Daniel (@dungeondive) participates in Solo RPG Day 2025, a panel discussion hosted by Gwynn (RPG Frequencies) alongside Alex Chartoff (Blackoath Entertainment) and Toby Lancaster (DR Games/2D6 Dungeon). The conversation explores how these creators built careers making solo RPGs and what draws players to this niche hobby.
The trio’s paths differ but converge: Daniel discovered solo gaming through cooperative board games like Arkham Horror, realizing co-op mechanics could work solo. He values solo RPGs for their flexibility and lower cost compared to group gaming. Alex was forced into solo gaming through geography, discovering solo board games opened possibilities, eventually creating his own games like Disciples of Bone and Shadow. Toby began designing maps for RPGs and created games he wanted to play during COVID, now sustaining a full-time career.
Key discussion points include genre popularity (fantasy dominates, though interest in farming/nature genres is growing), the importance of theme over mechanics, table design as core to replayability, and how much lore to include (less prescriptive lore empowers players’ creativity). All three emphasize letting players break the rules, modify mechanics, and author their own stories—what Toby codifies as “inventive usage.”
For newcomers, the panel recommends starting with guided RPG-lite games (2D6 Dungeon, Four Against Darkness), progressing to structured RPGs with solo support (Ironsworn, Disciples of Bone and Shadow), then advancing to oracle-based play. They stress that playing your character as creative director rather than rules slave transforms the experience. The shared enthusiasm for community, creator support, and accessible gaming shines throughout—this is a rapidly maturing hobby with incredible untapped potential.