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Troika: Solo RPG Adaptation

Solo Troika!

(Everything below is self‑contained; just add the core Troika! rules. Please buy the book and supplements - they're truly amazing)

Quick Nav

Framing a Scene

Ask three default questions and consult oracles as noted:

Question Default Oracle
Where am I? Action & Theme (location seed)
Who is here? Who Appears — People or Groups
What is going on? Re‑roll Action & Theme or pose a Yes/No question to the Yes/No Oracle

Use additional/other questions whenever it feels right.

Core Solo Loop (4 steps)

  1. Frame a scene with the three questions above.
  2. Interact — resolve tests per Troika! When unsure, consult the Yes/No Oracle.
  3. Advance clocks — tick Story, Menace, Goal; a track at 6 triggers its payoff and resets.
  4. End scene — mark Skill ✓ ticks used, refresh 2 Luck if restful. (Draw initiative tokens as normal; draw two “end‑of‑round” tokens in a row → roll on the Twist Oracle.)

Oracles

Yes/No Oracle

2d6 (after any modifier; minimum 2, maximum 12)

Roll Outcome Typical modifier
2 No, and
3‑4 No, but –2 very unlikely
5‑6 No –1 unlikely
7‑8 Yes 0 50 ⁄ 50
9‑10 Yes, but +1 likely
11‑12 Yes, and +2 very likely

Action & Theme Oracle

Roll two differently coloured d6; read first die as tens.

d66 Action d66 Theme
11 Betray 11 Wealth
12 Travel 12 Memory
13 Discover 13 Knowledge
14 Steal 14 Faith
15 Protect 15 Nature
16 Pursue 16 Destiny
21 Negotiate 21 War
22 Defend 22 Secrets
23 Seek 23 Time
24 Escalate 24 Chaos
25 Reveal 25 Dreams
26 Exchange 26 Technology
31 Explore 31 Love
32 Conceal 32 Death
33 Rescue 33 Power
34 Complicate 34 Justice
35 Summon 35 Illusion
36 Observe 36 Trade
41 Construct 41 Silence
42 Destroy 42 Ancestry
43 Investigate 43 Freedom
44 Evade 44 Corruption
45 Aid 45 Harmony
46 Capture 46 Revolution
51 Inform 51 Mystery
52 Sabotage 52 Storms
53 Escort 53 Shadows
54 Challenge 54 Ruins
55 Escape 55 Sacrifice
56 Bind 56 Celebration
61 Transcend 61 Cosmos
62 Fuse 62 Mutation
63 Question 63 Pride
64 Divide 64 Hunger
65 Fortify 65 Prophecy
66 Transform 66 Balance

NPC Disposition

d6 — 1 Hostile · 2‑3 Wary · 4 Neutral · 5 Helpful · 6 Friendly

Twist Oracle

1 New NPC · 2 Menace advances · 3 Flashback · 4 Chase begins · 5 Goal complication · 6 Gain a boon

Conflict Oracle

Roll d66 when you need an obstacle; stats use Troika’s Skill / Stamina / Init‑dice shorthand.

d66 Opponent Motivation Clue if roll 11 +
11 Local Brute 7/9/2 Fear Stolen trinket
12 Watch Captain 8/10/2 Duty Secret patrol map
13 Guild Thief 7/7/3 Greed Note naming buyer
14 Itinerant Knight 9/12/3 Honor Broken banner
15 Street Prophet 6/6/1 Revelation Scrawled omen
16 Vermin Swarm 5/10/3 Hunger Gnawed bones
21 Cunning Sorcerer 10/12/3 Power Arcane sigil
22 Mirror Doppelgänger — Identity Cryptic diary
23 Mercenary Band 8/14/4 Profit Signed contract
24 Sky Pirates 8/12/4 Adventure Stolen manifest
25 Bureaucrat Inspector 5/8/1 Order Sealed decree
26 Wandering Scholar 6/6/2 Knowledge Unfinished thesis
31 Runaway Automaton 9/11/3 Freedom Clockwork key
32 Cult Zealot 7/9/2 Faith Bloodied altar
33 Vengeful Spirit 8/—/— Revenge Personal keepsake
34 Desert Wyrm 11/20/4 Territory Shed scale
35 Bog Witch 8/10/2 Bargain Rare herb list
36 Bird‑head Courier 6/5/1 Duty Royal letter
41 Crystal Swarm 9/15/3 Consumption Prism shard
42 Forest Ent 10/18/2 Preservation Withered shoot
43 Time‑lost Soldier 8/10/3 Return home Antique medal
44 Masked Assassin 9/7/3 Contract Black coin
45 Sea Leviathan 12/24/4 Instinct Ancient tooth
46 Carnival Trickster 6/8/3 Chaos Marked card
51 Cosmic Paradox 12/∞/4 Entropy Reality fissure
52 Mutation Plague — Spread Strange rash
53 Rogue Fae Court 10/12/3 Mischief Iron arrow
54 Noble Rival 8/9/2 Prestige Gala invite
55 Star‑Faring Trader 7/8/1 Trade Exotic voucher
56 Dreaming Colossus 11/30/1 Awakening Tremor sign
61 Living Library 9/— Preservation Forbidden tome
62 Shadow Consortium 9/12/3 Control Debt ledger
63 Void‑Cult Prophet 10/10/2 Ascension Shattered idol
64 Dragonling Runaway 7/14/3 Survival Broken shackle
65 Iron Revolutionaries 8/11/4 Liberation Radical pamphlet
66 Reality‑Storm — Random Crackling crystal

Who Appears — People

Roll once on each table (d66 unless noted).

