Help support the channel: Donating: paypal.me/geekgamersDeborah Get SOLO GAME MASTER'S GUIDE: order from Amazon: shorturl.at/vFMQ2 order from Modiphius: shorturl.at/npsL1 order from Modiphus UK: shorturl.at/kqsMN Get RANDOM HEXCRAWL book: tinyurl.com/5cj3d4jc
With soloing, you are basically imagining and day dreaming up things, BUT, you have an "external factor" through which the world presents its own will, and that is the various RNG driven resources you use. Be it an oracle, drawing a card, looking at a picture or flipping through a book. That's how the world communicates its will to you independent from your own stream of thoughts, taking your creativity down totally unforeseen paths. That's the magic!
The loop you worked out with the Generative, Suggestive, Restrictive, and Rubric is such a good distillation of the solo process! Ive had your book for awhile now and its really helped me step up my game! Thank you!
Right there: 28:29 "The interaction that you have with RPG material like this is doing solo RPG so if I just stopped now I would have quote unquote done solo rpging... ". So many people need and would love to hear this! Thank you!
I love that you’re using Pathfinder. I’ve been told by many that the system is too rules heavy for solo play. But it appeals to me. I also really want to do a solo Starfinder campaign.
As I mention in this vid, I strip the rules down to super basics and rely on the wealth of descriptive material that’s there. If I were to try to remember and use all the rules it would not work for me!
I'm so excited to see how this works!! I've not had the guts to try pathfinder solo. But I should because I have too many Pathfinder books and no party to play. I never realized solo RPGs could be done until I saw your channel, and it has been a great rabbit hole ever since. I'm currently messing around with a combination of Cairn, Micro Chapbook RPG and Table Fables. All the best in 2024!
Sounds like you have a great combination of materials there. I use Pathfinder in many ways as just GM resources/character inspiration--such as giving Four Against Darkness characters traits and spells, for example. For the actual rules and mechanics, things like you are using (Carin, Micro Chapbook) work really well for the type of solo play that I do.
It is encouraging to me to see you mold and modify rules to your liking. A hang up I have is the feeling of "cheating" or not playing "by the rules" when I play solo. It's silly and I know that everyone, including GMs for groups modify rules, but I keep butting up against it. I LOVE PF2e content but I don't want to use all the rules RAW. Your video is a good reminder to play as I see fit.
There are quite prominent statements in most rule sets, Pathfinder for sure, that say some version of “use these rules as you wish.” Gygax was perhaps the first to say it, and say it he did. So… I understand the hang up but using rules by bending them in RPG IS playing by the rules!
Even in party play around a table, GM's will fudge rolls all the time. All GM's will admit they do it, but if they told you you succeeded a roll and they *wanted* you to succeed, there's a good chance you didn't actually pass the DC but they told you you did. Because they're the GM. Point being: all RPG gameplay involves "cheating". With solo, you're the only player. So who is there to cheat? It's your story, your characters, and even more importantly, it's your fun. Unless you record yourself playing, no one will know or have any role in your game. You carry the same authority a GM does in fudging rolls. If the oracle gave you a result you don't like, you can roll again, or choose one of the options that appeals to you, or sack off the oracle altogether and make it up. In terms of ruleset, don't feel like you have to stick with Pathfinder 2E as written. Change rules you don't like. Remove rules you don't like. Borrow rules from other rulesets like D&D, Basic Fantasy, or Scarlet Heroes. A lot of "rules" are just guidelines depending on what's happening. Rulesets will tell you all about movement, how far you move in a turn, how far you see, how far you can shoot an arrow - but that only matters if you have an elaborate battle map set up with miniatures, for example. All those rules can be happily discarded if your combat is in the "theatre of the mind", where you can't measure or quantify the size of a room and where NPCs are stood. That's just one example where, even if you feel like you're cheating, you can easily modify or remove rules and quite easily justify doing so.
@@GeekGamers01 If one thinks of "rules" as being things from outside, they can be quite onerous, but if one thinks of them as how you (the player) want to handle some playtime activity (e.g. combat, exploration), then it is quite empowering to realize you can just snap off a bit from System X and combine it with things you like about Systems Y and Z.
This story you created reminded me more of a Planescape adventure... Sigil and the Spires...I really see Stitcher in that environment! Good stuff! When I play solo I'd rather choose a simpler system: PF is too full of numbers and procedures. Have a great 2024 !
Totally get what you are saying about Pathfinder which is why I use the material mostly for gaming inspiration and will majorly strip down the rules. I'm using it now, for example, to form the basis of some Four Against Darkness characters, stealing some of the Pathfinder traits and spells, for example.
