Solo Adventures

[wingsandsword]

I'd suggest that you look at the Gestalt rules, they were designed (in part) for games under the normal compliment of players, so that a smaller number of characters can take on the same challenges as a larger party. A gestalt character is much more playable solo than any normal character (and a highly multiclassed single character can be much weaker, as others said, that character really isn't capiable of as much as a single classed 5th level PC could do.)

When running a solo game, remember the following:
1. When they drop, it's all over, no other party members to bail them out. So be wary of using instant kill/incapacitate effects.
2. If the adventure requires a specific skill check or action to advance (spot something important, open a hidden door, figure out a puzzle), it's a lot harder if there's only one PC, in case they fail it. Even more than normal, don't hinge everything on one action.
3. Remember exactly what the solo character can do and has available when designing the adventure. With a larger party, you can get into the DM mindset of "somebody's got to have 'X' on their equipment list/skill list".

 

[IronWolf]

http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=1676&

Another one from Expeditious Retreat to look at is 1 on 1 Adventures #1: Gambler's Quest. Looking at that adventure might give you a few ideas on creating your own.

 

[Wraith Form]

When running a solo game, remember the following:
1. When they drop, it's all over, no other party members to bail them out. So be wary of using instant kill/incapacitate effects.
2. If the adventure requires a specific skill check or action to advance (spot something important, open a hidden door, figure out a puzzle), it's a lot harder if there's only one PC, in case they fail it. Even more than normal, don't hinge everything on one action.
3. Remember exactly what the solo character can do and has available when designing the adventure. With a larger party, you can get into the DM mindset of "somebody's got to have 'X' on their equipment list/skill list".

Additionally, as DM you can "fudge" things during solo play. The point of the game is to make the player's PC a HERO, so they'll be able to do amazing things (even if you need to hand-wave) in order to get through various situations. i.e. Even if they don't have a skill, give them a somewhat decent chance to still pass a DC using their ability scores, etc.

"Flexibility is the key" is my motto when solo DMing. (...but blatant stupidity is always rewarded with death, of course)

 

[Rel]

Additionally, as DM you can "fudge" things during solo play. The point of the game is to make the player's PC a HERO, so they'll be able to do amazing things (even if you need to hand-wave) in order to get through various situations. i.e. Even if they don't have a skill, give them a somewhat decent chance to still pass a DC using their ability scores, etc.

"Flexibility is the key" is my motto when solo DMing. (...but blatant stupidity is always rewarded with death, of course)

Ditto. And don't force a bunch of NPC's on them to try and mold this into a "normal" party. Embrace the areas where solo adventuring shines (i.e. long stretches of roleplaying that are germaine only to the PC in question).

 

[Herobizkit]

Watch some old Xena and Herucles episodes. Seriously.

Herc and Xena are pretty much solo heroes. They handle all sorts of problems by themselves... clearing villages of monsters, escorting people, directing armies, or sometimes just hanging out and letting the world happen around them. The story plot is ALWAYS about them; keep this in mind when you design adventures for your hero. Make him/her gain a repuation as he/she travels around your campaign world. Have random people approach him/her in the street and ask for all sorts of help. You could even make him/her a member of some kind of guild, who would then direct him/her to adventures or give him/her something to aspire for... to be head of his/her own guild.

Herc and Xena both have a sidekick. These sidekicks aren't always helpful, and in many cases get in the way or get left behind. You might consider making an NPC sidekick for your hero; perhaps a comrade-in-arms, love interest, relative, or just some doe-eyed youth who's into hero worship. They are great story-telling tools, and powerful PC motivators as well. Once your hero starts to care about the sidekick's well-being, you can do all sorts of things to him/her that will drive the PC nuts...

 

[Nathan P. Mahney]

OK, so I've ran the solo quest - it was... interesting.

The PC in question was on a quest to regain his cleric powers after some misdemeanors - his god bade him to go forth and drink from the fountain of knowledge (his cleric powers were made available again for this quest). It was all going well, lots of exploration and smiting of low CR creatures - mostly fiendish goblins, a hell hound, some other stuff. I made it really easy for the character to rest and heal up, so there weren't many problems.

Then he reached the BBEG - a barghest who was insanely possessive of the fountain. I well realised that the barghest is way too tough for this character to fight, so I tweaked him a little. He'd been drinking from the fountain of knowledge a hell of a lot, and seen things that drove him insane. Mechanically this meant that once combat started, he was under the effects of a confusion spell.

It worked out just about right. The PC went in 11 hp under max, and was left with 6 when he dropped the barghest to 0. Of course, the barghest went for his final dying blow - and hit. Next thing you know the barghest is dying, and so is the PC - neither made their stabilisation rolls. It was a double kill - sorta cool! So I think I gauged it just about right - if the PC had been at full capacity he would have won. Comments?