A friend and I actually used Mythic GME to run a co-op Pathfinder game and it was extremely enjoyable. It allows for a unique situation where both players are involved in the creation and perpetuation of the world; an activity that only becomes better as context increases and gameplay continues. This practice went beyond simply taking turns, as we often found ourselves collaborating when interpreting roll tables or implementing new concepts. The world, story and characters were built from a combination of our individual ideas and teamwork, which created a bond between us and the universe we conjured together. Mythic's one flaw is that it's impossible to describe to someone who hasn't played it, and even harder to understand from a multiplayer perspective. But it's robust construction allows for an experience that can't be replicated through traditional means and I would highly recommend giving it a try, whether solo or with friends.
Im literally doing the same thing, playing a co-op pathfinder campaign. We have a Goloma cleric and an orc witch and it’s been so much fun whenever we have to time to get to it.
@@Thumperoo it helps improv during gm-ing. Dont worry abt the plot, design conflicts! Npcs, locations and sketch out possible events/scenes. Advice from another new gm;)
I disagree with "Makes RPGs none-social" you can play Mythic with a group of friends, I do it all the time. It's a lot of fun, we can all collaborate and build the story together.
I don't even see a problem with the "non-social" aspect. Somewhere along the line, we accepted RPGs as a performative activity, without realizing that performative does not equate to requiring an audience or mutual participation. A musician might play in a band and perform at gigs and concerts - but many enjoy simply playing an instrument for their own enjoyment. Likewise with dance, or honestly any artistic endeavor. As for games, there's no requirement for a "social" element when it comes to enjoyment. There are plenty of single-player RPG video games (such as Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Baldur's Gate, etc.) and nobody thinks twice about a "social" aspect. Players simply enjoy their interaction with the world and its inhabitants, and their ability to influence the story. A tabletop pen-and-paper RPG need be no different than any of the above.
@HeadHunterSix I totally agree with that. I have no idea where that idea started, but I remember I few times asking if a game was offline solo and hearing people say a game doesn't need offline solo cause what's the point of playing a video game offline by yourself.... I remember face palming when I read those comments... smh 🤣 , don't get me wrong, I love using the internet, playing games online, ect, but it shouldn't be the only option.
I use Mythic and the Oracles from Ironsworn to do my session prep. It turns what looks like work into gaming, as I have to interpret and invent following the emulator's prompt. My last campaign, using Fabula Ultima, was completely generated with random tools: NPC's motivations, factions, events, encounter ambiance...
I do the same thing! Ironsworn is an underrated treasure. Can't believe Shawn gives it away for free. I also found Delve to be awesome to use during play, for on-the-fly dungeon creation (for non-ironsworn games).
As a frequent and long time user of MGME, this is a great little review and intro to the system. Anyone new to the system could save a lot of time and clear up a lot of confusion by watching it.
I have found Mythic to be a fantastic tool to ease my way into GM-ing games, not just solo gaming! There's a lot to be gained from reading and using this book, even if not used regularly!
Swede here: That's some sweet pronounciation of Vaesen (Väsen)! 100% correct. :) Also, man, your reviews are great! I've found some real gems through your channel, and also thankfully dodged some of the products that promise more than they provide.
I've been looking for a tool to help me workshop plot twists for a creative writing project I'm working on. I was thinking of buying this and thanks to your review I think it's worth a shot. Thanks!
The Mythic GM card deck was a supplement for using MGME without having to roll on all the tables. Your confusion was likely due to first needing to know how MGME works via the actual MGME book beforehand. If you only got the cards, then you didn't have everything needed.
@@mattpace1026 The card deck version, for me, was for reducing dice rolls and table look-ups. Just draw a card (or two depending on the query) and they provide the same thing by just reading the appropriate section. Same result for less time and effort. Not sure if they'll be making one for the 2nd edition, but the original does just fine.
