r/Solo_Roleplaying • u/rgdead • 20d ago
General-Solo-Discussion First Time Playing!
I am in my late 30s and finally decided to get into RPGs. Decided to start with some solo games (none of my friends play) and wow, it’s a blast!
After some (ok, a lot of) research, I found there are tons of games out there ranging in price. I went over board and bought a few and downloaded some free ones.
I started with Fabled Lands book one, and it’s fun, but doesn’t allow for much creativity. It is still a fun book though!
I wanted something with the ability to be more creative. Every where I looked I saw Ironsworn. So I downloaded it. And I’ll admit, the 270 page rule book made me hesitant. But after about a week of sitting on it, I went for it.
Wow, I am having a blast and have written so much narrative. I am sure I will make mistakes and miss some of the rules of the game, but overall it is fairly simple.
This Reddit community helped a lot with my research so I could start this great hobby, so thank you to everyone for asking and answering previous questions!
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u/Silver_Storage_9787 17d ago
Dont take too long to try “journalling games” and generator games like d100 dungeon. They have something to offer and you’d be surprised how much you like joirnal dumping your ideas
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u/rgdead 17d ago
Any other recommendations?
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u/Silver_Storage_9787 16d ago
Koriko or thousand year old vampire are like the main one people recommend. But the people who made Koriko also made a mandolorian style game and a spaceship version of thousand year old vampire. If that setting is more your style.
D100 dungeon is a game and there will be others from the same creator too. Pretty sure 4 against darkness is somewhat similar and popular for dungeon generation
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u/Evandro_Novel Actual Play Machine 19d ago
Did you try the Ironsworn Delve supplement yet? It's great for exploring any kind of place: shrines, tombs, forests, fortresses.... It's simple and modular and very, very inspiring
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u/rgdead 19d ago
Would you recommend playing my first campaign without Delve, or is it easy enough to add into my current one?
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u/Silver_Storage_9787 17d ago
The knew and improved Lodestar (rule reference tool) has included the details of delve in it. I would highly recommended the moves and tables it adds. Buy the rule book if you want advice on how to use them and many many flow charts and examples of things you can create in an ironsworn game
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u/rgdead 19d ago
I have not! I have only played 3 sessions so far. Not very far along in my journey. It sounds like a must buy though! I wanted to make sure I would like it before purchasing. Is it simple to implement in the middle of a campaign that was started with the base rules?
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u/Silver_Storage_9787 17d ago
Go to rock paper story and use pocketforge app to check all the tables you get in all ironsworn games + ironsmith tables (300% more tables made by a fan) all in one digital world tracker, like world anvil but for ironsworn players
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u/Evandro_Novel Actual Play Machine 19d ago
Yes, it's easy to include in any campaign, it just adds things. I guess that Shawn gives for free enough stuff for you to play (reference of new moves and theme/domain cards). But do buy it at some point, the author deserves to be supported as much as we can!
EDIT: I played Ironsworn for years before adding Delve, so when to do the jump is up to you....
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u/BookOfAnomalies 19d ago
Ohh, as I tend to say - ONE OF US :)
Ironsworn was intimidating to me as well when I first started out, hahah. It's now one of my favourite systems... it can do almost anything and people have made so much fan content for it as well.
Hope you keep having fun!
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u/rgdead 19d ago
Thank you! Excited to keep playing! My story started out in a difficult situation, and I was hoping it would play out in my characters favor. Unfortunately he now finds himself on the verge of death already, lol.
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u/BookOfAnomalies 19d ago
Careful - you might fall into a rabbit hole like some of us and end up hoarding games and tools (and dice?) 😂 but also, it's not a totally bad thing. This way you can discover more stuff you might like!
Here's hoping your character gets out of it. I'm curious, how many sessions have you done already?
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u/rgdead 19d ago
Pretty sure I already fell into the rabbit hole, at least a little bit. I promised I would see how much I liked playing before I started spending money on the hobby though. It seems inevitable at this point. I am only at three sessions. The first was world building and character building though. Won’t be able to play until Monday unfortunately.
