The latest Tarrasque thread has got me thinking (always a dangerous thing). The Tarrasque does not instil the fear it should into high level characters, because every veteran player has memorised the entire stat block and theory crafted many different scenarios for dealing with the mighty beast.
But what if there were some important details, information lost over the centuries, that we didn't know about this fabulous beast? For example: a common tactic is to suffocate the mighty creature. But this is a foolhardy idea, many eons ago the Tarrasque chomped on a particularly delicious wizard carrying a bottle of air. The wizard slid down the gullet quite nicely but the bottle of air went down the wrong tube and got wedged open in the lungs forever making the creature immune to suffocation.
What are some other interesting ways to make the Tarrasque the formidable opponent and harbinger of destruction it is supposed to be?
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It's ranged attacks could be stronger, but as a single monster vs a party action economy will always make it lose.
Maybe making it mythic so it gets 2 turns and allowing it ___ rerolls on "save or the fight is over spells" would also help. Players are creative and they will likely think of something you didn't so its better to cover general things than every possible issue.
Why have 1 Tarrasque when you could have 3?
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The problem is that it's no longer a force of nature, just a big punching bag. Make it more like Doomsday. Give it the an evolutionary ability. Every time it's taken to 0hp or killed by something, it evolves to become immune to it.
Suffocate it? It comes back without the need to breathe. Bring it down through sheer weapon damage? Metal no longer harms it. Find some spell that still works? Only once.
To really get the full effect, pick a few ways it has been defeated in the past, so you know what it's immune to now. The players will have to learn to old legends to know what might still work.
The problem is that it's no longer a force of nature, just a big punching bag. Make it more like Doomsday. Give it the an evolutionary ability. Every time it's taken to 0hp or killed by something, it evolves to become immune to it.
Suffocate it? It comes back without the need to breathe. Bring it down through sheer weapon damage? Metal no longer harms it. Find some spell that still works? Only once.
To really get the full effect, pick a few ways it has been defeated in the past, so you know what it's immune to now. The players will have to learn to old legends to know what might still work.
That would make it really scary.
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I had fun plans for the Tarrasque in a homegame I was running. Shame it died before the PCs hit level 5.
It was going to be a spectacle. The beast's model was to be constructed of 1 inch cubes, allowing the party to ride atop the gargantuan thing.
Each limb would have its own initiative, hit point pool and attack routine. The chitinous back would house several pits that churn out spawn. The limbs would even move around as it attacked, changing the "terrain"
Never got a chance to go into planning, but I love the idea of making your final boss a memorable spectacle. Ou just gotta put in the work if you want what is otherwise a walking fat sack of regenerating HP to leave a lasting impression.
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So.... you killed the Tarrasque, it's dead, your surviving party members sigh and begin to limp away, then it happens, emerging from the ground, not one, not three, but fifteen small reptiles, each of which you watch in awe and terror as horns grow and scales thicken as they grow in size by the seconds, quickly resembling the foe you just fell, and you realize, they, all fifteen, will be as big in only minutes, and... they are looking at you....
Actually, this gives me another idea. What if "there must always be a Tarrasque"?
Imagine that, instead of having death-proof regeneration, the Tarrasque stays dead. Over the next few years, whomever actually killed it, by spell or by weapon, notices they are more irritable, and have a bigger appetite, but become prone to sleeping longer. They gradually become stronger, and tougher, but a bit slower mentally. Eventually they wander off one night, never to be seen again. Exactly 50 years from the date the Tarrasque was killed, the Tarrasque rises again, looking slightly different.
No matter, some brave hero will certainly slay it...
The problem is that it's no longer a force of nature, just a big punching bag. Make it more like Doomsday. Give it the an evolutionary ability. Every time it's taken to 0hp or killed by something, it evolves to become immune to it.
Suffocate it? It comes back without the need to breathe. Bring it down through sheer weapon damage? Metal no longer harms it. Find some spell that still works? Only once.
To really get the full effect, pick a few ways it has been defeated in the past, so you know what it's immune to now. The players will have to learn to old legends to know what might still work.
Great idea! This could also explain why the Tarrasque is immune to so many things and why it is better to banish the creature until the method to truly kill it is discovered.
The problem is that it's no longer a force of nature, just a big punching bag. Make it more like Doomsday. Give it the an evolutionary ability. Every time it's taken to 0hp or killed by something, it evolves to become immune to it.
Suffocate it? It comes back without the need to breathe. Bring it down through sheer weapon damage? Metal no longer harms it. Find some spell that still works? Only once.
To really get the full effect, pick a few ways it has been defeated in the past, so you know what it's immune to now. The players will have to learn to old legends to know what might still work.
That works really well for the Golarion setting, where the Tarrasque isn't JUST a big magical wrecking ball, but a big magical wrecking ball that's a direct spawn of a Chaotic Evil deity.
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The problem is that it's no longer a force of nature, just a big punching bag. Make it more like Doomsday. Give it the an evolutionary ability. Every time it's taken to 0hp or killed by something, it evolves to become immune to it.
