Interested in trying Solo RPGs but not sure how to start? In this video I explain the steps I took to begin my Solo RPG Journey and give you 5 tips and recommendations to get started on yours. I also give some words of encouragement and share my opinion on why Solo Roleplaying matters.
Read more about why I don’t recommend using AI for solo RPG play:
https://substack.com/home/post/p-148491825
Links to Resources Mentioned – DIGITAL:
r/Solo_Roleplaying – https://www.reddit.com/r/Solo_Roleplaying/
Ironsworn Example Play Podcast – https://ironsworn.podbean.com/
Sandbox Generator Digital – https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/430675/sandbox-generator
Four Against Darkness – https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/180588/four-against-darkness
Ironsworn RPG (FREE) – https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/238369/ironsworn
Scarlet Heroes RPG – https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/127180/scarlet-heroes
Mythic GME – https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/422929/mythic-game-master-emulator-second-edition
Links to Games Mentioned – PHYSICAL (Affiliate Disclaimer*)
Four Against Darkness (Great for ‘Trying Solo’) – https://amzn.to/4e6Mynu
Ironsworn Starforged (Narrative Sci-Fi Next Step) – https://amzn.to/3ZcQ8Za
Scarlet Heroes (D&D Style All in One Solo Game) – https://amzn.to/4g8lu9h
Sandbox Generator (Awesome solo world building resource – https://amzn.to/4gb87Fe
Mythic GME (Solo Module for ANY TTRPG) – https://amzn.to/4e8smSd
(*Buying through any of these links supports me at no extra cost to you)
Contents
00:00 Intro
00:23 Backstory: How I got into Solo RPGs
00:59 Don’t rely on AI
01:57 Four Against Darkness
04:02 Ironsworn
05:23 Scarlet Heroes
07:30 Mythic Game Master Emulator
09:10 Why Solo Roleplay?
10:58 Words of Encouragement
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What a great video. So often these solo videos tell you how to do it. They are instructional. You have that to some degree. What I really love though is that you explained your journey: both the pitfalls and the joys. Heartfelt and honest. Love it dude
I started solo RPGing in 1980. I owned RuneQuest, the first RPG I'd purchased with my own money; but most (not all) of my friends were playing D&D. My solo games started with learning the character creation process then testing skills, 'Why is Varrick going to attempt this Jump test? What happens if he fails?' Then I tested the combat systems and began to imagine what the fight was about.
I gave up permanently on 5e because people are not obsessed with storytelling, they are obsessed with numbers, HP bloat, crunch, tactical combat, flanking, attack of opportunity and such. I played last time in 2024, that was the very last time believe me. I switched to ShadowDark and DeathBringer.
I guess this is a total noob question: but where are they? Is this an app on the mobile? A desktop game? A journal you write in? What is a sandbox? Another app? When you invent characters and stories, how exactly do you do it? Pe and paper? On a website online?
This was a really great intro, thanks for making this video and sharing it. And yeah, whether playing a TTRPG with a group or on my own…using, encouraging my creativity is the point. I don't want AI doing the thinking and imagining for me.
I had played role playing games solo as a kid and didn't know what it was at the time. Later on a friend introduced me to 20 years of playiing D&D with him just the two of us. After he lost interest I tried playing with a group but it was a negative experience to say the least. I would like to try getting back to solo but not sure how to start so hope this helps a bit.
Man, I played my first game of Five Leagues today, supplemented by the Solo Adventurer's Toolkit. Best fricken story I've ever imagined or made. If I'd have been DMing the game for other players they'd think I was a rock star.
Amen Brother. Solo RPGs have been fantastic and really helped me to feel valid in having creative play as art of my life without getting in a "Forever GM" headspace. I love that Ironsworn can be played as a group in a GM-less format. I also love that I have vivid memories of my play as an armored Ratman (murian) bounty hunter in Notorious. I got into the flow and was experiencing some premium TV episodes in my head . The freedom to create and the joy in appreciating the lattice that authors have provided for your mental roses is so worth experiencing. It's great Self Care.
It also serves as Gym or Dojo time if you run games for others. You learn to trust instincts, make connections and what a narratively rewarding payoff in an adventure feels like. It takes the fear out of improv and replaces it with joyful engagement.
Yeah, once I tried using AI for gaming, I didn't want to Solo by myself. I wanted the AI to run it for me.
what an honest and refreshing view, thank you!
A year on… What I love is while the artists are screaming about creativity – I actually watched a photographer youtuber bang on about it the other day, I mean a guy with a camera, creativity – and AI is that all they draw is one picture. One idea. Maybe even promoting some underlying psychology, philosophy or ideology because that makes it really meaningful… Meanwhile we create entire worlds in our minds and interact with them. As deep or as frivolous as you like.
I bought my wife a DnD starter kit, it came with maps and such, but I feel trapped by the 3 people requirement. She is wheelchair bound and needs the adventure..thank you for the video. The alternatives look good!!
the first minutes were not valuable information so I stop watching
Oh man, four against darkness just got an extension this month. Its a sign from the D&D gods!
I am running an AI game right now. It worked well for D&D, however, even with the 5.0 paid ChatGPT, it forgets some of the rules and progress tracks. As long as you keep your own brief notes and character sheet, it is easily correctable. I am using AI for a training thing so peeps go easy haha. BUT – it actually comes up with some interesting storylines. I am going to take the story and reduce the AI interaction and use it merely for areas where I get stuck, it can work for people with apprehension of solo RPG'ng.
Inspiring and thoughtful video; thank you
The part that I get tripped up on is NPC conversations
Loving this video, even though I don't play RPG's I am a big fan of expanding creativity. And your authenticity.
This is so inspiring! Thank you! I've done a few attempts at solo over the last couple of years. It's always been fun but somehow I've had difficulty keeping it up. I run some games as GM, play in some occasionally and play semi-GMless games with my wife (actually we're playing an actually GMless Shadowdark now I'm Terra Invictus). I don't actually get to rpg a lot so all this is going on infrequently.
But I've been thinking about solo more lately as well. I want to finally try solo where I also create the world as I go. I've collected really cool materials for this but I would also see using Scarlett Heroes as the system and Sandbox Generator as the main world creation tool (though I've really been enjoying Shadowdark tables as well..). I've had Mythic 1st ed pdf but also dreaming of getting the pod Mythic 2 eventually. Very cool! Thanks again!
Cool beans
Such a lovely video, thank you for sharing your story.