This was a treat to watch you go through the logical steps. I remember when news first came out people were saying the Pathfinder Remaster would be a 2.5, but it feels like the remaster is more of a Pathfinder 2.1e. Reminds me of the Windows Service Pack, back when those were a thing.
So there really is no significant difference between the original second edition and the remaster except the CYA move to cut ties with WotC and their OGL... Okay good to know. Thanks.
Long time D&D player and and used to play solo back in the day before I found a group. I wish I had your book back then lol! What made you select Pathfinder over DCC or all of the other options available? What is the spiral notebook you were using? Thanks for taking us on your roleplaying journey.
Links to the book, Dungeon Year Design Journal, is in the video description. I have DCC and MCC... really want to love them but the d30 always stumps me, even though I know how to "make" one... I have used MCC as source material for other sci fi games... Pathfinder is very narrative to me once you get beyond all the math and mechanics, which I just strip down to the very basics. There is just material for it and i like the art style too.
14:48 in my game/world I seem to have a thing for writers as well. I'm seeing my version of what you were saying is that they are a writer for an underground newspaper investigating what happened to the real book.
Coming back again after a while. Sorry. I'm also curious how you might handle combat with a pathfinder based character and OSRish encounters in Cess and Citadel.
I can’t speak to that specific situation but my advice is just the same-tinker and modify, keeping in mind what is most important to you in the simulation and dropping the rest
@@GeekGamers01 Thank you for the reply. I got your book and I have to say that this video in particular is what got me moving on Solo RPGing. Keep being you. Your content is supes helpful.
I had to come back to hear and see that awesome intro!! So groooooovy ... o yeah, also wanted to review what you covered now the weekend is Finally here >g
@@GeekGamers01 I wallowed about in your Solo Guide over the holidays, tried out some different approaches as suggested, and have been so inspired to Make More Time for Fun this year to come. Hearing you go over the the high points & watching you apply them after reading has made a few little points clearer as well. I really appreciate what you do here on your channel!! I hope you have a really Groovy New Year to Come!
@@katiekofemug What a lovely comment to read, thank you! I'm so glad you are enjoying my book and it seems you are really getting into the spirit of the approach. Thanks for taking the time to comment and a very happy 2024 to you as well.
I'm interested to know more about how you subdivide ultimate campaign into roll able tables in the downtime chapter. I think I can see that the teams section is a d20... but it looks like you roll 2 d8s for buildings and I can't figure out how the entries correspond to the possible dice outcomes.
Heya G/G : I'm curious as to if you have any experience with the Savage Worlds system, and if so, how do you think it maps over the effort to solo rp ?
Hey thanks for letting me know. I know it has been selling a lot but did not realize it was out of stock. I have just written to the publisher and will post an update here when I get one. FWIW looks like it is still available on the UK Modiphius site. Not sure how much that might help you but perhaps you could write to them and ask about that and whether they could do anything for you on the shipping (assuming you are US-based). Also, any customer writing to the website asking when it will be restocked is also very helpful in getting things moving.
@@heartlessjustice1813 Sorry to hear you aren’t finding it but I see it in stock again at Amazon (US) with free shipping if you have prime and are in US. Here it is: www.amazon.com/Modiphius-Entertainment-Ltd-Geek-Gamers/dp/1802810811/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PK6H9SE2MT98&keywords=solo+game+master%27s+guide+geek+gamers&qid=1707519740&sprefix=Solo+game+ma%2Caps%2C177&sr=8-1
Help support the channel:
Donating: paypal.me/geekgamersDeborah
Get SOLO GAME MASTER'S GUIDE:
order from Amazon: shorturl.at/vFMQ2
order from Modiphius: shorturl.at/npsL1
order from Modiphus UK: shorturl.at/kqsMN
Get RANDOM HEXCRAWL book: tinyurl.com/5cj3d4jc
Where can I got this book? Any chance of publishing on kindle?
The solo game masters guide.
Currently it is only available as a pdf from Modiphius or drivethru. Physical books are being reprinted but I don’t have a date for that.
With soloing, you are basically imagining and day dreaming up things, BUT, you have an "external factor" through which the world presents its own will, and that is the various RNG driven resources you use. Be it an oracle, drawing a card, looking at a picture or flipping through a book. That's how the world communicates its will to you independent from your own stream of thoughts, taking your creativity down totally unforeseen paths. That's the magic!
The loop you worked out with the Generative, Suggestive, Restrictive, and Rubric is such a good distillation of the solo process! Ive had your book for awhile now and its really helped me step up my game! Thank you!
Thanks so much and that's great to hear.
Mindset #1, Everything is playing, clicked for me. Now I enjoy anything I do for solo rpg. The ideas in your book are priceless 🤩
Right there: 28:29 "The interaction that you have with RPG material like this is doing solo RPG so
if I just stopped now I would have quote unquote done solo rpging... ". So many people need and would love to hear this! Thank you!