There are no thread progress tracks in GM Emulator 1st edition. Since Ironsworn (2018) was released prior to the second edition of GM Emulator (2021), it seems more likely that the GM Emulator got this idea from Tomkin than the reverse. See your comment at 11:45
This looks really interesting. I'm always stuck as the GM in all our groups' games. Might grab this and give it a shot so I can go back to being a player every now and then (but I'll still be a GM in a way and I'm cool with that). Plus, it could help me generate plots for future games : )
I think using oracles can help in creating narrative in a solo / GMless group session, but GM / player have to exercise discipline to use strictly the core rules of the game system for the game mechanic. For example when persuading / intimidateing an npc for information you roll the repective check first according to the game rules then decide with fate chart if the npc has info or not / ho valuable than info is. My personal rule is use oracle strictly for narrative purpose and rulebook for everything else because the one thing I can’t do without a GM is direct the story and build the world (I’ll be writing a novel at that point).
5 months update. If I'm not mistaken the progression tracker on Mythic 2e IS inspired by Ironsworn, not the other way around like you mentioned on the video. Ironsworn was released in 2019, inspired by the Mythic GME 1e. Mythic 2e was released in January 2023 (except if there's a tracker before 2019 in one of the many Mythic additional supplements like magazine or sth that I'm not aware of)
I generally agree, but I can imagine wanting to use the DM emulator digitally while the other RPG elements are on paper. Holding books open continually for hours at a time is a big ergonomic fail.
I was just looking at this yesterday on DT. It's just a matter of time before I buy it. Sidenote: one pet peeve I have with sellers on DT is not giving a page count of the product. Unless I missed it, this and many others do not tell you.
Would you recommend a "lay flat" binding on the book as most useful? I see Lulu has a coil bound edition, and I wondered if the regularity of reference to the book might benefit from that. Would appreciate advice as I have no prior experience with Mythic, but want to solo game with it.
Very interesting. COil-binding would definitely be superior for usage. But comes at the cost of looking awful on the bookshelf. Depends on what is most important to you in the long run.
@@DaveThaumavore thanks for replying! I hear you on the book shelf thing, but I figure if it's pragmatic and getting used constantly it's worth it! Thanks for the video and advice to a noob!
@@3nertia great idea!! I eent ahead and got the coil bound and its great for tabletop use. Less good for reading in bed though, or holding whilst reading!
I ordered the coil-bound with that in mind. Hardbound volumes are nice and look great on the bookshelf, but are harder to use without damaging the spine.
My book and this are great complements. As the other comment says mine offers an approach and tools for understanding how narrative works. It aims to give tools and strategies to understand (and thus manipulate) narrative organically and does not rely on as many tables or procedures.
2d10 is two d10 dice added together. D100 or d% is two d10s where one result represents the ones and the other result represents the tens. So no, I didn’t mean 2d20. I meant 2d10.
I have zero interest in social interactions WHILE PLAYING A RPG...if I want that, I will go to a bar or a party....I stopped playing with groups because of all the goofiness, corny jokes, and side conversations about unrelated stuff.... It ruins immersion for me and is just flat out not fun, which is the whole purpose of playing a TTRPG.... A better comment from the author of the book would have been it ruins the teamwork aspect where players can figure out ways to solve obstacles the GM throws at them directly and force the GM to acknowledge, "Yea, I didn't think about that, it could work....but let's roll for it."
This just seems like a really convoluted way to make up what is essentially your own fan fiction version of whatever game you are playing I really don't see why this is the popular way to solo play For the amount of mental effort needed to make things make sense you might as well write an actual novel instead
Because letting the dice decide the outcome is fun. If I wanted to write a novel I’d write one, but I don’t so I solo roleplay. Why do you care how other’s chose to roleplay?
@@Fantasticawesomeguy You do you, I am not going to say what to do, I am saying I think its an inefficient system and that the amount of mental effort needed to interpret what are basically random writing prompts is probably the same as it takes to write a novel. I am advocating for more dice rolls that lead to more actual content that you can just read instead of have to day dream up every part of it for yourself. Its like saying ok lets play a game where you go explore a haunted castle. First tell me what the castle looks like, now tell me whats in the courtyard, now tell me whats in the next room and the next, also tell me the overall plot of why its haunted... is this playing a game about exploring a haunted castle or did I just brainstorm and then write my own rpg module about a haunted castle?
@@driver3899 I don’t care if you use mythic or not. People like you who compare solo rpg to writing a book in a negative way and shit on it are honestly annoying and repetitive anyways.
