How to Run a Solo Tabletop RPG Session With a Hex Crawl
A step by step solo play loop for a fantasy hex crawl: set up a map, ask a yes or no oracle, roll for what is in each hex, and keep a session log.
Solo roleplaying means playing a tabletop RPG with no game master. You play your character, and dice plus a few tables answer the questions a GM normally would. A hex crawl is a good format to start with: you explore a map one hex at a time, and each new hex is a small, self contained scene.
You need any fantasy RPG you like (or none, if you are happy to make rulings yourself), a few dice, a pencil, and some paper. Here is a loop that works.
Step 1: Set up the campaign
Write down three things before you roll anything:
- Tone and themes. Grim survival, light adventure, mystery? One line is enough.
- A starting situation. Who your character is, where they stand, and what they want. "A disgraced guard leaves town to find the bandit camp that took her brother" gives you a direction.
- Lines you will not cross, and house rules. Even alone, it helps to decide up front what you do not want in the story.
Make your character with your game's rules. If you are not using a system, write a name, a concept, a few things they are good at, and their gear.
Step 2: Prepare the map
Draw or print a hex grid. Number each hex by column then row, so 0304 is column 3, row 4. Mark your starting hex and maybe one known landmark. Leave everything else blank. You will fill it in as you explore.
Keep a separate hex key: one line per explored hex with its number, terrain, what is there, and loose threads. The number links the key to the map, so the map can stay uncluttered.
Step 3: Use an oracle for yes or no questions
The oracle replaces the GM's answers. Frame a yes or no question ("Is the bridge guarded?") and roll a d6:
- 1: No, and something gets worse.
- 2 or 3: No.
- 4 or 5: Yes.
- 6: Yes, and something extra.
If the answer seems unlikely, roll twice and keep the lower die. If it seems likely, roll twice and keep the higher. Interpret the result in the way that fits the story best, and do not be afraid to reroll a result that makes no sense.
Step 4: Run the loop
Each scene follows the same pattern:
- Set the scene in one sentence.
- Ask a question and roll on the oracle, or use your game's rules for anything with a number on it, such as a fight.
- Write it down in a session log: the question or roll, the result, and what happened.
- When a scene settles too easily, add a twist: a new arrival, a reversal, a clue that changes things.
When you travel, roll for weather and check for a complication on the way. When you enter a new hex, roll on a "what is in this hex" table, then mark the result on the map and in the hex key. Dungeons work the same way on a square grid, room by room.
Step 5: Track people, factions and threads
Note the people you meet and what they want. Give each faction a progress clock (a circle split into segments) and fill a segment when they act off screen. When a clock fills, their plan happens. At the end of a session, list open threads and where you will start next time. This is what makes a campaign feel like it moves on its own.
Doing it with less prep
You can do all of this on graph paper and index cards. The Solo RPG Printable Kit puts it on 14 printable pages (US Letter and A4): a hex crawl map with hexes already numbered 0101 and up, a hex key, a larger region map, a dungeon grid and key, a character sheet with six blank ability boxes you label for your game, a session log, a people and factions tracker with 6 segment clocks, and 12 roll tables (128 entries) for wilderness, dungeons, people and story, including a d6 yes or no oracle and scene twists.
It is system neutral: no stats, classes or rules, so it sits next to whatever game you play, and it also works for a GM preparing a group game. It costs $3 on itch.io. It has no fillable fields (it is for pencil and paper), it is English only, the hex and grid sizes are fixed, and it gives no rules for resolving actions.
FAQ
Do I need a specific game to play solo?
No. Any RPG works, and some people play with only an oracle and common sense. Dedicated solo games exist too, if you want rules built for it.
How do I avoid knowing everything in advance?
Do not plan the map. Generate each hex when you enter it, and let the oracle answer what you do not know.
What if a roll makes no sense?
Reroll it or pick the result you like. The tables are there to surprise you, not to bind you.
How long is a session?
As long as you like. Many solo players do a few scenes in half an hour. The session log makes it easy to stop and pick up later.
This guide was written with AI (Claude) and checked against the product's documentation.