"best fantasy RPG for solo play?" Topic

Hi guys, haven't played an RPG (except on PC) since D&D in the 80s, want to start doing some solo type of skirmish/RPG any recommendations? I will be using 15mm figs, here are some of my figs on my blog, and I have a massive order in at Splintered light for more.
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Have you tried Mythic?

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But if you want to use figures for a tabletop/dungeon crawl type game, you might want to use a system such as one of Fantasy Trip clones (ie. based on Metagaming's Melee/Wizard). There are a couple – "Heroes and Other Worlds" I think is one.

Mythic might help provide the motivation and plot devices, but then use a different system for the combat mechanics.

If you're looking to do fantasy dungeoncrawl with a strong classic D&D feel, try Goalsystem Delves:

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Uses a variant of the Goalsystem engine from the Chaos in Cairo/Carpathia/Cronos games, and Blasters & Bulkheads, and Supersystem, and the Department. Good system, and while it isn't specifically for solo play, Delves should work pretty well for that.

There's also Scarlet Heroes link
which is designed for a single GM/single player OR solo player. It's basically a D&D mod, complete unto itself, specifically aimed at making use of those old D&D modules.

excellent, I will check these out, thanks guys.

I really like Scarlet Heroes too. The simplicity of the game combined with the flexibility of the character generation system really does it for me. I have plans to use it to run a character through all my old Basic D&D scenarios at some point as a solo campaign.

Lone Wolf? you can get them all for free now, no need for miniatures. projectaon.org

If you're looking for solo play, I'd recommend:

1. Dark City Games
2. Two Hour Wargames
3. Tunnels and Trolls

The core rules for Dark City Games and Two Hour Wargames are free downloads.

Dark City Games publishes MicroQuests that are TFT compatible. While the majority of them are fantasy hack and slash games, there are some sci-fi and Old West modules.

Two Hour Wargames' core rules are really all you need if you were to create your own campaign setting, but their supplements contain a well-developed setting as well. Their "Reaction" game mechanic takes a little to get used to, but I've found I like the unpredictability of the system. Also, they are in the process of revamping a lot of their supplements to be completely compatible with each other, so if you want to transport Conan to the far future and fight space aliens, have at it.

Tunnels and Trolls has had a huge resurgence over the past several years. They recently (about a year ago) completed a Kickstarter for a "Deluxe" version that will hopefully hit the streets later this year. In addition to the original Flying Buffalo solitaire modules, there are a ton of desktop published solitaire (and GM) modules on DriveThruRPG.

Regards,

Scott Chisholm

So I'd caustion for something simple or at least on the simpler side.

Treasure Awaits suitable for solo play
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TWERPS
Simple 1 stat game. Makes a good board game to play an adventure in a night.
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For generating solo dungeons, there is a nifty card system called Universal Adventures. You will need 4 decks to make it work. It is not a game system but a dungeon/adventure generator.
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Tunnels & Trolls has a huge library of solitaire adventures. Many are available very cheaply on RPGNow.com

Treasure Awaits is fun too.

For miniatures the Song of … Series from Ganesha Games work well solo.

For miniatures the Song of … Series from Ganesha Games work well solo.

I'll second that. The activation system is especially well suited for solo play/

I'll echo the last two. T&T solos are generally excellent. And the SONG series does lay well solo.

Runequest has at least three books of solo adventures, plus scattered shorter ones. SCORION HALL is a full campaign and pretty challenging.

Iirc there was a Conan solo book or two for that universal rules system, don't recall the name.

I've found it pretty easy to use solo scenarios from other rules and just convert to what I am playing (which used to be RQ) for combat.

Wow, that SL giant is stupendous (last link in 1st post).

It's a little known secret, but our beloved editor in chief wrote several solo adventures for GURPS in the 1980s. You can download them for a small fee from SJGames. If you haven't already got a copy of GURPS, the lite (free) version of the GURPS rules should be good enough to run those adventures. They're absolutely brilliant (IMHO).

I will second The Fantasy Trip for solo, combat heavy fantasy RPG. The series includes a large number of solo adventures if you can find them.

Wow, lots of options, thanks guys.

DungeonQuest.

The Fantasy Trip for solo

Perhaps the clone would interest you. Rules are free and the adventures are inexpensive. I think the adventures are solo friendly.

darkcitygames.com

The Fantasy Trip Melee and Wizard are probably some of the best combat rules out there, fast, simple and lots of fun. There is even an RPG elements with a simple talents element based on IQ called In the Labyrinth which was made to expand the melee and wizard rules. Dark City Games – Legends of the Ancient World has 10 solo fantasy adventures and the rule system is a cut down version of The Fantasy Trip. Finally there is Heroes and Otherworlds, which is fairly new and is again largely based on The Fantasy Trip Melee and Wizard but it also borrows a lot from the Moldvay version D&D rules- Heroes and Otherworlds has some great adventures although they are not geared to solo play specifically.
heroworlds.blogspot.co.uk

I will second tunnels and trolls, lots of good books to go with it.
Its easy too!

Thanks
Austin

I'm also going to chime in and put in a vote for Ganesha Games. Get Song of Blades & Heroes and Song of Gold & Darkness to get you started.

I took things a bit further and added on my own set of rules to those two rulesets for classic room-to-room crawling:

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They're just in first draft and I'm currently working on adding more stuff like unique traps and more magic items.