Single Player, Single Hero Game

[n107]

I looked around on BGG and saw some general comments about this, but nothing definite on what works best for a solo game using only one investigator.

My thoughts were that mostly the rules would be taken from the cooperative game:

-Secrets investigated are automatically revealed.
-Use the cooperative Mystery Chart to add in the extra danger, since there's no other player trying to hinder you.
-Multiply the villain's health by number of characters (1), thus you're fighting against the same strength as in the competitive game.

The next two points I'd like to hear your opinions as I'm new to the game and don't have enough experience under my belt to know which would work better:

-I kept the investigation of secrets costing 2 Investigation, just like in the competitive game. Should this be reduced to 1 like in co-op since all the secrets will be revealed immediately and you could end up sending an evil elder to the villain?

-I used the competitive game Darkness Track rather than coop. This was to keep the villain from getting beefed up too much when only one hero would be able to fight him. Do you think it'd be better to use the cooperative Darkness Track instead or would that make it too difficult for a solo hero to win, especially at the speed the Darkness Track moves thanks to the Co-op Mystery Chart?

EDIT: Also, if using the Co-Op Chart, for results 1 and 2 where the Darkness Track moves, should the amount of wounds be lessened? In a regular cooperative game, there would be at least 2 heroes to spread the wounds over. With only one hero, a roll of 1 would automatically KO any unmodified hero if they tried to stop it. I was thinking that the damage should be halved, rounding up. So on the roll of a 1, a hero would have to take 3 wounds to stop the track from moving 2 spaces. On a roll of 2, the hero would need to take 2 wounds to prevent it from moving 1. How does that sound?

[Old Dwarf]

Well my real suggestion if playing Solo just use the Co-op
rules & play 2 Heros.That way everything meshes.

For only 1 Hero your ideas sound ok

-Secrets-I would keep at 2,its sort of a minimum
we use a BGG random Secret cost varient where they
cost from 1-3 Inv.tokens.

-Shadow Track-Keep using the Competive Game Track
for the reasons you gave.

-Cooperative Chart-is brutal for 1 Inv.(The movement of the
Shadow Track is mandantory*** it doesn't depend on Hero's
taking wounds.)I would just give the Hero the # of wounds
equal to the Shadow Track advance.Result 1=2 wounds
Result 2=1 Wound. I would limit its use to something
like roll d6 before drawing Mystery Card 1-4=No Co-op
Table Roll,5-6 roll on Co-op table.

OD

(*** )This is WRONG the Hero taking wounds does cancel out the shadow Track advance.
n called me on it & I corrected it in a later post.

[n107]

Old Dwarf Wrote:-Cooperative Chart-is brutal for 1 Inv.The movement of the
Shadow Track is mandantory it doesn't depend on Hero's
taking wounds.I would just give the Hero the # of wounds
equal to the Shadow Track advance.Result 1=2 wounds
Result 2=1 Wound. I would limit its use to something
like roll d6 before drawing Mystery Card 1-4=No Co-op
Table Roll,5-6 roll on Co-op table.

I'm not sure if you're referring to something else, but it sounds like you're saying that on the Co-op Chart, if a 1 or a 2 is rolled then the Shadow Track moves AND you take wounds. According to the chart, it says that the Track moves but that movement can be prevented if the heroes take wounds. So it's a one or the other situation, not both. Right?
Though I do like your ideas that the solo hero should roll to see if the Co-op chart takes effect and, if a 1 or 2 is rolled, the wounds they need to stop it equals the movement itself.

[Old Dwarf]

Thats what I'm saying

AND I'M WRONG (obviously I haven't played a Co-op game)
somehow I overlooked the last sentence in the Results.
You can take Wounds to prevent the Shadow Track advances.

I setting up a Team Game now so I'll get to use the Chart.

OD

[Canadian Pittbull]

I too have thought about running a single player game just using two characters. It is tough to get ATOE on the table as it is and I would like to play it some more. Who knows maybe once Something Wicked makes its appearance I can get these players of mine even more interested.