Campaign With One PC? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Campaign With One PC? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Shocking
06-20-07, 10:48 PM My friends and I have been playing DnD regularly in person for a while now. However, with two going off to boarding school, our once grand party of four has been reduced to a pitiful two. I have no experience DM'ing a campaign with only one PC, so I now turn to the Wizards boards for advice.

Questions:

How do one PC campaigns work usually? Advantages? Disadvantages?
How do I adjust encounters and such so they are appropriate?
Does the player play a gestalt character?
What, if any mechanical changes need to be made for a one PC campaign to be feasible?

Lastly, any general advice on this subject from veterans of such campaigns is very welcome. And if there are any questions, or differences I have forgotten, please point them out; I definitely need help!
:help:
Mr_Crepsley
06-20-07, 11:01 PM why dont you have the player play one or more extra PC, that is, if it is ok with him. otherwise i dont really see how just one PC could survive unless he was a very high level and multiclassed to cover all the 'basics' (melee fighter, healer, spellcaster)
windscar18
06-20-07, 11:02 PM 1) I don't personally have experience in the one PC field, but I'd imagine the advantages would be the player having much more freedom. But, the two disadvantages would probably outweigh the advantage: difficulty filling in all the player roles, and more importantly, I'd imagine it just wouldn't be as fun.
2) The CR rule, while it's not exactly accurate, could apply here. 4 level xs = 2 level x+2s = 1 level x+4. Thus, you could attack the player with monsters with CR 4 less than his level.
3) Gesalt is an interesting monster, since, when done well, can make a party (or single character, in your case) much more balanced. On the other hand, it's difficult to determine their CR, because it's not hard to make truly monstrous Gesalt characters.
Your single person is probably in a tight situation, so prepare to roll up your sleeves and observe your PCs performance closely. I'd imagine that, according to Unearthed Arcana, use monsters that have CR equal to your PCs character - 2. But, in severe cases, you might have to adjust CR on the fly, because some monstrosities do come up (such as the Druid gesalted with the Wizard/Geomancer using Natural Spell or some kind of super mobility build...) and terrible things might happen to the difficulty of your campaign.
4) Drop potions. Often. As in, REALLY often. It wouldn't be a stretch to give your character Use Magic Device for free either because, god knows, you characters going to be spamming wands of cure light wounds to hell. If your character is playing Gesalt, this isn't as much of a problem, but it's a consideration.

Sorry, I don't have any experience with single player campaigns, but these are the types of things I would have done.
Micah
06-20-07, 11:20 PM One opportunity not to be missed is the fact that a 1 PC campaign can allow the PC to be extremely vain. Seriously, this is pretty much the only opportunity to explore the whole "The world needs saving and you're the only one who can do it" kind of story-line.

It takes a very special kind of DM, but you can allow the player to hog the spotlight the whole time, without worrying about other players getting frustrated.

So, if you're inclined to do it, you can give this player the campaign of a lifetime. Just don't expect any gratitude in the end ;)
Nobi
06-20-07, 11:49 PM Are you certain finding more players is out of the question?

In reality, you're destroying almost the entire social side of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. Which, in my opinion, is very important. The amount of fun the players have is just as dependant on the players they're with, as it is on how well written and executed the campaign is.

Personally, I could only see a One-on-One campaign working if it were in a tight situation (IE, need to keep yourselves busy/in practice while in a car/plane/camping trip, were significant others, or were extremely devoted to the game mechanic, to the exclusion of the human element (See: Fear of Girls (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7521044027821122670))

However, if finding more players isn't actually something you've overlooked, and you're determined to play one-on-one, I'll think up some advice for you. It can be an interesting experience, as I've done one-on-one's with other systems, and allows for a level of DM/Player understanding and synergy that you just don't get in a normal game.
Shocking
06-20-07, 11:57 PM However, if finding more players isn't actually something you've overlooked, and you're determined to play one-on-one, I'll think up some advice for you. It can be an interesting experience, as I've done one-on-one's with other systems, and allows for a level of DM/Player understanding and synergy that you just don't get in a normal game.