Thanks. It's a central tenet of my approach!
I love that you’re using Pathfinder. I’ve been told by many that the system is too rules heavy for solo play. But it appeals to me. I also really want to do a solo Starfinder campaign.
As I mention in this vid, I strip the rules down to super basics and rely on the wealth of descriptive material that’s there. If I were to try to remember and use all the rules it would not work for me!
I'm so excited to see how this works!! I've not had the guts to try pathfinder solo. But I should because I have too many Pathfinder books and no party to play. I never realized solo RPGs could be done until I saw your channel, and it has been a great rabbit hole ever since. I'm currently messing around with a combination of Cairn, Micro Chapbook RPG and Table Fables.
All the best in 2024!
Sounds like you have a great combination of materials there. I use Pathfinder in many ways as just GM resources/character inspiration--such as giving Four Against Darkness characters traits and spells, for example. For the actual rules and mechanics, things like you are using (Carin, Micro Chapbook) work really well for the type of solo play that I do.
It is encouraging to me to see you mold and modify rules to your liking. A hang up I have is the feeling of "cheating" or not playing "by the rules" when I play solo. It's silly and I know that everyone, including GMs for groups modify rules, but I keep butting up against it. I LOVE PF2e content but I don't want to use all the rules RAW. Your video is a good reminder to play as I see fit.
There are quite prominent statements in most rule sets, Pathfinder for sure, that say some version of “use these rules as you wish.” Gygax was perhaps the first to say it, and say it he did. So…
I understand the hang up but using rules by bending them in RPG IS playing by the rules!
Even in party play around a table, GM's will fudge rolls all the time. All GM's will admit they do it, but if they told you you succeeded a roll and they *wanted* you to succeed, there's a good chance you didn't actually pass the DC but they told you you did. Because they're the GM.
Point being: all RPG gameplay involves "cheating". With solo, you're the only player. So who is there to cheat? It's your story, your characters, and even more importantly, it's your fun. Unless you record yourself playing, no one will know or have any role in your game.
You carry the same authority a GM does in fudging rolls. If the oracle gave you a result you don't like, you can roll again, or choose one of the options that appeals to you, or sack off the oracle altogether and make it up.
In terms of ruleset, don't feel like you have to stick with Pathfinder 2E as written. Change rules you don't like. Remove rules you don't like. Borrow rules from other rulesets like D&D, Basic Fantasy, or Scarlet Heroes.
A lot of "rules" are just guidelines depending on what's happening. Rulesets will tell you all about movement, how far you move in a turn, how far you see, how far you can shoot an arrow - but that only matters if you have an elaborate battle map set up with miniatures, for example. All those rules can be happily discarded if your combat is in the "theatre of the mind", where you can't measure or quantify the size of a room and where NPCs are stood.
That's just one example where, even if you feel like you're cheating, you can easily modify or remove rules and quite easily justify doing so.
@@GeekGamers01 If one thinks of "rules" as being things from outside, they can be quite onerous, but if one thinks of them as how you (the player) want to handle some playtime activity (e.g. combat, exploration), then it is quite empowering to realize you can just snap off a bit from System X and combine it with things you like about Systems Y and Z.
Love the little city scape that you ended up devising. All kinds of ideas come to mind
This is great! I was waiting for a Pathfinder solo video, thanks for the long video!!
30 minutes into your video. And it's already more interesting than my 4th session lol .
Great video, friend! 😊
Two videos in two days. Looks like this will be a Happy New Year for us Geek Gamers fans !
I love these types of videos. You are a champion! Thank you for sharing this.
This story you created reminded me more of a Planescape adventure... Sigil and the Spires...I really see Stitcher in that environment! Good stuff! When I play solo I'd rather choose a simpler system: PF is too full of numbers and procedures. Have a great 2024 !
Totally get what you are saying about Pathfinder which is why I use the material mostly for gaming inspiration and will majorly strip down the rules.
I'm using it now, for example, to form the basis of some Four Against Darkness characters, stealing some of the Pathfinder traits and spells, for example.
Absolutely great food for thought here! Thanks so much for all of your content.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE the intro!
This was a treat to watch you go through the logical steps.
I remember when news first came out people were saying the Pathfinder Remaster would be a 2.5, but it feels like the remaster is more of a Pathfinder 2.1e. Reminds me of the Windows Service Pack, back when those were a thing.
Ah Windows Service Packs! Great analogy.
So there really is no significant difference between the original second edition and the remaster except the CYA move to cut ties with WotC and their OGL... Okay good to know. Thanks.
Enjoyed your new intro. Thank you!
