Thank you for the video. I use Ironsworn or ironsworn star forged, but I draw inspiration from books with settings. For example: I play Ironsworn Starforged Solo in the Star Wars Universe. So occasionally I go to a SW book (WEG or FFG) to generate ideas.
You are welcome. I have used Ironsworn to explore the Hot Springs Island, and would like to run it through Dark Sun at some point. I could see Starforged being used to even a play a post apoc type of game with some effort (Thundarr the Barbarian anyone?). I think the main limiter with the Tomkin games are that it really wants you to be resource starved and always on the move. Other than that, they are pretty open to interpretation within the fantasy and sci fi genres respectively.
Choosing the right game system has been one of the things I have struggled with but that is partly because each system I look at has value to me, along with certain elements that I like. My main point of view now is that I want to lean toward simple/ narrative gaming, but with a decent measure of crunch to offer rules support. Beyond that, I feel that the story I want to tell, along with the general focus of my game, will determine which system is best. I love Ironsworn and Starforged because they are a good mix of freedom and structure. After watching several playthrough videos from one specific gamer, I have come to look at these games in a new light, appreciating just how much they can focus on story and narrative. I also really love both Fate and Savage Worlds as my "do anything" systems. Fate wins when I want to focus on story and SW wins when I want a bit more emphasis on the "game" aspect of RPG. And if I want to play a D&D-style game, I turn to Shadowdark. There are so many great games available.
As a fellow sufferer from game system ADD I feel your pain😀. That is one of the greatest benefits of solo play in my mind. I can try the different systems without inconveniencing a whole group if I jump around a bit. You mentioned some great options in your comment, as I love Ironforged, Fate and Savage Worlds. Shadowdark is another great choice. When I go to a convention, I know I always look for the niche games to get into, Shadowdark and Monster of the Week, because those are ones I find more difficulty getting a group together for.
Without a doubt the most helpful video I've watched on solo role-playing - and I've watched many! I've been freefalling around different systems for a while and have read a lot of core books but not done much playing! I think I've settled on Fantasy AGE (and maybe Modern AGE for non-fantasy) as it feels pretty accessible, but the jury is still out re: oracles and random encounters/ environment builders. Mythic to my knowledge is the oracle - does it help much with environment or random encounters? Thanks again - so glad I found this channel :)
Appreciate the kind words. I did another video more recently that tackles that very subject “picking the right Oracle”, so I will do my best to answer here, but that is another resource for you. First, Fantasy AGE would be a good system because the stunts really help tell the story, and the system doesn’t have TOO much overhead. That said, it is still a little bit on the heavy side for what I like when I solo, so I would want to balance that by using a less cumbersome Oracle. Mythic is AMAZING, I own 3 different versions and each has its advantages, but other than One Page Mythic, I’d say that it is on the heavier side of the oracles. It has a lot of procedure to track threads and people and twists and chaos factor… which I’m good with unless I am using a game that has a lot of things going on as well. So, just based upon our short conversation, while the element tables would help immensely with random encounters, I’d be more prone to steer you to a lighter oracle due to choice of game… I’ll give 2 suggestions here, One Page Mythic is a slick and easy version of the Mythic Oracle and you can’t go wrong giving it a chance. If you wanted something that is still as simple and provides a little more depth of generation tools, Game Master’s Apprentice cards are also excellent and they are easy to operate as well! Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions.
Thank you! I have 3 of the D100 Dungeon books. I like the concept and very much appreciate the skill in designing it, it just wasn’t clicking for me when I played it. Good game, just not for me.
Great video! It’s interesting to see how you answer this question. I’m often asked it on the D&D Solo RPG group on FB and I think you covered most of my answer and went into more detail on specific games. You didn’t mention the various emulators and solo tools that are not natively part of a system. I tend to mention the differences between something driven by specific random tables (what’s in the next room in a dungeon) and the more abstract pair of words action + theme type oracles. Have you done so in another video. I have posted a link to this video on our group as I think it’s relevant.
Shane, great minds think alike! I actually do have another video where I specifically talk about selecting an Oracle. It is one of my best performing videos, it would likely be of some use as a reference tool (as good as I could make at any rate 😀). Thanks for watching and for sharing man, much appreciated! I have a third video on getting the most out of an Oracle as well. These are all in my RPG 101 series.
@@booksbricksandboards783 I've been trying to figure out how to merge ironsworn with Savage Worlds. I love the powers and combat from Savage Worlds. I feel ironsworn has a bit more structure than mythic for solo progression.
@@corybanticfire you should read Solitary Defilement (for Mork Borg) sometime. They, in my opinion, took the Ironsworn concept and applied it to a standard D20 resolution system (like 5e). Seeing how they adapted it might help with your idea.
Thank you for this video. So, so helpful. I'm just discovering solo rpg games. I see many of them are sold as PDFs. Any recommendations for printing them in a nice format? Would love to have them as proper books (or as close to it)
Funny you should ask that, as I have a similar taste for printed books… when I want to have a printed copy of a PDF only book, I print on heavier weight paper, then buy three hole binder sleeves, and place in a heavy duty three ring binder (like the better ones at Wal Mart or your local big box store). If you look at my solo series on Worlds Without Number, I printed that whole rulebook and put in a binder. It isn’t cheap, but it lays flat and will last forever.