Well, yes, we are looking into getting more players. However, with more players coordinating time difficulties and so on is just more difficult, and a campaign with one player is just something we haven't tried. I was just interested in seeing how it might work, so just assume that we want to do a one player campaign for now.
weasel0
06-20-07, 11:59 PM Check my sig for one of the best things i've ever seen with oaksparr
vineyard
06-21-07, 12:06 AM I have been involved in a couple of 1DM/1PC campaigns. If done right they can be quite enjoyable. My one main suggestion is to focus more on skills and diplomatic/problem solving types of quests. Keep the hack/slash down to a bare minimum, making the PC only fight very specified encounters against very specific NPCs. Base the campaign in more of a structured city type environment. This way there is not alot of general "hey, lets go over here for no reason to see what sort of trouble we can find" sort of thing.
Focusing on the ideas of intrigue and suspense are great ways to make these campaigns work. Knowledge based skill come into play more often , as well as Gather Info, Diplomacy, Bluff, etc.
Playing a Ranger or Rogue works very well in these sorts of situations. Beguiler could work very well too. Although a very clever player could do it with any class.
Gwenfloor
06-21-07, 12:10 AM The Factotum can be a very versatile class, as can the Bard.

You should also have less combat, or those with small numbers, to help make sure the character survives, or have NPC cohorts along to help.

Also, if your significant other plays D&D, I heartily recommend the Book of Erotic Fantasy for one-on-one games.;)
Yareb
06-21-07, 12:10 AM Campaign with one PC are actually fairly easy to run but get stale after awhile. You can only come at the PC from one direction. For example, if the PC was a wizard then you wouldn't be able to throw in many monsters that do monster damage. That would kill them and they would be stuck without a healer. These types of player charcters should have a wide variety of skills and special abilities to have what it takes to make up the lost components. However, this kind of play can also provide a chance for some good roleplaying and some interesting encounters.
vineyard
06-21-07, 12:25 AM Yes, perhaps going multi-class is the way to go in this. My preference would be to go Beguiler/Ranger/CLeric. This would cover all the basics and allow you access to every skill accessable (i.e. none being cross-class).Ranger for fighting. Beguiler for spells and a nice feat that allows you to wear light armor any cast without any penalty. Cleric for...well, duh.
Nobi
06-21-07, 12:40 AM You can only come at the PC from one direction. For example, if the PC was a wizard then you wouldn't be able to throw in many monsters that do monster damage. That would kill them and they would be stuck without a healer.
Well, that's where the NPC's come in. Just because there's only one player doesn't mean there's only one member in your party. If you're playing it safe, yes, make the player a Bard so that they're self-sufficient, even if cut off from the rest of the party. But otherwise, give them a "Virtual Party."

It can range from "Scripted NPC's," which join and leave your party at certain points in the adventure, as per the DM's whim, or have a very customizable party, with multiple NPC's available for the party at all times, possibly making extended use of the Leadership skill. (Just think about how most JRPG's work. They're made for one player, right?)

On another point; atmosphere. It's just you and him, so who cares if you make a fool of yourself? To be honest, before I even knew about D&D, I'd pull FF System-based campaigns off with my two younger brothers, with characters played out as Beanie Babies. Their equivalent of a Cleric toted a tiny Pocket-Bible we had found, and the warriors wielded popsicle sticks and Chopsticks. Now, you probably won't regress to playing with dolls, but I have no problem admitting: it made it a lot more exciting, gave us instant "Miniatures" during battle, and aided the imagination. Plus, I'll always remember my brothers picking up popsicle sticks up off the ground, and asking if they were enchanted :rolleyes:. Goood Tiiimes.

Erh, my point is, props help. And with only one player, it can even be economical. Worn maps, Composition notebooks as spellbooks, fake gems from a craft store, can all represent D&D counterparts.

Plus, as a DM, you can lead on the player a lot more easily, as it's only one mind to work with. Sure, the campaign usually a bit more of a railroad, but you can integrate the player at any turn, and make it feel very open and free, as he is informed of and understands why his choices are limited by the story at any given time. He can give you input, and you can ask for it, without worrying about how the "other players" will feel. The experience is fully customized for the both of you.

