[1ed-3.5] What if you wished for the Tarasque "to have the mental capacity to........

[newbDM]

While I was reading the D&D Tarasque's Wikipedia article I noticed the following lines in particular:

Tarrasques have low intelligence and cannot speak. They are neutrally aligned, despite their violent and savage nature (they lack the mental capacity to choose between good or evil).

So I got to thinking, what if you wished for the tarasque to have the mental capacity to distinguish/choose between good and evil, instead of adding to the 1001 clever ways of keeping it unconscious?



p.s. Anyone have the Tarasque images from the original 1ed book, and possibly the 2ed stuff as well?

[Asbestos]

So I got to thinking, what if you wished for the tarasque to have the mental capacity to distinguish/choose between good and evil, instead of adding to the 1001 clever ways of keeping it unconscious?

Hm, well I suppose it depends on how noble the Tarrasque is. It does have to eat to live, though since its an omnivore I can see it making a conscious choice to just eat plants (the non-sentient ones, darn D&D) if it desired to.
I'd feel a little sorry for the awakened Tarrasque, though. I mean, its the only one of its kind and always will be. Depressing!

[LibraryOgre]

You know, it's not too hard to envision an "Awaken Magical Beast" spell...

[Keld Denar]

I'd feel a little sorry for the awakened Tarrasque, though. I mean, its the only one of its kind and always will be. Depressing!

Yea, wouldn't want the big T to get all mopey about his situation, start listening to Fall Out Boy, wear black eye liner, and write poetry. At least you wouldn't have to worry about the tarrasque cutting himself, unless he had some pretty epic razor blades.

[BobVosh]

so same intelligence, but aware of good/evil? That would be a bizarre wish.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

If I ever use the Tarrasque in a game I'm running, I'll make it a Half-Fiend with Divine Rank 0. Switch its feats for one Improved Toughness and other feats like Improved Flight and Quicken Spell-Like Ability, and give it a few more class skills since it will be getting Outsider skill points, like Hide and Move Silently. That will solve its mobility/flight problems, plus it can use a caster level 48 Blasphemy 1/day. It would probably get to determine the encounter distance instead of the PCs engaging it at their convenience, and it may even get a surprise round on them. It would definitely be evil aligned, as selfish and destructive as it is.

[Keld Denar]

Tschern over on the CharOp forums restated the Big T. He gave him feats like Mageslayer and Pierce Magical Conceilment to get past the most common avoidance methods. Then he gave it like, Open Lesser Chakra and Shaped Soulmeld with something to give it flight. Also, the epic feat Dire Charge to add pounce to its potential 150' rushing charge. Oh, and I think stuff like Snatch and maybe Swallow Whole. It was pretty sick.

[bosssmiley]

So I got to thinking, what if you wished for the tarasque to have the mental capacity to distinguish/choose between good and evil, instead of adding to the 1001 clever ways of keeping it unconscious?

...And that's how you get Galactus in D&D.

"I do not devour your kind because I choose to do so; I devour your kind because it is in my nature."

[Talic]

Even worse. You want a tarrasque with a good/evil awareness?

A Tarrasque that feels rejection, and guilt?

A SOLITARY, ALONE, UNIQUE among all the creatures of the world Tarrasque that knows loneliness?

What does one do when they feel rejected, guilty, or lonely?

They eat.

[DigoDragon]

...And that's how you get Galactus in D&D.

Hmmm... imagine a campaign where the Terrasque did have this kind of intelligence and so it designates a herald to go forth and find tastey villages to eat and warn people of it's eventual arrival.

This could be interesting.

[chiasaur11]

...And that's how you get Galactus in D&D.

"I do not devour your kind because I choose to do so; I devour your kind because it is in my nature."

Which is why the wizard who awakens him should have one of those infinite food thingys on hand.

[Flickerdart]

Can't the newly-awakened Tarrasque willingly suppress its Spell Resistance, allowing you to Polymorph it into something more acceptable? I don't see immunity to Polymorph on its list. That is, if it's Good. If Evil, we'll need a really big Helm of Opposite Alignment.

[Fax Celestis]

You know, it's not too hard to envision an "Awaken Magical Beast" spell...

Forget that. Just use existing wish mechanics:

Grant a creature a +1 inherent bonus to an ability score. Two to five wish spells cast in immediate succession can grant a creature a +2 to +5 inherent bonus to an ability score (two wishes for a +2 inherent bonus, three for a +3 inherent bonus, and so on). Inherent bonuses are instantaneous, so they cannot be dispelled. Note: An inherent bonus may not exceed +5 for a single ability score, and inherent bonuses to a particular ability score do not stack, so only the best one applies.

Ding, intelligence.

