I've got a wild hair up my arse. I want to try and play D&D (using maps/mini's) and pre-made adventures...solo
Any suggestions as how to approach this or sites out there that may have some advice.
Also, are there any sources for free adventures?
Gracias!!
Check out this thread for a start. (http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=13467.0)
I almost forgot, here's another link for playing published adventures solo (http://thelonecrusader.com/how-to-rewrite-an-adventure-using-the-mythic-game-master-emulator).
Thanks bbmike. That's a great starting point! O0
Also check out the Gamemaster's Apprentice decks, which provides similar stuff to the GM Emulator but is faster since you only need to flip cards instead of rolling dice for every plot advancement question:
Direct Link:
http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/125685/The-GameMasters-Apprentice-Base-Deck
Earlier GH thread discussion:
http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=17690.0
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drivethrurpg.com%2Fimages%2F6395%2F125685-thumb140.jpg&hash=3ea70c32c516c3015ff2b4ed9bb6c3c8aeec5670)
I picked up a couple sets of those cards, but the basic one is all you need; the others are only minor genre modifictions of those 120. You can also d/l the ALONE Beta suggestions for building & running fresh adventures with those, for free, from DTRPG.
They're also good for coming up with NPC motivations, names (using anagrams), random directions, sights/sounds/etc. Pretty dense in what it provides.
I also own the aforementioned MGME, Covetous Poet's GM Creator, and The Location Crafter PDFs from DTRPG which all do pretty much the same thing in somewhat different ways. Since each has different narrative structuring, I'll pick & choose the construction guidelines from each as needed.
Thanks Nefaro
I need to really think about what it is I need here. I think, ultimately, what I'm looking for is a card based encounter deck. I think they made some old AD&D encounter cards. Maybe I should try and find those.
Anyone here care to chime in and tell me what addition of D&D this would work best for? The ONLY experience I have is with 3.5 but since all I'm really going to be doing is rolling a shit ton of dice and drooling over loot, I think I'd want the best combat and loot table system :idiot2:
Have you looked at the Pathfinder Adventure Card Games? It seems to hit what you want to do play heroes, fight monsters, chuck dice, and gather loot. It's solo or multiplayer and has campaigns and multiple games as either expansions or base game.
Thanks Bison, I'll take a look at it!
Watched a couple videos of that Pathfinder game. There are some elements I do like, but it reminds me of MtG.
Also, I'm looking to use mini's and maps, but, there are some nice things that game has to offer. Thanks
I looked at a couple BGG videos for the D&D board games and I have to say....I think that might be what I'm looking for.
The mini's are ugly though :o
Quote from: acctingman on April 30, 2017, 02:01:03 AM
I looked at a couple BGG videos for the D&D board games and I have to say....I think that might be what I'm looking for.
The mini's are ugly though :o
Their mechanics are based on a trimmed down version of the 4th Edition D&D rules IIRC.
The biggest complaint I probably have about the D&D board games is that there is no RPG-like progression between scenarios. They're just single shots, then you start the next one back at the starting character level. Well... at least they were like that up until the latest one, where there is some carryover, although I'm not sure if it's very pronounced.
There are a ton of solitaire Fantasy adventure board games available nowadays.
I'm rather partial to FFG's
Descent now that it has both official solo systems and user-created ways to run the multi-player campaigns.
There are also a number of card-focused ones, as opposed to minis, which do the same thing. Those often seem to promote more planning ahead with wider variation of strategies, but still have some sort of location/exploration mechanics. Although the
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game is one many people think of, I've enjoyed others such as the
Mage Knight boardgame,
Doomrock + expansion, and perhaps
Mistfall to name a few. And those are only the Fantasy themed ones!
I think I'm going to have a game that closely resembles what I want and maybe tweak it.....to whatever the hell it is I'm trying to accomplish.
Got lots of great starting points that's for sure.
