TTPK (Tarrasque Total Party Kill)

[NinjaFlashX]

In about a week, I'll be running a one shot adventure where nine 20th level PCs will be going up against Tarrasque (Extra primed from The Book of the Tarrasque. HIGHLY recommend!). The players were allowed to each pick one Legendary item, plus some others too. Needless to say, I'm 99% certain that the players will steamroll the Tarrasque, even with max HP and additional options from TBotT.

So I decided to add an Epic Dragonborn Draconic Sorcerer using draft rules from the Epic Legacy Core Rulebook that I backed last year. It alone could probably take all nine PCs plus the Tarrasque. Nasty! So I'll tone it down a little to surprise the players with and keep them on their toes. Especially since they don't know I'm throwing this bad boy on the table. Can't let them be 100% prepared.

The battle is going to take place in the middle of their hometown and I was considering upping the ante for the players. I'm trying to come up with a mechanic where anytime there is an AoE from or against anyone on the board, that innocent lives are lost. And if they rack up so many "AoEs" that the town is destroyed and they "lose?". Trying to put pressure on the players, and hopefully feel a little invested in more than just the hack and slash against the Tarrasque. Maybe it's a stupid idea considering it's one shot...

Thoughts???

 

[Oofta]

So many ways of doing this. One suggestion: the tarrasque has cages filled with innocents dangling all over him. Every time an innocent dies, there's a streak of black energy that gets pulled into a glowing black orb in the middle of town. Their souls their souls are being used to power the typical dark ritual that will destroy the town.

In fact, the tarrasque has been dominated and the goal of the party is not only to kill the monstrous beast, but to stop it from sacrificing itself and completing the ritual. Kind of cliche but since it's a one-shot, sometimes cliches and simple ideas are best.

 

[Eltab]

- The dragon sorcerer is riding the Tarrasque like a cowboy on a horse (or more likely 'on a bucking bronco / bull')!
- Unbeknownst to the players (but knownst to us) the Tarrasque wants out of the confined spaces of the town. It is AoE'ing the buildings to clear itself a path of escape.
- How do PCs develop 'favorite NPCs' in a one-shot episode?
- The dragon sorcerer is there as a 'third force' who wants to guide / compel the Tarrasque to go to a certain place for … some reason. This gets the Tarrasque out of town, but it doesn't mean his ultimate goal is something the PCs will approve of. Maybe he needs the soul of the Tarrasque to empower a ritual to create a world-wide Ice Age.

 

[Umbran]

Get yourself a Jenga set.

Every time there's an AOE, a player must draw a brick. Drawing rotates around the table, so the players cannot always have their best person drawing.

If the tower falls before the Tarrasque is dead, the town is effectively destroyed.

You may alter the tower height to change the difficulty.

 

[NinjaFlashX]

Get yourself a Jenga set.

Every time there's an AOE, a player must draw a brick. Drawing rotates around the table, so the players cannot always have their best person drawing.

If the tower falls before the Tarrasque is dead, the town is effectively destroyed.

You may alter the tower height to change the difficulty.

That is a brilliant idea!!! Unfortunately, I forgot to mention we'll be playing on Roll20. As I have players in four different states. :-(

 

[Oofta]

That is a brilliant idea!!! Unfortunately, I forgot to mention we'll be playing on Roll20. As I have players in four different states. :-(

No problem, just use online jenga!

 

[dave2008]

Personally I don't like the idea of adding the dragonborn socceror, I think the big T should be the ultimate solo monster. You just need to revise it to make it so. I have a beefed up version located here: Epic Monster Updates: Monstrosities

But you might need to adjust it some more. With 9 players I would suggest giving it more HP and maybe more damage.

 

[NinjaFlashX]

Personally I don't like the idea of adding the dragonborn socceror, I think the big T should be the ultimate solo monster. You just need to revise it to make it so. I have a beefed up version located here: Epic Monster Updates: Monstrosities

But you might need to adjust it some more. With 9 players I would suggest giving it more HP and maybe more damage.

Hmm... I don't disagree with you. Maybe I'll beef it up a bit more. I liked a few of your options that you used as well! Especially Colossal! Gargantuan just isn't big enough IMO!!! ;-)

I think I'll keep the Sorcerer hidden in my back pocket just in case it looks to easy for the players.

 

[NinjaFlashX]

For anyone interested in a good laugh, I made an Intro for our upcoming Tarrasque one-shot.

[video=youtube_share;r5YXV0bEgJI]https://youtu.be/r5YXV0bEgJI[/video]

 

[Stalker0]

Solos should always get help especially at high levels...it’s just way way way too easy for a party to gang up and take them down