D&D 5E (2014) Tarrasque Modifications.

[FlyingChihuahua]

Exactly like that.

You could also take a page from Shin Godzilla and have it shoot lasers out it's back spines as well.

 

[Guest 6801328]

I think I remember reading a suggestion that a wizard with fly and acid splash could solo the Tarrasque by keeping out of range and wearing it down. (I may be missing a requirement). Was that debunked? Or is that the "cheese strategy" mentioned above that the beam attack would counter?

 

[Leatherhead]

I always thought it should have a vacuum breath attack. DC whatever STR save cone or be sucked directly into it's mouth.

Also a burrow speed.

Those two features more or less solve all the problems with ranged attacks.

 

[Flamestrike]

I think I remember reading a suggestion that a wizard with fly and acid splash could solo the Tarrasque by keeping out of range and wearing it down. (I may be missing a requirement). Was that debunked? Or is that the "cheese strategy" mentioned above that the beam attack would counter?

Always loled at that claim.

DM: Alright; its Big Pappa T's turn. It looks up at the pesky Wizard lobbing acid at it and bellows, grabbing a nearby [house, boulder, tree, Storm giant, whatever] and throws it at you [DM notes the expected Damage from a CR 30 creature is around 300 or so points per round, with a save DC of 23 or so. The DM is feeling generous so he reduces the damage of the thrown house attack to 30d8 - roughly on par with Pappa T's melee output - and reduces the Dex save to dodge the thrown house to DC 20 (save half) in line with big T's other attacks].

Wizard the [house] is coming straight at you, can you please make me a Dex save?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

@Fenris-77 I like it having a godzilla/kaiju beam. /shrug

As far as the regen, it used to, thats why I edited it back in.

Interestingly, its the highest CR (30).

Tiamat's "avatar" is also a 30. After that we have two 28s and a 26.

I kinda hate that the terrasque is higher CR than the most dangerous ancient dragons.

 

[Bawylie]

I kinda hate that the terrasque is higher CR than the most dangerous ancient dragons.

I’m okay with it. It’s THE Tarrasque in comparison to the average ancient dragon. At my table, anything that has a name is no longer average. So there are Great Wyrms in my homebrew world who are considerably stronger than average.

 

[Inanity]

Always loled at that claim.

DM: Alright; its Big Pappa T's turn. It looks up at the pesky Wizard lobbing acid at it and bellows, grabbing a nearby [house, boulder, tree, Storm giant, whatever] and throws it at you [DM notes the expected Damage from a CR 30 creature is around 300 or so points per round, with a save DC of 23 or so. The DM is feeling generous so he reduces the damage of the thrown house attack to 30d8 - roughly on par with Pappa T's melee output - and reduces the Dex save to dodge the thrown house to DC 20 (save half) in line with big T's other attacks].

Wizard the [house] is coming straight at you, can you please make me a Dex save?

Let us run some numbers and ask (using 5e):

Can a 1 level 1 PC single-handedly take on the tarrasque? Let us be generous and say it has access to +1 gear and +1 ammunition and access to as many spell scrolls it wants as long as that scroll is of a level 1 spell. It gets as many level 1 potions of cure wounds it wants and has a permanent fly spell active (wings of flight lets say). Here is this beast stats (more i a different post):

Tarrasque

Gargantuan monstrosity (titan), Unaligned

• Armor Class 25 (Natural Armor)
• Hit Points 676 (33d20+330)
• Speed 40 ft.
• STR 30 (+10) DEX 11 (+0) CON 30 (+10) INT 3 (-4) WIS 11 (+0) CHA 11 (+0)

• Saving Throws Int +5, Wis +9, Cha +9
• Damage Immunities Fire, Poison; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing From Nonmagical Attacks
• Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned
• Senses Blindsight 120 Ft., passive Perception 10
• Challenge 30 (155,000 XP)

• Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the tarrasque fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
• Magic Resistance. The tarrasque has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
• Reflective Carapace. Any time the tarrasque is targeted by a magic missile spell, a line spell, or a spell that requires a ranged attack roll, roll a d6. On a 1 to 5, the tarrasque is unaffected. On a 6, the tarrasque is unaffected, and the effect is reflected back at the caster as though it originated from the tarrasque, turning the caster into the target.
• Siege Monster. The tarrasque deals double damage to objects and structures.

Actions

• Multiattack. The tarrasque can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes five attacks: one with its bite, two with its claws, one with its horns, and one with its tai l. It can use its Swallow instead of its bite.
• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: (4d12 + 10) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 20). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the tarrasque can't bite another target
• Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: (4d8 + 10) slashing damage.
• Horns. Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: (4d10 + 10) piercing damage.
• Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: (4d6 + 10) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 20 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone
• Frightful Presence. Each creature of the tarrasque's choice within 120 feet of it and aware of it must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, with disadvantage if the tarrasque is within line of sight, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the tarrasque's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
• Swallow. The tarrasque makes one bite attack against a Large or smaller creature it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target takes the bite's damage, the target is swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the tarrasque, and it takes 56 (16d6) acid damage at the start of each of the tarrasque's turns. If the tarrasque takes 60 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the tarrasque must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the tarrasque. If the tarrasque dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 30 feet of movement, exiting prone.

Legendary Actions
Tarrasque can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Tarrasque regains spent legendary actions at the start of their turn.

• Attack.The tarrasque makes one claw attack or tail attack.
• Move.The tarrasque moves up to half its speed.
• Chomp (Costs 2 Actions).The tarrasque makes one bite attack or uses its Swallow.

