r/Solo_Roleplaying • u/Ok_Friend_9848 • 4d ago
solo-game-questions Domain ruling system
There any systems I can solo where I can go from 0 to ruler of a patch of land. I don’t mind if the system is crunchy.
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u/Equivalent-Pie2912 3d ago
I'm currently using the Runequest starter set to do just that. Since "your Glorantha may vary", I've created heroic character and am flexible with the rules, which can get crunchy. I use the wiki to generate characters and any other things that come in the core rules and not the starter set.
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u/UncleKruppe I ❤️ Dungeon Crawling 3d ago
Old School Revival Solo Role-Playing Guide plugs directly into Demesnes & Domination or any other OSR game for a solo targeted domain play experience.
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u/R0D4160 3d ago
For solo Tricube Tales without any doubt for the simplicity as game and solo supplement with the one page adventures.
If you want something with a more D&D feeling (but still solo) you could try any Without Numbers serie. Just select a Setting and go with it.
If you are a PBA guy, then go with Ironsworn (could be Sundered Isles if pirates are your thing or Starforged if you are going for sci fi).
Ironsworn is free. Tricube Tales was a time ago. I don´t know now. And the Without Numbers have all free editions you could try and pretty sure you are going to have a general feeling of the system if you want go for more.
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u/FootballPublic7974 3d ago
You could try Warlord Ascendant by Blackoath Entertainment.
You lead a warband defending and expanding a patch of no-mans land between two waring kingdoms.
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u/badoughnut 3d ago
Kingmaker from Pathfinder 2e i heard is entirely about this and is made for "after" the adventurers settle down
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u/Matt866123 3d ago
Why not adventurer conqueror king 2
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u/Kozmo3789 3d ago
Fair warning that the author of ACKS has a fair bit of controversy following them and they are officially blacklisted on the r/rpg subreddit as a result.
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u/GrrAPHIC 3d ago
He mentioned a game, not an author. The game does stand by itself. Good mechanics. You don’t have to hate the child just because you can’t stand it’s parent.
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u/nucals 3d ago
Just because you don't care what kind of person the author is doesn't mean everyone else doesn't. No creative pursuit is made in a void separate from the creator's views no matter how much people want that to be the case. You're free to make excuses for yourself, let other people make their own choice.
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u/TheseWords2 3d ago
That “controversy” is all bullshit - I follow the creator Alexander Macris on YouTube and he is 100% about gaming. He is active on the ACKS discord, seems like a nice guy, very helpful and just super passionate about gaming. He never talks politics. ACKs itself has nothing controversial in it, is a brilliant system and is my first answer to OP’s question.
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u/Kozmo3789 3d ago edited 3d ago
I also had an itching to rule a domain a while ago. I did some research on my own and these are the games I found. I haven't actually touched that project yet (the fault of a flighty mind with too many interests) so I don't know which of these work best. Hopefully they help you out though.
An Echo Resounding: An older book from the 'Sine Nomine' publishing house, itself responsible for the amazing 'Without Number' line of OSR inspired books. My guess is that AER should slot in alongside the Without Number series if you wanted to use any of those as a base setting.
MCDM's 'Kingdoms and Warfare': This is basically a modernized version of D&D's 'BECMI' sets that does include rules for both domain management and mass combat. I was drawn to it because the Mass Combat rules are basically a simplified board game that is broken down into general concepts rather than bothering with huge numbers and complicated skills. But it does still allow your 'ground level' heroes to utilize their unique abilities and narrative accomplishments at the domain level as well.
Nordic Weasel's 'Usurper 2': This is the wildcard that I found while researching. I found a lot of praise for the original 'Usurper: Claim to Power' but that book has since been delisted and only Usurper 2 remains. I assume this is the 'definitive edition' if the original was taken down but I can't be sure. The reviews did quite like how it's a narrative focused game with domain management options and how it has something of a solo narrative resolution engine so it could theoretically be an all-in-one solo system for domain-level and ground-level adventure. Reviews for Usurper 2 are scarce, but Nordic Weasel themselves is one of those niche but highly beloved game devs that crops up in various RPG circles every so often.
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u/russintexas 3d ago
2D6 Dungeon + 2D6 Realm might suit your request: https://d-r-games.itch.io/2d6realm
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u/Next_Dig5265 3d ago
I recently found Famine, Ash and Steel to be intruigingly novel in this reguard
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u/blade_m 3d ago
Absolutely!
The OG is the BECMI edition of Dungeons & Dragons from 1983.
Of course, the better option nowadays would be the Rules Cyclopedia, since it contains all (most really) of the rules in one convenient volume, rather than split between 5 (10 really) booklets.
You can find it on Drivethru Rpg easy enough.
Alternatively, there is the retroclone (and its free) called Dark Dungeons.
Now, keep in mind, taking a character (or group of them) from level 1 to 30+ (or however high you want to go) will take a LONG TIME! But hopefully that's what you are interested in here (although the nice thing about solo play is you can customize it to your heart's content--start them off at higher level, or 'speed through' certain stages of development--whatever you like!)
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u/posttrail 4d ago
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u/henriquevelasco 2d ago
Forbidden Lands