Interest check: Solo game with several PCs

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Dec 24, 2019 10:31 am
Hello people. I am interested in running a game for a solo player with a party of PCs. I like the intensity of solo play, and this way we don't have to boost the power of one PC to tackle everything.

I'm looking for ideas when you, the player give me the party, the goal of the party, and very importantly, the mood and theme of the story.

A generic fantasy party doing generic adventuring stuff won't interest me.

Rule Sets
- D&D 5e
- D&D 3.5
- Pathfinder
- Savage Worlds
- oWoD (Werewolf, Mage or Hunter)
- nWoD (Werewolf or Hunter)
- Star Wars d20, Saga (but I'm really out of the loop on the canon lore, I basically know the 'classic three', nothing else)
- ask me, I know a lot of other systems, and I might even learn a new one if it's not too complex

Anyone interested?
Last edited December 24, 2019 11:29 am
Dec 24, 2019 10:33 am
I am! What system/setting do you prefer?
Dec 24, 2019 10:43 am
Ah, just the second most important piece of imformation which I forget!

D&D 5e
D&D 3.5
Pathfinder
Savage Worlds
oWoD, nWoD
Star Wars d20, Saga (but I'm really out of the loop on the canon lore, I basically know the 'classic three', nothing else)
ask me, I know a lot of other systems, and I might even learn a new one if it's not too complex
Dec 24, 2019 10:55 am
Apart from nWoD and Savage Worlds I'm familiar with those systems. I particularly like D&D 5E for its 'back to basics' approach in the ruleset, and I've always been a fan of oWod (mostly Vampire the Masquerade, although I've dabbled in some of the others). Either a D&D 5e game or a V:tM game would work perfectly for me.

For the idea, depending on the game it's a bit different of course. For the D&D one I would like to propose a game that has a more personal narrative, focused around the rise to power of one individual and those who help him/her. Perhaps a thief climbing to the thieves guild top? For Vampire, solo play is a lot easier, the kindred not being the nicest of folk to have around to begin with, but a character who might have a coterie, or servants, may work well. Said individual would then have to navigate the Jyhad to climb to power, all the while whittling away their humanity. I like the 'beast within' theme in Vampire where you constantly slip away to becoming an inhuman monster.
Dec 24, 2019 11:28 am
Ummm, not vampire for me, sorry. As for oWoD, let's say Werewolf or Mage or Hunter; for nWoD Werewolf or Hunter.
Dec 24, 2019 12:33 pm
Werewolf is a game that I really like, but is something best explored with a group of players because of the pack mechanics. Never tried Mage or Hunter, although I do have the books.... somewhere. :)

How do you feel about D&D 5E or Pathfinder?
Dec 24, 2019 12:51 pm
Sounds good, that's why I listed them.

What do you have in mind?
Dec 24, 2019 1:18 pm
As mentioned, a more personal narrative focusing on the rise of one particular character would be interesting. D&D classically focuses on the party saving the world/town/princess/dragon and killing the monster of the day. There's little room for personal narrative, while if you look at it, each character individually is quite impressive, especially at the higher levels. The original D&D made fighters gain strongholds and such, but in the end that was a backdrop to the main story and the exploits of the party. What I would like is a story focused on an individual, who may or may not have a party, but the story explores how this individual fits in the world, does noteworthy things, has the world around it change and then begins playing a prominent role in it. Something like Pathfinder:Kingmaker where the character becomes a baron of a budding kingdom, or the earlier mentioned thief who eventually rises to become master of a thieves guild, and beyond.

In D&D/Pathfinder I usually prefer to play crafty/skillful humans who have a lot of utility and focus less on combat, unless it's something short-lived. In 5E I would like to try a bard perhaps, they seem to have a little bit of everything, and a good personal narrative. If Pathfinder I've always wanted to try a summoner, and if it's a solo game we have a lot more room to have the eidolon play a prominent role.
Dec 24, 2019 1:26 pm
The ideas are nice, but I'm specifically looking for a team of same-level PCs to try.

That lord with the castle can have the highest social rank, but, for example, his arcane advisor, his honor guard and his sorcerer lover should be equally powerful (= same level).

Same goes with the thief: she might be the leader of the crew, but I'd like a crew of PCs at the same level.
Dec 24, 2019 3:10 pm
Ah, I get you! that sounds perfectly good. A bard would be a natural leader of such a band of miscreants. :)
Dec 24, 2019 5:25 pm
So you want to go with 5e and bard?

What kind of person is each PC?
How are they connected?
What is the team's goal?
What theme and mood would you like for the story?

