No D&D group? Try solo play!

Thanks to DM's Guild for sponsoring this video all about "The Solo Adventurer’s Toolbox"! Use the coupon code SOLOGAMER to save 10% on $10+ of digital community-created content on DM’s Guild through the end of August 2022.

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► INDEX
0:00 Intro
0:25 Why play solo D&D
1:15 A flexible solo system
3:42 How it works
5:06 The Oracle
5:40 The 6d12 method
6:18 Random tables
10:00 Let's play!
20:25 Is it worth it?

Music from Epidemic Sound

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[micah]

this feels like a guided version of literally just being a kid and playing with toys?? i love that so much
as a kid it's so easy to pick up some toys and come up with some whole elaborate story and play with them for hours, and it's a lot harder to do that as an adult, so this feels like a way to get some of that wonder back

[jordanw]

Not d&d, but I've had a blast playing 1000 Year Old Vampire. A solo journalling experience where you become a vampire and make your way through a setting of your choice. Story of love, loss, and forgotten identity. Above all else, the book itself is gorgeous.

[BryanRobinson]

Oddly, this style of gameplay reminds me of playing with action figures as a kid. Sometimes you were playing on your own, but you had multiple characters that you were playing as having conversations back and forth, fighting, etc.

[paulbimler]

Hi Ginny!!! Thank you so much for the kind review. You totally *get* the Solo Adventurer's Toolbox, and your playthrough demonstrates the tools exceptionally well. I love your story too... and great NPC voices :) As an indie author you have no idea what this has done for me… made my year!

[persephoneunderground]

This looks great for playing as a couple too, without needing one of us to GM. Great for people who want to teach an S.O. or friend how to play without having to find a group or commit to a campaign.

[wilonascave]

It’s so comforting after 33 years of only solo roleplaying and getting made fun of by everyone in the 80s because I only played Solo RPG. It is comforting and humbling to see that this video, about Solo RPG, is your Number One most popular video.

[firefly-fez]

As someone who has a LOT of story ideas but a lot of trouble developing the actual plot, this seems like an EXCELLENT way to help actually get around to writing.

[jasongraham]

Ginny honestly has some of the best scripting, pacing, and delivery of content creators on YouTube.

[hiraidiamond]

This sounds so fun omg, as someone who's too shy to roleplay in a group of people, doing this alone sounds like the perfect way to do it

[mTealeaf]

You could honestly make that solo game into a mini series for your channel. It was interesting to watch and does the best job of selling the concept, I was ever so slightly hesitant due to your intro and the idea of solo D&D in general, but seeing the actual gameplay with somewhat familiar characters was both engaging to see and enticing to play.

[SkepticalCaveman]

The DM can use solo play for their players main antagonist . This might be preferable for some DM's that want to speed up the planning for their campaign.

[PaulRoneClarke]

I'm a 56 year old who played D&D with a strong group back in the 1980's. Every Saturday we'd meet up at the local Y and play all day. D&D, traveller, Tunnels and Trolls, Runequest.
Now that whole group have moved on. years ago
I went to an event and was perhaps 15 years older than anyone else there and 30 years older than the average.
It was not welcoming. I didn't want to come across as a creep so I left after an hour. I'd love to play D&D but it's unlikely I'll ever find a group so solo play is my only option. This is a great vid to get me thinking. Cheers :)

[DoremiFasolatido]

I feel like these books could be pretty easily adapted to a "DM-less" campaign as well. Sometimes, a group can form but nobody is comfortable or willing to be the DM, and so nothing happens. The concepts and mechanics of these books could make it possible for the party to skirt that issue, and perhaps even give someone a better opportunity to grow into the role of being the DM more naturally, rather than having to do it out of necessity, or arrogance.

What do you all think? Has it been notably common for anyone to find people who want to play, but nobody who wants to DM?

[stevenuniverse]

The way Ginny said at the beginning sounded like when a kid gets threatened with timeout.

[severallemons]

This video changed my life! I have chronic illnesses that make it impossible for me to be reliable for campaign play, so I gave up on learning how. Then I watched this video, bought the first book, and almost immediately ordered the second. Thank you!!

[patrickedger]

"She's hot but she's really religious." had me rolling. I may have to try this at some point. Also, your DM screen is fire. Thanks for the upload, Ginny!

[fluffyxai]

I feel SO vindicated for this video! I do solo play ALL THE TIME.
It started out as me guiltily wanting to continue my own character's story after a game fizzled out whilst also practicing my first time homebrewing classes. But it evolved into multiple longrunning (several hundred thousand words) games of me writing out the stories as both GM and player, and I've had some amazing fun.

Yes, it acts as a means to test out content, characters, settings, ideas, story hooks, magic items, classes and builds, etc. but it's also really fun, helps me feel connected to characters, is good practice in writing and becoming emotionally invested in those characters, as well as good practice telling stories and building these worlds.

Not to mention I now have a ton of different places and characters that I have ready to slap into an actual group game too!
This has been really really FUN for me and you'd be surprised that I have had some pretty epic and at times (somehow) even surprising elements. Just makin' it up as I go.

So I am SO happy to hear you talk about it Ginny Di! And also REALLY excited to learn about these books and I can't wait to try them!

I feel like much less of a weirdo now XD

[stachu]

I'm a teen, I'm currently struggling with loneliness. Even when I finally find a group I always have to be the DM because obviously it's everyone's first time. So thank you Ginny, this video is life saving for me ❤️

[karo-kun]

I heard from The Internet solo d&d was pointless, if not straight impossible. A heartbreaking note for one as me, too severely mentally ill to socialize yet craving to try this game.

Thank you for making this video Ginni. I might just give this a shot. I may have a character sheet at the ready in the "this will never be used, *sad sigh here*" folder of my laptop.

[VivaLaDnDLogs]

Everything about Ginny's D&D setup is just so visually pleasing to look at. The notebook, the quill, her handwriting, the custom DM screen, the dice trays and *especially* those brilliantly crafted math rocks! They looked like expertly cut gemstones!