by legioncommanderrpg

One shots are actually my preferred way to play, although they're not ideal for all game systems. I really find that I lose focus and interest in a campaign once it goes past a couple of months. One shots give me everything I need - a chance to try out a new rule set, a nice little story with a beginning, middle and end, and a good amount of action and focused storytelling.

by AB2014solo

Related Item: Traveller Core Rulebook Update 2022

That's right, Dave, and some dragons are compared to serpents.

by GrimoireOfJank

Do you think it's more valuable when someone is given a pregen or walked through making a character before the first session in a new (to them) system?

by GrimoireOfJank

I find that I prefer dedicating time to making a char even if pregens are available- which is relevant to this because that can take an hour for a table to do if only one or two ppl there have played a given system. (I think fumbling through making a character and seeing how that character feels is good to experience when first learning a system but I have no clue if that's just me).

So, usually even one-shots of a game only one of us really knows ends up as a two-shot for the people I play with. I do enjoy 1 or 2 shots, but I prefer 3+ (ideally less than like a year though) sessions in most cases. I have no input on games like Alice is Missing as I haven't played or absorbed any content on them.

That all being said, if it's a system we all know (like D&D 5e (2014)) then we can usually get started faster and probably retain one-shot-ability.

A new rpg has been added to the database: Arkadia

by VanillaCokeMule

I own two: an official 5E screen and an official CoC 7E screen. I love both because of the useful rules references on the interior, but the CoC screen is my favorite because the art on the exterior is amazing. I do try to use screens that match the game playing but, y'know, any port in a storm. I haven't had an in-person game in years sadly but I'd still use one if I did, there's nothing quite like seeing the panic on players' faces when you make an unexplained dice roll behind the screen.

by sdonohue

An item RPG Item: The Return of the Prodigal Son has been added to the geeklist 2026 Annual Geek Review Challenge

by HiveGod

One-shots of pretty much anything works for me, with a single exception: Call of Cthulhu. If horror is about the corrosion (or sudden rending) of the normal, you need to build that normal first. With CoC I need to spend time in the world, form actual organic relationships with my fellow travelers, and engage the mystery as if it's mundane before we're burning churches and eating people.

by Moonlight_Fox

An item RPG Item: Midnight Muscadines has been added to the geeklist Solo RPGs on Your Table - April 2026

by HiveGod

“Would you tell the same story with a broken arm?”

by powerhouse

I love the idea of the survey that players can complete for the party roles. Is it specific to Starfinder 2e? Do you have a template for that you'd be willing to share? I love the Roots of Ruin campaign, and I'm really excited for this one!

by sdonohue

Remarkable Inns & Their Drinks was released in 2017 by LoreSmyth. It has team of writers and artists and is mostly system-neutral.

Presentation
This is available in PDF and both hardcover and softcover. The hardcover is 88 pages with color covers and pages. The interior pages are slick paper. The primary layout is two columns.

Content
This book details 8 inns in a system-neutral way. It starts with a table of contents and an introduction. The book has three chapters: Remarkable Inns, Bringing Your Inns to Life, and Creating Your Own Inn.

The layout of the inns is comparable to the other "Remarkable..." books. It starts with a system neutral pseudo-stat block. The block rates wealth, prices, security and authority from 1-5 stars. It then provides room details, available services, typical patrons, and describes the disposition which explains which professions, races, or alignments are unwelcome at this inn. There's also a small exterior picture of the inn. From there we get more details: history, information on the innkeeper and their staff, notable patrons, other features (like special services or rooms) and a series of adventure hooks. Each inn also features a menu with their specialties; this could be food or drink. Most of the inns get about 4 pages of information.

The next chapter, Bringing Your Inns to Life, explains the elements of the stat block. We learn what the dispositions mean and get a random table on the effects of disposition as well as rules for becoming a favored patron and the benefits of doing so. Authority is the ability of the innkeeper to affect change -- it's basically who listens to them based on geography and ranges from 1, no influence, to 5, unbound influence. Security describes how safe the inn is and the chances that you'll have some sort of criminal encounter or other problem while visiting the inn. Wealth ranges from 1 to 5 with 1 meaning the inn is squalid and prices are lower and 5 meaning the inn is exotic and prices are up to 3 times as high as normal. There are random tables for things that might happen depending on the wealth of the inn. Lodging & services is an explanation of things offered by the inn. Work & Training explains what sort of people and jobs a character might find while visiting the inn. It also includes some tips for handling retired adventurers at the inn. Food & Drinks lists menu items and provides suggestions for making an interesting menu. Games & Gambling explains the rules for a number of games one might find offered at the inn. Songs & Tales provides some tips on entertainment at the inn as well as some sample songs and stories. This section ends with some suggestions for making bar fights into epic events including some random tables that might up the stakes.

Creating Your Own Inn is the final chapter and it is primarily a series of tables for determining the details of an inn. There's a table for structure (what the inn is made of), location and unusual locations, a tavern name generator, Inn characteristics which describes its purpose like guild house or holy commune. Decor is next, followed by Memorable things which are mostly unusual things that are part of your taverns culture. From there, it's on to Innkeepers and servants; there are random tables for personality, appearance (typically one feature), clothing, and, if you want, exotic appearances. You can deepen your staff by rolling for a life's purpose, secrets, and mannerisms. Finally, there's a table with one-sentence descriptions of a secret of your tavern.

Evaluation
Like others in this line, this is a good resource for GMs who are looking to either spice up their own inns or to just pull one ready-made from the book. The eight taverns described here have enough detail to use them without much prep, unless your players like to cause trouble in taverns. If that's the case, the GM will probably need to create some character sheets, using whatever rule system they need. Although it identifies as generic, it definitely has a lot of fantasy tropes from classes to races and from prices in gold to magical effects.

If you're looking for a way to generate inns quickly (or not at all), this is a good resource. There are a lot of ideas here for the taking. I'd recommend it.