus, it says it uses proficiency bonus.

Then in the stat block, most every modifier uses a specific formula of "X + PB," save for the attack bonus, which uses your spell attack mod.

Melee weapon attacks might get Strength mod added to damage by default, but this is a specific rule, and it does supercede the general rule.