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Single Player, Single DM compatible High Fantasy Systems (ttrpg.network)

submitted 6 days ago by KoboldOfArtifice@ttrpg.network to c/rpg@ttrpg.network

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Heya,

I am working on helping my partner approach the concept of TTRPGs. She is curious, but definitely not ready to try it with other players. As such, I am looking for a system which lets me DM for her, while making for a comfortable enough experience for a singular player.

Things I am looking for are: Should include combat that serves to support the narrative, not to slog down the pace There should be a way to include magic abilities to model a character who is a sorcerer or wizard or such. It should be open enough to help encourage her building a sense of "I can do anything as long as I can reasonably imagine it in the situation", rather than just trying to stick to explicit options

I have started watching Me, Myself and Die recently and certainly have been enjoying the pacing, but the system used, at least in the first season, seems to be difficult to make work with a high fantasy character, which is quite important in this case.

Any recommendations? If need be, I am also happy to homebrew some stuff, as long as I feel like the balancing is easy enough to do.

Thanks for reading!

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[–] fibojoly@sh.itjust.works 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

I think Godbound could be a really interesting system for a one on one. Players take on the role of literal gods, and are forces to be reckoned with even at first level. And their godly powers are really game breaking, but totally on purpose! In fact, one condition of passing to level 2 is to have changed the world around you. This is done through some super nifty systems that let you (the GM) handle villages, factions and so on with very few stats. Like all books by Kevin Crawford, itvs designed for sandbox style adventures and comes with practical tips on how to prepare yourself to handle things without burning yourself out.

It's an OSR game, but Godbound feels particularly narrativist, to me. For example no skills, just a d20 roll under your stat, if at all needed. And you get a +4 bonus if any of your Facts (think, Aspects in Fate) apply. I won't go into combat details, but to put it succinctly : you don't even look at the Hit Points of your enemies, you do damage in Hit Dice! So even the most peaceful of PCs can wipe the floor without even making an effort. Think the Three Kingdoms video games, where your hero can take on entire battalion as a matter of course (and yes there are rules for that, and yes, they are simple)

And there are two adventures set in the China inspired area of the setting, to really get the idea that this more wuxia than sword and sorcery. If you know Exalted? That's the version with rules that won't drive you mad with all the bean counting.

Scarlet Heroes mentioned elsewhere is by the same author. An Echo Resounding is an extension for it. Combined, they are an earlier incarnation of Godbound, in my opinion. In the sense that all the stuff you find in those two books got refined and unified in Godbound. And then pushed to eleven because now you play freaking gods (and there are optional rules to play mortals).