Suffocate it? It comes back without the need to breathe. Bring it down through sheer weapon damage? Metal no longer harms it. Find some spell that still works? Only once.
To really get the full effect, pick a few ways it has been defeated in the past, so you know what it's immune to now. The players will have to learn to old legends to know what might still work.
Congratulations, you just made SCP 682
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Congratulations, you just made SCP 682The problem is that it's no longer a force of nature, just a big punching bag. Make it more like Doomsday. Give it the an evolutionary ability. Every time it's taken to 0hp or killed by something, it evolves to become immune to it.
Suffocate it? It comes back without the need to breathe. Bring it down through sheer weapon damage? Metal no longer harms it. Find some spell that still works? Only once.
To really get the full effect, pick a few ways it has been defeated in the past, so you know what it's immune to now. The players will have to learn to old legends to know what might still work.
Thanks, I had wondered why the idea seemed familiar.
I still wonder what would happen if 682 and 073 ever fought. :P
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Congratulations, you just made SCP 682The problem is that it's no longer a force of nature, just a big punching bag. Make it more like Doomsday. Give it the an evolutionary ability. Every time it's taken to 0hp or killed by something, it evolves to become immune to it.
Suffocate it? It comes back without the need to breathe. Bring it down through sheer weapon damage? Metal no longer harms it. Find some spell that still works? Only once.
To really get the full effect, pick a few ways it has been defeated in the past, so you know what it's immune to now. The players will have to learn to old legends to know what might still work.
Thanks, I had wondered why the idea seemed familiar.
I still wonder what would happen if 682 and 073 ever fought. :P
The creator of 073 wrote up that encounter, actually.
As to Big T, I'm gonna repost some suggested abilities I put in a thread last year (be sure to keep in mind its unstoppable force ability from Inner Sea Gods):
Death is Inevitable (Ex): The tarrasque doesn't automatically miss when it rolls a 1 on an attack roll. The tarrasque doesn't automatically fail when it rolls a 1 on saving throw. Naturals 20 rolled on attack rolls against the tarrasque or for saving throws against effects generated by the tarrasque do not automatically succeed.
Unnatural Disaster (Ex) : Whenever the tarrasque drops a foe to 0 or fewer hit points as a result of one of its attacks, or whenever the tarrasque successfully breaks or destroys an object, the tarrasque may make an additional melee or ranged attack at its full attack bonus, targeting a creature or object.
Glorious Feast (Ex): Whenever the tarrasque drops a foe to 0 or fewer hit points as a result of one of its attacks, the tarrasque heals hit points equal to the hit dice of the victim.
Call of Oblivion (Su): Any creatures that are panicked by the tarrasque's frightful presence, instead of fleeing, run towards the tarrasque as quickly as they can, dropping whatever they are holding. Any such creature that reaches the tarrasque cowers next to it.
All put together, you have an end result where all civilians within 300 feet (Big T has a BIG frightful presence aura) are trying as hard as possible to feed themselves to the tarrasque, while the tarrasque autokills every person within 30 ft with a 30 or lower AC and 35 or less HP (i.e., the endless stream of civilians) and heals from it.
And will keep doing so until someone strong enough to stand up to it engages in melee and starts tanking that full attack.
Essentially, a tarrasque encounter shouldn't be about just beating it up in the wilderness. A tarrasque encounter should be about trying to save civilization from it. =P
Especially this!
Essentially, a tarrasque encounter shouldn't be about just beating it up in the wilderness. A tarrasque encounter should be about trying to save civilization from it. =P
I've always wondered, if you places a bag of holding on the tarrasque and put a portable hole into it, would the whole tarrasque be sent to the astral plane or just 10 feet of its body. If the second one is true then would fast healing fix this, because if not we should come up a way to solve that.
Dotting for later
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To fix the "send to another plane" issue, perhaps give it something akin to the Oliphaunt of Jandelay's Guardian of Jandelay ability? Maybe...
Call of The Destroyer (Su): Birthed from the Pit of Gormuz, the Tarrasque does not stray long from its home plane. Whenever the Tarrasque is brought to a plane other than the prime material, it attempts a Will saving throw each day to return. The DC is equal to the DC of the spell that transported it, or the DC that spell would have if it allowed a saving throw. If it succeeds, it is instantly transported into the depths of the Pit of Gormuz.
The creator of 073 wrote up that encounter, actually.
That's 076.
@ Zhyth
Nice idea. What book is it from?
@ Zhyth
Nice idea. What book is it from?
The original power is under the Oliphaunt of Jandelay's statblock in Mythic Realms.
The tarrasque is a mistake. During the earliest days of the greatest rpg, you had a handful of gms and the hobby was primitive. When one GM got annoyed at the arms race between player and GM so he dreamt up an unkillable creature vulnerable only to rules lawyers and people who peeked at the stat block.
The tarrasque is a relic of that time. Let's leave it be. Make it as unkillable as you wish and it will still be as it ever was, vulnerable only to Rules lawyers and people who peek at the stat block. Putting the tarrasque at the end of an adventure is a mistake - it encourages your players to find the way to cheat the unkillable.