Wow I was just looking for this. So glad this video came out now!
very cool video. thanks for reviewing / sharing this Solo Game Master's Guide
I was looking to start, and pathfinder is my favorite system, tysm!
Nice overview!
"In a world dominated by oppression, one woman and her books stand alone..."
Ok… the best comment of the year so far. ;)
Happy 2024 to you!
Long time D&D player and and used to play solo back in the day before I found a group. I wish I had your book back then lol! What made you select Pathfinder over DCC or all of the other options available? What is the spiral notebook you were using? Thanks for taking us on your roleplaying journey.
Links to the book, Dungeon Year Design Journal, is in the video description.
I have DCC and MCC... really want to love them but the d30 always stumps me, even though I know how to "make" one...
I have used MCC as source material for other sci fi games...
Pathfinder is very narrative to me once you get beyond all the math and mechanics, which I just strip down to the very basics. There is just material for it and i like the art style too.
14:48 in my game/world I seem to have a thing for writers as well. I'm seeing my version of what you were saying is that they are a writer for an underground newspaper investigating what happened to the real book.
Coming back again after a while. Sorry. I'm also curious how you might handle combat with a pathfinder based character and OSRish encounters in Cess and Citadel.
I can’t speak to that specific situation but my advice is just the same-tinker and modify, keeping in mind what is most important to you in the simulation and dropping the rest
@@GeekGamers01 Thank you for the reply. I got your book and I have to say that this video in particular is what got me moving on Solo RPGing. Keep being you. Your content is supes helpful.
@patrickmoates8030 Thanks for the support and so glad to know you find my content useful.
I had to come back to hear and see that awesome intro!! So groooooovy
... o yeah, also wanted to review what you covered now the weekend is Finally here >g
Thanks! Glad you liked it!
@@GeekGamers01 I wallowed about in your Solo Guide over the holidays, tried out some different approaches as suggested, and have been so inspired to Make More Time for Fun this year to come. Hearing you go over the the high points & watching you apply them after reading has made a few little points clearer as well. I really appreciate what you do here on your channel!! I hope you have a really Groovy New Year to Come!
@@katiekofemug What a lovely comment to read, thank you! I'm so glad you are enjoying my book and it seems you are really getting into the spirit of the approach. Thanks for taking the time to comment and a very happy 2024 to you as well.
Nice video! I just finished my first ttrpg solo adventure (game: Vaesen) and want to take good ideas to keep improving my solo games. Thanks!
What’s that spiral-bound journal you’re using? That looks very handy. Thanks!
See video description
@@GeekGamers01- thank you, I ordered a copy.
I'm interested to know more about how you subdivide ultimate campaign into roll able tables in the downtime chapter. I think I can see that the teams section is a d20... but it looks like you roll 2 d8s for buildings and I can't figure out how the entries correspond to the possible dice outcomes.
Heya G/G : I'm curious as to if you have any experience with the Savage Worlds system, and if so, how do you think it maps over the effort to solo rp ?
Afraid I dont
Hey, your book's sold out on Amazon and Modiphius, is it going back to print?
Hey thanks for letting me know. I know it has been selling a lot but did not realize it was out of stock. I have just written to the publisher and will post an update here when I get one.
FWIW looks like it is still available on the UK Modiphius site. Not sure how much that might help you but perhaps you could write to them and ask about that and whether they could do anything for you on the shipping (assuming you are US-based). Also, any customer writing to the website asking when it will be restocked is also very helpful in getting things moving.
@@GeekGamers01here I am a month later looking for the same answer as a Canadian follower.. I will get to bugging them now
@heartlessjustice1813 I believe everything is back in stock now including on Amazon (us)
@@GeekGamers01 unfortunately it's not... I've found one site in the UK that has stock, but it would cost me more than I'm comfortable paying
@@heartlessjustice1813 Sorry to hear you aren’t finding it but I see it in stock again at Amazon (US) with free shipping if you have prime and are in US. Here it is: www.amazon.com/Modiphius-Entertainment-Ltd-Geek-Gamers/dp/1802810811/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PK6H9SE2MT98&keywords=solo+game+master%27s+guide+geek+gamers&qid=1707519740&sprefix=Solo+game+ma%2Caps%2C177&sr=8-1
Wouldnt warhammer fanrasy RP be better for rolling an urban character ?
4e has gnome. I have to check 1e.
Have you used Savage Worlds at all? Heard some like it as a solo system and a "Pathfinder for Savage Worlds" rulebook was released a couple years ago.
No I have no experience using Savage Worlds.
Can’t get the book in 🇬🇧 😢
Which book? My book, SOLO GAME MASTER’S GUIDE? That is available in the UK from the publisher. Go to Modiphius.net.
@@GeekGamers01 🙏