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A friend and I actually used Mythic GME to run a co-op Pathfinder game and it was extremely enjoyable. It allows for a unique situation where both players are involved in the creation and perpetuation of the world; an activity that only becomes better as context increases and gameplay continues. This practice went beyond simply taking turns, as we often found ourselves collaborating when interpreting roll tables or implementing new concepts. The world, story and characters were built from a combination of our individual ideas and teamwork, which created a bond between us and the universe we conjured together.
Mythic's one flaw is that it's impossible to describe to someone who hasn't played it, and even harder to understand from a multiplayer perspective. But it's robust construction allows for an experience that can't be replicated through traditional means and I would highly recommend giving it a try, whether solo or with friends.
Im literally doing the same thing, playing a co-op pathfinder campaign. We have a Goloma cleric and an orc witch and it’s been so much fun whenever we have to time to get to it.
Anyone else struck by how well this could also help a new GM for a group structure scenarios and adventures?
anyone else struck by how well this could be used to design a demonic AI-controlled GM software... say by Hasbro for OneDnD ?
Just sayin.
@@Thumperoo ... Shit.
I can recommend The Adventure Crafter, also by the same author if you only want to focus on that as a GM!
@@Thumperoo it helps improv during gm-ing. Dont worry abt the plot, design conflicts! Npcs, locations and sketch out possible events/scenes. Advice from another new gm;)
@Thumperoo if you have one pls let me know ive been searching hard
I disagree with "Makes RPGs none-social" you can play Mythic with a group of friends, I do it all the time. It's a lot of fun, we can all collaborate and build the story together.
I don't even see a problem with the "non-social" aspect. Somewhere along the line, we accepted RPGs as a performative activity, without realizing that performative does not equate to requiring an audience or mutual participation.
A musician might play in a band and perform at gigs and concerts - but many enjoy simply playing an instrument for their own enjoyment. Likewise with dance, or honestly any artistic endeavor. As for games, there's no requirement for a "social" element when it comes to enjoyment. There are plenty of single-player RPG video games (such as Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Baldur's Gate, etc.) and nobody thinks twice about a "social" aspect. Players simply enjoy their interaction with the world and its inhabitants, and their ability to influence the story.
A tabletop pen-and-paper RPG need be no different than any of the above.
@HeadHunterSix I totally agree with that. I have no idea where that idea started, but I remember I few times asking if a game was offline solo and hearing people say a game doesn't need offline solo cause what's the point of playing a video game offline by yourself.... I remember face palming when I read those comments... smh 🤣 , don't get me wrong, I love using the internet, playing games online, ect, but it shouldn't be the only option.
I use Mythic and the Oracles from Ironsworn to do my session prep. It turns what looks like work into gaming, as I have to interpret and invent following the emulator's prompt.
My last campaign, using Fabula Ultima, was completely generated with random tools: NPC's motivations, factions, events, encounter ambiance...
Extra thumbs up for Ironsworn and Fabula Ultima.
Love from Italy! ❤🏳🌈
I do the same thing! Ironsworn is an underrated treasure. Can't believe Shawn gives it away for free. I also found Delve to be awesome to use during play, for on-the-fly dungeon creation (for non-ironsworn games).
As a frequent and long time user of MGME, this is a great little review and intro to the system. Anyone new to the system could save a lot of time and clear up a lot of confusion by watching it.
I have found Mythic to be a fantastic tool to ease my way into GM-ing games, not just solo gaming! There's a lot to be gained from reading and using this book, even if not used regularly!
Swede here: That's some sweet pronounciation of Vaesen (Väsen)! 100% correct. :)
Also, man, your reviews are great! I've found some real gems through your channel, and also thankfully dodged some of the products that promise more than they provide.
Thanks for clearing that up! I thought it rhymed with "basin" rather than "fasten", but now I know better!
I've been looking for a tool to help me workshop plot twists for a creative writing project I'm working on. I was thinking of buying this and thanks to your review I think it's worth a shot. Thanks!