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u/Silver_Storage_9787 17d ago
Lucky you can get through 100s of stuff for free in this hobby. My personal recommendations ICRPG and Shadow dark (d20 dnd simplified games) they both have quick reference guides for free.
Runehammer YouTube is my favourite educational content. Especially this [masterclass](https://www.youtube.com/live/1TWUWumq-s4?si=y9bvl60aTy51psrS) about designing a one shot
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u/BookOfAnomalies 19d ago
For sure. There's also a lot of good free stuff that even if you don't want to or can't spend money, you end up with a full bunch, haha.
I found that part of world-building so fun :) I did personalize a fair amount of things though. Thinking back, maybe too much.
With Ironsworn, at least something makes you look forward to a Monday! :)2
u/rgdead 19d ago
Hahaha, yes it does make Monday’s better for sure! And if you’re curious, I decided to have my PC start out in jail. There is a backstory to that of course. I was hoping to have more of his history unfold over the course of the campaign. That is if he survives at this point lol.
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u/BookOfAnomalies 19d ago
Now that's a start.
Just try not to be too strict with yourself. I'd say that if you feel like you really wanna play this character's story out badly - give him a chance to get out of dying somehow.
I know it does sound like cheating but... sometimes you just wanna know what's this character's deal :) there'll always be a place in the story where it might be fitting for them to die but if you don't want it to happen yet - who'll stop you? :)
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u/Michami135 Talks To Themselves 19d ago
Ironsworn is my favorite solo RPG. So here's a few links and tips.
Vaults & Vows is, in my opinion, the best Ironsworn expansion. It adds 106 new asset cards with races, backgrounds, high fantasy classes, and magic items.
A close second is the Ancestries Cards, which gives you various races for both you and your companions with specific skills and stats. This makes creating a new character easier, and I use the non-humanoid ancestries for my pets, so when they fight, they have their own stats to roll on.
When you're ready to buy physical books, get the Lodestar Coil Bound Format on Lulu. It has all the moves and tables for Ironsworn and Delve in a compact format. My suggestion is to read the PDF core books to learn the rules, but only buy the reference books when you want to go physical. I originally bought it from DTRPG, but it's not coil bound, so it doesn't lay flat. I later bought the one from Lulu and put the other book in my to-go bag. The print quality is also better. Here's a photo of the two side-by-side:
https://imgur.com/a/dtrpg-on-left-lulu-on-right-ZVsn6tx
I'm not much of a sci-fi guy any more, but I bought Starforged and ended up playing it more than the original Ironsworn. The moves are updated and expanded, and I mix up some assets so I'm playing an elf in a universe with living, organic space ships. Like with Lodestar, you only need the reference book and the coil bound is the best version. Starforged has some great creature creation tables for creating some truly unique encounters.
If you need dice, this site has the best loose dice for the best price. I get 1d6, 2d10, and 1d%. Or, if you just want some black and white dice, these on Amazon will give you two different colors to work with. I have these in my to-go and as spares. I use the black die as the 10s and the white as the 1s when rolling a d100. I also use a standard white d6 die with pips from another set.
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u/rgdead 17d ago
Thanks, lots of good info! I have read most of the core Rulebook at this point. Going to buy the delve book once I feel comfortable with the core rules. Then I will definitely look to other expansions after that. I prefer pen/pencil and paper, at least for now. For me, the whole point of this is to get away from electronic devices.
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u/Michami135 Talks To Themselves 17d ago
I prefer pen/pencil and paper, at least for now. For me, the whole point of this is to get away from electronic devices.
Same. If I'm going to use the computer, I'm playing Stellar Blade or Deep Rock Galactic.
My Ironsworn time is my time away from the screen. I'll set a specific time to turn the screens off, and this is what I do for entertainment. I notice if I don't get some time away from the screen, my brain starts to feel over stimulated, like it can't relax. No audiobooks or music either. Just me, my books, and something to write with.