I also agree with using more puzzles/diplomacy than combat. Again, you've only one player to work with, so you don't have to worry about the party sorcerer circumventing a target-shooting puzzle with a Magic Missile. In addition, the player's party itself can be used as part of the puzzle. You know all of the NPC's characteristics and abilities, and how the player likes to use them. Because of this, you can place challenges that make use of all the characters abilities, and depend on the player to realize which characters need to be exploited, and in what order, to complete a challenge.

What me and my brothers also realized though our limited-player campaigns, was the use of multiple parties. Since you've only one player, the other Characters aren't going to get ****** off when the party splits up in a town. They don't have to wait there turn for the DM's attention, since there's only one player, and he has your attention all the time. It's a lot easier now, to have one character in the library, one in the Blacksmith, and gambling in the inn, as the player can decide who he wants to play out, and when.

You can even go so far as to implement multiple parties of PC/NPC's to keep it fresh and interesting. Just like in a suspenseful book, just when one group is about to reach a climactic discovery, attention shifts to another group. As such, one session the player could be a band of thieves and rogues, plotting an ambush on some merchants, and the next session he could be playing two Wizards and their Fighter bodyguards, miles away from the encounter.

Finally, don't forget my favorite part of one-on-one campaigns; your nearly unrestricted use of narrative. With one player, you can narrate as much as you like, writing a story with the player as your co-author, as much as you are playing a game. The games I've played with my brothers are tenfold more viable story material than a standard D&D game. As the player controls are the characters he, too, can control and intertwine their backstories, personalities, and actions, to his own creative ends, just as you have oversight over what situations they're put in.

And... that's good for now!
swanyusd
06-29-07, 06:39 PM My two most favoritest threads ever

http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=553739 - The MAIN
http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=874561

If you can't figure it out after reading these masterpieces, well, that won't happen. Amazing amazing stuff.

