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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(Psi)SeveredHead" data-source="post: 5382810" data-attributes="member: 1165">This is just my experience, but you should not use solos of significantly higher level than the PCs. (Or really, any monster; I once TPKed a party using mainly vampire spawn minions of about 2 levels over the party.) This is due mainly to the high ACs, which seem to have a bigger effect than the high hit point totals.I've only run one dragon encounter, a 4th-level black dragon vs a 1st-level party in Raiders of Oakhurst. It was the first solo encounter I ran, and I temporarily developed a hate on for solos before I learned it was the high AC that was the real problem. (The solo boss for Keep on the Shadowfell had the same problem. The solo boss for Cairn of the Winter King is only one level higher than the PCs at adventure start, and I doubt that would be a problem to run.)No rules-based artifact could save them. You'd need to throw down some temporary to-hit bonuses (for attacks and spells). Some sort of flavor text dragon-slaying ritual maybe? I've not run an Essentials dragon. They look like they do the whole "solo thing" much better, but they can grab the PCs too easily IMO. (Based on looking at the math, not from experience.)</blockquote>