Calling all game designers!


In partnership with

Have you been curious about how to write a great one-on-one adventure for your favorite group ttRPG (such as D&D 5e, Pathfinder, Cypher System, or Tales from the Valiant) but been unsure of how to adapt the default, party-gaming mode to duet play? 

Join Dr. Beth Ball and Jonathan Ball, the writers and designers behind D&D Duet, for this special workshop on duet adventure design!


What is a "duet"?

A duet is an adventure (or playable story) specifically for one player and one GM. Unlike a group adventure, these story arcs revolve around one PC who truly steps into the role of the protagonist. And unlike a solo adventure, this protagonist is going to need a friend/guide/random NPC/all of the above to travel around with (played by the GM) and some sort of problem to solve (also the GM!). 

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, you will:

  • Understand what makes duet gaming special—more specifically the story structure and unique mechanics that set it apart from group gaming...

  • Know how to support GMs in running your duet adventures and, perhaps most importantly...

  • Have your first duet adventure completed!

Register for this Workshop

Pay a one-time fee or two monthly installments

🌿 Course Overview

Here's what we'll cover in our month together!

Over the month-long workshop, you’ll have a new set of videos each week that cover duet design basics and the reasoning behind them. Twice during the month, join Beth and Jonathan for a livestream Q&A and a deeper dive into each week’s video content. 

Week One: Duet Basics

Opens March 15, 2025 at midnight UTC

The shifts to keep in mind when adapting from group to one-on-one play. You’ll likely need to reimagine some of the ways that you have prepared adventures in the past. In duet gaming, it’s all about the characters.

Week Two: Special Considerations for the Three Tiers of Play

Opens March 22, 2025 at midnight UTC

Troubleshooting common design issues in duet play and catering to the gaming preferences of two people (rather than a group). 

Week Three: Let Heroes be Heroes

Opens March 29, 2025 at midnight UTC

Balance looks quite different in a duet game, which really frees you up as a designer! Help GMs maintain high stakes and meaningful consequences without railroading their player.

Week Four: Polishing and Troubleshooting

Opens April 5, 2025 at midnight UTC

Getting clear about who you’re designing for, trying out duet play if you haven’t already, and including GM guidance as part of your adventure! 


🖥️ Live Call Schedule

These live calls are opportunities for you to discuss your projects and ask questions to your instructors. You will be provided a Zoom link ahead of time!

IMPORTANT: These live calls are not mandatory to attend but we encourage you to do so if you can! They will all be recorded and made available in the course afterward.

  • Tuesday, March 25th at 6 p.m. ET
  • Thursday, April 3rd at 6 p.m. ET

About D&D Duet

Meet Beth and Jonathan Ball

When we started D&D Duet, we were just a couple of English teachers in North Carolina who loved to play D&D together and to spend time with our two ridiculous and amazing labradors.

The latter two things are still true! But our journey over the last few years has seen new forays and expansions for both of us!

Beth Ball—novelist and game designer

Beth is a weaver of words and worlds spinning stories of druidic magic and the power of nature that span the high fantasy realms of Azuria and Eldura. You’ll find these magical realms in our adventures and in Beth’s epic fantasy novels!

Jonathan Ball—educational coach

Jonathan is an educational coach for first-year teachers and an education consultant. He’s passionate about empowering teachers so they can, in turn, empower their students.

About our duet

We started our own duet in March of 2018, and it has since become our favorite shared past-time. It provides an important creative outlet and a really fun and engaging way for us to spend quality time together.

We’re passionate about the transformative power of story and about the connective possibility and potential that happens when we tell stories with those we love.

Happy duet-ing friends!

This course includes a combination of pre-recorded videos and livestreams

The lessons unlock on a schedule, and you can complete the lessons on your own time. Here's an overview of the curriculum:

    1. Welcome to One Month to a One-on-One Adventure!

    2. Course Schedule and Overview

    3. Get to Know the Storytelling Collective

    1. Downloadable files

    1. Week 1, Video 1: Duet Course Intro + Overview, What is a Duet?, and Mindset (+ a pep talk)

    2. Week 1, Video 2: What Sets Duets Apart? Plus the Designer-GM-Player Funnel

    3. Week 1, Video 3: Duet Basics – AKA It’s All About the Characters

    4. Week 1, Video 4: The Characters You’ll Want the PC to Meet!

    5. Week 1, Video 5: Interview with Jonathan Ball

    1. Week 2, Video 1: Intro to Week Two—Energy and Adaptation

    2. Week 2, Video 2: Adaptations for Combat

    3. Week 2, Video 3: Adaptations for Social Interaction and Exploration

    4. Week 2, Video 4: Bonus Pillar—Shifts for Navigating Adventure Choices and Writing Pacing for the Week

    5. March 25 Live Call

    1. Week 3 Video 1: Letting Heroes Be Heroes (and designers be designers)

    2. Week 3 Video 2: Filling in the Gaps in Adaptation and Design

    3. April 3 Live Call

    1. Weeks 4 & 5: Polishing and Troubleshooting

    2. Week 4: Zoom Call Information

About this course

  • $59.00
  • 19 lessons
  • 4.5 hours of video content

Plus, your registration includes:

  • Access to a private Discord channel and course Discussions

  • Help and support from your instructor

  • Support, encouragement, and accountability from the StoCo community

Register for this Workshop

Pay a one-time fee or two monthly installments

About the Instructor

Beth has been a Storytelling Collective instructor for several years. Get to know her:

Short Story September & Cultivating Your Writing Mindset Dr. Beth Ball

Dr. Beth Ball is a fantasy author, TTRPG game designer, literary scholar, and editor. She's a strong believer in creative processes and the importance that mindset plays in helping writers transform the seeds of a story into a fully fledged and blossoming narrative. Her editing portfolio includes several essay collections, the intro to literature textbook for her university, and a special issue of the American Book Review about literary activism. She taught writing and literature courses for six years before making the transition to editing for indie authors and other creators.

Continue learning with Beth:

Approach your writing career with confidence and clarity through Beth's popular self-paced course.

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