Solo and Wardenless Procedure
This section outlines a procedure for a "crawl", i.e. a game about exploring a confined space, with random encounters and automated .
The Facilitator
The reality of solo and Wardenless play is that most modules are not written with this form in mind, and so don't include the necesary tools (see Dynamic Tables and Dice AI). This means that someone needs to put together the materials and tables necessary for play beforehand. This includes creating copies of material from modules, maps, and tables as well as arranging for a physical space or a virtual tabletop.
It is much easier to assume this role when playing with published modules. You can create original content for your table, but then the facilitator is still taking on much of the load of a traditional Warden. However, it is possible for these responsibilities to be shared, with players taking turns to act as facilitator. In the case of solo play, making content for yourself is more like developing a module to play through and discover emergent surprises, it does not lend itself to free-flowing narrative .
Characters
A solo or Wardenless party is ideally made up of four controllable characters. In the case of solo and partner play, this is handled through the use of Contractors (see Contractor Personalities). A solo party consists of one PC and three contractors with generated personalities. If you are playing with a partner, each person controls a PC and a contractor, and if you are playing with three or four people, you each just control a PC and have the option of using contractors without generated personalities.
Exploration
If your party is in a free form area, you can explore the spaces and use the module you are playing to tell you who or what you encounter. You play out social encounters using Social Rolls, and any combat encounters using the basic Zone Map.
Dungeon Procedure
If you enter into a , it works best to use a Grid Map. If you are using a module with a more traditional map, you can break it down into rooms to work with a Dynamic Table. It is also straightforward to use flowchart style maps with this procedure.
The turn counter for the area’s Dynamic Table is set to zero when you first enter the location.
While in a dungeon, following the below procedure each turn.
Roll a Speed or Fear for each PC to determine initiative. If a PC is successful, they act before encountered creatures, and if they fail they act after.
If there are no creatures encountered, you do not need to roll for initiative.
Roll a d10 and a d5 to determine the Behavior and Attack AI for the turn (See Dice AI).
Roll Loyalty Saves for all contractors. Contractors who succeed will follow instructions for the current turn, while those who fail will act according to their Trait Table and Behavior as selected using the Behavior AI roll.
Construct, roll, and play out a Cooperative Narrative Dice Pool as necessary for each action group determined by initiative. Use the Dice AI rolled this turn to help construct the dice pool as necessary for Contractors and .
Roll on the Dynamic Table for the current area as necessary.
Increment the turn counter.
Repeat this procedure from step 1 until you leave the area, everyone dies, or you decide to end the session.
Last updated