Solo TTRPGs — How to Play Alone

Yes, you can play a tabletop RPG by yourself. Not a watered-down version — a complete game, with real mechanical decisions and a real story, built specifically for one person with no Game Master and no other players.

How Solo Play Actually Works

Solo TTRPGs replace the Game Master's job — deciding what happens when you try something risky, playing every other character, keeping the story fair — with structured tools you use yourself. The most common are oracles (random tables you roll on to answer yes-or-no questions the story throws up) and moves (predefined actions with built-in outcomes). Instead of asking a GM "does the door open," you roll on an oracle and let the result decide, then keep writing the story from there.

Where to Start: Ironsworn

Ironsworn is the clearest on-ramp into solo play. It's a complete fantasy RPG built around exactly this system of moves and oracles, and it's free — the core game costs nothing. It also works as a traditional GM-led game or a GM-less co-op game for two or more players, so it's worth knowing even if you're not planning to play alone forever. It's on our Free Games Guide with a direct link to download it.

You Don't Need a Group to Skip the GM, Either

Solo play is one way to avoid needing a dedicated Game Master, but it's not the only one. Some games are built for a full table with no GM at all — everyone shares the job of deciding what happens instead of one person carrying it. Honey Heist, Goblin Quest, and The Witch is Dead all fall into this looser, lower-prep category, and all three are free. If your group doesn't have anyone willing to be the GM yet, these are a real way to play tonight anyway.

What Your First Solo Session Looks Like

• You'll build a character the same way you would for a group game — usually faster, since there's no one else waiting on you.
• You describe what your character tries to do, roll to see the outcome, and interpret the result yourself instead of a GM narrating it.
• Keep a notebook or document open. Solo play generates a lot of small decisions worth writing down as the story builds.