I have some links if you would like. There's even a free beta test from Ganesha Games to test out their latest:
This is to a Google G+ group called Lone Wolf Roleplaying - They do all kinds of solo roleplaying, ideas, systems etc.
https://plus.google.com/communities/116965157741523529510
This is to the Ganesha Games beta for a storytelling game called High Stakes:
http://www.ganeshagames.net/product_info.php?products_id=318
Also they have a great solo dungeon crawler called 4 Against Darkness too. :)
Another great handy tool - is Rory's Story Cubes you can even get them as an app for iPhone or on Google Play. There's word they're making a Rory's Cube RPG system.
Quote from: CJReich46 on May 01, 2017, 08:15:42 PMGoogle G+ group called Lone Wolf Roleplaying -
is it b/c they play on their own, or is it an homage to Joe Devers "Lone Wolf" series?
It's more because they play solo. I don't think it has anything to do with the Joe Devers (RIP) game.
They cover all sorts of gaming systems from Tunnels and Trolls (which lends itself very well to Solo) to Barbarian Prince etc.
I realize this isn't the question you asked, but why would you go through all this effort to hack together some sort of hybrid D&D solo game when there are oh so many PC D&D-type games to play solo? I mean, dude, Morrowind alone could take years to finish.
However, if you're dead set, I second the suggestion on the D&D boardgames. They scale up if you want to play with friends, and I'm sure somebody out there has created a campaign system for them on BGG.
Quote from: Toonces on May 02, 2017, 04:59:58 PM
I realize this isn't the question you asked, but why would you go through all this effort to hack together some sort of hybrid D&D solo game when there are oh so many PC D&D-type games to play solo? I mean, dude, Morrowind alone could take years to finish.
However, if you're dead set, I second the suggestion on the D&D boardgames. They scale up if you want to play with friends, and I'm sure somebody out there has created a campaign system for them on BGG.
I get what you're saying Toonces, but I'm so burnt out on PC gaming.
Playing on the PC vs playing at a table with dice and paper are not even close to being the same experience.
Yes, I'm aware of that. I enjoy a solo boardgame now and then myself, but when it comes to a role playing game like D&D, one of the best things about PC's is that you have a ready-made DM.
I mean, I get it, sometimes it's fun to play with little toy knights and dragons on a table, but in this case, rather than try to make a system like D&D that wasn't really built for solo play work, you might be better off investing the effort on the PC. Yes it's different, I get it.
Anyway, on topic, the D&D boardgames are really well made and, like I said, you can play them with friends if you want. I've also heard great things about the Pathfinder card game. I've never played it, but I've heard it's quite awesome.
Quote from: Toonces on May 03, 2017, 03:49:22 PM
I mean, I get it, sometimes it's fun to play with little toy knights and dragons on a table, but in this case, rather than try to make a system like D&D that wasn't really built for solo play work, you might be better off investing the effort on the PC. Yes it's different, I get it.
This would be a genius move. With something like Skype, it would be easy for a group of players to play. Add in a few online elements like maps, and maintaining character stats/equipment and I think they could bring a lot of people back into the game.
There's a Pathfinder game in the Google Play store. I was futzing around with it the other day and it seemed cool. Might move it to my tablet and play some more there
I just read someone messing with that. I thought it was Bison.
Quote from: OJsDad on May 03, 2017, 04:01:07 PM
Quote from: Toonces on May 03, 2017, 03:49:22 PM
I mean, I get it, sometimes it's fun to play with little toy knights and dragons on a table, but in this case, rather than try to make a system like D&D that wasn't really built for solo play work, you might be better off investing the effort on the PC. Yes it's different, I get it.
This would be a genius move. With something like Skype, it would be easy for a group of players to play. Add in a few online elements like maps, and maintaining character stats/equipment and I think they could bring a lot of people back into the game.
This may be the answer:
http://www.fantasygrounds.com/home/home.php
Quote from: Toonces on May 03, 2017, 03:49:22 PM
Yes, I'm aware of that. I enjoy a solo boardgame now and then myself, but when it comes to a role playing game like D&D, one of the best things about PC's is that you have a ready-made DM.
I mean, I get it, sometimes it's fun to play with little toy knights and dragons on a table, but in this case, rather than try to make a system like D&D that wasn't really built for solo play work, you might be better off investing the effort on the PC. Yes it's different, I get it.
