Tabletop RPGs have always been a social experience. But what if you’re short on people? Can an AI really step in as your Dungeon Master?
Yes… kind of. But not out of the box.
AI chatbots have come a long way. They can write stories, act like characters, and even describe creepy crypts or lush forests. But if you’re hoping it’ll replace your long-time DM friend with years of lore and custom maps? Don’t hold your breath.
That said, AI can run a decent tabletop session if you work with it, not just talk to it.
What Works
Let AI Set the Scene
AI is really good at creating moods. Want a smoky tavern in a frozen village at midnight? It can paint that picture. Need a dragon’s lair full of riddles and ancient traps? It’s got you.
Use it to generate locations, NPC descriptions, or mystery setups. Tell it to “describe a haunted mine guarded by goblins and ancient dwarven tech.” You’ll get a cool prompt you can build from.
You Control the Dice
Don’t let the AI roll dice. Ever.
Why? Because it’s not random. It might tell you, “You rolled a 17,” but it’s just a number it wants, let it only decide the numbers needed for successful roll. Use a dice app or roll physical dice. Tell the AI your results. It’ll adjust the story.
Example:
You: “I rolled a 12 on perception.”
AI: “You hear distant whispers… not enough to make them out, but they’re definitely not wind.”
You stay in control. AI reacts to you.
Build Your Own Character
Letting AI make your character is usually a mistake. It tends to spit out something bland or cliché. You’ll get a tragic orphan rogue or a “gruff but kind” barbarian for the 100th time.
Instead, come in with a character sheet ready. Or at least a strong concept. Then tell the AI, “This is who I’m playing,” and let it build the world around you.
Even better: write a short summary of your character’s personality and voice. That way, the AI can adapt its tone to suit you. Make it feel more like a real game.
Force It to Break the 4th Wall
AI can get carried away, turning into a storyteller rather than a DM. That’s not what you want.
Tell it things like:
- “Narrate like a Dungeon Master.”
- “Pause for my input after each action.”
- “Don’t assume the outcome—let me roll.”
- “Ask what I do instead of finishing the scene.”
AI needs reminders. It’ll try to take over unless you break the 4th wall and tell it to step back. Be blunt. “Stop. Let me roll.” That’s the only way it learns.
What Doesn’t Work
Memory is Terrible
This is the biggest flaw. AI forgets stuff. You might be talking to the same bot for an hour, and it’ll suddenly call your elf a dwarf or forget you’re carrying a glowing sword.
To get around this:
- Keep a notepad or doc open to track things yourself.
- Regularly remind the AI of key facts.
- Paste your character sheet again if it starts getting fuzzy.
If you’re doing a longer session, save your logs. When you come back, feed it the last few paragraphs so it can pick up where you left off.
It’s Not Great with Rules
Unless you teach it, the AI won’t stick to specific tabletop rules (like DnD 5e or Pathfinder). It might fudge mechanics or say something like, “Your fireball instantly kills the ogre” without a save or damage roll.
Either play loose rules or copy-paste rule snippets as reminders.
Tip: Some people load cheat sheets or summaries into the prompt to keep it grounded.
Best Use: Solo Story Mode
Honestly, AI shines when you’re treating the session like a mix of improv and choose-your-own-adventure. It’s not going to perfectly follow a ruleset, but it can give you that roleplay fix when friends aren’t around.
Want a quick dungeon crawl before bed? Tell the AI:
“You’re my Dungeon Master. I’ll describe my actions. You’ll describe the world. Stop when I need to roll or choose.”
Then go from there.
Final Thoughts
AI can’t replace a full DnD group, but it can be your backup when no one’s free to play. With a few hacks and a strong idea of what you want, it can run surprisingly good sessions—especially if you’re focused on story, mood, and character.
Just remember:
- You roll the dice.
- You make the characters.
- You set the rules.
- AI narrates.