VirgilCaine said:
Does anyone have any other tips for handling large groups?
I've run a group of at least 8 PC's for over 15 years. At times I've had as many as 12 for extended periods of time. When you start adding all the familiars, animal companions, henchmen, and NPC's that need to come along, sometimes we have a group around 15 to 20.
My advice is to buy a dry erase board and put the initiative count on it where everyone can reference it (usually near where the DM sits). When players roll for initiative, write the names on the board, if there are ties, don't sweat it, go by the Dex scores you remember and then just fill them in. Remember that initiative is circular, it doesn't really matter if there are three players with a 12; just stack them in order on the board. It is this order that counts more than the number. Use a different color for creature's order.
Write the AC's for creatures on the board! Since it is the same for virtually every single attacker (Dodge bonuses excluded)((Did you ever notice that not many creatures have Dodge/Mobility?)) then the players have the numbers they need to hit.
Now, once everyone knows when their character is to act, then you can quickly proceed with combat. Characters should be able to grasp the general aspects of battle and should have a plan for their characters actions as soon as it is their turn. Have melee and missile attacks rolling before the character gets to their turn, with damage marked next to their attack rolls. I give players a small tablet sized whiteboard to do their figures on so they don't waste too much paper. Getting these basic attacks and rolls started BEFORE the characters turn really speeds things up and allows you to add all the flavor you want per attack. The number crunching really hurts in time, and you want your players to get on the ball rolling each of their attacks and damage before it gets to them.
Don't be afraid to skip a player (or two, or three) while they are rolling up their attacks IF you managed to catch up to them. Combat needs to be fast and quick! STOMP ON PLAYERS WHO THINK TOO TACTICALLY!!! This really slows down play as they figure out the best bang for their buck. Take these players aside between sessions and explain to them that they need to think tactically on the fly, stopping to think does not occur in combat. As a rule, I give my players 6 seconds to tell me what they are doing when I call their name on the board. If they're not ready, they DELAY till they figure it out.
Use a grid! You can't afford to stop and explain to a fellow that your monster was behind the pillar and that's why he got some cover. Use a grid. The new 3.0, 3.5 edition of the game basically requires it. If you can't afford miniatures, use cardboard chits or standup cutouts, or dice, or coins, or M&M's, or whatever. You have 7 PC's. Three of them will likely get a familiar or animal companion, one or two NPC's might join the group (your group definitely needs another fighter, preferably a stupid one that follows orders), not to mention any henchmen they might pick up along the way. I count that at 11 already. The grid helps you maintain positions exactly. When you have 11 combatants on one side, don't be afraid to throw 20 whatevers at them. Each PC will likely take out a few, magic users will definitely surprise you everytime. A big grid helps here. I use another whiteboard that has a one inch grid laid in it. This saves all the discussion about who was where, and what is what. I use a die and a marker for anyone who goes vertical. I write the altitude of everyone who is flying right on the board next to their mini.
Move all of the same type of creature at the same time! This way, you are using the same attack bonuses, same damage rolls, and same spells. If you have a leader type, roll initiative for that character separately. I've heard that some DM's use index cards for initiative, but I think that's a pain. The whiteboard (maybe a computer app) works best.
Adjudicate on the run! When you make a decision, that's it. Let it fly. If you're wrong, too bad for the PC's. You'll admit that you were wrong at the end of the game, or at the beginning of the next one. If you have a rules lawyer in your group, (scourge to all DM's) and the whole combat depends on your ruling, let him shine. I don't allow rules discussions unless the player has the relevant rule looked up in the book with page #. If you have to stop for every little thing and discuss it, your game takes forever. If you must stop, don't ever allow a player to guess at a rule, he had better have looked it up.
Also in this vain is disallowing other PC's to make decisions for another PC, even if he is about to get his head bit off! This goes with rules debates also. Absolutely no one but the character in question should argue the rule, and if you absolutely want to get into the discussion, then you better have your Player's Handbook open to the correct page. I throw dice at folks who screw this up. I have one guy who started wearing a plastic breastplate to games because he was tired of being nailed by d20's in the chest! (kidding). But you get the idea. Two people discussing something is bad enough, don't let three or four people get into what they "think" the rule is; make them look it up.
This leads me in thought about spell discussions. This (and odd combat maneuvers, grapple/disarm/bull rush/sunder/etc.) is where most combat starts to slow down. Don't allow summoned creatures if the PC doesn't have the stats ready for the creature to be summoned, period. DO NOT STOP TO LOOK UP SUMMONED MONSTERS. This is a HUGE waste of time. Again, if they don't have it written down, the spell FAILS. Cut out plenty of Large and Huge squares (10' x 10', 15' x 15', 20' x 20') out of index cards and mark the edges out with marker so they stand out from your grid board/mat and leave them near the board, ready to grab. These come in handy when you summon creatures and you need the appropriate size for the grid.
When you come to spells, make sure the character has the spell opened to the page where the spell is referenced, PERIOD!!! This way, you can look it up by the page # in your book, or the player can hand their copy for you to rule on. Try buying those steelwire area templates for spell effects. I made some of my own; just find some LONG stiff wire to bend into the appropriate shapes. This save a lot of time for who is and who isn't in effect. It also allows PC's to place their spells JUST THEY WAY THEY WANT TOO. This saves a lot of time arguing when later you tell them that you just managed to blast the King's daughter to ash with your last fireball.
NEVER allow someone to take their action back! No crybabies!!! It makes me sick when a character moves his figure across the board and then realizes that he has gone the wrong direction to get a clear bow shot (or whatever) within 30' (or whatever). TOO BAD! Make sure all players can reach the battle grid (sometimes hard with a large group) and that a Player move their PC on the board one square at a time counting off their movement as they go. If they want to move back, then it counts against their movement! When they are out of movement, that's it. None of this, well I wouldn't have done this if I had known that! This not only applies to movement, but everything else also. Don't let players have two turns each round, they get one turn, one chance; they need to get it right. If their Players say that their characters are smarter than they are, and wouldn't have done this or that because they would have known better, then say this, "a beam of green light hits you in the head from the heavens." Then dock them the appropriate Intelligence/Wisdom score that you deem fit for their want of reversal of their stupidity.
Now, I know that all of this sounds harsh in word, but really, it is not in action. Once you set these rules up for play, play will continue to be fun, and will be fast. Combat is the time killer, you want it to be quick, avoid every single delay.
As for other play, outside of combat, use player votes. If you have a fork in the road, (i.e., two decisions/courses of action) then have the players vote and be done with it. If you have an even # of players, make a NPC join the group to make it an odd #. Make sure the NPC votes in the middle, not last, not first. Always have an odd # of votes. If you can't then as the DM you decide the course of action, usually the correct determination. This isn't forcing the player’s hands, but it does force them to make decisions. Don't allow players to flounder, keep it moving always, always telling a descriptive story. If all else fails, and it will with so many personalities in a group, then make the stories linear. The group is their to have fun, most won't care if step one, leads to encounter two, which leads to three, four and so on. This really helps a group keep the story moving and keep the players interested.
As another note, planning is great, but 99 times out 100, a large group WILL NOT STICK to their own plan. Something unexpected always happens (or likely someone just does something different) and the plan will fail. Don't let players plan for too long.
As for bookkeeping sessions, they happen and their isn't much you can do. Try to keep shopping trips all together, during downtime, you know, three weeks of scroll writing/training/whatever go one player at a time until you're done. Make treasure picks fast! Like I said, bookkeeping happens, just try to be efficient.
I hope this helps for a start. Sorry for all my obvious spelling errors that I usually make.
Aluvial
