On solo role-playing games

19 jun. 2026

A while ago I wrote an article on substack about solo role-playing games and why they are fun. It does not make sense that it is there and not on my website since I don't use substack. I hope you like it! (because I'll probably post about this more now)

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I’m the kind of nerd who likes obscure, very niche games and today I would like to explain to you what solo role-playing is, why it is fun (and maybe why you should to it). This is not a guide, but if anyone is interested I’ll be happy to make one some day !

To be short and sweet, you know Dungeons & Dragons ? It’s that but without friends. For real though, it’s a way of playing tabletop role-playing games (like Dungeons & Dragons but many others as well) on your own or with a few friends without the need of a game master (the main storyteller in those games). It’s a way of writing or at least creating stories in your head, using a whole array of tools (mostly dice and random tables) to help you figure out what happens. It’s an incredible tool to fight off blank page anxiety and a great game to play when all you have is paper or a note’s app and you miss the feeling of rolling dice.

Over the years I’ve created my (almost) perfect game gluing together bits from multiple games and systems, tables I’ve found online, etc. It’s a whole thing, it takes hours, I love it. Notably I’m using the Brigandyne (first edition) system (sadly I don’t think it was ever translated to English, but it’s good because I never have to make rolls for my opponents, but I'm told it's similar to Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay) and (like most people in this hobby) Mythic Game Master Emulator.

But maybe this is still confusing to you, so here is an example of how I do it. Mind you, there is an infinity of ways to play solo rpgs. Some people do a lot of writing (like me, it’s called solo RPG journaling) and some just take quick notes or doodle and to be honest they must move through stories faster than I do. All ways are great. Ok, so !

First you need a character (or a few - I like to have just one at the beginning). I use the Brigandyne system for that. It gives my character stats, powers, traits, I think of a backstory, of what kind of adventure I want to send them on. For example one of my characters is named Salem, he’s a disagreeable gravedigger who can see the dead. One day he receives a visit from a mysterious (and slightly threatening) organisation called: The Oath. All my games are in a world I created a while back so I don’t need to think to much about that.

Now that it’s done I follow the Mythic Game Master Emulator rules. Thinking of a scene I want to play out, and rolling dice every time I’m not sure of what is going to happen next. For example in the game’s introduction scene, I knew someone would come to him but I didn’t know who. So I rolled on multiple tables and I got an old druidess looking lady. In the first scene, here is what I asked after the lady left :

Does one of the phantoms have something to say (50/50) ? Yes.
It’s the spirit of a teenager dead of starvation not so long ago, he gestures to Salem to animate him.
Magic roll (awaken the dead) - DC 55 - result 19 - brilliant success. 9 minutes.
Details on what he wants to say : omen, gossip, new religion.

Since Salem can see and talk to the dead I was wondering if they had information about the mysterious order the lady was from. As I thought it could go either way, I rolled on the table with a 50/50 likeliness. I got a few keywords to describe the character from my NPC tables and made the teenager up. Then, I used a magic spell called “Awaken the dead” to get him talking. I had to roll under a 55 to pass. Since I rolled a 19 it was a big success. This spell lasts for x minutes, x being the unit digit of my roll. So 9 minutes. Plenty of time to talk. I was not sure of what he was going to say to Salem so I rolled on the keywords table. I got omen, gossip, new religion, so I decided the organisation had come for his sister a while back and he was convinced they had killed her.

Then after that, I keep writing, like a novel I suppose but going with the flow of things, not trying to make it perfect but just tell the story, since it’s supposed to be a relaxing game. A break from plots and themes and sometimes grammar.

So, that’s pretty much it, solo role-playing. It note very hard, but a little time consuming, sure. It’s great, you should try it ! K Bye.