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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Oofta" data-source="post: 7315740" data-attributes="member: 6801845">I've been busy and didn't respond before, but I do have to say that the party was given every possible advantage and then some.  So [MENTION=467]Reynard[/MENTION], I wanted to give some feedback ... I don't think the system is necessarily broken, but you bent too far backwards to "help" the party.    It happens to all DMs, I know it's happened to me more than once (and probably will again) and it has very little to do with 5E.  Solos are never easy to run, have never worked very well and the CR guidelines aren't going to be much help when you gave them this much of an advantage and an additional 20th level character.Having said all that, I'm trying to give some helpful advice.  But the big question is: did the players have fun?  If they did, then the encounter was a success.  Sometimes the players stomp on your encounters, it's part of the game.Did they have access to a 20th level bard for the 12 hours it takes to cast the spell?  Also, note the part of the rules of Simulacrum where it gives the rules for repairing it.  Specific beats general in this game and if there's a specific rule that says "this is how you restore HP to this creature" that overrides the general rules on magical healing.So this sounds like they effectively had a surprise round.  Why?  It seems like it could have been the other way around - Z knew exactly when the rift would open up, the players did not.I'm confused.  The rift opened up 100 feet away ... and the dragon didn't come through?  Oh, and dragons have blindsight so I would rule that it could see the pixies.  The bard could not have taken the hide action and readied an action on the same round (unless he could hide as a bonus action?).  Not sure it really matters, he could have said he hid earlier.  Is this an elven bard that can hide in natural surroundings?  Whole lot of confusion here again.  Z's breath weapon is a 90 foot cone.  How did we get to round 2 without him blasting the party and flying away?  Why would he ready a breath weapon when it's a 90 foot cone?  In addtion, the goal of the dragon would be to stay away from the mortal with the weapon that has trip attack potential.  Last, but not least if he used his wing buffet it should also have flown 40 ft awayAs other people have posted, a gargantuan creature is at least 20X20.  I'd have made it bigger based on it's role in the campaign.In addition, attacking through the cage is problematic.  You only have half an inch gap between bars. Z's breath weapon would pass through and possibly some spells but most weapons could not.  Pull out a ruler sometime and look at how big a half inch really is, it's less than the width of a broom handle so any kind of axe/halberd/reach weapon would not fit.  There is no way you could effectively swing so as to still hit.  I guess you could poke a sword through and thrust but at best it would be at disadvantage to hit and the dragon would have to have vulnerable area right next to the wall of the cage.Whether or not an arrow would fit through the 1/2 inch gap is debatable, but it no one had sharpshooter I probably would not have allowed it.In addition,  how big is the body of the dragon?  Why can't Z just fold in his wings, curl up his tail and sit in the middle of the cage where no one could reach him?  If he's too big to do that, then he was probably too big to fit in the cage in the first place (which I think he should be). Your implementation of force cage is what really did this in.  I also question how much damage could have been done in this period of time, even with all the free hits.  It seems like Z should have had at least a couple more rounds with possible breath weapon recharging in there.Solo monsters have always been tough to run, I almost never run a true solo unless they have tricks (illusions, traps, etc) up their sleeves.  It don't think it's the fault of the edition.But again, I'll ask. Did the players have fun?  If the answer is yes, the game was a success.  D&D is not a game of DM vs Player it's DMs telling a story with the help of the players.  Sometimes it means the encounter is not a fair fight, it's just part of the game.</blockquote>

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