-Swany
KJW
06-29-07, 06:55 PM Thanks Swany! Yes, those two threads (especially the first) should answer all your questions on duet campaigns (as I am now calling them instead of solo :) ). I have a few other links in my signature as well, but the Guide to Solo Campaigns is the one to definitely look at. :)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Shocking 06-20-07, 10:48 PM	My friends and I have been playing DnD regularly in person for a while now. However, with two going off to boarding school, our once grand party of four has been reduced to a pitiful two. I have no experience DM'ing a campaign with only one PC, so I now turn to the Wizards boards for advice. Questions: How do one PC campaigns work usually? Advantages? Disadvantages? How do I adjust encounters and such so they are appropriate? Does the player play a gestalt character? What, if any mechanical changes need to be made for a one PC campaign to be feasible? Lastly, any general advice on this subject from veterans of such campaigns is very welcome. And if there are any questions, or differences I have forgotten, please point them out; I definitely need help! :help:
Mr_Crepsley 06-20-07, 11:01 PM	why dont you have the player play one or more extra PC, that is, if it is ok with him. otherwise i dont really see how just one PC could survive unless he was a very high level and multiclassed to cover all the 'basics' (melee fighter, healer, spellcaster)
windscar18 06-20-07, 11:02 PM	1) I don't personally have experience in the one PC field, but I'd imagine the advantages would be the player having much more freedom. But, the two disadvantages would probably outweigh the advantage: difficulty filling in all the player roles, and more importantly, I'd imagine it just wouldn't be as fun. 2) The CR rule, while it's not exactly accurate, could apply here. 4 level xs = 2 level x+2s = 1 level x+4. Thus, you could attack the player with monsters with CR 4 less than his level. 3) Gesalt is an interesting monster, since, when done well, can make a party (or single character, in your case) much more balanced. On the other hand, it's difficult to determine their CR, because it's not hard to make truly monstrous Gesalt characters. Your single person is probably in a tight situation, so prepare to roll up your sleeves and observe your PCs performance closely. I'd imagine that, according to Unearthed Arcana, use monsters that have CR equal to your PCs character - 2. But, in severe cases, you might have to adjust CR on the fly, because some monstrosities do come up (such as the Druid gesalted with the Wizard/Geomancer using Natural Spell or some kind of super mobility build...) and terrible things might happen to the difficulty of your campaign. 4) Drop potions. Often. As in, REALLY often. It wouldn't be a stretch to give your character Use Magic Device for free either because, god knows, you characters going to be spamming wands of cure light wounds to hell. If your character is playing Gesalt, this isn't as much of a problem, but it's a consideration. Sorry, I don't have any experience with single player campaigns, but these are the types of things I would have done.
Micah 06-20-07, 11:20 PM	One opportunity not to be missed is the fact that a 1 PC campaign can allow the PC to be extremely vain. Seriously, this is pretty much the only opportunity to explore the whole "The world needs saving and you're the only one who can do it" kind of story-line. It takes a very special kind of DM, but you can allow the player to hog the spotlight the whole time, without worrying about other players getting frustrated. So, if you're inclined to do it, you can give this player the campaign of a lifetime. Just don't expect any gratitude in the end ;)
Nobi 06-20-07, 11:49 PM	Are you certain finding more players is out of the question? In reality, you're destroying almost the entire social side of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. Which, in my opinion, is very important. The amount of fun the players have is just as dependant on the players they're with, as it is on how well written and executed the campaign is. Personally, I could only see a One-on-One campaign working if it were in a tight situation (IE, need to keep yourselves busy/in practice while in a car/plane/camping trip, were significant others, or were extremely devoted to the game mechanic, to the exclusion of the human element (See: Fear of Girls (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7521044027821122670)) However, if finding more players isn't actually something you've overlooked, and you're determined to play one-on-one, I'll think up some advice for you. It can be an interesting experience, as I've done one-on-one's with other systems, and allows for a level of DM/Player understanding and synergy that you just don't get in a normal game.
Shocking 06-20-07, 11:57 PM	However, if finding more players isn't actually something you've overlooked, and you're determined to play one-on-one, I'll think up some advice for you. It can be an interesting experience, as I've done one-on-one's with other systems, and allows for a level of DM/Player understanding and synergy that you just don't get in a normal game. Well, yes, we are looking into getting more players. However, with more players coordinating time difficulties and so on is just more difficult, and a campaign with one player is just something we haven't tried. I was just interested in seeing how it might work, so just assume that we want to do a one player campaign for now.
weasel0 06-20-07, 11:59 PM	Check my sig for one of the best things i've ever seen with oaksparr
vineyard 06-21-07, 12:06 AM	I have been involved in a couple of 1DM/1PC campaigns. If done right they can be quite enjoyable. My one main suggestion is to focus more on skills and diplomatic/problem solving types of quests. Keep the hack/slash down to a bare minimum, making the PC only fight very specified encounters against very specific NPCs. Base the campaign in more of a structured city type environment. This way there is not alot of general "hey, lets go over here for no reason to see what sort of trouble we can find" sort of thing. Focusing on the ideas of intrigue and suspense are great ways to make these campaigns work. Knowledge based skill come into play more often , as well as Gather Info, Diplomacy, Bluff, etc. Playing a Ranger or Rogue works very well in these sorts of situations. Beguiler could work very well too. Although a very clever player could do it with any class.
