What is Solo RPG?
In the TTRPG world, we are used to playing with a group, where each individual has a specific role to play, usually “player” and “game master”. When we play solo, you encompass both roles. You are simultaneously creating the world and playing in it.
Why Play Solo?
For those who have never played a solo RPG and want to understand why you would prefer to play solo rather than with a group, here are a few reasons why people want to try it out:
You like being both a player and a GM
You want to play whenever you want
You want to play however you want
You want to test new mechanics, classes, etc.
One thing to keep in mind is that solo RPG is not intended to replace traditional “group” TTRPG. It is its own thing - one is not better than the other; they both have their purpose. You will find enough similarities in the rules and gameplay to feel comfortable, but also enough changes to find it exciting.
How to Play Solo RPG
Playing solo RPG has many similarities with traditional RPG. There are games designed from scratch to play solo and others that have adapted rules to transform the traditional experience into a solo experience.
What you’ll need
Here is a list (non-exhaustive) of what you will most likely need to play a solo RPG:
Dice: A range of dice from d4 to d20
Note-taking tools: Pens, paper, or a digital note-taking app
Character sheet: To track your character’s progress and stats
Journal: Record your adventures and story beats (physical or digital)
An Oracle: A tool to help you make decisions and generate random events
Getting Started
If you want to try a solo RPG and get started as soon as possible, here are some games that are great for beginners:
Iron Sworn
In the Ironsworn tabletop roleplaying game, you are a hero sworn to undertake perilous quests in the dark fantasy setting of the Ironlands. You will explore untracked wilds, fight desperate battles, forge bonds with isolated communities, and reveal the secrets of this harsh land.
Are you ready to swear iron vows and see them fulfilled—no matter the cost?
Scarlet Heroes
Scarlet Heroes is an old-school tabletop role-playing game designed to provide classic sword and sorcery gaming for one player and one gamemaster. Unlike most other RPGs, Scarlet Heroes is built to support one-on-one play, with no need for a full-fledged party of adventurers to provide an evening's entertainment. Whether for a spouse, kid, curious friend, or just as an alternative to board games for those nights when only one or two friends can make it to the gaming session, Scarlet Heroes gives you the tools for good old-fashioned skull-cracking adventure.
2d6 Dungeon
2D6 Dungeon is a classic-style dungeon crawl, print & play, roll-and-write game designed for solo play. You explore randomly generated dungeon rooms, fight creatures, and collect treasure as you gain experience and levels and strive to become a legendary adventurer. Every adventure and dungeon is unique.
You are an adventurer who has that special quality that marks you out as exceptional. You have heard that there is a dungeon located nearby and, after searching, have discovered the entrance. This is your opportunity to make your fortune and although you know the challenges ahead will be difficult, you sense you have what it takes to become a legend.
Kar Nethalas
Condemned to death. Executed. Yet somehow, you survived. Now you roam the endless tunnels of the City Below, the Midnight Throne: Ker Nethalas. Will your skills and wits save you once again, or will you join the countless restless dead?
Welcome to Ker Nethalas: Into the Midnight Throne, a single-player dungeon crawler set in an endless necropolis. With the tools presented in the book, you’ll tell the story of your character who, after miraculously surviving an execution, wakes up to realize that their problems have just begun, and that there are fates worse than death.
When you sit down to play Ker Nethalas: Into the Midnight Throne, you, the player, take on the role of a single character. Your PC is your avatar in the dark tunnels of the necropolis, and your decisions (and luck!) will determine their fate.
Ker Nethalas: Into the Midnight Throne uses a simple D100 ruleset to resolve all tasks. Whenever a PC tries to do something and the result isn't evident, or there is something at stake, you will need to perform a check. This is done by rolling D100, and comparing the result to the corresponding skill on the character’s sheet. If the result is equal or lower than the skill’s score, the check is a success.
Four Against Darkness
Four Against Darkness is a solitaire dungeon-delving game.
No miniatures are needed. All you need is the book, a pencil, two six-sided dice, and grid paper.
You choose four character types from the classic classes (warrior, wizard, rogue, halfling, dwarf, barbarian, cleric, elf), equip them, and start adventuring in dungeons created by dice rolls and by your choices. When you enter a room, you generate its content on a series of random tables. You will meet monsters, fight them, hopefully defeat them (or decide that discretion is the better part of valor!), you'll manage your resources (healing, spells, life points, equipment), grab treasure, dodge traps, find clues, and even accept quests from the monsters you meet. Your characters can level up and become better at what they do, but it will not be easy.
Resources
Here are some resources to help you get started with solo RPGs:
Reddit Communities
Solo Roleplaying: Share your play reports, ask questions, and share your thoughts & insights on the art of playing RPGs by yourself. Gamebooks, dungeon crawlers, oracle, and AI-assisted play are all welcome here.
Solo Board Gaming: All about exploring, discussing, and playing board games solo… as in solitary, alone, one-player, without others, etc. Solitaire Board Gaming: Get together and play by yourself!
Solo RPG Play: Playing Tabletop RPGs with a group is awesome, but not always feasible. Enter Solo RPG Play! Discuss GM-less / DM-less gaming, solo RPG resources, tools, mods, games, solo engines, emulators, and even share your logs and adventures!
Youtube Channels
JP Coovert: Every month, I write, illustrate, and print a new zine about weird characters, heroic adventures, and simple but imaginative TTRPGs.
Man Alone: All about exploring, discussing, and playing board games solo… as in solitary, alone, one-player, without others, etc. Solitaire Board Gaming: Get together and play by yourself!
Solo RPG Player: Playing Solo D&D and other TTRPGs
The Dungeon Dive: Your home for Solo Analog Gaming, with a focus on Fantasy and SF.
TTRPJared: What started as a wild idea on a drive to Panda Express—right after my first solo TTRPG session—has grown into this creative space. Here, I explore both solo and group play, share storytelling adventures.
Jump right in!
Solo RPGs aren’t just games—they’re creative writing exercises, storytelling tools, and personal adventures all rolled into one. Cheers!
KER NETHALAS MENTIONED! XD Good post!
I don't know, I have to somewhat disagree on the beginner games. While I haven't played ker Nethalas I find that games like ironsworn or scarlet Heroes are not a great place to start. They are all great games but come with an extensive rule set. I do think that 2d6 dungeon is a good game but newcomers should be warned that a dungeon crawler is not anywhere close to DnD which is probably what a lot of people have in mind. I personally recommend games like Alone Against the Flames, Ronin, The Reckoning, Tricube Tales and 2d6 dungeon. They are cheap and teach you some essential mechanics of soloplay. It's also worth mentioning that there are very different styles to explore