[Waspinator]

My favorite rebuild of the "Big T" that I've seen is the one where it was given a bunch of Martial Studys (or whatever the Tome of Battle feat is called...) so it was able to teleport around like crazy.

[Talic]

Forget that. Just use existing wish mechanics:



Ding, intelligence.

Wait. Does wish even work on Big T?

Oh yeah, kill condition. Right. Probably the most unusual wish I've seen made on the tarrasque.

[FMArthur]

I wonder if there are other ways of escaping the Tarrasque's wrath via buffing. Is there a way you can make him grow large enough that he can't really see you, for instance?

[Asbestos]

I wonder if there are other ways of escaping the Tarrasque's wrath via buffing. Is there a way you can make him grow large enough that he can't really see you, for instance?

Better yet... can we shrink him small enough to put him into say... a bag of holding and just forget about him?

[EvilElitest]

Better yet... can we shrink him small enough to put him into say... a bag of holding and just forget about him?

and some adventures will find it in a dungeon

"hey guys, look a bag"
"Dude, what is in it?"
"Well lets see, credit cards, house key, ticket to an oprea and.......guys"
from
EE

[Shadow_Elf]

Better yet... can we shrink him small enough to put him into say... a bag of holding and just forget about him?

Even better yet... Shove the Bag of Holding into a handy Haversack and let the resulting spacial paradox erase its existence.

[Jack_Simth]

Better yet... can we shrink him small enough to put him into say... a bag of holding and just forget about him?

Get swallowed, stick a portable hole into the bag of holding, Plane Shift (Stilled) home. Mr. T is no longer a problem for your local plane of existence, no save. Can be done at level 11 by a Cleric with the right items.

[newbDM]

Even worse. You want a tarrasque with a good/evil awareness?

A Tarrasque that feels rejection, and guilt?

A SOLITARY, ALONE, UNIQUE among all the creatures of the world Tarrasque that knows loneliness?

What does one do when they feel rejected, guilty, or lonely?

They eat.

Hmmm... imagine a campaign where the Terrasque did have this kind of intelligence and so it designates a herald to go forth and find tastey villages to eat and warn people of it's eventual arrival.

This could be interesting.

Dude, that is a really cool idea. Since I read it I have debated actually using it.

However, why would the herald warm the tarasque's future meals? If they run, no food. I doubt the buildings would ber very tasty.

Can't the newly-awakened Tarrasque willingly suppress its Spell Resistance, allowing you to Polymorph it into something more acceptable? I don't see immunity to Polymorph on its list. That is, if it's Good. If Evil, we'll need a really big Helm of Opposite Alignment.

But remember, magic items automatically resize.

and some adventures will find it in a dungeon

"hey guys, look a bag"
"Dude, what is in it?"
"Well lets see, credit cards, house key, ticket to an oprea and.......guys"
from
EE

I soooooo want to do that now...

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Heck, Baleful Polymorph it into a toad. No offensive abilities worth mentioning, but it keeps HP. Hardest thing to step on, ever.

[newbDM]

Heck, Baleful Polymorph it into a toad. No offensive abilities worth mentioning, but it keeps HP. Hardest thing to step on, ever.

Thanks. I needed a good laugh.

[Frosty]

Thanks. I needed a good laugh.

Baleful Polymorph allows a Fort save right? Do you know what Big T's Fort save is?

[Sstoopidtallkid]

We're talking CR 20 here. It's perfectly reasonable at that point to have a way to spam 20 5th level spells before it can kill you. Heck, at any level you're still making a profit, even if you just go with scrolls of that and Fly.

[Asbestos]

Get swallowed, stick a portable hole into the bag of holding, Plane Shift (Stilled) home. Mr. T is no longer a problem for your local plane of existence, no save. Can be done at level 11 by a Cleric with the right items.

This is awesome.
Everyone:"OMG! Its the Tarrasque!!!! What do we do?!?!"
Properly Equipped Cleric: "We... let him EAT ME!"

edit: Wait, are you talking about getting swallowed by Big T or the BoH?
edit 2: The cleric quote is better when made all anime-like. "We... let him EAAAAAAAAT MEEEEEEE!!!!!"

[Innis Cabal]

I'd feel a little sorry for the awakened Tarrasque, though. I mean, its the only one of its kind and always will be. Depressing!

Simply untrue. There is a whole planet of them in Spelljammer

[Asbestos]

Simply untrue. There is a whole planet of them in Spelljammer

Yeah, but Spelljammer also had an entire race of Hippo-men and Giant Space Hamsters. Spelljammer is simply too ridiculous to count.

[Eldaran]

Fear the horrendous art work!

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[Flickerdart]

I like how the 1e tarrasque can sever someone's torso.