D&D 5E Anybody actually TRY soloing the Tarasque...?

[Elderbrain]

I've read several threads claiming that a low-level Wizard with the Fly spell and the Acid Splash cantrip can take out this 30th level super monster solo. My question is: Has anybody gone beyond white room theorizing and actually played this out?

I propose a little experiment. Build that Wizard strictly according to the rules, but making sure to have Fly and Acid Splash in his or her spell list. First, run the game allowing the Tarasque only the abilities specifically mentioned in its Stat block. Do this enough times to determine an average result.

Then, do it allowing the Tarasque to jump, throw rocks, etc. Again, do it over and over until an average result is determined.

Then, report what happened here!

Any takers?

 

[BigVanVader]

No, man. What I'm gonna do is I'm gonna make a Titan-sized Warforged Paladin using the Celestial Template, name it Voltron, then have it launch the Tarrasque into space.

 

[Zhaleskra]

That will only inconvenience it for a few thousand years.

 

[BigVanVader]

Then we have all the time in the world to train five teenage Monks with attitude, give them color coded uniforms, then give a separate Goliath Monk a few dozen potions of growth, and name him Ultra Man. Maybe even build a Clockwork Barbarian boy and name him Astro, build another one and name him Rock.

Dude, this Tarrasque is gonna get roundhouse kicked to the face when it lands back on whatever planet this is. This is gonna rule.

 

[ephemeron]

Sounds like a job for Waldorf. Has anybody updated his stats to 5e yet?

 

[Paraxis]

A rock is an improvised weapon without the thrown property so the Tarasque uses dex to hit and has disadvantage on the attack rolls. The damage for a medium creature throwing a rock would be d4+dex mod, so for a gargantuan creature that would be 4d4+dex, in the case of a Tarrasque that would be a dex mod of 0.

So the Tarrasque is not proficient so just +0 to hit and 4d4+0 damage, attack is made at disadvantage for rock throwing.
Also since this isn't a listed attack it doesn't get to use multi-attack or legendary actions, so only one thrown rock a turn.

High jumping is 3 + str mod feet up in the air, so for a Tarrasque that is 13 feet with a running start.

Would I as a DM run an encounter like this, hell no. If I ever use the Tarrasque I will change it up give it a leap attack power, burrow and swim speeds, go back to the old school you have to drop it to 0 h.p then use a wish to kill it, stuff like that.

That doesn't mean that Wizards didn't screw up writing this monster up they did, now DM's have to fix it so that a flying character can't just solo it.

 

[Elderbrain]

That's what people are SAYING, Paraxis... but I'm not hearing from anyone who's actually DONE IT. Talk is cheap, I want to see some actual attempts at doing the thing.... not saying it can't be done, but the proof is in the pudding.

 

[Paraxis]

That's what people are SAYING, Paraxis... but I'm not hearing from anyone who's actually DONE IT. Talk is cheap, I want to see some actual attempts at doing the thing.... not saying it can't be done, but the proof is in the pudding.

The math, the numbers, the reality of this situation is so one sided you don't need to do it. That is like saying a goblin can kill a 20th level fighter in one on one combat, sure the dice could fall like winning the lotto a dozen times in a row or whatever it would take, doesn't mean you have to show your work.

Tarrasque can barely hit the wizard rolling with a +0 at disadvantage, and if he does the damage average is 10 damage. This will happen so infrequently that the wizard could just drink a potion or two and keep up his max h.p after every hit and still down the Tarrasque easily.

As written by RAW the Tarrasque is horrible at fighting flying enemies, nothing more needs to be shown to prove this. Now knowing that any good DM will change it, I think the point of this should be what could we change to make it a more interesting, fun, and challenging encounter. The designers dropped the ball on this one and left it for the DM's and most likely 3rd party publishers down the line to fix.

I would love a 5e monster book of Kaiju like monsters, the Tarrasque is just a poor example of one.

 

[kalani]

Mike mearles stated that he would use the giant rock rules in this scenario - IOWs, 4d12+10 damage, STR and 60/120 range.

https://twitter.com/ktkenshinx/status/520621401980809216

 

[FireLance]

I have decided that it is going to be pointless to use the Tarrasque to threaten the PCs.

Instead, if I ever decide to use the Tarrasque, the PCs' job will not be to destroy it before it kills them, but to destroy it before it levels a town or city and eats the inhabitants.

Death is not the only way to fail.