Single Player Games

[Drawmack]

I'm DMing a campaign right now that has only one player, and I am finding it very interesting and fullfilling. Sure the "standard" types of game play are pretty much out, but this is turning into a heck of a game and a lot of fun.

Here's what I did:
The character (ftr8/drd2) woke up in Freeport suffering from a disasociative fugue with no memories since the age of 10. They had no gold, no weapons, no armor, and no friends. They are exploring the city and themselves. I'm throwing in all kinds of twists and letting them decide how they fit into the landscape in Freeport. We have played three sessions and right now there are 5 or 6 simultaneous storylines going on with the player completely deciding which to investigate and which to just let slide by. I could never get away with that if I had multiple players becuase they'd just argue all day long.

Anyone else played a single player game? How did it come off? What did you do?

 

[Crothian]

Ya, I've ran a few of them and had one go for a couple years or so. They are great with the right player. It is a different type of game and one I think is helpful for DMs to at least try. It was heavy on the role playing at all times. It was catered to the game I wanted to run and my player wanted to play. We got a lot done each night and it was amazing.

 

[Maester Luwin]

I agree with Crothian! With the right player & right setting this type of game is rewarding to both player & GM.

I once ran a Thieve's World campaign with one player. It was great. When another player wanted to join I started him out on different night & the two players only gamed together if they found each other in the city.

I think this type of game would work well online/ Play by Post ect. Thanks Maester Luwin

 

[Herobizkit]

I've been pretty much a Single Player DM/player for the better part of a decade. My Co-DM and I run entire campaigns for one another.

IMC, he played a Superman-esque Half-Celestial in a superhero/romance/build an empire/save the world type game. He had a group of loyal NPCs (his supporting cast) that he could choose from every "adventure", plus a lot of intensive RP moments where he would, among other things, try and seduce the various women of his cast.

For me, he ran the Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil. I ran two PCs, he ran three NPCs to follow me through. To break up the monotony, we worked on parts of his homebrew campaign as well, and went completely to his homebrew after the module was completed. We just finished what you might call "Book 2" in his "Trilogy".

Single player campaigning is the bomb. I do miss playing with other players, but going through the whole "adapting to other people's rules" sometimes isn't worth it... especially when you consider our "ultra-light" rules style of play.