Challenge: 4 fighters vs. the Tarrasque

[Eldan]

I was wondering. The Tarrasque is generally seen as a bit disappointing to deal with, since a few ways take it out rather easily. So, instead, I'm wondering now, can it be taken out in melee?

The build:
Four pure human Fighters 20.
Their magic equipment has to go into things that provides bonuses to melee-relevant stats: to hit, physical damage, the ability scores, armour class, miss chances, land speed, damage reduction, initiative, saves.
Specifically, they may not get access to incorporeality or etherealness, flight or other forms of non-landspeed movement, teleportation, ability damage, any kind of magic, psionics or supernatural abilities, summoning or binding.
No Leadership, no followers, animal companions, etc. with any of the above.
I might put in a few more limitations, but I think you get the idea.

Can this be done?

[Yuki Akuma]

Considering you've disallowed Rings of Three Wishes/scrolls of Miracle/etc., no, it can't be done.

[Eldan]

Oh yeah. I wanted to include that. We have a nearby helpful DMPC who will cast wish once, as soon as the Tarrasque is disabled.

[Karnith]

When you say "pure fighter," does that mean no Fighter ACFs, as well? And are Martial Study and Martial Stance allowed?

A group of Shock Trooper/Leap Attack fighters could probably take down the Tarrasque in one round.

[ShurikVch]

Rush aside, Tarrasque is slow as snail.
Speed 20? Come on!
Even without mounts fighters must easy stay ahead of the beast. And pelt it with whatever their favorite ranged weapon. Add in Vile Martial Strike and in about 10 min. big T will be knocked out.

[Firechanter]

Yeah, a bunch of archers with reasonable land speed and sufficient ammo shouldn't have any trouble. Who cares about doing it at level 20 anyway? A lvl 20 party is supposed to do _four_ CR20 encounters in one day! The interesting question about killing a Tarrasque is, how to do it at level 13, when you gain maximum XP from it.

[Humble Master]

Immediately, Uberchargers + White Raven Tactics + Leading the Attack comes to mind. Just run the Tarrasque down with an unstoppable onslaught of charging.

[Eldan]

Hm. True. I didn't even consider speed. Man, that thing sucks.

[eggynack]

Hm. True. I didn't even consider speed. Man, that thing sucks.
The tarrasque is a rather tragic figure. He's the behemoth that's been left behind within this ever more magical world. He just keeps piling on bigger and bigger numbers, creating all of these varied defenses, and it's not enough. It'll never be enough. He's a landlocked titan past his prime, being killed by monsters that are 17 CR lower than he is. In a way, he represents all we've lost in the crushing tide of optimization: the fear and majesty of a creature too massive to behold, and too brimming with power to be defeated. Perhaps he also represents all we've gained too. The game is more interesting when the best tactic is doing one of a million different things, rather than just stabbing the enemy. He's a fossil, ossified and stagnant as the world changes around him, and yet we're drawn to him again and again because he represents an ancient time. He tells us how much we have changed, and how much we have grown, just by existing.

[tim01300]

That was beautiful

[Eldariel]

A single level 20 Fighter can probably beat the Tarrasque in melee if built right. Yeah, Archers work but the DR and Regeneration might just outpace any damage they do so you need some way to either overcome the DR or output enough damage to punch through it. It does have Rush once per minute so they aren't entirely safe.

An Archer (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=163500) I built for another similar challenge (killing the PF Tarrasque 1v1). I used Raptor Arrows and a +5 Weapons to reach epic bonuses to overcome its DR without making a specialized fighter (that is, his abilities work against anything anyways), and got decent damage output. That fight happened in dungeon terrain though and due to some micromanagement mistakes, he died but power-wise he should be fine.

[LordBlades]

2 uberchargers should do the trick. With enough distance between them, even if the tarrasque moves first and gets into melee with one, the other can still charge and kill it.

[INoKnowNames]

The tarrasque is a rather tragic figure. He's the behemoth that's been left behind within this ever more magical world. He just keeps piling on bigger and bigger numbers, creating all of these varied defenses, and it's not enough. It'll never be enough. He's a landlocked titan past his prime, being killed by monsters that are 17 CR lower than he is. In a way, he represents all we've lost in the crushing tide of optimization: the fear and majesty of a creature too massive to behold, and too brimming with power to be defeated. Perhaps he also represents all we've gained too. The game is more interesting when the best tactic is doing one of a million different things, rather than just stabbing the enemy. He's a fossil, ossified and stagnant as the world changes around him, and yet we're drawn to him again and again because he represents an ancient time. He tells us how much we have changed, and how much we have grown, just by existing.


That was beautiful

I just wanted to pop in and +1 tim. eggynack, that -was- beautiful.

[eggynack]

That was beautiful


I just wanted to pop in and +1 tim. eggynack, that -was- beautiful.
Thank you, good sirs. :smallbiggrin: