I guess the OP is trying to fire up an in-depth analysis.
Compared to earlier editions the new tarrasque is closer to the mark of what it "should" be, previous generations have required some significant modifying to get him to work well as the unstoppable killing machine.
I like the gravity zone, and I expect a lot of players to crap their pants as they cruise in on a fleet of flying carpets and griffons for the "free kill".
My personal ecology is that the tarrasque changes everytime it is defeated, grows stronger and evolves into something even worse than it was, but sleeps longer.
It's also a good move to leave the true destruction of the tarrasque as a DM option, you'd have to change the conditions in earlier versions to maintain the mystery.
Abilities look good, will have to play it out in a year or two to really know.
Tips from the pros: Proper tarrasque roar
Fire up a few godzilla youtube clips. Note the odd, haunting wail. Something between a dinosaur and a goose. To emulate, throw your head back and try to make a goose honk, but stretched out and very nasel. It should rumble behind your eyes.
side bar: epic level 3e tarrasque given "powers" inspired by 4e
HP: 8640 AC: 64 normal attack routine as per monster manual, but 3 times the attacks and at quadruple damage, with an additional +80 to strike. Complete immunity to all magic and other effects such as lava, poisen etc.
Regeneration: 200hp/round, permanently hasted as a supernatural ability
POWERS
Time stop smash:
once every four rounds, the tarrasque makes its "rush" at such fantastic speeds it counts as a time stop, and as it rapidly drops out of near-light speed, connects with something and probably blows it up.
This costs the tarrasque a full round action, and the tarrasque may move through the air as if it had flight. The tarrasque may travel 1km with this attack.
The target, if struck, suffers 1000 points of smashing damage, is knocked prone, and stuffed into the bottom of a small crater just big enough for the target and the big T. Every other creature within 100 ft must save vs reflex dc 40 or suffer 20d6 energy, debris and sonic damage (60d6 total).
Grab:
If the tarrasque hits with its claw attack, it may make an improved grapple attempt with a +20 bonus on top of its regular abilities. If succesful, the target is now considered helpless, and wielded as if a weapon by the tarrasque. Further claw attacks may be made, dealing half of the damage to the pinned "weapon" and full damage to the new target. This ability may be used as many times per round as the tarrasque wishes, and does not impede its normal attack routine.
Shatter:
By expending 3 of its attacks, the tarrasque may destroy any wall, obstruction or binding regardless of its strength or origin. Walls of force, 100 ft thick sheets of steel or chains made to hold gods etc ... these will all disintigrate under the force of this blow (or muscles flexing or what-have-you)
Sphere of ahnilation in the gullet:
Any creature consumed by the tarrasque automaticly comes into contact with a sphere of ahnilation. Any creature the tarrasque is weilding as a weapon may be swallowed by expending one attack.
So thats the general tarrasque I ran vs my epic level party of 6 16th-27th level characters.
Had to improvise the damage of using a wielded character to smash through many, many walls of force... ouch.
So I may yet modify the tarrasque in 4e, but for now I raise a toast to the best, and simultanously worst, aspects of 3e. Long live the new tarrasque!
--
unan
