A small, minor, teensy little note about the Tarrasque [Archive] - Wizards Community

A small, minor, teensy little note about the Tarrasque [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Ridureyu
09-24-05, 05:09 AM From a Design & Development article ( http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dd/20050916a ) , a little tangent box answered the question of whether or not the Tarrasque can be drowned:

"When the Monster Manual text says, “the tarrasque can be slain only by raising its nonlethal damage total to its full normal hit points +10,” you should pay attention to the “only” part of the sentence. Besides, no DM is going to let you kill a tarrasque with a few walls of force and a raise water spell."

So no. No portable hole with water underneath. Lots of people have probably read that, but a lot haven't, and I keep seeing this pop up as a strategy.
Dartanel
09-24-05, 09:05 AM Which is all well and good except,
that wasn't the point.

Drowning the Terrasque was never about getting rid of the need for a wish spell.

But drowning the Terrasque does one of two things:
a) By the RAW, drowning the Terrasque would drop its HP to -10. Which, BTW, is the point at which 0 nonlethal damage equals its HP + 10. It will be stuck in that state until you wish it dead.
b) Even if you consider drowning an attack, then it qualifies as an instant death effect, which would raise its nonlethal total to its HP + 10. And regeneration cannot heal damage from suffocation or starvation even if its nonlethal. So the Terrasque is stuck in that state for 1 hour.
Derren S.
09-24-05, 09:34 AM The way the tarrasque is written, it can be killed by drowning without wish. Drowning is no attack or instant death with a save but with a con check and regeneration doesn't protect against that. So its HP reach -10 and it is dead as it has no ability to stay alive at -10 HP.

Unless the designer do an errata, this article is just a suggestion.
kalstrand
09-24-05, 12:47 PM Plus the tarrasque is much bigger than the 6' diameter 10' deep portable hole so his head wouldn't be underwater even if he could figure out how to get in the hole.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ridureyu 09-24-05, 05:09 AM	From a Design & Development article ( http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dd/20050916a ) , a little tangent box answered the question of whether or not the Tarrasque can be drowned: "When the Monster Manual text says, “the tarrasque can be slain only by raising its nonlethal damage total to its full normal hit points +10,” you should pay attention to the “only” part of the sentence. Besides, no DM is going to let you kill a tarrasque with a few walls of force and a raise water spell." So no. No portable hole with water underneath. Lots of people have probably read that, but a lot haven't, and I keep seeing this pop up as a strategy.
Dartanel 09-24-05, 09:05 AM	Which is all well and good except, that wasn't the point. Drowning the Terrasque was never about getting rid of the need for a wish spell. But drowning the Terrasque does one of two things: a) By the RAW, drowning the Terrasque would drop its HP to -10. Which, BTW, is the point at which 0 nonlethal damage equals its HP + 10. It will be stuck in that state until you wish it dead. b) Even if you consider drowning an attack, then it qualifies as an instant death effect, which would raise its nonlethal total to its HP + 10. And regeneration cannot heal damage from suffocation or starvation even if its nonlethal. So the Terrasque is stuck in that state for 1 hour.
Derren S. 09-24-05, 09:34 AM	The way the tarrasque is written, it can be killed by drowning without wish. Drowning is no attack or instant death with a save but with a con check and regeneration doesn't protect against that. So its HP reach -10 and it is dead as it has no ability to stay alive at -10 HP. Unless the designer do an errata, this article is just a suggestion.
kalstrand 09-24-05, 12:47 PM	Plus the tarrasque is much bigger than the 6' diameter 10' deep portable hole so his head wouldn't be underwater even if he could figure out how to get in the hole.