Solo RPG 101: Picking the Right Game

  Рет қаралды 4,195

Books, Bricks and Boards

Books, Bricks and Boards

Күн бұрын

I give some criteria to consider when picking the system to solo, and give some different suggestions for systems that would appeal to different types of players.

Пікірлер: 31
@LD-gc4qg
@LD-gc4qg 9 ай бұрын
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.
@booksbricksandboards783
@booksbricksandboards783 9 ай бұрын
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.
@jcraigwilliams70
@jcraigwilliams70 Ай бұрын
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.
@booksbricksandboards783
@booksbricksandboards783 Ай бұрын
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.
@dharmainthenorth
@dharmainthenorth 18 күн бұрын
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 :)
@booksbricksandboards783
@booksbricksandboards783 18 күн бұрын
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.
@andrzejzielinski9213
@andrzejzielinski9213 3 ай бұрын
This is an absurdly good video. Thank you so so much!
@booksbricksandboards783
@booksbricksandboards783 3 ай бұрын
Thanks Andreas. Glad it was helpful!
@dynjarren5454
@dynjarren5454 9 ай бұрын
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
@booksbricksandboards783
@booksbricksandboards783 9 ай бұрын
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.
@shaneintheuk2026
@shaneintheuk2026 5 ай бұрын
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.
@booksbricksandboards783
@booksbricksandboards783 5 ай бұрын
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.
@I_am_Locutus_of_Borg
@I_am_Locutus_of_Borg 9 ай бұрын
Good video, well done, thanks!
@booksbricksandboards783
@booksbricksandboards783 9 ай бұрын
Thanks, appreciate your kind words!
@erickl7551
@erickl7551 Ай бұрын
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)
@booksbricksandboards783
@booksbricksandboards783 Ай бұрын
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.
@erickl7551
@erickl7551 Ай бұрын
Awesome! Thank you very much!
@booksbricksandboards783
@booksbricksandboards783 Ай бұрын
Very welcome
@serolrom
@serolrom 9 ай бұрын
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?
@booksbricksandboards783
@booksbricksandboards783 9 ай бұрын
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.
@serolrom
@serolrom 9 ай бұрын
​@@booksbricksandboards783thx for the answer!
@booksbricksandboards783
@booksbricksandboards783 9 ай бұрын
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.
@onealflynn2414
@onealflynn2414 9 ай бұрын
Nice Ozark shirt
@booksbricksandboards783
@booksbricksandboards783 9 ай бұрын
I appreciate that you noticed that. I was hoping that someone would pick up on the reference.
@ryanbulthuis9399
@ryanbulthuis9399 6 ай бұрын
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.
@booksbricksandboards783
@booksbricksandboards783 6 ай бұрын
Ironsworn is an excellent choice for that. Another would be Scarlet Heroes.
@notreallyalec
@notreallyalec 6 ай бұрын
I really want to try out Becmi on my own to learn Thac0
@booksbricksandboards783
@booksbricksandboards783 6 ай бұрын
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.
@drivers99
@drivers99 3 ай бұрын
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.
@glenny314
@glenny314 3 ай бұрын
Crunch?
@booksbricksandboards783
@booksbricksandboards783 3 ай бұрын
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.
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