Nice contents! I'd like to suggest a video in which you explain how would you approach a solo gaming session or campaign based on a published adventure. That is: an oracle will give you infinite freedom, but a good adventure provides a frame and immersion. You of course spoil it all when reading it, but still: have you ever solo played an adventure book? How did you do it?
I have not done a regular “not for solo” adventure book, I’ve done lots of free form, a little premade solo adventures, and I have done premade sandboxes (The Dark of Hot Springs Island with Ironsworn, which I believe I did a video on). When it comes to the premade group modules, I haven’t only because I find that the Oracle really gives some awesome insights for what is happening in a solo world, and I think I would inhibit that with a premade adventure trying to force results into that framework. That said, if I did one it would be an adventure that I had already ran so that I wasn’t spoiling it with the solo run, and I would be familiar enough I could know where I could change things without “breaking it”. Curse of Strahd or the 2nd Edition House of Strahd would be candidates I would (and have considered). I would probably use Mork Borg for those.
Welcome. If I do a premade adventure I will put some thoughts on the channel. I probably won’t do a solo play video on it just for the fact it would be hours long.
Thac0 is pretty simple. If my Thac0 is 15, I need to roll 15 to hit AC 0. If they have a different AC, subtract from THAC0 to get TN. AC 5, I need a 10. AC 10 I need a 5.
I think it’s mainly an AD&D 2nd edition thing. I looked it up to make sure I wasn’t incorrect and looks like it’s added in Masters (M of BECMI) and is optional in Rules Cyclopedia, and I’m oversimplifying it somewhat but mainly I’d say 2e AD&D is where you’ll see THAC0 used consistently.
Crunch is a term used to refer to the weight of the mechanics used in the game. A high level of ‘crunch’ would refer to a game that is fairly complicated and likely has a number of moving pieces to keep track of.
Thank you for the video. I use Ironsworn or ironsworn star forged, but I draw inspiration from books with settings. For example: I play Ironsworn Starforged Solo in the Star Wars Universe. So occasionally I go to a SW book (WEG or FFG) to generate ideas.
You are welcome. I have used Ironsworn to explore the Hot Springs Island, and would like to run it through Dark Sun at some point. I could see Starforged being used to even a play a post apoc type of game with some effort (Thundarr the Barbarian anyone?). I think the main limiter with the Tomkin games are that it really wants you to be resource starved and always on the move. Other than that, they are pretty open to interpretation within the fantasy and sci fi genres respectively.
Choosing the right game system has been one of the things I have struggled with but that is partly because each system I look at has value to me, along with certain elements that I like. My main point of view now is that I want to lean toward simple/ narrative gaming, but with a decent measure of crunch to offer rules support. Beyond that, I feel that the story I want to tell, along with the general focus of my game, will determine which system is best.
I love Ironsworn and Starforged because they are a good mix of freedom and structure. After watching several playthrough videos from one specific gamer, I have come to look at these games in a new light, appreciating just how much they can focus on story and narrative. I also really love both Fate and Savage Worlds as my "do anything" systems. Fate wins when I want to focus on story and SW wins when I want a bit more emphasis on the "game" aspect of RPG. And if I want to play a D&D-style game, I turn to Shadowdark.
There are so many great games available.
As a fellow sufferer from game system ADD I feel your pain😀. That is one of the greatest benefits of solo play in my mind. I can try the different systems without inconveniencing a whole group if I jump around a bit. You mentioned some great options in your comment, as I love Ironforged, Fate and Savage Worlds. Shadowdark is another great choice. When I go to a convention, I know I always look for the niche games to get into, Shadowdark and Monster of the Week, because those are ones I find more difficulty getting a group together for.
Without a doubt the most helpful video I've watched on solo role-playing - and I've watched many! I've been freefalling around different systems for a while and have read a lot of core books but not done much playing! I think I've settled on Fantasy AGE (and maybe Modern AGE for non-fantasy) as it feels pretty accessible, but the jury is still out re: oracles and random encounters/ environment builders. Mythic to my knowledge is the oracle - does it help much with environment or random encounters? Thanks again - so glad I found this channel :)
Appreciate the kind words. I did another video more recently that tackles that very subject “picking the right Oracle”, so I will do my best to answer here, but that is another resource for you. First, Fantasy AGE would be a good system because the stunts really help tell the story, and the system doesn’t have TOO much overhead. That said, it is still a little bit on the heavy side for what I like when I solo, so I would want to balance that by using a less cumbersome Oracle. Mythic is AMAZING, I own 3 different versions and each has its advantages, but other than One Page Mythic, I’d say that it is on the heavier side of the oracles. It has a lot of procedure to track threads and people and twists and chaos factor… which I’m good with unless I am using a game that has a lot of things going on as well. So, just based upon our short conversation, while the element tables would help immensely with random encounters, I’d be more prone to steer you to a lighter oracle due to choice of game… I’ll give 2 suggestions here, One Page Mythic is a slick and easy version of the Mythic Oracle and you can’t go wrong giving it a chance. If you wanted something that is still as simple and provides a little more depth of generation tools, Game Master’s Apprentice cards are also excellent and they are easy to operate as well! Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions.
