How Solo RPGs can make you a better GM
Can playing Solo RPGs make you a better GM? Of course it can, and here are the reasons why.
Being the GM (Game Master if you are new to RPGs) of a traditional in-person or online game can be difficult sometimes. There are many different ways to improve your GMing including reading books, watching videos, podcasts, etc.
But I feel Solo RPGs can make anyone a better GM. And here are the reasons they made me a better GM.
Work out creativity muscles
Anyone who has played a solo RPG knows it is an entirely different type of creativity than a traditional group. That’s because there is no one in a solo game to bounce ideas off of. It is just you and your creative imagination. And wow, can your own creativity surprise you. I’ve created some incredible plots, characters, and situations for my solo games and I’m not sure I would have done that as a GM for my traditional games.
And the cool thing was, as I got deeper into solo RPGs, I felt my traditional GMing creativity was improving also. I was no longer stumped in situations that had dead ends, I knew from my solo gaming that a dead end is just an opportunity for a new plot hook, NPC, or conflict. Also the worlds I was creating for my traditional game now felt more alive, as I learned from my solo games how to create a moving and breathing world.
Could I have gotten that much more creative as a traditional GM? Sure of course I could, if I could play more games, but I can’t, as I just don’t have the time. But with Solo RPGs, I can get that extra creative experience in and it definitely shows.
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| I look exactly like this anytime I'm being creative. Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash |
Love for the Random Table
I love random tables. Rolling on a big D100 table is one of the most exciting things in solo RPGs because you never know what you are going to get. You have to learn how to react to a random situation and build it into your story to make everything coherent. So with my love of solo random tables, I brought them into my traditional games with great effect.
First of all, it offers a way to create interesting and surprising twists and turns without having to spend too much time preparing for a session. Those dice can make their own story if you let them and sometimes that story can be more compelling than any written module or prepared story.
Experience with random tables has also given me the ability to play off my player’s random actions. You are in a cave and your player decides to taunt a bear by taking their shirt off and using it like you would with a bull? Yes! That is random and super fun, and with my skills from random tables, I now have the ability to make sense of that as a GM.
Bring in things from different systems
I can solo many more games than I have time to play traditionally, allowing me to pick and pull the best bits from the various systems I play. I really love clocks from Forged in the Dark games, which I originally came across playing Ironsworn: Starforged.
If it’s appropriate, I love throwing a clock into a traditional game and watching my players react as I tick it down and down. One more fail before those zombies break through the door and attack you all. Or one more success before you convince the village to join your cause.
Being in the shoes of your players
I haven’t been a player in many traditional RPG games. Normally I’m the GM, which I love doing. But being the ‘forever GM’ does leave a risk that you will lose the feeling of being the player. Do your players in a traditional game have enough information to act? Are you presenting a coherent story? Sometimes players will tell you but maybe they won’t.
Playing a solo RPG means you are both GM and player. So if you are presenting a confusing or convoluted story, you should be able to tell it right away. It also allows you to see both sides of the game at once. It's a very powerful position to be in.
Trying out stories, characters, and arcs
Want to try out your super indie setting where the robot rabbits are hiding from the cyborg hunters? But you are not sure if it will be a compelling story? Try to solo it. Play through part of the story, make some characters, and play through an arc. You should be able to tell at that point if the story and system is a solid one or another for the trash bin.
Solo RPGs also have you creating lots of interesting characters and NPCs. Those characters can definitely come over into your traditional game as way more fleshed-out personalities than you’d be able to create on the spot.
System Mastery in your Own Time
The final way I feel playing solo RPGs makes me a better GM for traditional games is I get to develop system mastery in my own time, at my own pace. I learn by doing things, reading the rules, and putting them into practice. Normally a traditional group is respectful of a GM that is learning the rules for a new system, but if you are like me, you like to be prepared.
Playing solo RPGs allows me to really drill into the different rules of a system. If something isn’t clear or doesn’t make sense, I can pull out the book and read the section a few times. I can even jump on youtube and see if I can find someone dealing with similar issues. Those are both things I can’t do while I’m in a group with a few players.
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| This is the look on my face when I figure out a rule that confused me. Photo by Surface on Unsplash |
This also builds confidence when I play those games in person. I played my Agon campaign solo first and then played a few sessions with a traditional group. I still had a few hiccups and needed to clarify, but it was a much smoother operation than it would have been without playing the solo campaign. I also just felt more confident and at ease playing it.
There you have it. Try out a few solo RPGs and you’ll quickly see your GMing skills improving.
Let me know in the comments how Solo RPGs have made you a better GM.
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If your looking for more solo RPG tips check out how to get into the mood for Solo games.
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- Croaker
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