Gwenfloor 06-21-07, 12:10 AM	The Factotum can be a very versatile class, as can the Bard. You should also have less combat, or those with small numbers, to help make sure the character survives, or have NPC cohorts along to help. Also, if your significant other plays D&D, I heartily recommend the Book of Erotic Fantasy for one-on-one games.;)
Yareb 06-21-07, 12:10 AM	Campaign with one PC are actually fairly easy to run but get stale after awhile. You can only come at the PC from one direction. For example, if the PC was a wizard then you wouldn't be able to throw in many monsters that do monster damage. That would kill them and they would be stuck without a healer. These types of player charcters should have a wide variety of skills and special abilities to have what it takes to make up the lost components. However, this kind of play can also provide a chance for some good roleplaying and some interesting encounters.
vineyard 06-21-07, 12:25 AM	Yes, perhaps going multi-class is the way to go in this. My preference would be to go Beguiler/Ranger/CLeric. This would cover all the basics and allow you access to every skill accessable (i.e. none being cross-class).Ranger for fighting. Beguiler for spells and a nice feat that allows you to wear light armor any cast without any penalty. Cleric for...well, duh.
Nobi 06-21-07, 12:40 AM	You can only come at the PC from one direction. For example, if the PC was a wizard then you wouldn't be able to throw in many monsters that do monster damage. That would kill them and they would be stuck without a healer. Well, that's where the NPC's come in. Just because there's only one player doesn't mean there's only one member in your party. If you're playing it safe, yes, make the player a Bard so that they're self-sufficient, even if cut off from the rest of the party. But otherwise, give them a "Virtual Party." It can range from "Scripted NPC's," which join and leave your party at certain points in the adventure, as per the DM's whim, or have a very customizable party, with multiple NPC's available for the party at all times, possibly making extended use of the Leadership skill. (Just think about how most JRPG's work. They're made for one player, right?) On another point; atmosphere. It's just you and him, so who cares if you make a fool of yourself? To be honest, before I even knew about D&D, I'd pull FF System-based campaigns off with my two younger brothers, with characters played out as Beanie Babies. Their equivalent of a Cleric toted a tiny Pocket-Bible we had found, and the warriors wielded popsicle sticks and Chopsticks. Now, you probably won't regress to playing with dolls, but I have no problem admitting: it made it a lot more exciting, gave us instant "Miniatures" during battle, and aided the imagination. Plus, I'll always remember my brothers picking up popsicle sticks up off the ground, and asking if they were enchanted :rolleyes:. Goood Tiiimes. Erh, my point is, props help. And with only one player, it can even be economical. Worn maps, Composition notebooks as spellbooks, fake gems from a craft store, can all represent D&D counterparts. Plus, as a DM, you can lead on the player a lot more easily, as it's only one mind to work with. Sure, the campaign usually a bit more of a railroad, but you can integrate the player at any turn, and make it feel very open and free, as he is informed of and understands why his choices are limited by the story at any given time. He can give you input, and you can ask for it, without worrying about how the "other players" will feel. The experience is fully customized for the both of you. I also agree with using more puzzles/diplomacy than combat. Again, you've only one player to work with, so you don't have to worry about the party sorcerer circumventing a target-shooting puzzle with a Magic Missile. In addition, the player's party itself can be used as part of the puzzle. You know all of the NPC's characteristics and abilities, and how the player likes to use them. Because of this, you can place challenges that make use of all the characters abilities, and depend on the player to realize which characters need to be exploited, and in what order, to complete a challenge. What me and my brothers also realized though our limited-player campaigns, was the use of multiple parties. Since you've only one player, the other Characters aren't going to get ****** off when the party splits up in a town. They don't have to wait there turn for the DM's attention, since there's only one player, and he has your attention all the time. It's a lot easier now, to have one character in the library, one in the Blacksmith, and gambling in the inn, as the player can decide who he wants to play out, and when. You can even go so far as to implement multiple parties of PC/NPC's to keep it fresh and interesting. Just like in a suspenseful book, just when one group is about to reach a climactic discovery, attention shifts to another group. As such, one session the player could be a band of thieves and rogues, plotting an ambush on some merchants, and the next session he could be playing two Wizards and their Fighter bodyguards, miles away from the encounter. Finally, don't forget my favorite part of one-on-one campaigns; your nearly unrestricted use of narrative. With one player, you can narrate as much as you like, writing a story with the player as your co-author, as much as you are playing a game. The games I've played with my brothers are tenfold more viable story material than a standard D&D game. As the player controls are the characters he, too, can control and intertwine their backstories, personalities, and actions, to his own creative ends, just as you have oversight over what situations they're put in. And... that's good for now!
swanyusd 06-29-07, 06:39 PM	My two most favoritest threads ever http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=553739 - The MAIN http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=874561 If you can't figure it out after reading these masterpieces, well, that won't happen. Amazing amazing stuff. -Swany
KJW 06-29-07, 06:55 PM	Thanks Swany! Yes, those two threads (especially the first) should answer all your questions on duet campaigns (as I am now calling them instead of solo :) ). I have a few other links in my signature as well, but the Guide to Solo Campaigns is the one to definitely look at. :)