This is an absurdly good video. Thank you so so much!
Thanks Andreas. Glad it was helpful!
I recently started playing D100 dungeon and it is really good...I bought the first book already and plan to expand into the other 7 or 8.
Great video
Thank you! I have 3 of the D100 Dungeon books. I like the concept and very much appreciate the skill in designing it, it just wasn’t clicking for me when I played it. Good game, just not for me.
Great video!
It’s interesting to see how you answer this question. I’m often asked it on the D&D Solo RPG group on FB and I think you covered most of my answer and went into more detail on specific games.
You didn’t mention the various emulators and solo tools that are not natively part of a system. I tend to mention the differences between something driven by specific random tables (what’s in the next room in a dungeon) and the more abstract pair of words action + theme type oracles. Have you done so in another video.
I have posted a link to this video on our group as I think it’s relevant.
Shane, great minds think alike! I actually do have another video where I specifically talk about selecting an Oracle. It is one of my best performing videos, it would likely be of some use as a reference tool (as good as I could make at any rate 😀). Thanks for watching and for sharing man, much appreciated! I have a third video on getting the most out of an Oracle as well. These are all in my RPG 101 series.
got the cypher system through a recent humble bundle. Haven't had a chance to try it solo yet. Just playing ironsworn and savage worlds right now.
Those are 2 excellent solo options!
@@booksbricksandboards783 I've been trying to figure out how to merge ironsworn with Savage Worlds. I love the powers and combat from Savage Worlds. I feel ironsworn has a bit more structure than mythic for solo progression.
@@corybanticfire you should read Solitary Defilement (for Mork Borg) sometime. They, in my opinion, took the Ironsworn concept and applied it to a standard D20 resolution system (like 5e). Seeing how they adapted it might help with your idea.
@booksbricksandboards783 I'll have to check that out. thanks.
Thank you for this video. So, so helpful. I'm just discovering solo rpg games. I see many of them are sold as PDFs. Any recommendations for printing them in a nice format? Would love to have them as proper books (or as close to it)
Funny you should ask that, as I have a similar taste for printed books… when I want to have a printed copy of a PDF only book, I print on heavier weight paper, then buy three hole binder sleeves, and place in a heavy duty three ring binder (like the better ones at Wal Mart or your local big box store). If you look at my solo series on Worlds Without Number, I printed that whole rulebook and put in a binder. It isn’t cheap, but it lays flat and will last forever.
Awesome! Thank you very much!
Very welcome
Good video, well done, thanks!
Thanks, appreciate your kind words!
Nice contents!
I'd like to suggest a video in which you explain how would you approach a solo gaming session or campaign based on a published adventure. That is: an oracle will give you infinite freedom, but a good adventure provides a frame and immersion. You of course spoil it all when reading it, but still: have you ever solo played an adventure book? How did you do it?
I have not done a regular “not for solo” adventure book, I’ve done lots of free form, a little premade solo adventures, and I have done premade sandboxes (The Dark of Hot Springs Island with Ironsworn, which I believe I did a video on). When it comes to the premade group modules, I haven’t only because I find that the Oracle really gives some awesome insights for what is happening in a solo world, and I think I would inhibit that with a premade adventure trying to force results into that framework. That said, if I did one it would be an adventure that I had already ran so that I wasn’t spoiling it with the solo run, and I would be familiar enough I could know where I could change things without “breaking it”. Curse of Strahd or the 2nd Edition House of Strahd would be candidates I would (and have considered). I would probably use Mork Borg for those.
@@booksbricksandboards783thx for the answer!
Welcome. If I do a premade adventure I will put some thoughts on the channel. I probably won’t do a solo play video on it just for the fact it would be hours long.
Nice Ozark shirt
I appreciate that you noticed that. I was hoping that someone would pick up on the reference.
Does anyone have a good recommendation for a game with 1 pc? I don’t like balancing teams out myself. Maybe two PCs could work.
Ironsworn is an excellent choice for that. Another would be Scarlet Heroes.
I really want to try out Becmi on my own to learn Thac0
Thac0 is pretty simple. If my Thac0 is 15, I need to roll 15 to hit AC 0. If they have a different AC, subtract from THAC0 to get TN. AC 5, I need a 10. AC 10 I need a 5.
I think it’s mainly an AD&D 2nd edition thing. I looked it up to make sure I wasn’t incorrect and looks like it’s added in Masters (M of BECMI) and is optional in Rules Cyclopedia, and I’m oversimplifying it somewhat but mainly I’d say 2e AD&D is where you’ll see THAC0 used consistently.
Crunch?
Crunch is a term used to refer to the weight of the mechanics used in the game. A high level of ‘crunch’ would refer to a game that is fairly complicated and likely has a number of moving pieces to keep track of.