The Mythic GM card deck was a supplement for using MGME without having to roll on all the tables. Your confusion was likely due to first needing to know how MGME works via the actual MGME book beforehand. If you only got the cards, then you didn't have everything needed.
Exactly. Once you understand Mythic GME, the cards can speed things up and make it more portable.
@@mattpace1026 The card deck version, for me, was for reducing dice rolls and table look-ups. Just draw a card (or two depending on the query) and they provide the same thing by just reading the appropriate section. Same result for less time and effort.
Not sure if they'll be making one for the 2nd edition, but the original does just fine.
Forget game masters.. this is the best idea generator i've ever seen for aspiring fantasy writers too! (don't forget game masters.)
There are no thread progress tracks in GM Emulator 1st edition. Since Ironsworn (2018) was released prior to the second edition of GM Emulator (2021), it seems more likely that the GM Emulator got this idea from Tomkin than the reverse. See your comment at 11:45
This looks really interesting. I'm always stuck as the GM in all our groups' games. Might grab this and give it a shot so I can go back to being a player every now and then (but I'll still be a GM in a way and I'm cool with that). Plus, it could help me generate plots for future games : )
I am going to put this on my wish list, Thanks for the overview.
The cards have their own pdf you need to download. They have their own rules, but are in line with how the table works.
I've been searching for a comprehensive guild to Mythic gm emulator, thanks, awesome video.
I think using oracles can help in creating narrative in a solo / GMless group session, but GM / player have to exercise discipline to use strictly the core rules of the game system for the game mechanic. For example when persuading / intimidateing an npc for information you roll the repective check first according to the game rules then decide with fate chart if the npc has info or not / ho valuable than info is. My personal rule is use oracle strictly for narrative purpose and rulebook for everything else because the one thing I can’t do without a GM is direct the story and build the world (I’ll be writing a novel at that point).
5 months update. If I'm not mistaken the progression tracker on Mythic 2e IS inspired by Ironsworn, not the other way around like you mentioned on the video. Ironsworn was released in 2019, inspired by the Mythic GME 1e. Mythic 2e was released in January 2023 (except if there's a tracker before 2019 in one of the many Mythic additional supplements like magazine or sth that I'm not aware of)
We use this to play Savage World and it makes so much fun. I just printed out a few other random tables to generate
NPCs, monster, dungeons and loot.
You should try running this with GURPs, its an old universal system that has a whole bunch of optional rules but can be ran super lite as well
You guys managed to hype me, I will play a co-op campaign with my wife using Mythic and Conan (2d20). It will be so cool
Mythic is a fantastic tool for RPGs.
Super useful video and guide! Definitely will be getting this in the future! ✨
This would be awesome as an app
I have both editions. The best supplement I've ever used
I want it, but really only want the physical copy. When I play TRPGS I like to give my eyes a break from the screen
Good news, print version was released yesterday 😊
I generally agree, but I can imagine wanting to use the DM emulator digitally while the other RPG elements are on paper. Holding books open continually for hours at a time is a big ergonomic fail.
@@maxducoudray a Coilbound version is now on Lulu for a perfect "lay-flat" readig expeience.
Very cool this is definitely on my buy list
I was just looking at this yesterday on DT. It's just a matter of time before I buy it. Sidenote: one pet peeve I have with sellers on DT is not giving a page count of the product. Unless I missed it, this and many others do not tell you.
It’s always displayed on the right hand info bar on the desktop website. Not sure about the website on mobile.
😆 It's clearly stated to the right of the page! I'm dumb.
@@DaveThaumavore Yup, the keyboard got ahead of the brain.
@@dirigoallagash3464 I think it was a year before I figured it out myself.
Would you recommend a "lay flat" binding on the book as most useful? I see Lulu has a coil bound edition, and I wondered if the regularity of reference to the book might benefit from that. Would appreciate advice as I have no prior experience with Mythic, but want to solo game with it.
Very interesting. COil-binding would definitely be superior for usage. But comes at the cost of looking awful on the bookshelf. Depends on what is most important to you in the long run.
@@DaveThaumavore thanks for replying! I hear you on the book shelf thing, but I figure if it's pragmatic and getting used constantly it's worth it! Thanks for the video and advice to a noob!
