This came up in a discussion about how to solo kill the tarrasque with a fighter.
A debilitating blow is a blow that deals more than half of a creature's hit points and a minimum of 50 damage.
Does that mean half of a creature's current hit points, or maximum hit points?
1) It is impossible to kill a tarrasque, by the rules.
2) Since it mirrors the massive damage optional rule, I assume it is meant to be "maximum" hit points.
1) It is impossible to kill a tarrasque, by the rules.
And yet the question sallies forth, as if claims that the hypothetical situation are impossible do not stop it from being debated anyways.
The idea being advanced is that a tarrasque is not immune to ability drain, and thus a debilitating critical hit can inflict Con drain. Reducing a Tarasque's Constitution down to 0 will, by the rules, kill it (as that has nothing to do with regeneration), putting it in conflict with the rules in regeneration that say it cannot be killed. No doubt it will disappear in a puff of illogic at that point.
2) Since it mirrors the massive damage optional rule, I assume it is meant to be "maximum" hit points.I assumed that myself, but I can see why others do not. Also, massive damage says "total hp", which is another ambiguous wording...total max, or current total?
The immunity to permanent wounds encompasses ability drain as those are permanent :)
I asked the original author of called shots, and that line was added during development it sounds like. He assumes it's maximum HP.
2nd question: total max, probably including temporary hit points. "total current" doesn't make much sense, as its redundant.