There are some workarounds but as other have pointed out some/most WIi U games require the gamepad.
Just buy one, that's the easiest path.
The amount of wasted time in trying to hack homebrew and/or games to work without one will pay for a gamepad 10x over.
Am I in a hackers forum or somewhere else? You shouldn't be trying to convince me to take the easy/convenient way out.
A Wii U gamepad would cost me almost double what I paid for the system itself and I'm actually offended that Nintendo even created such a hideous and pointless piece of technology. I refuse to use it. (That being said I can't wait until my Wii U arrives next week and I start cursing and swearing and get pissed off because I am unable to use it)
Joking aside I think I am going try the drc-sim thing.