Thrallherd - Confusing much?

[Herobizkit]

Not sure if this helps, but in 4e, any damage expression is based on math and is normally independent of the damage's description.

So, for example, your Thrallherd could use a stick, a whoopee cushion, a chair, a dagger, or even a three-handed sword... but it will always either do X or Y damage as listed.

... but then PLAYERS want to get involved in monster math and give their thralls a PC dagger, or PC sword, or PC Wand of Ice. At that point, the monster now gets the prof bonus of whatever weapon you kit it with - it is assumed to be proficient with all weapons for sake of not breaking monster math and making the Thrall WORSE by giving them gear.

4e is funny like that.

 

[bganon]

The +2 is there to make the thrall's attack worth using at all. Even with your implement bonus and the weapon proficiency bonus, Int vs AC for 1[W]+Int damage and no riders is pretty lame for a paragon-level controller, since every one of your at-wills is going to be more interesting. With the extra +2, at least you now have a choice whether to trade your at-will riders for some extra accuracy.

Let's look at some numbers. At level 11, say the Thrallherd has Int 21, a +3 implement, and the relevant Expertise feat. The Thrall at-will standard action attack is
(+5 level, +5 Int, +3 enhancement, +3 proficiency, +2 feat, +2 as part of power):
+20 vs AC, dealing 1d10+8 damage on a hit.

If they use, say, Mind Lock instead, they could have
(+5 level, +5 Int, +3 enhancement, +2 feat):
+15 vs Will, dealing 1d8+8 psychic damage and slow (uteoynt) on a hit.

That's actually a choice you might think about. Without that extra +2, the thrall's attack would be only +18 vs AC. Since Will is very often 3 or more lower than AC, that's not good compared to Psion at-wills except in very rare cases.