And what setting would you like?
Dec 24, 2019 11:21 pm
What setting would you like?
Do you like Eberron? If not, Ye good olde Forgotten Realms is always fine.

What kind of person is each PC?
The group consists of five individuals; Misha, Barran, Faegal, Tikka and Big Darr.

Misha - Human Bard
Sneaky Misha is the leader of the bunch, elected by age and street smarts. A bit of a big sister to the group, she always lived off the streets and knows it like no other. A swindler to most, can be hard around the edges, but good to her friends.

Barran - Human Cleric
Barran is an old friend of Misha. He once studied at a chapel, but became disillusioned with the priestly life. When he left, Misha took him in and got him to stand on his own feet. He since switched faith to the god of thieves.

Faegalial Uthandior Uthaviel - Elf Artificer/Wizard
(Artificer if Eberron, Wizard if Forgotten Realms)
Faegal, as he is called by those who do not speak the elven tongue, is a fiendishly clever elf but one who lacks much of the patience of his kin, and driven to seek vengeance to against those who murdered much of his family. As such, he began looking for shortcuts to power. His eldritch tutors disapproved and cast him out. Bitter and disilusioned he roamed about, until he crossed paths with the band and joined for mutual benefit.

Tikka Longfathom - Shifter/Halfling Rogue
Ever bright and happy, Tikka lives happily by the day without a concern in the world. She cares about eating well and having fun but never was one for planning far ahead, and never thought badly of taking a little 'from those who don't miss it.'

Big Darr - Warforged/Dragonborn Fighter
Stoic and honorable sums up Big Darr, called such for his towering height. His stubborn resistance to ever back down left him dying in an alley one day, where he was picked up by the band and patched up. He felt he owed them his life and came to like the band, so stuck around. A odd one for his loftier upbringing free of crime or blemish.

How are they connected?
Misha and Barran were childhood friends, living in the same street and playing there until their paths diverged only to come back later when he became disilussioned with his faith. He did some work with Misha, and found this was the true life for him. He embraced the god of thieves fully, and is Misha's right-hand man.

Misha noticed Tikka pickpocketing some patrons in an inn, and offered her a place on her crew for a small heist. Tikka liked the payout and became friends with Misha and Barran. She loves going on the jobs because they pay so well compared to petty crime.

Faegal was down in the dumps when Misha heard of him. She could really use someone who knew more of magic on her crew. Faegal joined for the money to get back on his feet. The crew has their doubts about him but the man is smart and useful. While the others were friends, Faegal is in it for himself and everyone knows it. Even so, Faegal sees Misha as a capable woman and has no wish to cross her.

Darr was the last one added to the group and was found by chance in an alley. His well-off dress made him stand out and the band patched him up hoping for a little reward. Instead Darr swore his life debt would be repaid, and he turned out to be alright. He bonded with the group, minus Faegal.

The group looks to Misha, but it is no army. Misha is simply the most streetwise and is the social glue holding the group together.

What is the team's goal?
The group is doing decently for itself. It keeps an ear to the ground for a good score. But it wants to do better for itself, get a bigger score, find some riches for themselves for all sort of things, from luxury to research materials.

What theme and mood would you like for the story?
Somewhere between serious and swashbucklerish would be good, with room for character growth and some serious dilemmas.
Dec 25, 2019 6:09 am
I've never ever played or GM'd in Eberron, but there are lots of things in it I like.

I'll let this stew for a few days and read on Eberron, and dust my FR lore before I decide.
Dec 25, 2019 9:02 am
Very good!

For Eberron I think Sharn, the City of Towers, in particular is a very interesting place to have a story like this play out.
Dec 26, 2019 8:40 am
Eberron it is!
Last edited December 26, 2019 8:50 am
Dec 26, 2019 9:10 pm
Is everyone playing different games?
Dec 26, 2019 9:45 pm
Ummm, can you clarify on that question? I don't really get what you're asking.
Dec 26, 2019 10:02 pm
Like are all the players playing in the same world/game and just playing different plots or are you running completely separate games?
Dec 26, 2019 11:49 pm
:) I don't know about 'games', the title itself is in the singular.
Since Khulod was the only responder for a while and we got to the point of starting the game, this thread is currently passive.

However, if I start another game at some time, that will be a completely separate game.
Actually, a completely separate genre, like Starfinder or Cyberpunk, or something similarly different.

If you are interested, we can talk about it in theory, but I have no idea when I'll have time to GM another game.
Last edited December 26, 2019 11:50 pm
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