Summary of "Top 5 Things that get me EXCITED about Solo RPGS"

Summary

The video is a hype-fueled countdown of the creator Turk’s “top 5 things” that instantly get him excited to play solo RPGs—especially when a game feels “alive” even if the book is small or indie (and sometimes imperfect).

The main idea

Turk compares polished, well-produced TTRPGs that don’t always spark immediate excitement with indie solo-friendly games that may have typos or flaws but still make him want to play right now. He then breaks down exactly what kinds of elements trigger that instant urge.

Top 5 (with highlights and jokes)

#5: Themes

Turk loves when a game perfectly matches a mood or craving. If he wants to be an X-Men hero, play zombies in fall, or go full weird (like climate-change body-swapping consciousness into robot assistants), he wants a game that “scratches the itch” at that exact moment.

He jokes about “normies” who think everything is “D&D,” riffing that some games are “D&D but Muppets,” and emphasizes solo RPGs are great because they can target niche vibes.

#4: Tactile extra stuff (box sets/DLC/physical goodies)

He gets hyped by anything that makes the table feel immersive: maps, cards, tokens, secret inserts, stickers, soundtracks, dice, patches, etc.

He praises examples he recently covered, like:

Pirate Borg for its tokens/maps/dice
Mausritter for its maps and dry-erase materials

He also highlights collector-style editions like themed D4s and suitcase packaging.

He notes that second Kickstarter stretch goals can be irresistible even if you already own the base game—especially because dice goblin energy kicks in (skull dice, patches, maps, coins).

#3: Community + creators actively supporting the game

Turk argues community can turn a good game into an amazing one. He loves groups where fans:

make homebrew classes and adventures
share tables, playlists, printable props
trade ideas back and forth like a creative loop

He cites surviving communities (like Grim Wild) and especially champions:

Mörk Borg as a strong example of ongoing culture
the ICRPG community for the huge amount of homebrew still in circulation

He adds a twist: he’s even more excited when the creator/publisher themselves stays active—not just posting occasionally, but playing/running games and publishing new content. He uses Land of Eem as an example (including the publisher’s ongoing actual plays and Patreon content).

#2: Companions (mechanical or story-driven)

Companions are Turk’s go-to solo boost. In solo play, they’re not just fun flavor—they provide:

someone to talk to/argue with
help during tough moments
relationship stakes (something to protect, lose, or care about)

He jokes about previous companion concepts from campaigns (like an AI “General Electric” sarcastically roasting everyone) and praises companions built into character concepts—talking skull staff, robot sidekicks, pets/dogs-as-adjacent companions, etc.

He specifically calls out:

companion recruiting mechanics in Perilous Wilds
and mentions that in Land of Eem, a class (“dungeoneer”) includes an underling companion—perfect for solo.

#1: Wild magic / magical chaos roll tables

The #1 reason he can’t wait to play solo: wild magic (or magical) random effect charts. He frames it as more than “random tables”—it’s about chaos that creates forward momentum.

His point is: solo players often stall without “threads,” but a magical surge gives immediate consequences, threats, and story hooks.

Examples he gives include:

Pirate Borg ash effects: his character uses ash bullets (ash is a drug), and effects can be hilarious or terrifying—like gaining benefits (extra HP) or losing arms permanently.
wild magic causing chain-reaction problems (castle explodes, frogs rain, gravity breaks, etc.) that force you to figure out what to do next.

He ends with a practical solo example: in Land of Eem, alchemy recipe rolls can paralyze a companion, forcing a quest to find a healer—turning a random roll into a concrete objective.

He also adds honorable mentions: other roll tables can excite him, and monster action roll charts are great because solo players don’t have to “choose” enemy behavior.

Closing

Turk wraps by daring commenters not to say “good mechanics” but instead share the bright, colorful, emotionally exciting thing that makes them want to play immediately. He signs off urging people to share their biggest RPG hype triggers.

Notable personalities mentioned

Turk (host/creator)
Zach from Tales of the Unknown (mentioned as a creator with a monsters series)
RuneHammer (shout-out regarding ongoing game-store involvement)
Abstracto (credited for artwork on the character display mat)