Nice to see a new iteration of these!
I spotted a little something: step 8's example seems outdated, still from the times when spells were alternative selections to abilities.
Also, I personally don't like having D12's, or anything which is not a D10 (not everyone have platonic solids at hand), but once we have entered the realm of the D1000 it's just a matter of how many decimal percentage I want to round off the new Infernal category.
I'll take a look at that and update the file today.
Once I added new categories and changed some things, I had to start moving away from d10s. I use a spreadsheet myself (to be shared at a later date) to automate most of the rolling, so it's not really an issue for me. However, I am aware for someone doing this by hand, that it's more of a pain.
Going trough my first set of adventures I realized that the rules seem to assume that the magic you use to support your rolls works without any roll. I think it would be a nice addition to have optional rolls for the general area and aura, the later that you actual can also roll on the magic you use instead of think it just success. The area would be helpful for characters that have Way of XXX or similar Virtues & Flaws.
I'm missing the rules for the reduced time reward in this 4. revision. If I remember right in a previous version the time needed was halved when taking the reduced time reward.
Then the example at Step 12 wasn't adjusted to the rule change of 1/2 base difficulty but the base difficulty of 9 example would be a great way to show if the author is meaning to round up or down then.
Edit: At page 11 Final Recommendations it looks like some part of the text is missing
True Faith as it works in RoP:D is also quite the powerful ability to have for the solo play rules because it works effective as 1x +3 per set of rolls.
(You regain Faith Points to your Faith Score each day and this Faith Point can be used like a confidence point. Because the solo rules assume that each set of rolls take 1 day you end up with the 1x+3 per set of rolls)
For my Aura problem I for now use (1d10-4)/2 round down as aura modification. That may only work for my Holy Mage because he can use both Divine and Magic aura.
I've gone through the file and made some adjustments in the areas you've suggested. Good catches on the hanging sentence. I didn't look it up, but I don't recall the reduced time being terribly clear, but I cleaned it up in this version. I also expanded the random location table for "new expeditions."
Not 100% sure if I now downloaded the newest version but I think so, as I can't find the cut sentence any more.
One thing I complained about is still in: Step 12
"Example: Darius of Flambeau. It takes him 13 days in total to track down and deal with the hedge wizard. (9 for base difficulty plus 2 for both the challenges and 2 for the botches)"
Shouldn't this example 9 base difficulty / 2 plus 2 for both the challenges and 2 for the botches resulting in 8.5 days what means you spend 9 days on this adventure.
Edit: I also think Ride and Swim would make a good combo where you could select what of this 2 skills fit the story better. (Like Chirurgy / Medicine)
where is the link to the latest version?
Bob
It's still the same version 4. link from before. I hope its ok for Thunder Hammer that I repost it:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/20zi3duntgyblvi/solo_adventures_v4.docx
thank you!
Bob
I'll take a look and update that part. Also, I personally HATE HATE HATE the Swim skill and ignore it in my games. However, that is not actually canon, so I'll make note your suggestion. 
It's the same file, though I changed the version in the doc to "4.2", since I didn't make substantial changes, mainly just edited some parts and fixed some typos and overly worded sentences. I did add a random chart for locations beyond the current OoH, but that is not enough for me to call it a version 5.
Updated again. I made some options more explicit, edited some more, and added an option to the reward table.
I made me a personal table for step 8 that isn't tested so far and probably very biased. Goal was to cover the ability beside language from the ArM5 base rule book while stay with 9 choices. The reason I didn't want to extend 9 choices is that at last the rare 6 step adventure can repeat some ability.
| Combat | Legal / Diplomatic | Magic | Social | Thriller / Wilderness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athletics | Artes Liberales | Awareness | Bargain | Area Lore |
| Awareness | Bargain | Concentration | Charm | Athletics |
| Brawl | Charm | Finess | Carouse | Awareness |
| Chirurgy / Medicine | Folk Ken | Magic Theory | Etiquette | Chirurgy / Medicine |
| Leadership | Intrigue / Guile | Parma Magica | Folk Ken | Hunt |
| Martial | Law | Penetration | Intrigue / Guile | Ride / Swim |
| Ride / Swim | Organization Lore | Realm Lore | Leadership | Stealth |
| Stealth | Theology | Supernatural Ability | Organization Lore | Survival |
| Animal Handling | Craft / Profession | Artes Liberales / Philosohiae | Music / Legerdemain | Craft / Profession |
Agreed. Athletics should be enough instead. I understand that Swimming is really a specific skill and it is not because you are good at running and jumping that you know anything about swimming. Yet, unless a campaign is set by the sea, involving a lot of boats, it is a pretty irrelevant skills.
that why I did swim and ride together as usually on a sea focused adventure you have no animal to ride, while when you using horse to get around you usually not take the time to swim except under special circumstances.
But general we have some ability in Ars Magica 5 that are extrem broad while some other are very narrow.
I know, it will make thing more complicated, but sometimes I wonder if some of these specific skills should not be handle like accelerated art, just to make them a bit more interesting or cheap. Spending 5 xp for a level one in Swim is steep, however, spending 6 xp for a level 3 sounds more appealing... Or maybe just at creation. Anyway, that's really only a small detail.
Gentlefolk, (especially: quinchris, Ezechiel357, and Thunder_Hammer)
To all who contributed, my thanks for this excellent and painstaking work. I shall try it with a favourite character that has seen very little play, and then with a bunch of others I have built, before seeking some co-operative souls to essay the oxymoronic rules.
Regards
Ivan
No worries.
I am pleased, and more than a little flattered, that this idea of mine is still attracting interest after so many years
Chris
No worries.
I am pleased, and more than a little flattered, that this idea of mine is still attracting interest after so many yearsChris
@quinchris You are very welcome, I'm grateful for all your initial work! I have spent far too much time using your Solo system. There another modest iteration of mine in the works.
An open question I have to those who have tried the rules, (@ShubaMyedvyednikov, @Ezechiel3571, @Adauli, @rgd20, @Ouroboros, @raccoonmask, @loke, @boltimuss, @Tellus, @IdiotSavant)
How do people feel reputation should be factored in to adventures? Right now there's nothing official in this ruleset.
Also calling up @Kal, @silveroak, @Yirkash, @Doctorcomics, @BlindMagus, @darkwing to see if they have any other thoughts. 