Solo RPGs – How To Ask The Right Questions

Ack Ack Johnn!

Before I give you today’s tip, I have exciting news.

First draft of my new book on dungeon design is done!

It’s called Logical Dungeon Design: Tactical Cartography. 

Here’s the cover:

It’s about how to design dungeon maps and levels that respond to the players. Living Dungeons.

This book is also about how to create dungeons with plots and stories baked-in, so you don’t have to script anything.

Drop your dungeon onto the table and then simply enjoy playing to find out what happens.

I shared an advance copy this morning with Platinum Wizards of Adventure, who will also get the final version free as a perk.

And I’ll be launching this for sale to the public likely on Friday as one of my beta with lifetime updates deals, so keep an eye out for that special.

Alternatively, become a Platinum Wizard of Adventure today for 10 bucks to get the advance draft now and the final version free. You’ll also get my Wizard of Story adventure design and Faster Combat courses, plus my other books as additional GM Boons.

Tips For Playing Solo RPGs

I’ve seen a big rise in solo RPGs of late (just you, no players).

GMs are turning in greater numbers to this modality for various reasons, including difficulty maintaining a good group, easier to fit into crazy schedules, and a new hobby in writing and creating without campaign pressure.

Wizard of Adventure GeeDeeCee and I had an email conversation this week about solo RPG games. And he offers some great advice I want to share with you today:

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GeeDeeCee: You could make a tip about solo play to test new game systems, not only to check mechanics, but also to find out what happens next.

It could be about making use of those games you bought and never got to play. Solo or 1-on-1 are great for this, as the buy-in to test a new game system is lowered, you don’t have to convince a whole group to do it.

In solo play you only schedule time with yourself, and in 1 on 1 content gets consumed far faster because there are fewer people to interact with.

It’s mostly about creating a story, adding some tension, and then using the oracles, which provide some guidance that needs to be interpreted and added to the fiction.

You can also use random tables to get ideas about how something might present itself into the story, or its form.

It’s important to learn how to ask the question to the oracles.

Yes should align with your desired answer, and the No provides the counterpoint. There are a lot of possible oracles, but this principle is shared.

You don’t ask, “Is the door closed”, you ask, “Is the door open?”

Other types of oracles add “yes, and”, “yes, but”, “no, and”, and “no, but”.

There’s also the Mythic Game Master Emulator (GME) that has an adjustment for how tense the situation is evolving, and has optional rules for framing scenes.

There’s a game that’s free to download called Ironsworn. Check the oracle section and the random tables it has right after the oracle. That can be used to interpret a solo situation or decide something as a GM.

There are games like Scarlet Heroes that has also a lot of desirable tables. It’s a trove of resources for both solo players and GMs.

And BTW, as GMs know how to GM, we get solo play easier than players who aren’t used to interpreting the result of a random table. So it’s great practice for improving your skills as an improvising GM.

Excellent advice. Thank you GeeDeeCee!

I’m not too familiar with the new batch of solo RPGs.

I’d be especially interested in innovative dungeon builders and crawlers, world builders, and campaign-length solos.

Roleplaying Tips GM, if you have any recommendations, let me know.

Cheers,
Johnn
roleplayingtips.com
https://discord.gg/6MxTRAqQ76
Have more fun at every game!

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