A) Role / Archetype

11 Scholar 12 Beggar 13 Noble 14 Priest 15 Mercenary 16 Alchemist 21 Sailor 22 Spy 23 Caravan Guard 24 Beast‑Tamer 25 Scribe 26 Gambler 31 Herbalist 32 Street Urchin 33 Mystic 34 Artist 35 Engineer 36 Hunter 41 Grave‑Robber 42 Bard 43 Duelist 44 Courier 45 Smuggler 46 Astrologer 51 Miner 52 Shepherd 53 Innkeeper 54 Pilgrim 55 Cartographer 56 Tinkerer 61 Fortune‑Teller 62 Exile 63 Librarian 64 Gladiator 65 Inventor 66 Diplomat

B) Quirk / Trait

11 Absent‑minded 12 One‑eyed 13 Booming laugh 14 Nervous twitch 15 Scarred 16 Regal posture 21 Glitter‑dusted 22 Constantly coughing 23 Smells of ozone 24 Speaks in rhyme 25 Skeptical 26 Hums tunes 31 Iron prosthetic 32 Luminous tattoo 33 Always chewing 34 Haunted eyes 35 Immaculate attire 36 Ink‑stained fingers 41 Echoing voice 42 Carrying lantern 43 Missing shadow 44 Over‑polite 45 Weather‑beaten 46 Smells of roses 51 Phases in & out 52 Monotone 53 Chain smoker 54 Juggles objects 55 Talks to self 56 Covered in runes 61 Distracted by clocks 62 Trembling hands 63 Rainbow hair 64 Wears mask 65 Radiates warmth 66 Unsure of age

C) Immediate Objective

11 Deliver message 12 Escape pursuit 13 Find cure 14 Recover debt 15 Hire aid 16 Uncover secret 21 Sabotage rival 22 Acquire map 23 Sell wares 24 Impress authority 25 Steal relic 26 Recruit allies 31 Bury item 32 Perform rite 33 Prove innocence 34 Obtain blessing 35 Test invention 36 Translate text 41 Protect child 42 Break curse 43 Win wager 44 Hide evidence 45 Avenge wrong 46 Win duel 51 Pose model 52 Record story 53 Buy rare book 54 Rescue pet 55 Secure passage 56 Avoid prophecy 61 Arrange duel 62 Clear name 63 Decode dream 64 Take oath 65 Offer warning 66 Mediate dispute

Who Appears — Groups & Factions

  1. Group Type (d66) 11 Trading Caravan 12 Street Gang 13 Pilgrim Band 14 Arcane Cabal 15 Highway Patrol 16 Circus Troupe 21 Desert Nomads 22 Sewer Cult 23 Sky Sailors 24 Mining Syndicate 25 Academic Lodge 26 Beast‑Hunters 31 Rebellion Cell 32 Royal Envoys 33 Clockwork Union 34 Grave‑Diggers Guild 35 Theatre Company 36 Plague Wardens 41 Fog‑Runners 42 Herbal Circle 43 Masked Vigilantes 44 Dragon‑Tamers 45 Dream Researchers 46 Tax Collectors 51 Elemental Choir 52 Portal Rangers 53 Night Watch 54 Storm Prophets 55 Coral Knights 56 Shadow Brokers 61 Star Pilgrims 62 Fungal Commune 63 Bone‑Collectors 64 Iron Legion 65 Mirror Society 66 Cosmic Gardeners

  2. Group Mood (d6) — 1 Aggressive · 2 Suspicious · 3 Tense · 4 Neutral · 5 Hopeful · 6 Welcoming

  3. Group Size (d6) — 1 1‑2 · 2 3‑5 · 3 6‑10 · 4 11‑20 · 5 21‑50 · 6 51 +

Combine all three rolls to sketch any crowd or faction.

Clocks & Advancement (house rule)

Story / Menace / Goal tracks are 6‑box rows: □ □ □ □ □ □. Add a tick when a trigger fires; when the sixth box is filled, resolve that track’s payoff (big plot beat, threat strike, or goal achieved), then clear it.

Skill ✓ ticks & Getting Better follow Troika! RAW; completing a Goal clock gives one immediate extra advancement roll.

Example of Play

Setup • Background: Lonesome Monarch of the Slug Fields (from Troika!). • Goal clock: “Reclaim the Slug‑Throne.” • Build initiative bag (2 PC dice, 1 end‑of‑round token).

Scene 1 – Framing

Question Roll Result Interpretation
Where am I? Action & Theme → 24 (Escalate) / 31 (Love) “Escalating Shrine of Love” A crumbling chapel aglow with pulsating heart‑runes up a steep cliff.
Who is here? Who Appears People (Role 23 Caravan Guard, Trait 14 Nervous twitch, Objective 12 Escape pursuit) Jittery guard fleeing pursuers.
What is going on? Yes/No Oracle: “Is the guard wounded?” 50/50 → roll 9 (Yes, but) Yes, but not fatally. They clutch a scorched satchel.

Play The Monarch offers aid (Skill Etiquette 8). Test succeeds → mark ✓ on Etiquette. The guard begs escort to a hidden path.

Menace tick? None. Story tick? Scene will end soon, so not yet.

Twist

Initiative: PC die, then end‑of‑round, then end‑of‑round twice in a row. Roll Twist Oracle → 2 (Menace advances). Tick Menace to 1 / 6.

Scene End

– Tick Story to 1 / 6. – Guard’s satchel yields a clue toward the Slug‑Throne → tick Goal to 1 / 6. – Refresh 2 Luck.

Result: next scene starts on the perilous cliff path, Menace simmering, Goal inching forward, and Etiquette ready to improve when Getting Better occurs.

Repeat the loop: frame Scene 2, ask oracles, tick clocks, and let the spheres unfold!