Do You Prefer 4 Or More Players (+ DM) When RPGing?

[EvilGM]

5-10

More collective brain power is good, but too many people can be difficult to control at all times.

 

[Valdur]

I consider four players (+DM) at the table ideal but anywhere from 3-5 players being a good size. I consider 6 the max. number of players but reduce that further depending on the number of acceptable players available (maturity, courtesy, respect for others).

I'd rather have a small group of friends that really get along well than a horde of players that exhibit bad player tendancies. I consider players having multiple PCs to be an acceptable solution getting the right mix of PCs.

 

[pogre]

I like 5 to 7 players.

 

[Satori]

1

Yup, one.

The only games I DM anymore are solo campaigns with heavy roleplaying and light rules.

I think everyone can understand how easy it is to get burned out as a DM.

 

[Lazybones]

I often have players who cannot attend a given session. While I enjoy a 4-5 person game, if I stuck to that I'd have to cancel >50% of my sessions.

So 6-7 in the campaign overall is my standard, with 4-7 typically attending each given week.

 

[Ed_Laprade]

5-6 is best IMO. Anything less and there's a good chance of insufficient variety. More and things start getting unwieldly. (Of course, I've run for groups of 3-8, but prefer 5-6.)

 

[Vymair]

My preference for a game is 5, 4 then 6. 7 or more just gets to be too many for good role-playing.

 

[Crothian]

Right now I have 5 players, and it is working great. But I find quality players matters more then how many.

 

[morbiczer]

I my experience 4-5 players + 1 DM worked out the best.

 

[kenobi65]

Generally, I prefer 5 or 6...in all the DMing I've done over the past 24 years, that seems to be about the average I've had, and it just feels right to me. And, with that many PCs, you're usually assured that the party won't have any glaring deficiencies (unless everyone comes to the table with a rogue, or something).

I've never DMed for fewer than 3. The upper limit for a reasonable game, for me, seems to be around 8 or 9.