D&D 5E RE: Tarasque vs. 5th lv. Wizard scenario - how does Wizard know to use Acid Splash?!?

[Warbringer]

I actually don't think it had the Int to use a thrown weapon.

It's too low to consider itself a tool user; by comparison an Ape is 6.

So no rock throwing, unless you'd let T-Rex do this as well.

 

[Hussar]

*sigh*
/snip

A comparison to godzilla is to my mind silly because the tarrasque isn't based on godzilla, it's based on the tarrasque. Which predates godzilla by centuries.



/snip

Umm, really?

You mean that the Tarrasque of D&D was based on this?

and had nothing in common with Kaiju?

 

[keterys]

Based on this, yes.

"devastated the landscape far and wide."
"had attacked the Tarasque with knights and catapults to no avail"

 

[Eric V]

I actually don't think it had the Int to use a thrown weapon.

It's too low to consider itself a tool user; by comparison an Ape is 6.

So no rock throwing, unless you'd let T-Rex do this as well.

This...is a really good point.

You're right; barring an additional house rule, it's not smart enough.

 

[Eric V]

If so, then they forgot a lot of things, and did so in a manner that served their stated design goals.

Which, while not impossible, does leave open the possibility that Occam's not in your corner after all.

For sure.

It's also possible that they stated their design goals in such a way that laziness/honest mistakes always therefore look to be "done on purpose: It's a feature!"

 

[keterys]

I gotta admit, setting expectations is an amazing tool.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

next tarrasque my party runs into sold it's soul to the devil (good luck collecting) and has eldritch blast at 20th level ability, and 3 more cantrips and 4 spells per short rest at 5th level

 

[dd.stevenson]

For sure.

It's also possible that they stated their design goals in such a way that laziness/honest mistakes always therefore look to be "done on purpose: It's a feature!"

That's just a more presumptuous way of saying that the design goals aren't what you, personally, are into.

 

[Paraxis]

My variant Tarasque (work in progress, if you guys have any ideas)

Variant Tarasque

Speed: 60, Climb 60, Burrow 60, Swim 60
-Needs to be faster and what kind of underground lair dwelling world ending monster doesn’t have burrow? He needs to be able to climb up the castles like Rampage style, and swim like any good Kaiju.

Regeneration: 30 (If at 0 h.p and a wish is used to wish the tarasque to no longer regenerate, this is the only way to kill the tarrasque) If beaten down to 0 h.p and not killed the tarrasque usually burrows down into the earth to slumber for years before returning.
-Nod to old school, the tarasque should regenerate for goodness sake.

Siege Monster: this monster deals double damage to objects and structures
-Overkill I know, but it just sounds cool and earth elementals get it so why not.

Tremorsense: 120
-Well if he burrows he should have this, plus blindsight is blocked by cover so this is cool for him to have anyway

Devastation: Large or smaller creatures (and structures) the Tarasque decides to move through take (4d8) damage, they can make a DC 17 Dexterity save for half damage. A creature can only take this damage once per turn.

New attack option
Debris: the tarrasque can use it’s tail to knock earth, rock, trees, wagons, etc into the air and fill a 15’’ radius sphere up to 120’ away doing (4d6) damage Dexterity save 17 for half damage. If the tarrasque uses this attack he can not make a normal tail attack this turn. Debris can be used like any other attack as a legendary action.

 

[thalmin]

Please forgive me if this has already been said, but I'm getting into this discussion late, and I have not waded through all 10 pages of discussion. The problem I have with the tarrasque is less with its lack of range attack and more with its mobility.

...no one can predict where and when it will strike.

??? It lumbers along in plain sight, slower than a horse, and is bigger than a house. Of course it does not have stealth, yet no one knows it might be headed their way. It is not aqautic, so what are the depths from which it rises?
It seems it needs either aquatic/amphibious abilities to come from and return to the depths of the ocean, or else burrowing to use the depths of the earth. In either case, at least he would have a way to escape that pesky, acid throwing mosquito.