As an alternative for a world ending threat might I suggest Elder Evils from D&D 3.5? It should have some terrifying creatures and inspirations to strike fear into your players properly.
As an alternative for a world ending threat might I suggest Elder Evils from D&D 3.5? It should have some terrifying creatures and inspirations to strike fear into your players properly.
That sounds like freaky aberrant monsters. Do any of them come in dungeon/monster spawning flavor?
Cracking open my copy here.
Atropus: A moon that consumes life off other planets. Starts out as a blip in the sky but as it draws closer the dead rise in droves, necromancy becomes more powerful (orcus makes a power play because of course he does). Then it falls from the sky majoras mask style.
Father Llymic: A creature of the far realm encased in ice who seeks to break free of his prison and extinguish the sun. His power grows as he corrupts with madness inducing illusions and as his power grows his will. On the material plane causes the sun to dim.
The Leviathan: A creature so large it circles the world, asleep underwater. Should it awake it's game over man. Something it's aspect and the cults built around it seek to ensure.
The Worm that Walks: A demigod who refused to die, sentience locked away until he was able to break free and form himself a body from the worms and maggots, near invulnerable to damage and with more power than ever before.
That's about half of the ones in the book, though the book has stat blocks, maps, omens, servants whole works.
The creator of 073 wrote up that encounter, actually.That's 076.
** spoiler omitted **
Heh. Brainfart on my part.
As soon as 682 figures out it can solve the cross-test by doing nothing, it'll do nothing.
Another idea I was mulling over is adding complications due to the sheer size of the creature. For instance you can't simply plane shift the Tarrasque because it is too big, maybe it is a little known fact about the plane shift spell that it is not powerful enough to transport colossal monsters (DC50 knowledge arcana or spell craft to know). The players have to find a way to shrink the Tarrasque first.
Or maybe since the creature is so large it's spell resistance extends out ten feet or more from its body in all directions. Get too close and you have to make a spell resistance check for all your buff spells.
I read this thinking it would involve proposing to the Tarrasque.
That's all I have to contribute to this discussion.
The Tarrasque is spoken for. Mrs. Tarrasque does not approve. Even I don't dare make her angry...
Maybe making it mythic so it gets 2 turns and allowing it ___ rerolls on "save or the fight is over spells" would also help.
I'm way ahead of you, bub...
Why have 1 Tarrasque when you could have 3?
I can't tell you how many times I've made this exact suggestion to Mrs. Tarrasque...
Actually, this gives me another idea. What if "there must always be a Tarrasque"?
Yes. Yes! YESSS!!!
I am immortal! I am invincible! I MUST be! I am that I am...
Imagine that, instead of having death-proof regeneration, the Tarrasque stays dead. Over the next few years, whomever actually killed it, by spell or by weapon, notices they are more irritable, and have a bigger appetite, but become prone to sleeping longer. They gradually become stronger, and tougher, but a bit slower mentally. Eventually they wander off one night, never to be seen again. Exactly 50 years from the date the Tarrasque was killed, the Tarrasque rises again, looking slightly different.
No matter, some brave hero will certainly slay it...
Wait, what?
Nooooooooo!
I CAN NOT DIE!!!!
I've always wondered, if you places a bag of holding on the tarrasque and put a portable hole into it, would the whole tarrasque be sent to the astral plane or just 10 feet of its body. If the second one is true then would fast healing fix this, because if not we should come up a way to solve that.
This is no big deal; Mrs. Tarrasque's playful love bites take bigger chunks out of my armored hide. I've had hickeys worse than that.
I've always wondered, if you places a bag of holding on the tarrasque and put a portable hole into it, would the whole tarrasque be sent to the astral plane or just 10 feet of its body. If the second one is true then would fast healing fix this, because if not we should come up a way to solve that.This is no big deal; Mrs. Tarrasque's playful love bites take bigger chunks out of my armored hide. I've had hickeys worse than that.
O mighty Tarrasque, is Scythia correct? If you are killed, errr.. I mean beaten, no umm.. defeated, no sorry! inconvenienced, yes inconvenienced, do you return stronger than ever?
Please don't eat me!
I've always wondered, if you places a bag of holding on the tarrasque and put a portable hole into it, would the whole tarrasque be sent to the astral plane or just 10 feet of its body. If the second one is true then would fast healing fix this, because if not we should come up a way to solve that.This is no big deal; Mrs. Tarrasque's playful love bites take bigger chunks out of my armored hide. I've had hickeys worse than that.O mighty Tarrasque, is Scythia correct? If you are killed, errr.. I mean beaten, no umm.. defeated, no sorry! inconvenienced, yes inconvenienced, do you return stronger than ever?
Please don't eat me!
I wouldn't eat such a perceptive admirer. I love admirers! I might give you a little love bite or two...
Of course such petty things are inconveniences. Of course I come back hungrier than ever. It's what I do!
C H O M P ! ! !
Nom nom nom.
(I lied)