Have you ever found yourself into playing sessions with just one player? Never thought it may be so common... My personal considerations on the topic.
Recently I've found myself often thinking about a quite atypical play scenario for D&D, actually not so much (I've found) though: a one PC party. Surfing the internet it turned out that this is a need common to many who, for a reason or another (either discernment or resignation), end up being in two, a game master and a player. Most common reasons include:
- Introduce the game to a neophyte.
- Lack of players
- Play short quests for one character of a larger group.
The Problem
Usually, the published material is intended for a gaming group of multiple characters. There have been exceptions, as the TSR's Head-to-head (HHQx) series specifically oriented for a Head-to-Head game. It makes one wonder then if the game remains fair even with just one player and his/her PC. Unfairness generates frustration. And frustration cannot generate fun. The question to answer then is whether and how Dungeons & Dragons will equally be fun and satisfying. To speak about fairness came naturally thinking how much the 4th Edition is tuned upon a well balanced group of adventurers in roles and powers. Indeed, according to the rules edition you prefer to play with, Head-to-Head games might be more or less easy. I was so worried about have to totally change my DMing style and especially the preparation before the game.
Different classes can work well or not in a solo play. This is because a character gets different abilities according to the chosen class. No class can be at top under all circumstances. On the other hand, it is right to be like this, otherwise there would be no difference in taste playing different classes. In a group of multiple characters instead, different abilities of each individual make overall sure the party will be probably able to meet the various challenges.
The game is composed of three fundamental parts: roleplaying, exploration and combat. Each is made of single situation the character have to face. Some of these situations are essential, it is requested to be able to overcome them, not perfectly perhaps, at least sufficiently though. The more of these situations the capabilities of a class can cover, the more the character is suitable for a Head-to-Head game. This limit a player choice during character creation, and that should not be for such a reason. What are the essential situation is easy to say: those leading master or player to more fun. Easy example, if you love fighting, make sure the character has all the capabilities to deal such events. At the bottom of the article will be presented some ideas collected on the internet. They were often presented as the solution to all evil, use with care though (I will explain later why).
Plot development is certainly the most interesting aspect about playing Head-to-Head. You'll have a unique chance to develop the story around a single protagonist, like the hero/heroine of a real novel. You should know however that two dynamics come into play, pushing in opposite directions each other: on one hand the player is alone and can't help himself with a group brainstorming, on the other hand events develop much more quickly because decision will be made by a single individual. Be prepared with longer schemas and get ready to improvise.
The Answer
We were talking, what worries us is the possibility the character doesn't have the means to deal with some essential situation. The bovine answer is avoiding to present situations for which the character doesn't own enough capability and only put him instead within situations able to be surpassed thanks to his/her excellences. Easy and straightforward, isn't it...?! NO! F@#king boring...! You'll made the game dull this way. Maybe then just make the character perfect at doing everything, right...?! NO! Same effect...! You have to make the game exciting, alternating moments that allow the player to show off the strengths of his/her character to moments when he/she will be in trouble the outcome contemplate the failure. We want to deal with such situations, because they are the essential ones, the ones that lead us to more fun. The failure should not be a game over screen however, but still propelling for the plot. The answer surprised me a bit, because it is precisely what is needed for any other classic group of players. What we have just said is indeed a worldwide golden rule a good storyteller (as a DM is) always have to keep in mind: the failure should not be a game over screen however, but still propelling for the plot. In a single character game this should be kept in mind more than ever because the error margin is slim: one loss equals a TPK...! Since character capabilities stay more or less the same in his/her career arc, the risk that a certain type of situations sentence however him/her arises. In the long run, this cannot be fun as well if such situations often occur. The tips earlier promised should therefore be regarded as starting points to rebalance situations in which you intend push your player's character through anyway. Try them and take action when you feel the game is not smooth.
Introducing some NPCs
An obvious solution might be introducing NPCs as support. You may also fill a character sheet for these NPCs and let the player to manage them even in different ways as a real characters. I for example don't like it very much the idea, especially in a combat encounter where might just be a way to seriously slow down the game. An interesting middle ground solution may be to let the player have more characters. That will bring you back to a conventional group conditions immediately.
Magic items
Another way to plug the shortcomings of some classes is to supply the character with magic items, each one to fill up one or more gaps. Be careful to not overdo it or you'll risk to get an item-dependent iron man, whose equipment is likely to remove all excitement of the various encounters (meaning not just combat ones).
For combat
Fights are a milestone of the Dungeons & Dragons game. For this reason is better to be fair generally speaking. You cannot cut out such an important and especially rewarding part of the game. It would not be the same D&D. Before coming to some practical tips though, if your player's character is especially in trouble with such a kind of encounters, I suggest you to evaluate the possibility to leave it a bit to his/her disadvantage. This way you'll alter less the sake of playing that class, less distorting the roleplaying as well. Let's consider for example a mage: we expect he/her to be in troubles in melee combat, trying to avoid open confrontation then and close fights in particular. If by contradiction he/she might be able to stand the blows of the foes, his/her own actions will also begin becoming more reckless, as (guess whom?!) a fighter, because the player is confident in it. If you wanted to play the classical wizard, you totally lose the flavor. Think to alternative ways to overcome combat and reward creative ideas. An example? Knock over the cauldron to defeat all the goblins in the room. Or more, reverse the portal's polarity to suck opponents, lure foes inside the trap's area of effect, etc... Btw, these alternative routes might be rewarded in experience points (XP) equals to the avoided fight, in order to not stretch times for level up. Think about it, especially if you plan to come to blows just as last resort. Identify the best kind of opponents for your character in which spend your XP budget. A single foe or many "minions"? Just a note: keep in mind the number difference between the sides, because even easy and weak enemies if many might get the better. As pointed out in manuals as well, a 2:1 ratio doubles the difficulty, 3:1 increases fourfold, and so on... Take it in account, in the XP calculation as well if you deem it appropriate. And remember the golden rule: defeat must be propelling for the plot. Instead of dying, the character might fall unconscious and be captured: you'll offer later a chance to flee; he/she might even wake up in the afterlife and have to earn resurrection in some way from the deities...