Socialisation is one of the reasons that Dungeons & Dragons, alongside other tabletop games, has become so popular in recent years. Despite the game’s nerdy reputation, it’s a good way to forge or maintain lifelong bonds in a world where entertainment is increasingly connected to anything besides other people.

However, this is a double-edged sword. At base, you cannot play D&D solo. The rules encourage a group of four to six and require two at minimum. Otherwise, you have to pull double duty as both player and DM – which robs both roles of their fun.

This lack of one-player D&D can put off new players who could help the community grow. Some people have busy friend groups or lack friends with the same interest in D&D. Others might be too nervous to seek out a D&D group, or simply be looking for a low-impact way to try out the hobby.

Rather than contort yourself trying to play D&D solo, you should check out some games that are built for it and still provide much of the same fun.

Gamebooks Are One-Person Adventures in Text Form

‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ stories are well-known by almost everybody. You follow a second-person tale, jumping to pages throughout the book as you make choices that guide the story (or get you killed if you pick the wrong one).

Gamebooks, such as the iconic Fighting Fantasy and White Wolf lines, are a crunchier, slightly more mechanical take on the concept that has a lot in common with D&D and other TTRPGs.

You create your character, often choosing their statistics and equipment, sometimes making D&D-esque choices like class or race, and set off on an adventure. Your statistics and equipment decide which obstacles you can face and which spell your doom, and you play out combat with dice (usually), similar to D&D.

I have the most experience with Fighting Fantasy of any gamebook line, and they more than fit the bill. They have exciting, high-concept fantasy storylines that really do feel like you’re on a mad-cap single player D&D game. They can even be fiendishly difficult (unless you flick back to undo your choices, cheater).

Much like D&D and other TTRPGs, gamebooks cater to a wide range of storytelling tastes. You can do high fantasy, wuxia, horror, sci-fi, wilderness exploration, and far more.

If I were making recommendations, I’d nod people toward Creature of Havoc, House of Hell, and Deathtrap Dungeon from Fighting Fantasy.

Gamebooks don’t quite replicate the D&D experience, but they’re a perfectly viable alternative to solo TTRPGs and can even help you dip your toe into roleplaying.

Ironsworn Has a One-Player TTRPG Mode

There is no solo D&D without some serious rules-rewriting. However, D&D is far from the only TTRPG in existence. There are others to cover almost any taste you can think of – including TTRPGs for solo players.

Ironsworn is one of the best-known in this category and one that bears more resemblance to D&D than most others. It still tells high-action and high-conflict stories set in a rugged fantasy frontier, with dice to resolve conflicts and challenges.

You can play Ironsworn co-operatively or even with a traditional GM. However, it’s known as one of the best and most popular solo TTRPGs in existence.

Ironsworn provides the player with guidance to create the fantasy world, and then the character, and then to mash the two together to see what happens. It does lean far more into the player’s creativity and interpretation than you’d find in a solo D&D game, but there is randomisation from Oracles if you need less control in the moment.

There’s no denying that Ironsworn is very different from D&D. However, it does provide a similar and very rewarding experience for a solo TTRPG player – and serves as an above-average entry point for any player.

Gloomhaven is a Board Game with TTRPG Inspiration

Board games are also known as a group pursuit. However, the critically acclaimed Gloomhaven, aside from taking nods from TTRPGs like Dungeons & Dragons, is built so one player can enjoy the entire experience.

Gloomhaven is far from the only solo board game, but its general adoration from every bit of the gaming public makes it a good fit for players who want a D&D-esque solo experience.

In Gloomhaven, players control one or more characters and fight through a narrative, dungeon-crawling campaign that tells an ever-changing story. Given the inherent limitations of a board game and an emphasis on combat, it’s a shockingly good narrative.

If you’re interested in both the storytelling and tactical side of D&D but want to play solo, Gloomhaven might be the game for you. I won’t pretend it isn’t more fun with other players, given how crucial interaction is to many bits, but it’s still a well-crafted experience that can help scratch the solo D&D itch.

Gloomhaven can be played as a solo board game, or it’s available on Steam in video game form. There’s the smaller-scale Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion (also a solo board game) that might suit players just dipping their toe in.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is the Best D&D Story in Years

I didn’t say they’d all be tabletop games, folks.

If you’re at all plugged into gaming or online spaces, you’ve probably heard of Baldur’s Gate 3. It comes up in conversation only when it wins major awards, so people never stop talking about it.

There’s a good reason for this. Baldur’s Gate 3 is an adaptation of D&D 5e into video game form that is almost pitch-perfect.

Larian Studios have taken the game’s rules (adjusted to suit their video game) and refined them into a solo D&D experience that has captured fans and non-TTRPG players alike.

Much of the hype around Baldur’s Gate 3 comes from its storytelling, characters, voice acting, and sexy vampires. And, truth be told, all of these things are fantastic, However, it’s easy to fall in love with Baldur’s Gate 3‘s D&D gameplay as well.

While Baldur’s Gate 3 isn’t a perfect recreation of D&D 5e rules, it has 90% of the game’s DNA still. If you enjoy the character creation and tactical combat of Baldur’s Gate 3, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll love playing D&D 5e as well.

The gameplay and story together create something that oozes the feel of a D&D 5e campaign (albeit one with a multimillion-dollar budget) and can be enjoyed single player.

If you’re looking for an authentic tabletop solo D&D experience, then Baldur’s Gate 3 might not be what you’re looking for. If you want a D&D fix but lack a group, or if you just want a low-social way to try out the system, then Baldur’s Gate 3 might be able to ease your suffering or create a convert out of you yet.

And, of course, you can play multiplayer and drag your friends into sexy vampire situations. However, the game works just as well as a solo D&D video game anyone can enjoy.

These have been four games, across several different platforms, that are like D&D except you can do them by yourself. They won’t provide the perfect experience for everyone or ease all cravings, but they’re the closest you can get to solo D&D without cracking the game wide open.

If you’ve enjoyed this, please do leave a like and share it with your loved ones. Please also check out other Artificial Twenty articles, such as the suggestions below. Thank you!

You’re unlikely to surprise yourself in single player D&D, but ‘How to Deal With Unexpected Player Actions as a D&D 5e DM‘ can help when you do find a group.

If you’re looking for other ways to microdose D&D, particularly if you’re whiling away the time until your group next meets up, check out ‘The Best TTRPG Actual Play Series and Podcasts‘.