I’m not just a TTRPG creator, I’m an avid solo player as well. And when I get deeply into a game, I fall HARD. I decided to make this article in order to promote some awesome TTRPGs and supplements that I’ve been playing and using for the moment. All of these have inspired me in some way and make me want to keep bettering myself as both a writer and a TTRPG creator. Below is the list of games and supplements I’ve been using quite a bit recently. I’ll give a small review for each of them. These are listed in no particular order. They are all amazing at what they set out to do. I hope this list inspires you to find your next favorite game or supplement.
Ironsworn by Shawn Tomkin
Starsmith Expanded Oracles by Eric Bright
Loner by Zotiquest Games
Kal-Arath by Castle Grief
Iron Valley by M. Kirin
Pinup Monster Girls by Joshua Jenne
Monster Trainer’s Handbook by Chad Skiles
Mork Borg by Pelle Nilsson
Fabula Ultima by Emanuele Galletto
Perils & Princesses by Outrider Creative LLC
Ironsworn by Shawn Tomkin
Ironsworn really needs no introduction. It’s a popular TTRPG in both solo and group circles and has been around for a few years now. Its popularity is due to its ease of use, its simple rules, and its customizability. Ironsworn makes completing quests and building relationships fun. It can be played on the go quite readily as it only requires three dice: two challenge dice and an action die.
Ironsworn is set in a bleak fantasy world with low magic, though the setting can be adapted to fit many different themes and genres. You play as someone who swears iron vows and seeks to see them accomplished by any means necessary. The game is full of tables for names, landmarks, and more.
Best of all, Ironsworn is completely FREE.
Ironsworn has spawned an additional game and its supplement by Shawn Tomkin: Ironsworn: Starforged and Sundered Isles. It was also the inspiration for another game on this list, Iron Valley.
Considering Ironsworn is free you have nothing to lose by downloading the PDF and trying it out. It may seem a little intimidating at first but once the rules click for you it’s a hard game to set down.
I have countless notebooks full of adventures I wrote up using Ironsworn and Ironsworn: Starforged. A few of the entries are available here on my blog.
Starsmith Expanded Oracles by Eric Bright
Ironsworn: Starforged already has tables for generating settlements, ancient vaults, characters, creatures, situations, and more. But if you saw these numerous tables and thought, “If only there were MORE tables”, Eric Bright has you covered.
Starsmith Expanded Oracles has hundreds of tables for generating your very own space adventures. In fact, most of them are so system-agnostic you can use the tables in other games as well. I’ve used this book with other solo games myself, even for games of different genres and settings than space.
The PDF is PWYW and is worth every penny if you decide to purchase it for money. I’ve used it for months now and I still notice new entries on tables that I haven’t rolled up yet.
Loner by Zotiquest Games
Loner is a fantastic solo game with very few mechanics. Utilizing twists and oracle dice to push the narrative forward, Loner can easily be played on the go. Its ease of use makes it perfect for many different settings and genres. I played several games of Loner already just using the core rules. Zotiquest Games has also made tons of Loner games based around themes such as space, cozy, and sword and sorcery. The minimalist gameplay means the narrative that you create really shines.
I would say this is the perfect game for beginners to solo TTRPGs. The rules are quick to learn because there aren’t many of them, but what the game book does include are tons of tips for writing and creating your stories using the Loner system. It’s worth it just for the advice alone.
Kal-Arath by Castle Grief
Kal-Arath is one of my favorite solo games I’ve ever played. It’s easy to learn but difficult to master. It’s complex enough for TTRPG veterans but simple enough for beginners to learn the rules in less than a day and start their journey into the world of Kal-Arath. The combat is ludicrously fun (and hard) and every victory feels like an accomplishment. This game was my first introduction to creating hex maps and I had so much fun doing it that it’s become a staple of many of my own published games.
You’ll never get bored of Kal-Arath as there’s always some new challenge around the corner, and if you somehow run out of things to do, there are a lot of supplements available for it, both by Castle Grief and by third parties.
Iron Valley by M. Kirin
Iron Valley uses many of the same rules from Ironsworn, but translates them into a cozy setting. It has its own identity however as you start to play and build your very own small town and characters to populate it. There’s no combat in Iron Valley, but there’s plenty to do, such as grow your own crops, build up your relationships with the townsfolk, and take care of your livestock.