Anyway, on topic, the D&D boardgames are really well made and, like I said, you can play them with friends if you want. I've also heard great things about the Pathfinder card game. I've never played it, but I've heard it's quite awesome.
I think the reason to solo a tabletop RPG is more akin to brainstormed on-the-spot creative writing, with the solitaire tools and game system there to keep the outcomes & progression in doubt. More "theater of the mind" than "toy knights and dragons on the table". I'm not sure which the OP is looking for, but some thoughts..
As you point out, playing with moving the pieces on the table can be more easily done with adventure board games and have far less need for creating narrative. If it's just a matter of setting up Minis skirmish gaming situations, that can be more readily done with co-op board games or miniature skirmish rules that support campaign play (e.g.
Frostgrave).
With that said, I think pen and paper D&D RPG systems are a terrible fit for running solitaire or 1-on-1 RPG sessions for a few reasons.
It was originally made to be played as a group endeavor, what with the rigid 'cookie cutter' Class structure. Each class being rather specialized and intended to fit specific party roles. The vast majority also have that distinct 'tree chopping' style of combat, and adventures in general, where it's a struggle of hit point and resource attrition. Which has also been party oriented.
I'm not talking about the D&D adventure boardgames, as those are a modified version of the D&D v4 rules which are, themselves, quite different from the rest of the D&D versions and intentionally modified to do cooperative/solitaire.
I'll admit that I've considered D&D rather rickety and outdated for a long time now, aside from a brief infatuation with v3 when it first came out. But if I were still into it, I would still have it very low on my solo RPG list. The system just wasn't made for running one character, so it just requires more effort to do so.
Skill-based systems seem more reasonable for 1-player (GM or no). Probably more recent incarnations, with more narrative-supporting systems built in and more granularity overall, would be ideal. Much more flexible regarding customization of PC, NPCs, and foes on the fly. Especially with features such as the quick adjustment of opponents' abilities with the Minions/Rivals/Nemeses designations of the same enemy type plus their Adversary talent, if needed, in the newer
Star Wars RPG (and others). Just extra ways to scale the whole system down without extra work. 8)
Such games also tend to have more detailed actions, and results of those actions. Instead of the long "tree chopping" effect, where numbers are slowly getting whittled away with no problems until *BAM* it's over, they have more descriptive results & effects and a faster but steadier decline with bad things increasingly happening along the way. I would think that small or single-player groups need this more cinematic approach to break up the tree-chopping repetitiveness.
Either way, it's still best to get some good solo tools that will help create story, and unforeseen circumstance, if you plan on playing that way. Or just get a cooperative minis board game if you only want to dungeon crawl, roll dice, and get lootz, instead of rolling out a swashbuckling tale of some sort. ;)
Quote from: bayonetbrant on May 03, 2017, 05:56:36 PM
There's a Pathfinder game in the Google Play store. I was futzing around with it the other day and it seemed cool. Might move it to my tablet and play some more there
I have it on my tablet. It is a fun game, very challenging too. Plus you don't necessarily have to pay for anything if you don't want to (but in some cases it might help- but that's because I suck at card management)
It's based on the card game. Give it a try.
:)
Quote from: CJReich46 on May 04, 2017, 09:37:21 PM
Quote from: bayonetbrant on May 03, 2017, 05:56:36 PM
There's a Pathfinder game in the Google Play store. I was futzing around with it the other day and it seemed cool. Might move it to my tablet and play some more there
I have it on my tablet. It is a fun game, very challenging too. Plus you don't necessarily have to pay for anything if you don't want to (but in some cases it might help- but that's because I suck at card management)
It's based on the card game. Give it a try.
:)
Is that, perhaps, a digital port of the
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game?
that's exactly what it is :)
Quote from: bayonetbrant on May 05, 2017, 06:20:34 AM
that's exactly what it is :)
Hrmm..
I have the tabletop one, plus a couple of the expansion card packs.
Been thinking of getting a couple more, but the price adds up quickly on those things at ~$14 apiece. Especially for how often I break it out. :-\