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Solus v1.1

Abstract

Solus is an OD&D-first solo supplement that can be ported to other old-school chassis. Its value is procedural density: encounter posture, dungeon restocking, treasure pacing, and oracle prompts are all expressed as short roll loops.

Core Solo Loop

  1. Track active Threads (goals, plots) and Elements (NPCs, items, factions).
  2. Resolve uncertain outcomes with the 1d6 oracle probability ladder.
  3. Use reaction and encounter procedures as written instead of replacing them with fiat.
  4. At scene/session end, prune irrelevant threads/elements.

This keeps solo play from collapsing into disconnected prompt spam.

Combat and Survival Procedures

  • Combat bonus replaces matrix lookup: add class/level combat bonus to enemy AC; 20+ hits.
  • Death buffer: PCs are unconscious at 0 HP and can survive to negative HP equal to level.
  • Heroic optional mode includes post-combat bind wounds (up to 2 HP) and HD-based damage conversion.
  • Funeral rule: dead PCs can transfer spirit XP via funeral spending (1 GP = 1 XP), creating a recovery economy for campaign continuity.

Encounter Governance

Reactions

  • Uses a 2d6 ladder with nested rerolls for uncertain outcomes.
  • Faction stance modifies the first and subsequent negotiation checks (+2 friendly, -2 unfriendly).
  • Common modifiers include language mismatch, surprise-based parley, trade leverage, relevant background, and strength disparity.

Restocking

  • Per room on return: 1d20 with 1-4 Monster, 5-6 Treasure, 7-8 Monster+Treasure, 9-20 Nothing.
  • In volatile zones or after long absence, roll twice and keep the lower result.

Traps

  • Base notice chance: 1-in-6 per PC (modified by Wisdom/background, never below 1-in-6).
  • Trigger chance on contact: 2-in-6 for actual activation.
  • Trap awareness becomes persistent after passage through trapped space.

Oracle and Prompt Engine

  • Oracle answers are probability-tiered from Very Likely (5-in-6) to Very Unlikely (1-in-6).
  • On a 6, roll another d6; 1-2 triggers a random event.
  • Random events advance/create Threads or change/create Elements.
  • Two d66 prompt matrices (Situations + Descriptors) give low-overhead scene interpretation without requiring full narrative tables.

Dungeon Generation Subsystem

Solus includes a compact procedural dungeon generator:

  • Corridors: 3d6 length segments with per-segment door checks and doubles/triples logic.
  • Rooms: d6 x d6 size (with overflow growth), 2d6 door count, 2d6 room content.
  • Doors: 2d6 door type table (including living/trapped/locked/portcullis outcomes) plus destination checks.
  • Features: d66 dressing table.
  • Specials: d66 high-impact room engine (oracle chamber, portals, map rooms, faction spaces, sentient structures).
  • Traps: 2d6 trap type table.

The practical result is a complete solo stocking loop: map expansion, encounter pressure, and reward cadence from one source.

See Also