It is completely family-friendly and perfect for young gamers just starting out with TTRPGs.
Like Ironsworn, it is available for free.
Pinup Monster Girls by Joshua Jenne
I love pinup art. When I saw Pinup Monster Girls on Kickstarter a while back, I knew I had to have it. It is made for 5e and 5.5e and features gorgeous artwork of, you guessed it, pinup monster girls. It should go without saying, but this is not a kid-friendly supplement. While there’s nothing too egregious inside, it's full of tongue-in-cheek jokes and references to BDSM, which may or may not be your cup of tea. If you like adding a bit of whimsy and sensuality into your TTRPGs, however, this may be the perfect book for you.
Each monster girl comes with her own backstory, stats, and powers. They are all illustrated in sensual classic pinup girl poses while wearing revealing outfits and feature such characters as a slime girl, a spider girl, and a girl based on a Beholder.
Monster Trainer’s Handbook by Chad Skiles
Speaking of 5e, here is another supplement for it that I received from backing it on Kickstarter. Monster Trainer’s Handbook turns 5e into a creature collecting and battling game. The artwork of the monsters you can tame and journey with are colorful and lovely to look at. It’s a hefty book with tons of monsters to choose from and rules for every situation imaginable in a Pokemon-type game.
It includes the new Monster Trainer Class, new Subclasses, new Feats, and new Spells. There are over 250 creatures in the book, and there’s also a section on turning other kinds of monsters from other games into tameable creatures.
Mork Borg by Pelle Nilsson
I don’t think there’s anything I can say about Mork Borg that hasn’t been said already. It’s a brutal game, but the brutality of it helps to make it stand out from other TTRPGs. It’s also a fun game where anything can happen to the character you just so-lovingly spent an hour designing and rolling stats for.
Luckily, character creation is fast and you’ll soon learn not to get too attached to your characters as they all eventually die in the most random of ways.
Mork Borg solo is a lot of fun and I highly recommend getting the Solitary Defilement supplement. I’ve used the rules in that supplement for playing other games solo, including games that are inspired by Mork Borg like Pirate Borg, Frontier Scum, and Mork Manual.
Fabula Ultima by Emanuele Galletto
Fabula Ultima is definitely one of my top-5 games of all time. It’s collaborative in a group setting, but it manages to be fun as a solo game, too. The combat is interesting and challenging, and the artwork and formatting of the book and all of its supplements are just spectacular.
I grew up playing JRPG video games, and to find a TTRPG that combines all of the best tropes and ideas from these games just makes me happy. It’s a game that can fit into different genres and is easily customizable to do what you want. The fans of Fabula Ultima are great, creating new classes and rules for Fabula Ultima and usually releasing them for free.
Perils & Princesses by Outrider Creative LLC
Speaking of top-5 games, Perils & Princesses is high on that list for me. It was the first game that wasn’t built for solo that I played solo, and it played GREAT! I created four princesses to start (I was fresh off of playing Four Against Darkness) and everything balanced out very well with combat.
The artwork for the game is breathtaking. It’s like reading a storybook. The writing is witty and conversational. The content has some spooky ideas but nothing as severe as a Grimm’s Fairy Tale and it’s perfect for young TTRPG players.
I currently have plans to GM my niece’s first TTRPG game using Perils & Princesses as it just seems like a wonderful introduction to the world of role-playing games.
From creating a princess to playing as one (or as a prince!) the skills you learn in this game and the leveling up system are just so much fun.
A new supplement for Perils & Princesses is live on Kickstarter as I type this. I recommend getting the base game first. It’s completely worth it whether you want to play in a group or solo. Then I recommend getting any or all of the supplements for it as they are just as charming as the core book and they add spells, storylines, and magical items to the game that are extremely useful during play.
Those are my games of the moment. All of these have inspired me in some way and brought me countless hours of role-playing joy. I hope you find your next new TTRPG obsession from this list.
Also, don’t forget to subscribe to my Substack @sarahsoloadvantures to receive my new Newsletter that is releasing every Wednesday. It’ll contain updates on all of my projects, any new game releases, and any new articles I’ve written. It’s free and your support is always appreciated.
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