[RPG] If a Gelatinous Cube takes up the entire space of a pit trap, what happens when a creature falls in but succeeds on the saving throw against Engulf

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A player character falls into a 10-foot × 10-foot concealed pit trap, which is 20 feet deep. At the bottom of this pit is a gelatinous cube, which occupies all of the bottom 10 × 10 × 10 (width × height × depth) area of the pit.

The statblock for a gelatinous cube (from the Monster Manual, page 242) indicates that when a creature enters the cube's space (e.g. by falling into it, in this case), it's subjected to the cube's Engulf ability and has disadvantage on that saving throw.

If a character falls into the pit trap, but succeeds on the saving throw against the gelatinous cube's Engulf, what space does the character end up in?

Best Answer

The creature is still stuck in the cube, even on a successful save.

As the question mentions, the cube has this property:

Ooze Cube. The cube takes up its entire space. Other creatures can enter the space, but a creature that does so is subjected to the cube's Engulf and has disadvantage on the saving throw.

From the Gelatinous Cube's Engulf ability:

On a successful save, the creature can choose to be pushed 5 feet back or to the side of the cube.

Emphasis mine. The operative word being that the creature can choose to be pushed, but doesn't have to if they don't want to (unlikely) or are unable to (more likely). If there is no space 5 feet back or to the side of the cube, the creature can't choose to be pushed and therefore must choose not to be pushed.

And,

A creature that chooses not to be pushed suffers the consequences of a failed saving throw.

So the creature suffers the consequences of a failed saving throw.

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