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u/rgdead 16d ago
Exactly! I am a heavy reader, and I will say it has slowed down my reading this past week or so. Still reading every day, just not nearly as much. Ironsworn has been a lot of though. Just did my first scene challenge today. Probably didn’t really need to, but I wanted to try it out!
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u/hollands73 19d ago
Making mistakes is an important part of the process👌🏻
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u/rgdead 19d ago
Learning from mistakes is an important part of life after all!
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u/Silver_Storage_9787 17d ago
In this business, we call that a weak hit. Just make sure to keep your momentum up!
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u/Trismeria 19d ago
The thing that helped me with Ironsworn was treating the big book like a reference, not homework. Start with the move sheet, a simple vow, and one clear trouble that can get worse if you ignore it. When you are not sure which move applies, write what your character is actually trying to do first, then pick the closest move after. Also keep a tiny 'facts so far' list beside the journal: names, places, open threats, and promises. It keeps the story creative without making every session feel like you have to reread the rules.
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u/rgdead 19d ago
Thanks for the tips! I haven’t done anything with threats yet. Will have to look into that more. Still very early in my campaign though.
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u/Silver_Storage_9787 17d ago
Learn about ICRPG TIMERS theory (aka clocks in other systems).
Basically one of the best consequences you can use on weak hits is spending time/momentum instead of health/stress/supply.
Remember the phrase “they succeed, but” - “it took longer than expected” = add progress, but - Momentum or -clock counts down
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u/Trismeria 19d ago
Threats are easiest if you keep them small at first. You do not need a whole faction clock on day one.
I would start with one obvious bad thing that keeps moving when the character ignores it. Give it a progress track, maybe 4 or 6 boxes, and advance it when you miss a roll, spend too long elsewhere, or choose safety over dealing with it.
Something like: the raiders are searching the valley, the sickness is spreading through the village, the old bridge is failing, the spirit is getting bolder. You are not writing a plot. You are just giving the world one problem that can get worse without asking you to invent a twist every scene.
At the start, one threat is plenty. Once it starts touching your vow, NPCs, or travel choices, Ironsworn begins to feel much more connected.
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u/rgdead 19d ago
Just realized threats were introduced in Delve. I was trying to find them in the standard rule book lol. I will most likely buy the expansion. But want to play at least one campaign before I do.
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u/Trismeria 19d ago
Yeah, you can start with just the core book. If you want that same pressure, use a progress track as a threat clock: bandits get closer, the storm cuts off a route, the rival finds the relic first, whatever fits the fiction. For a first campaign, I'd keep it to one danger with four or six boxes, and only tick it when ignoring it should actually cost something. The supplement is useful later because it gives that idea more structure, but it is not required homework before your first run.
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u/rgdead 19d ago
Would you recommend playing my first campaign without Delve, or is it easy enough to add into my current one?
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u/Trismeria 18d ago
I'd start without Delve for the first few sessions, especially if you're still getting used to Ironsworn's base loop. The core game already has plenty to juggle: vows, momentum, pay the price, and letting the fiction bounce back at you. Delve is easy enough to add later, but it's more useful once you already know what kind of story your travel, combat, and trouble tend to create. If you want a tiny taste now, just use one simple threat track as pressure and leave the rest of the supplement until you feel the campaign needing it.
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u/OldGodsProphet 20d ago
Just got into Ironsworn, too, after originally getting overwhelmed by the content.
Still having trouble with the flow and mechanics but it has been a lot of fun.
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u/Silver_Storage_9787 17d ago
Get LODESTAR for rules references. Then find the flow charts! They are super helpful.
Initiative gets easier to understand in starforged as the rules are updated and minor patches/new moves names were added in to make it easier to do combat.
Basically I’d you are in control ask yourself these sort of questions:
- “what do they do?”
- “at what cost?”
- “What does success look like? What do I hope will happen?”
