I’m an unabashed dog person. Dogs hold a special place in human history, and maybe a little less grandly, in our hearts. Those of us who love dogs have experienced how these canine friends define chapters of our lives, and how there’s something magic about that bond.
When you combine that love for doggy companions with the rich creativity of solo tabletop roleplaying games, something magical happens. Solo games let us step outside our own perspectives to see the world through a totally different lens. In the case of the games on the list below, a lens probably smudged with dog snot (not unlike the back window of my car).
Whether you’re looking for an emotional journey or a hilarious caper of puppies pulling off heists, the solo tabletop roleplaying games below are wonderful experiences that any dog lover might enjoy.
In Memory of Luna, my Best Friend
I wrote the start of this article earlier this year, before my beautiful corgi Luna was diagnosed with lymphoma. It’s been a nice chance to think of her, not that she’s not already in my thoughts all the time. Losing a dog is hard, y’all.
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Good Dog
Honor and celebrate the memory of your favorite pets
Good Dog is actually the first game I ever published, a free game about remembrance and grief (a real bummer to start this list I guess). In this game you step into the paws of a beloved pet and relieve some of the moments of their life from their own perspective. It’s meant to be a gentle, reflective journaling experience that offers time spent remembering your pet.
Unleashed
Live high-society lives by day, but operate as master thieves by night to rob wealthy humans and feed local strays in this lighthearted solo heist game
Imagine the movie Ocean’s Eleven. Handsome George Clooney, some other people too (I dunno, y’all, I haven’t seen it). Now swap out every member of the crew with a house pet wearing an expensive designer collar. Unleashed by Tim Roberts explores that idea, with your character living the cushy life of a spoiled domestic pet by day… but once the humans go to sleep becomes a master thief stealing from wealthy humans to feed the local strays.
The game uses Cezar Capacle’s “push-your-luck” Push System and is structured around the planning, execution, and escape structure of a heist. It’s a light-hearted game, non-violent, and packed with random tables that keep solo play interesting.
Dog’s Guide to Solo Play (for Pugmire)
A targeted solo supplement engineered specifically to enable single-player campaigns in the post-human fantasy setting of Pugmire
Pugmire is easily one of the premier canine games in tabletop gaming, a really well made game (with awesome art) about uplifted dogs exploring a dangerous post-human fantasy world. However, it’s a traditional d20 game that’s designed by default to be played by a group.
That’s where Peter Rudin-Burgess’ supplement comes in. Dog’s Guide to Solo Play embeds d20 oracle tables into the Pugmire ruleset, letting you ask narrative questions to the game and generate encounters on the fly without having to juggle an external game master emulator or other tools.
The full Pugmire game is required to play this supplement.
Were-Woofs!
Portray former humans transformed into dogs who are still expected to maintain their regular office jobs without opposable thumbs
Leyline Press’ Were-Woofs! is an absurdly funny idea with a brilliant hook: you play a former human who woke up transformed into a normal domestic dog. Sounds great! Belly rubs and snacks all day!
WRONG. Instead, you still have to go to your human job and pay your mortgage! All the downsides of being a dog along with all the downsides of being a human!
This game can be played solo or with a group and uses a simple and quick d6 dice pool system. The catch? You have to solve complex workplace tasks without the benefit of opposable thumbs, all while fighting off the urge to bark at the mail carrier or chase squirrels outside the office window.
So, you know, normal corporate office stuff.
Heckin’ Good Doggos
An all-ages narrative RPG focused on a pack of dogs protecting their neighborhood, sniffing out secrets, and solving gentle local mysteries
Created by Wet Ink Games, Heckin’ Good Doggos is a cozy, low-ranger narrative roleplaying game about a pack of dogs protecting their neighborhood. It’s all about sniffing out clues, helping local animals, and unraveling wholesome neighborhood mysteries.
While it was originally designed for group play, pairing it with a simple oracle system or game master emulator (like the Mythic Game Master Emulator) transforms it into a really delightful solo journaling game.
Dog Detectives
Step into the paws of a domestic dog searching a small town to locate a missing owner in a mystery driven by canine senses
Haven Woodrose’s Dog Detective puts you into the paws of a loyal dog wandering a small town, on a mission to locate their missing owner. Because it’s built specifically as a solo journaling game, the mechanics focus heavily on the senses and emotional instincts of your character.
You’ll use a mix of dice, coin flips, and draws from a standard deck of cards to systematically draw prompts that generate clues, obstacles, and memories of your owner as you close in on the mystery.
Dog: The One Page RPG
A lightweight micro-game that allows players to embody a dog striving to be the ultimate companion and survive visits to the vet
Sometimes you only have time for a quick, low-friction game you can read and play in twenty minutes. Dog: The One Page RPG by Kieran (The Dark Peaks) is a micro-game about navigating daily life as a companion article. You’ll explore parks, brave the dreaded veterinarian’s office, and stay awake longer than the other dogs nearby.
This one is a charm-filled (and budget-friendly) pay what you want entry point for anyone wanting to jump into solo roleplaying.
You know, there’s something refreshing about setting aside being a human person for an hour or two and stepping into the role of a dog. If that dog is running heists or unraveling the mysteries of a cozy town (or lovingly remembering their time at your side), these solo games stand in as a really interesting creative outlet.
Graycastle Press is Luke Miller
Building games, homebrew, modules, and digital tools for the tabletop community and beyond with a unique brand of creativity and sense of humor. Publisher of the bestselling solo worldbuilding roleplaying game Journey.
Specializing in games that offer new methods of engaging with your creative work. Go on an adventure and return with the choicest loot: fresh ideas and inspiration. Use it to add even more spark to the things you build.