D&D General Dragon Delves To Feature Two Adventures "Appropriate For Solo Players"

Two of the 10 adventures in Dragon Delves are being advertised as being appropriate for "solo players." Today, Wizards of the Coast revealed the table of contents for Dragon Delves, a new anthology of dragon-themed adventures due out this July. Interestingly, three of the adventures - a Level 3 adventure featuring a Gold Dragon, A Level 7 adventure featuring a Bronze Dragon, and a Level 12 adventure featuring a Copper Dragon - include mentions that they are appropriate for a "solo player."

This marks the first time, at least based on our cursory search, that D&D has advertised adventures made for 1-on-1 play for Fifth Edition (NOTE: It was pointed out that the D&D Essentials Kit also could be played with one player, using the Sidekick rules to help flesh out the party.) It's notable that the adventures appear to be roleplay heavy rather than combat focused, with the Level 3 adventure involves rescuing an "unexpected prisoner" from a hag living in a cottage made of candy, while the Level 12 adventure involves finding the lost verses of a song needed to save a region's farmlands. All three adventures appear to feature metallic dragons, which are aligned towards good as opposed to evil.

 

[Burnside]

This product doesn't come close to suggesting the absence of a DM

Not only that, but I think the idea that eliminating the DM would be a "monetizing" move for WotC is bizarre. It would be the opposite. Designing adventures that can be run without a DM is WAY more work on the design side, and DMs spend WAY more than players do on the game.

Honestly, I'd love to see WotC design a DM-less adventure because frankly it would preclude their usual "the DM will fix this for us" design style.

 

[sevenbastard]

All three adventures appear to feature metallic dragons, which are aligned towards good as opposed to evil.

Either way never make deal with a dragon... Oh wait wrong game.

 

[Vincent55]

This product doesn't come close to suggesting the absence of a DM

what about "solo " don't you get means only one person, they want to head to AI dming and this is the first step in elinating the DM, doesn't come right out and say it but they are going that way.

 

[Dire Bare]

As as a middle-schooler back in the 80s so shy I couldn't ask my equally nerdy friends to play D&D with me . . . I loved the solo modules TSR used to put out back in the day. I'm excited WotC is again experimenting with this style of play.

I've noticed on the DMs Guild, there are several solo D&D products that remain consistently in the top 10 on the front page . . .

EDIT: Or maybe not . . . well, 1-on-1 play is still a legit play style . . .

 

[The Soloist]

what about "solo " don't you get means only one person, they want to head to AI dming and this is the first step in elinating the DM, doesn't come right out and say it but they are going that way.

Yes and No. In this case they mean one DM and one player.

Usually, we call true solo, DMless playing, solitary play. There are many of us who play without DMs using oracles and random tables. Some even use AI ChatGPT to generate stories and NPCs. It's not very good and tends to forget adventure details.

 

[Dire Bare]

Oh yes they want solo play, so to eliminate the DM and just sell to the player base and control and monetise the heck out of them. Where as, a DM just needs the basic books and can create our own content and ignore or alter rules as we want for the players.

Okay, time to take off that cursed tinfoil hat +1 you've been wearing . . .

D&D has had a long history of supporting solo play, although it is mostly for the BECMI ruleset back in the 80s. Other publishers have experimented with this style of play over the years . . . either 1-on-1 DM & Player or truly solo, no DM at all.

And check out what is popular on the fan-driven DM's Guild site right now . . . lots of material aimed at solo players. There's a ton of OGL stuff on DriveThruRPG also.

Just like me back in middle school, if you want to play, and have no one to play with . . . solo D&D play might scratch that itch.

I have incredible memories of Blizzard Pass (M1), Maze of the Riddling Minotaur (M2), The Gem and the Staff (O1), and my absolute favorite, Blade of Vengeance (O2).

 

[Scribe]

what about "solo " don't you get means only one person, they want to head to AI dming and this is the first step in elinating the DM, doesn't come right out and say it but they are going that way.

Solo RPG with an oracle rolling system is very far away from AI DMs.

For AI DMs, just go play a CRPG like BG3.

 

[kapars]

The more I see about this book the more excited I’m getting. Varying the art styles is wonderful and allows different artists to be featured, using the opportunity to showcase classic art is even better. Look at the example page where they show instructions for preparing the adventure, that is so much better for new DMs - to the point and exact prep instructions.

I know it is the norm / cool to dunk on WotC these days but there are things in this book that suggest they are listening and learning.

 

[Azzy]

That picture makes me smile.

 

[orial]

Oh yes they want solo play, so to eliminate the DM and just sell to the player base and control and monetise the heck out of them. Where as, a DM just needs the basic books and can create our own content and ignore or alter rules as we want for the players.

Yes, the The Vinegar Dragon adventure.