Solo RPG DungeonVirtual Tabletops for Solo RPGs: Pros, Cons and How to Play Alone
Dungeons, fights and minis · 6 min read
A virtual tabletop is optional for solo play. Here is when it helps, when it gets in the way, and how to use one well when you play alone.
A note from Adam, who runs this site: I personally like pen and paper. A virtual tabletop is an option for the more tech-savvy, and it is clearly not required, but it is a common question, so here is how to get the most out of one when you play alone.
Do you need one at all?
A virtual tabletop, or VTT, is a program that puts a map, tokens, dice and character sheets on one screen. Most were built for groups playing online. Playing solo, you have no one to share the screen with, so the question is simply whether it makes your game better or just busier.
- Probably yes if you love maps and tactical fights, you play published adventures on your own, or you want dice, sheets, the map and your notes in one window.
- Probably not if your solo play is mostly story and journaling. A notebook, the oracle and some dice are faster, and a VTT adds setup without adding play.
- Somewhere in between? Play on paper and open a map only when a fight breaks out. Our free battlemap does that with no account and no setup.
The good and the bad for a solo player
| What helps | What gets in the way |
|---|---|
| Fog of war can hide the map from you, not only from your character | Setting up can take longer than the session |
| Dice, hit points and sheets are tracked for you | It is easy to tinker with the tool instead of playing |
| The whole campaign is saved in one place | A learning curve, and some cost money |
| Tokens make positions and distances clear in a fight | More screen time and less of the paper-and-pencil feel |
| Published adventures and dungeon crawls come alive | You are the game master, so you know what is behind every door you prepared |
How to play solo on a virtual tabletop
1. Do not spoil your own map
This is the best reason to use a VTT alone. Load a map with fog of war switched on and let your character's token reveal it as it moves, with vision or dynamic lighting if your VTT has it. You discover each room when your character does, even on a map you loaded yourself. On paper, you would have to cover the map with sheets and promise not to peek.
2. Or draw the map as you go
Start with an empty grid and add each room only when you enter it. Ask the oracle what you see, or roll a dungeon room. Our Delve tool works this way and can send its map to the battlemap, if you want a ready-made version of the same idea.
3. Keep the oracle within reach
Most VTTs can hold rollable tables, so you can build your own yes/no oracle inside them. The simplest setup is two screens: the VTT on your computer and the oracle on your phone. Ask a question whenever you would turn to a game master.
4. Decide how enemies fight before the fight
Playing both sides, it is tempting to let monsters make mistakes. Choose a fighting style for each enemy before the first round and stick to it. The enemy tactics roller decides what a foe does on its turn, and the turn tracker keeps the order, which is useful if your VTT does not.
5. Keep a story log, not just a chat log
Write a line or two after each scene in the VTT's journal or notes, so the session reads like a story afterwards and you know where to pick up. If you would rather write in one place and roll in another, Your Story keeps your writing and your oracle answers together.
6. Prepare the next scene, not the whole campaign
A VTT invites you to build everything in advance: every map, every token, every handout. Solo, that work also spoils the surprises. Set up one map for the scene in front of you and let the dice decide the rest. A random scenario gives a whole adventure outline in one tap if you need a starting point.
7. Playing a published adventure alone
Ready-made adventures are where a VTT earns its keep. Read only as far as the next room, keep secrets and traps on a hidden layer, and reveal them when your character finds them. Whole books are written about this; DM Yourself by Tom Scutt, in the recommended gear below, covers preparing, reading ahead without spoilers and running enemies alone.
Free and premium options
Prices and free plans change, so check each site before you commit. These were checked in October 2026.
- Owlbear Rodeo: runs in the browser with a free plan, plus paid plans with more storage and rooms. It is deliberately simple, which suits solo play: a map, tokens, fog and very little to learn.
- Roll20: free to use in the browser with limited storage. Its paid plans start at $5.99 a month and add dynamic lighting, which is what lets the map reveal itself as you explore.
- Foundry Virtual Tabletop: not free, but a one-time $50 licence with no subscription. It runs on your own computer, has the most add-ons, and takes the longest to learn.
- Solo add-ons: the free Mythic GME Tools module brings a solo oracle into Foundry. It is built around the Mythic Game Master Emulator from Word Mill Games, a paid book you will need to make sense of it.
- Maps and tokens: many map makers give away free maps and sell larger packs, through their own sites, Patreon or DriveThruRPG. Check the licence before you use a map outside your own games.
- No account at all: this site's battlemap, turn tracker, oracle and ambience cover the light end of what a VTT does, free and saved on your device.
Three setups to try
- Story first: no VTT. Your Story with the oracle, and a pencil sketch when you need a map.
- Tactical fights: a simple browser VTT or our battlemap, with the turn tracker and enemy tactics beside it.
- Published adventures and long campaigns: a full VTT with fog of war and a solo oracle module, plus a guide like DM Yourself.
Whichever you choose, the rule of solo play still holds: the tools are there to keep the story moving. If the VTT starts to feel like work, close it and pick up a pencil.