@@davidcauley9400 Just a thought but you could cover the binding with some sort of dust cover if the shelf aesthetic bothers you too much, I think?
@@3nertia great idea!! I eent ahead and got the coil bound and its great for tabletop use. Less good for reading in bed though, or holding whilst reading!
I ordered the coil-bound with that in mind. Hardbound volumes are nice and look great on the bookshelf, but are harder to use without damaging the spine.
It was my inspiration for my games, like NoteQuest, Ronin and Gatunos.
:D
NoteQuest is amazing!
@@mattjackson
Thank you, Matt!
Glad you like it!!
\o/
Of COURSE they just released a 2nd ed.
I just plunked money down on this Last Summer.
Same!
Who's the artist responsible for Anna, at 4:19?
Midjourney v4
@@DaveThaumavore Ty for the answer, and damn, AI art is looking pretty good.
"Spend 20 years polishing their tools" 😮
This looks pretty close to the first edition. The question that first edition owners have is: Is it worth the money to upgrade?
Awesome!
What website do you use to find ttrpg's, board and card games?
I use DrivethruRPG for RPGs. I don’t really do cards or board games myself.
Thank you
Is this book better than the Geek Gamers Solo Game Master’s Guide?
Not really, the GGGMG is a guide on the solo methodology and *how* to use GM emulators. It does hold a lot of advice, and so does Mythic 2e.
My book and this are great complements. As the other comment says mine offers an approach and tools for understanding how narrative works. It aims to give tools and strategies to understand (and thus manipulate) narrative organically and does not rely on as many tables or procedures.
Wow
At 14:16, did you mean to say "2d20"? Because 2d10 *is* 1d100.
2d10 is two d10 dice added together. D100 or d% is two d10s where one result represents the ones and the other result represents the tens. So no, I didn’t mean 2d20. I meant 2d10.
Hit the like button you filthy animals
Vaesen is pronounced "Vay-sen", not "Vah-sen", by the way. It's derived from the Swedish word Väsen, cognate with the German Wesen: Being or Entity.
I have zero interest in social interactions WHILE PLAYING A RPG...if I want that, I will go to a bar or a party....I stopped playing with groups because of all the goofiness, corny jokes, and side conversations about unrelated stuff....
It ruins immersion for me and is just flat out not fun, which is the whole purpose of playing a TTRPG....
A better comment from the author of the book would have been it ruins the teamwork aspect where players can figure out ways to solve obstacles the GM throws at them directly and force the GM to acknowledge, "Yea, I didn't think about that, it could work....but let's roll for it."
So true! However, it is much more difficult to stay focused if you play rpg solo
I'll take your cards off your hands if you don't want them.
'a tad bit'? Lose a nanomark - otherwise great. Thanks for posting.
Pfft! I've been playing with myself for decades. I don't need this.
This just seems like a really convoluted way to make up what is essentially your own fan fiction version of whatever game you are playing
I really don't see why this is the popular way to solo play
For the amount of mental effort needed to make things make sense you might as well write an actual novel instead
Because letting the dice decide the outcome is fun. If I wanted to write a novel I’d write one, but I don’t so I solo roleplay. Why do you care how other’s chose to roleplay?
@@Fantasticawesomeguy You do you, I am not going to say what to do, I am saying I think its an inefficient system and that the amount of mental effort needed to interpret what are basically random writing prompts is probably the same as it takes to write a novel.
I am advocating for more dice rolls that lead to more actual content that you can just read instead of have to day dream up every part of it for yourself.
Its like saying ok lets play a game where you go explore a haunted castle.
First tell me what the castle looks like, now tell me whats in the courtyard, now tell me whats in the next room and the next, also tell me the overall plot of why its haunted... is this playing a game about exploring a haunted castle or did I just brainstorm and then write my own rpg module about a haunted castle?
@@driver3899 If you don’t like it and want to call it day dreaming that’s fine. You don’t have to use the emulator. Go use something else.
@@Fantasticawesomeguy Yeah its a hard pass for me
@@driver3899 I don’t care if you use mythic or not. People like you who compare solo rpg to writing a book in a negative way and shit on it are honestly annoying and repetitive anyways.