Intro to Solo TTRPGs (4/5): How to Actually Play Solo

 Now comes the part a lot of people struggle with understanding... this is how you play!



Be patient with yourself in this step! It will take a couple of tries to mentally understand how to make playing flow more naturally. If it doesn't "click" for you, that's totally ok and that just means you have to make some tweaks!

I will be using an example to go through the play. 

My character is Rovik, a half-orc male barbarian (30 years old). He's quite tall, burly and carries a large axe with him wherever he goes. He has long black hair, but usually has it up in a bun whenever he's working at the local blacksmith or challenging other adventurers for a fight at the arena just right outside the town. He is well-known around the town, people call him "Rovik the Rugged."

He is quite obsessed with money though... always wanting people to pay up if they lost a fight against him. He likes to gamble and play cards at the local tavern. He's always trying to cheat his way to win and gain some money... he also can never say no to a drink! 

Here are the main 3 steps, starting from the very beginning of your written campaign:

1. You (the DM) will describe the starting scene. 

- You will describe where your character will start and come up with a short background of how they got there. You can roll on the location table if you would like to be surprised!

    DM: It's noon, 12:00 PM and it's a bit cloudy and cold outside. Rovik is in bed in his room dead asleep, passed out.

    Player: Is there anything or anyone that may get Rovik up?

    DM: << rolls on "Fate Chart" (15) >> Most likely yes... << rolls on "Sounds" table (Clang) >> You hear pots and pans banging together, and a female voice cries out, 

        "Oy! Get your arse up Rovik. It's time to get up!"

2. You (now, the Player) will describe what you want to do.

- Now, you switch to the mind of being the Player. You can now roleplay and decide what your character will do next.

    Player: Ok, Rovik will get up, out of bed, and get dressed. He'll probably yell back from his room, 
 
        "Shut up! Stop banging those pans together, I'm fucking up!" 
 
    He's wearing his leather armor and gets his axe.

3. You (now, back to the DM) will describe what happens next. 

    DM: Is his axe somewhere in his room? << rolls on "Fate Chart" (66) >> No... << rolls on "Adventure" table (Vengeance) >> *interprets it...* You notice your axe is missing and it's likely that someone took it from you! Will you seek justice?!

    Player: Rovik will probably assume it's whoever is yelling his name downstairs. So I will go downstairs and talk to whoever is yelling at me.

    DM: You come downstairs and enter the kitchen area. << rolls on "Character Identity" table (Family) >> *interprets it...* You see your mother, a short stout half-ogre female with an apron on. She's wiping her hands on a towel and turns around and looks at you straight in the eyes,  

        "How in the world did I end up with a lazy-ass son? Rovik, it is NOON. That means lunch. And that means you wasted half of your fucking day sleeping! Anyways, you are late for work. Your uncle is expecting you at the blacksmith soon. You better hurry."

    Player: Rovik will ask, 

        "But, my axe is missing. You didn't take it did you?"

    DM: How likely would his mother be the one to take his axe? << rolls on "Fate Chart" (78) >> Not likely... Your mother responds, 

        "I don't bloody care for your axe. I don't know where it is. Now, GO." 

    Player: Rovik will probably keep looking around the house and wouldn't care that he's late. He's probably looking in the kitchen or his room. He will go back up to his room. Does he find any clue at all as to where it could be?

    DM: Give me an Investigation check (DC 8)... *rolls a 15...* Yes, << rolls on "Object" table (Frightening, Desired) >> you see a note on your dresser and it says, 

        "I'm tired of your stupid games. You owe me money, Rovik. Give me my money and I will give you back your axe. - Bolgarth" 

 

I wonder what happens next for Rovik!!!

This is an example of how I'd play my solo campaign :) hope you enjoyed reading! Next, I will cover some tips on how to balance being the DM and the player! 

 

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