 

[Inanity]

Let us run some numbers and ask (using 5e):

Can a 1 level 1 PC single-handedly take on the tarrasque? Let us be generous and say it has access to +1 gear and +1 ammunition and access to as many spell scrolls it wants as long as that scroll is of a level 1 spell. It gets as many level 1 potions of cure wounds it wants and has a permanent fly spell active (wings of flight lets say). Here is this beast stats (more i a different post):

Tarrasque

Gargantuan monstrosity (titan), Unaligned

• Armor Class 25 (Natural Armor)
• Hit Points 676 (33d20+330)
• Speed 40 ft.
• STR 30 (+10) DEX 11 (+0) CON 30 (+10) INT 3 (-4) WIS 11 (+0) CHA 11 (+0)
• Saving Throws Int +5, Wis +9, Cha +9
• Damage Immunities Fire, Poison; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing From Nonmagical Attacks
• Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned
• Senses Blindsight 120 Ft., passive Perception 10
• Challenge 30 (155,000 XP)

• Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the tarrasque fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
• Magic Resistance. The tarrasque has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
• Reflective Carapace. Any time the tarrasque is targeted by a magic missile spell, a line spell, or a spell that requires a ranged attack roll, roll a d6. On a 1 to 5, the tarrasque is unaffected. On a 6, the tarrasque is unaffected, and the effect is reflected back at the caster as though it originated from the tarrasque, turning the caster into the target.
• Siege Monster. The tarrasque deals double damage to objects and structures.

Actions

• Multiattack. The tarrasque can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes five attacks: one with its bite, two with its claws, one with its horns, and one with its tai l. It can use its Swallow instead of its bite.
• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: (4d12 + 10) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 20). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the tarrasque can't bite another target
• Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: (4d8 + 10) slashing damage.
• Horns. Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: (4d10 + 10) piercing damage.
• Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: (4d6 + 10) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 20 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone
• Frightful Presence. Each creature of the tarrasque's choice within 120 feet of it and aware of it must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, with disadvantage if the tarrasque is within line of sight, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the tarrasque's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
• Swallow. The tarrasque makes one bite attack against a Large or smaller creature it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target takes the bite's damage, the target is swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the tarrasque, and it takes 56 (16d6) acid damage at the start of each of the tarrasque's turns. If the tarrasque takes 60 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the tarrasque must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the tarrasque. If the tarrasque dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 30 feet of movement, exiting prone.

Legendary Actions
Tarrasque can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Tarrasque regains spent legendary actions at the start of their turn.

• Attack.The tarrasque makes one claw attack or tail attack.
• Move.The tarrasque moves up to half its speed.
• Chomp (Costs 2 Actions).The tarrasque makes one bite attack or uses its Swallow.

Now, rules concerning improvised weapons: an improvised weapon has a range of 20ft and long range of 60ft. Using these rules the Tarrasque could only throw houses 60ft (I dont think houses have the thrown property ).

We need to:

1) target T(=Tarrasque) DEX save (it gets 3/day leg save and has advantage on saves but a +0 dex save modifier).
2) stay out of range (120ft to stay out of frightful presence;its land speed is 40ft, but we have fly so we dont need to consider its land move speed, or its leg act that allows it to move more; weirdly if T fights only 1 enemy it gets to use its leg act once a turn_. Also, it can probably NOT jump 120ft but lets be safe and try to be AS FAR FROM T AS POSSIBLE; with reach and jumping well...
3), combining 1) and 2), we need to get a ranged move/power/spell that is NOT an attack, that requires a DEX save and that has a range greater than ~120ft (and that is of a damage type that the tarrasque is neither immune nor resistant).

...
4)

 

[Benjamin Olson]

My problem with the 5e Terrasque is that fundamentally it evokes the response of "oh no, now we have to fight a terrasque, let's hammer it with everything we've got, it's a larger bag of hitpoints than the other monsters we've faced", or even worse "oh no, we need to wait around all session being useless while our Arcane Archer solos it from a flying carpet with no danger whatsoever". The proper response should be "the prophesied day has come and THE Terrasque has returned to consume all civilization, we must quest after ancient artifacts and build alliances and then, maybe, just maybe, we will have the strength to stop this unique monstrosity of incomparable scale wrought by dark gods to end our world.

I'm going to mostly agree with NotAYakk that the beam might as well be unlimited range, though giving it a range more like 1000 feet or some such would keep it from being turned into some sort of Starkiller Base nonsense. 120 is also not far enough for the existing "frightful presence" which should effect anyone who can see it.

And it should be way bigger. From a practical game standpoint this probably has to be a theatre of the mind battle with all the extreme long range attacks, flight, high speed movement, and such that goes into a Tarrasque killing strategy, so scale it as big as you want.

BUT, if I was going to change one and only one thing it would be that once you kill it you need to cast the Wish spell to keep it dead like in older editions. Given the 33% chance in 5e of forever losing access to their best spell that would be a suitably major ask from even the highest level caster to make this their grand heroic moment, and anyone lower level or without the right caster would need to quest for a scroll or npc. And really what I want out of the Terrasque is an enemy that is less a direct threat to the party that they have to defend themselves from and defeat, but instead an existential "world eater" threat that is destroying city after city until our daring adventurers can formulate the plan and track down the means to stop it. Maybe it regenerates 100 points a round until they acquire the lost macguffin of specialness to cut it's regeneration down to something less ludicrous.

 

[Inanity]

BUT, if I was going to change one and only one thing it would be that once you kill it you need to cast the Wish spell to keep it dead like in older editions. Given the 33% chance in 5e of forever losing access to their best spell that would be a suitably major ask from even the highest level caster to make this their grand heroic moment..

Ohh thats a good idea! And if a player wants to try and get thousands of wishs well then thousands of Tarrasque show up inevitable style