Since im having trouble finding a on-going gaming group, and not really sure if DMing is my thing. I've decided to look into Solo adventures and playing by myself. To be honest it seems really awed, but maybe its something I could get into, but how does it work? I assume you have to be honest with yourself, but is there some outlining bigger difference that im not seeing when playing solo game?
is there a resource for people who want to play solo adventures?
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I've done a bit of this, mostly to try out APs I might not ever get a chance to play ... though I've never finished one doing this. Made it about a quarter way through Shackled City, halfway through Serpent's Skull, and a third of the way through Curse of the Crimson Throne. Also, a string of 4E modules.
There are some supplements available for this style of play, but I've never tried them. Basically, what I do is just be the GM and the players and write down PC decisions, what happens, etc. You'll have to take on all roles (obviously), so it's a lot more work than just GMing or just playing.
To save time in combat I don't use minis or physical maps. I usually do quick sketches of the grid and write over it as characters move around. If the map is more complex I just print out that page from the pdf and write over top of it.
Basically, roleplaying and not metagaming are the biggest challenges.
'Roleplaying' (or whatever you want to call it in a solo game) can be improved by figuring out the PCs personalities ahead of time well enough that they can be somewhat predictable. Then when you get to a given situation, just go with whatever comes to mind based on those personalities. If you have trouble coming up with those, I've found this helps flesh out PCs. I don't have any banter between PCs or anything like that. Interactions with NPCs are often just diplomacy rolls or reading the "What does X know?" sections of the module if I can't come up with anything based on the PCs' personalities (usually due to having to track so much). So at times it can just become a combat simulation unless you really pay attention to those personalities.
Metagaming is a bit harder since you'll probably have the module open in front of you while deciding on character actions. For this, the best I can come up with is just to make rolls. Treat the metagaming knowledge as a skill check and use character knowledge skills to determine if they'd know to do that metagamey thing or not. Not ideal, but close enough. I only do this for pre-made modules as making custom content and then running it would probably run into even more metagame issues. I also go 'by the book' and don't tweak the module in any way. Or just accept that metagaming will happen.
Pros:
- *Everything goes way faster than a regular play session with others, so it's easier to experience various content you might otherwise miss. It's hard to give a numerical comparison, but last time I added a Pathfinder Society Scenario to an Adventure Path it seemed like it took about an hour or so (compared to the 4ish hours a scenario is supposed to take). A lot of that was reading the scenario. When playing with others I tend to find a single fight can take an hour sometimes, whereas solo it rarely takes me more than 10 minutes.
- *I find it gives a better grasp of the story than simply reading the module as you are now engaged with it (even if in just a limited way). You get to see the module from both sides (player and GM), though in a limited way. Sure, being a player in the module and then GMing it for others would be way better, but getting groups can often be challenging depending on where you live.
- *If you're really shy, have social anxiety, don't like certain local gamers etc. those aren't an issue with solo play. No need to deal with that obnoxious player, the one with terrible BO, or explain the rules the 73rd time to the one who won't look up anything.
- *Fewer balance issues between PCs as every PC was made by the same person (you) instead of by different people with access to different books, different system mastery, etc.
- *No issues with adding house rules that no one else likes. Want to add a new house rule? You just got 100% agreement on adding it. Pretty much any decision you make about what style of game you want will have total consensus no matter what.
- *Easy to get a game going whenever you want. Good luck getting a regular game session going at midnight when you can't sleep!
- *I haven't played a pbp game on this site, but have on others. I find so many games eventually just fall apart, so you never get to finish them. Even regular gaming groups fall apart. Even though I've never personally finished an AP solo I know I can always pick it up with the same characters and the same GM years later if need be. With pbp or a gaming group that's fallen apart it's over and your chances of getting the band back together are slim at best. The only reason I never finished Shackled City was I moved and lost my notes. With Serpent's Skull my character sheets were digital and the hard drive kicked the bucket. I fully intend to finish Curse.
Cons:
- *Way more work for you. You need to be the one looking up all the rules, levelling up every PC, distributing loot, tracking everything, reading the module, etc.
- *No social interaction. No real way around this when playing solo.
- *I find I tend to make more suboptimal decisions in combat, largely due to having to track so much and not focusing on just one PC. But this applies to both sides of every fight, so it mostly works out.
- *Related to the above, you have so much to track. With more complex PC builds I often forget little things, so I've started making lists of stuff I always forget to use. I'd recommend keeping builds simple to avoid this. A feat that gives +X to Y when Z happens is easy to forget, so I tend to go with simple stuff like toughness, iron will, etc that just give a flat bonus all the time.
- *Explaining to people you occasionally play Pathfinder solo.
In short, it's definitely different than a regular play session. Ya, it's a bit odd, but it works.
This has been my method for quite some time due to lack of time (and to a certain extent inclination) to find a group. I can play whenever I have free time and have got through Curse of the Crimson Throne from start to finish. Currently on Book 3 of Rise of the Runelords and Book 5 of Dead Suns (Starfinder). I also plan to play Age of Ashes this way when 2E drops.
I recommend this (now sadly defunct) site for some great tips and a variety of suggested methods:
https://web.archive.org/web/20180806030426/https://thelonecrusader.com/
The Mythic Game Master Emulator system is also a great resource although I don't use it at the moment. It's pretty cheap on Drivethru RPG.
thank you guys for all your tips and suggestions, i have a lot of think about now.
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I am currently in the middle of playing solo through Crypt of the Everflame converted to D&D 5e in an effort to better learn the system and to scratch the gaming itch when Skyrim won't cut it. I know the module pretty well having GMed it 3 times in the past, plus I have drawn the maps so its not a chore if I need to teach new players. Combats do run much faster. I also have to rely on the PC rolls to determine how/if they uncover any secrets. I find it reminds me of when I used to test adventures in AD&D 2e in high school before DMing for my friends.