Advantages to single PC games

[Tinker Gnome]

Well, what are some advantages to only having one PC?

 

[Crothian]

Things get done. In a solo game you onlky have to worry about the one PC and with less other people things just go faster. Plots can revolve around just the one PC so no need to have little plots that some of the players won't care about. Roleplaying I have found also goes better with just the one person.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

Ditto. I would list disadvantages but I'm sure you don't want those judgin by your question.

 

[Pozatronic]

Things get done. In a solo game you onlky have to worry about the one PC and with less other people things just go faster. Plots can revolve around just the one PC so no need to have little plots that some of the players won't care about. Roleplaying I have found also goes better with just the one person.

Amen to that. I've only played in one solo campaign. It was Cyberpunk 2020. The campaign lasted a good 4 years (this was quite remarkable for us). The first half of the first year was with three players, second half with two. Then there were two full years of "hot one on one action". The last year was on and off. The campaing never officially ended, so my character is still floating around somewhere. It was definitly the high-lite of my roleplaying years.

I also DM'ed a very short Dragonlance solo campaing. The pc was a young White Robe. The main npc was a minotaur fighter and a Kendler halfling towards the end. Didn't last as long, and wasn't as good. But it was all pretty much Roleplaying with hardly any fighting.

Don't think that you can't have a meaningful game with only two people!

 

[Selenim]

I'm running a solo game and we're having a lot of fun. I tend to design games around characters (NPC centered metaplots turn me off ) so it's not a big problem there. This campaign style allows us to focus more on character developpement since only one player has the spotlight. The player also gets to play at his own pace and can spend an entire session in roleplay without leaving anyone out of the action.

 

[Hodgie]

The highlights of my gaming career were in solo-campaigns. The level of immersion is so much higher for RP and every session is so much more meaningful because all of it furthers your goals.

 

[Alchemist]

Indeed, one of my best loved and longest running campaigns was a (mostly) solo affair in which I played a Dragonlance Minotaur. It lasted for nearly a year before grinding to a halt.

Some of the best parts of solo games have been mentioned, including being able to tailor the game to fit the character. The DM can know the full mind of the player/character and no compromises for other characters.

 

[Arrgh! Mark!]

Just started a single PC game the other day.

Seems to be a lot of roleplaying - which is good. It's certainly a good way to get a normally background player to move things along.

There tends to be oddball characters and interesting plots. I've noticed that I've got to be careful in aiming at the PC - A IK Gunmage doesn't have many hitpoints or staying ability. While the PC is relatively new to gaming and doesn't understand the GM cheats all the time - so far it isn't a problem.

But I foresee putting her into a situation where due to luck she might fail. So you have to be careful - Characters are fragile.

 

[FireLance]

Biggest advantage to a solo campaign: There is only one hero, and everyone else is supporting cast. The DM should also know the PC's capabilities very well, and the challenges can be uniquely tuned so that the hero always gets to shine.

Arranging a time when all the players can be present is also much easier .

 

[Voadam]

Well, what are some advantages to only having one PC?

Depends which way you mean the question.

As a player only running one character at a time allows you to get more immersive and into the role as well as keep track of things you are responsible for easier.

However assuming you mean 1 PC in a game,

From a campaign perspective more indepth roleplay can happen without worrying about stealing the spotlight from other pcs or the group.

No inter-PC arguments about what to do.

It can allow you to do everything in the game instead of just your one niche in the group (so your fighter is now also the face man who talks to NPCs, and must worry about healing, traps, etc.)

It can sharpen your focus when you know it is up to you to notice everything, figure everything out, and that there is no backup.

It is easier to come up with on the fly stuff for one character than multiple. Usually.