Solo TTRPG thread, written a couple years back on X:

The very idea of this used to strike me as weird or impossible.

Surely a game designed as a social experience at the table could not possibly be recreated….alone.

Surely this was the province of friendless gamers with no outlet for a “real” game…

Then I realized: I like friends, and being married, and socializing…and I also like being alone.

I enjoy reading books alone. Going to or watching movies alone. Drawing alone. Sometimes I even go out to eat or to the park alone. I also do some of these things with others.

It *is* a different experience, but not a lesser one. So let’s dive into the idea of what a solo rpg can do that a group one cannot, or that scratches a different itch:

1) you get to experience running and playing in the world. As a “forever DM” I enjoy getting the chance to have experiences *in* the world I create, as a player.

2) you can slow down. No one’s waiting on you - check that rule, look up or draw some art to help you imagine the scene better, think it through, savor the vibes.

You are your own audience. Enjoy.

3) avoid the chaos. DMing and playing can be a ton of fun but also can be chaotic, exhausting, and a little stressful depending on who you’re playing with. Solo, you’re the star - you can hog the camera and avoid all the meta-game argument or confusion.

Ok, so how? The major answer to this is choosing a system, any system, and then building or collecting TABLES.

tables are what allow you to have an emergent game that you can be surprised by and maintain that sense of player wonder.

Even a basic system like ODND or a clone, coupled with its procedural rules for dungeon or wilderness adventuring can hint at and begin to build a wonderfully interconnected narrative - you just have to allow yourself the pleasure of seeing it.

Ask yourself lots of questions. Better yet, ask the dice. A white d6 for yes and a red for no, using the difference between them as an indicator of “how much” is a wonderful and simple tool to ask yes or no questions:

Is this group of orcs related to the other small band I encountered? Are they the same tribe? Rivals? Does this NPC have an ulterior motive? Is this city at war with the orcs I encountered on the plains? Ask constant questions. Trust the dice!

Don’t get bogged down with too many tools. Ask yourself what kind of game you want to play the most and grab a few tables and your oracle dice and get started.

Before I end this thread, one more tip:

When I create a character, I do so by looking at art I love or drawing them first. I feel this connects me to the character much better, makes me wonder and ask questions about them, and hints at what kind of world this is before I even start. Hope this was helpful!

Finally: you can try a game set up for procedural solo play with tons of tables already packed in: My own Kal Arath and other games I’ve made are for those looking to try solo or who are already vets seeking a complete package: