Hullo all,
A new-ish player is quite eager to start a single-player campaign with me as GM, featuring her as a level 5 Vampire (the full template) Wizard, fleeing Geb on a quest for redemption and a neutral good alignment.
Just wondering whether anyone can predict any problems in execution and storytelling that I cannot, and possible solutions to those problems? General thoughts on the premise, how I should build encounters, how we should play?
I have hosted a few home campaigns and played much online, but never any solo campaigns.
Your biggest challenge will be action economy. Typically, the players shine in action economy and are able to out perform bad guys because the bad guy simply has fewer actions per round than the players. Here, it will be reversed. Your player will easily be overcome of there are too many bad guys all focused on the PC,
So remember to give your player outs: a way to escape with the knowledge and forewarning that escape may be an option or even required. For example, before a battle scene, you may want to say something along the lines of, "you get a creepy feeling that something bad is about to happen. Looking around, you see an alleyway you can duck into if things go wrong." And then let that alleyway be a means of escape for the character. Eventually, the player will learn to look for escape routes on their own.
NPCs become crucial in these games. Allies to spend a safe night with; sources of information; pattern bearers or someone to hep carry loot. Even when I'm in a full party, I still hire NPCs for things like that - non-combatants that make life easier. Your player may try on them more than usual, because now there is no PC support for buffs or healing or anything else.
A lot of pathfinder adventures have clues and cool bits of info hiding behind knowledge checks. Your player will be severely hindered in this regard. Either try to avoid this, or give extra hints and assistance from NPcs along the way. Remember, the player's character may be more intelligent than the player; I typically resolve this by allowing the group to give ideas to the player as if all those ideas were coming from the PC, this won't be an option for you, so you may have to give extra hints for the player if the player is playing an intelligent PC.
One on one games make some of the best opportunities for role playing. A lot of people get uncomfortable role playing in groups (there is now a crowd). You won't have this issue. Remember to ham it up a bit. :). This also makes for some great opportunities to set the scene. Using music can hep, some you won't have a small crowd trying to talk over it with their side conversations. It's a great opportunity to really step up the scenery.
Lastly, don't forget about atmosphere. :)
Also, don't forget that the web has a lot of support concerning solo adventures.
Why not just have NPCs join the party with sheets and all?
Just add the NPCs where the PCs would be.
If you wanted to keep it to the player alone , then yeah i would fnd ways to give the player ACs/familiars/Eidolons even outside the class features.