I have an encounter with a few Violet Fungus clinging to the walls. I've read over their statblock a few times but still have concerns regarding how to roll attack and damage for their Rotting Touch attack.
Multiattack. The fungus makes 1d4 Rotting Touch attacks.
Rotting Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +2
to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d8) necrotic damage.
I roll a 1d4 to determine how many Rotting Touch attacks it does. I roll a d20 for each Rotting Touch to see which ones will hit. However, what modifiers am I adding for the attack roll and the damage roll? Based on the ability scores, if I use STR (melee weapon attack) for the attack roll and the damage roll it seems like a rather ineffective attack. STR is 3 (-4) and DEX is 1 (-5).
The lowest AC in my party is 10, followed by two 14s and two 18s. I'd always have to roll a 12 or higher to hit the AC 10. 16 to hit the AC 14, and a nat 20 to hit AC 18. On top of that I'd then roll a 1d8 and subtract 4 from the damage?
Is it really a d20 – 4 (STR) + 2 to hit with the Violet Fungus? And a 1d8 – STR for the damage?
Best Answer
You don't apply an ability score to monster attacks unless stated.
The attacks on a monster's page contain everything you need when rolling for that monster.
In this case, the Rotting Touch attack doesn't use an ability score to attack. It has a flat +2 to hit, followed by +0 to damage, and nothing more or less. You would roll a d20 and add 2 to the result for the attack roll. On a hit, you would roll a 1d8 and add nothing to it, and that would be the damage.