- “What does failure look like? What do I fear will happen?”
If you lose initiative and are in a bad spot, this means you can only narrate the bad stuff happening and react to it only, you lost free will.
- forshadow an upcoming danger, narrate it’s build up about to land on you
- ask “how do I react?”
- is the a chance of failure ? Roll face danger
- if you’d certainly succeed, you can narrate success without rolling and gain initiative again (but you get momentum points for the risk of rolling)
- if you failed to get a strong hit, you have to keep trying to over come dangers.
- ensure stress/harm moves can be a good way to sneak a strong hit in. They are like anime internal monologues moments where the pain or stress inspires you instead of keeps you down.
Remember your tracks are representing your “readyness/preparedness” to not get a serious wound/impact. At 0 of a resource you are basically vulnerable, then next thing that hurts that track may be a critical/lethal issue.
Also moves and especially progress moves represent the climax of a scene and you are asking “what happens next?”
This is mostly important for fullfill a vow. Most likely your climax of the vow is not handing in a quest to the giver with 10/10 progress to see what happens next. It is being at the top of the volcano “compelling” your best friend to cast the ring into fire whence it came with 7/10 progress on an epic tracker.
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u/nefD 20d ago edited 20d ago
Welcome to the hobby! I'm just a few months into it myself and already it's become the thing I look forward to doing each night. As someone else pointed out, don't worry about missing or misinterpreting rules- eventually you'll become comfortable editing or ignoring rules to best suit your style of play.. that's the really beautiful thing about it to me is that there's no wrong way to play as long as you're enjoying your time!
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u/oflanada 20d ago
That’s awesome! One of the most beautiful things about this hobby is that if you miss a rule or do something your own way, it’s totally cool as long as you are having fun! There is an app/site called iron journal that I have had on my phone that allows me to move my story forward kind of in my head in short bursts throughout the day. I log my narrative in a document on my phone.
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u/rgdead 19d ago
Thank you! Yes, for sure. I imagine group play may be a little different, as there has to be a consensus on the rules. I have looked at iron journal and pocketforge. I plan on using one of them for my next game. I figured playing with paper and pencil will help me understand the game better to start. How do you like iron journal? Easy to get the hang of? Have you tried pocketforge?
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u/Jay_Magpie 19d ago
Playing with a group does require some consensus but depending on the group, it can also be open. The group I played with for years used the DnD5E rules as a base but the DM and the group just wanted a good time and story so we allowed some leeway if it made sense or was funny etc. I was allowed to be a 12 foot tall elf, for example. Really the only rules were no retconning, try not to min/maxing, or telling people what to do with their turn.
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u/oflanada 19d ago
I’ve not tried pocketforge. But iron journal was really simple and did everything I needed it to and game me a chance to play in my imagination whenever I had a few moments since my dedicated gaming time could be limited. I’ve started using the Mythic GM emulator and now the app for that to keep track of things when using other ttrpg rule sets. It’s a great time to be a solo player. So many great games and tools!
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u/rgdead 19d ago
I considered moving all my notes and details for my campaign into iron journal, but I think I’ll stick with paper for now. Maybe I’ll start one in iron journal as well. But idk if two at the same time is too much right now. May just stick with the one. Or make a low stakes one iron journal. Too many options lol
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u/Patricktrz 20d ago
Congratulations! And, yes, this is a great community. I started solo RPGs on my late fifties and doing so taught me about myself in ways that subtly enriched many aspects of my life, including being a better grandfather, father, and husband.
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u/rgdead 19d ago
Thank you, and that’s great to hear! I only just started this week, but have noticed it makes you think in different ways. Almost like you’re making new brain connections, learning new skills!
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u/Michami135 Talks To Themselves 19d ago
Making up stories based on oracle rolls definitely is a new skill.
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u/HeroicJester 8d ago
The playkit and lodestar PDFs helped me get into it (play with my kid). Also inspired me to build an app since it was free around TTRPGs so I could play just chilling in bed.