The world of role-playing games is full of thrilling scenarios, detailed adventure modules, and epic campaigns. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these resources are designed for groups of players guided by a Game Master. So, how can you enjoy this wealth when playing RPGs solo? This article offers concrete methods and practical tips for effectively adapting group scenarios to your solo experience.
Why adapt instead of create?
Before diving into the heart of the matter, let’s ask this legitimate question: why bother adapting existing scenarios when you could simply create your own?
- Professional quality: Published scenarios often go through editing, playtesting, and refinement.
- Time-saving: Starting with a solid foundation saves you from building an entire adventure from scratch.
- Narrative discovery: Playing a scenario you don’t fully know maintains the element of surprise.
- Access to rich worlds: Take advantage of complex, fully realized settings.
- Proven structure: Good scenarios provide an effective and balanced narrative structure.
The challenges of solo adaptation
Turning a group scenario into a solo adventure comes with several unique challenges:
- Managing information
In group play, the GM holds secrets revealed over time. In solo play, you need to balance knowledge and surprise. - Rebalancing encounters
Fights and challenges are usually designed for a group with complementary skills, not a lone character. - Lack of group dynamics
Player interactions are often central to traditional scenarios. Their absence changes the experience significantly. - Narrative blind spots
A group can explore multiple leads at once and benefit from diverse perspectives. A solo player must work with a more limited view.
Effective adaptation methods
Here are practical techniques to overcome these challenges:
Partial reading
One of the first questions solo players ask is: “Can I read the scenario before playing?” Here’s a balanced approach:
- Setup reading: Get familiar with the context, setting, and initial stakes.
- Selective blindness: Avoid reading plot twists, revelations, and conclusions.
- Section splitting: Divide the scenario into sections and only read each when it’s time to play it.
- Using oracles: For major narrative choices, use oracles to determine what happens instead of following the scenario to the letter.
NPC management
Group scenarios usually involve many non-player characters. In solo play, you must handle them differently:
- Playable companions: Turn some NPCs into companions you partially control.
- Simplified NPCs: Reduce the complexity of secondary NPCs to ease management.
- Reaction tables: Create or use tables to randomly determine NPC reactions.
- Clear motivations: Define simple but strong motivations for each important NPC.
Challenge rebalancing
To adjust difficulty for a solo player:
- Fewer enemies: Reduce the number of enemies rather than their strength.
- Broader skills: Allow your character to have a wider range of skills than usual.
- Backup items: Introduce magic items or special resources to compensate for the lack of a group.
- Escape rule: Establish mechanics that allow for a strategic retreat from overwhelming challenges.
Emulation tools
To replace group dynamics:
- GM emulators: Use systems like Mythic GME or CRGE to simulate GM decisions.
- Event tables: Create custom tables adapted to your scenario to generate complications or opportunities.
- Thematic cards: Use decks (tarot, playing cards, or RPG-specific cards) to introduce narrative elements.
- Guided play technique: Alternate between playing your character and acting as fate or the world.
Practical example: Adapting The Lost Mine of Phandelver
Let’s take a concrete example with this popular D&D starter scenario:
Original scenario analysis
This scenario is designed for 4–5 level 1 characters and includes:
- An initial ambush
- A village used as a base
- Several increasingly difficult dungeons
- A plot involving multiple factions
Adapted solo version
Here’s how to transform it:
- Main character: A versatile adventurer with some magical and martial abilities.
- Companions: Add 1–2 simplified companions (a loyal mercenary and/or an apprentice wizard).
- Scale reduction: Halve the number of enemies in each encounter.
- Fate points: Introduce 3 “luck points” that allow you to avoid a fatal hit or automatically succeed at a crucial action.
- Progressive discovery: Reveal clues about the factions as exploration progresses.
Advanced techniques to preserve surprise
If you want to maintain a sense of mystery even when adapting a scenario you know:
“Random path” technique
- Identify key points in the original scenario
- Create multiple possible variants for each
- Use dice or an oracle to determine which variant actually occurs
“Schrödinger’s box” method
- Write major scenario elements on cards
- Place them face down and only reveal them at the appropriate time
- Add a few “surprise” cards with elements you invent on the spot
“Amnesiac GM” approach
- Read the scenario once, well before playing
- Play based mainly on your imperfect memory
- When your memory fails, improvise or consult an oracle
Adapting different types of scenarios
Different types of adventures require different adaptation approaches:
Dungeons
- Zone-based exploration: Discover the dungeon one area at a time instead of room by room.
- Environmental clues: Multiply the clues that help anticipate dangers.
- Progressive resources: Regularly distribute resources to make up for the lack of a group.
Urban intrigues
- Faction simplification: Reduce the number of factions or their interactions.
- Ally NPCs: Introduce NPCs who can provide information or help.
- Act structure: Divide the adventure into clear acts to maintain progression.
Campaigns
- Shorter narrative arcs: Break the campaign into smaller, manageable arcs.
- Evolving entourage: Let companions and NPC relationships evolve over time.
- Campaign journal: Keep a detailed log to track the story’s evolution.
Conclusion
Adapting group scenarios for solo play is a stimulating creative challenge that can greatly enhance your SOLO RPG experience. By applying the techniques described in this article, you can enjoy the richness of published adventures while preserving the thrill of discovery and the authenticity of solo play.
Remember: the goal isn’t to perfectly replicate the group experience, but to create a new and satisfying play experience that uses the original scenario as an inspiring foundation. Don’t hesitate to modify, simplify, or enrich elements based on what works best for your personal play style.