Solo Oracle for D&D 5e
A solo oracle answers yes or no questions so you can play D&D without a DM. Pick the odds, roll, and read the answer. No campaign or account needed.
Ask the oracle
Pick the odds and tension, then roll to ask your question.
What Is a Solo Oracle?
A solo oracle is a table that answers yes or no questions about your story, so you can play D&D 5e without a Dungeon Master. You ask what is true in the world ("Is the gate guarded?"), choose how likely a yes seems, and roll. The answer is yes or no, sometimes with a qualifier, an exceptional result, or a random event that pushes the story somewhere new.
It stands in for the part of a Dungeon Master's job that decides what the world does. You still make the usual D&D rolls for attacks, checks, and saves; the oracle settles the questions those rules leave open.
This page is a quick roller with no campaign needed. For the full workspace with scenes, threads, characters, and a journal, open Solo Play.
Oracle Odds by Likelihood
Every question starts with a likelihood. Each of the seven steps has a fixed chance of a yes, and tension never changes these numbers.
| Likelihood | Chance of yes | Pick it when |
|---|---|---|
| Nearly impossible | 8% | It would take a miracle. |
| Very unlikely | 20% | Possible, but you would bet against it. |
| Unlikely | 35% | The facts you know lean toward no. |
| Even odds | 50% | You honestly cannot tell. |
| Likely | 65% | The facts you know lean toward yes. |
| Very likely | 80% | It would be strange if it were not true. |
| Nearly certain | 92% | Only a real surprise stops it. |
How Tension Changes the Oracle
Tension runs from 1 (calm) to 9 (boiling) and starts at 5. In the Solo Play workspace a scene that goes well lowers it by one and a scene that goes badly raises it by one; here you set it yourself.
Tension never changes the chance of a yes. It changes how wild the answer is. Higher tension brings more qualified answers, such as "Yes, and" (a bonus) or "No, but" (a catch), more exceptional answers, and more random events.
| Effect | Tension 1 | Tension 5 | Tension 9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Answer comes with a qualifier or is exceptional | about 13% | about 29% | about 44% |
| A random event joins the answer | about 2% | about 10% | about 18% |
| A new scene is interrupted (workspace) | about 4% | about 16% | about 28% |
Measured over 10,000 seeded rolls at each tension level. A random event names a focus, such as a new character appearing, plus a two word meaning to interpret.
Oracle vs Asking a d20
You can play solo by rolling a d20 and calling 11 or higher a yes. That works, and plenty of players start there. The oracle differs in three ways: the odds are named, so picking Likely is quicker and more honest than choosing a target number on the spot; answers have shades, so a yes can come with a bonus or a catch; and tension lets the story push back as things get worse.
The d20 still wins when a D&D rule already applies. Whether your attack hits or you can climb a wall is an attack roll or ability check. Use the oracle for what the rules do not cover: what is behind the door, who is in the room, and how a stranger feels about you.
Three Worked Examples
- Your rogue reaches a toll bridge at dusk. Bridges like this usually have someone collecting coin, so pick Likely.
- A plain yes puts a guard there. "Yes, but" might mean the guard is asleep or drunk. A no leaves the road open, for now.
- Your character is new to this town, so the facts lean toward no.
- An exceptional yes could mean they know you by a reputation you have not earned yet. Roll NPC Reaction to see how they feel about it.
- You have no idea where it hunts by day, so do not guess: pick Even odds.
- At high tension a random event may ride along with the answer, so the scene can turn even when the answer is no.
Tips for Using an Oracle
- Ask before you decide, not after. Committing to an outcome first defeats the purpose.
- When an answer feels odd, ask what would make it make sense and run with that.
Want the whole solo loop from character to campaign? Read How to Play D&D Solo.
Common Questions
- How is this different from Mythic GME?
- Mythic Game Master Emulator is a popular published solo system with its own rules. This oracle is an independent, original design with published odds, a 1 to 9 tension track, and tables written for 5e. It is not affiliated with Mythic.
- Can I share a roll?
- Yes. Every roll has a seed, and the page address updates to include it with the likelihood and tension. Use the Copy link to this roll button under a result, and anyone who opens the link sees the same answer.
- Does official D&D have rules for playing without a DM?
- Not for a game with no Dungeon Master at all. Official adventures for a single player still assume someone runs them. This oracle is a free fan made tool, not an official rule.