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<blockquote data-quote="kigmatzomat" data-source="post: 3772273" data-attributes="member: 9254">I'm a big-group DM.&nbsp; My current group is actually the smallest game I've ever ran, having only 6-7 players plus myself.&nbsp; My normal is more like 8-10 with a 3-yr campaign that averaged 12 players (peaked at 16).&nbsp; table rules:1) table time.&nbsp; If I give each player 30 seconds to do their actions, there's 4-6 minutes between actions for players.&nbsp; Therefore players get ~10 seconds to declare their action before I tell them &quot;your character hesitates&quot; and go to the next character on the rotation.&nbsp; Then I come back to the hesitator and see if they have a clue yet. 2) Game combat time management.&nbsp; Remember how long a round is.&nbsp; When the bard tries to recite the &quot;Charge of the Light Brigade&quot; cut him off after 6 seconds.&nbsp; Make sure people don't saddle a horse in one round.&nbsp; The trick is to say &quot;fine, you spend the next 15 rounds getting the saddle on&quot; so that they know it's going to take forever and you can essentially skip them this fight.&nbsp; If they decide to change actions refer to item 1.&nbsp; 3) Non-combat game time management.&nbsp; The easiest way I've found to handle a lot of out-of-combat actions is to get people's plan for the day.&nbsp; Inevitably people will cluster together, in at least 2s and 3s.&nbsp; As DM you can also induce clustering by having the weaponsmiths located near the blacksmiths and the corrals, so that multiple loners' activities are in the same general locale.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Then remember how long it takes to get places on foot.&nbsp; Even on horseback, plan on spending 2-3 hours getting to the other side of a big city, given traffic congestion plus finding the place.&nbsp; That tends to limit errands to 2-3 per person, per day.&nbsp;&nbsp; Tell people how long they'll spend in transit in the beginning and then start with the people who will arrive first.&nbsp; that way if a fight breaks out, you have an idea of who is where at the time (very important if the cleric casts Status in the mornings).&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Roleplay the first 2-3 minutes of an encounter and then, if at all possible, switch to die rolls.&nbsp; Figure out how diplomatic, perceptive, etc. the characters are as well as what they intended to do then sum up the encounter on the whole.&nbsp; &quot;Method Actor&quot; roleplayers may get in a snit.&nbsp; If so tell them that they will have to wait until a coke/smoke break or after the game to handle their monologue.&nbsp; 5) Manage the spotlight.&nbsp; Some people don't want to be the center of attention, others crave it like the crack pipe.&nbsp; The trick is to make sure that everyone gets a chance to be the focus before the addicts run wild.&nbsp; And know that at a certain point, it's time to say enough is enough.&nbsp; My favorite phrase is &quot;and a good time was had by all.&quot;&nbsp; 6) die rolling.&nbsp; People with lots of attacks can roll during other players actions.&nbsp; I trust 95% of the gamers I've played with.&nbsp; The other 5% are given a &quot;minder&quot; who takes an active interest in the suspect players' die rolls.&nbsp; &quot;Oooh, a 2, that sucks dude!&quot;&nbsp; Die-fudgers either give it up or are booted from the game.&nbsp; 7) no take-backs.&nbsp; Mistakes happen on both sides.&nbsp; If someone forgets the bardic song bonus or to declare Dodge, too bad.&nbsp; As a DM I often run very large combats with dozens of NPCs.&nbsp; Forgetting things happens on both sides of the screen so it's a wash.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="kigmatzomat, post: 3772273, member: 9254"] I'm a big-group DM. My current group is actually the smallest game I've ever ran, having only 6-7 players plus myself. My normal is more like 8-10 with a 3-yr campaign that averaged 12 players (peaked at 16). table rules: 1) table time. If I give each player 30 seconds to do their actions, there's 4-6 minutes between actions for players. Therefore players get ~10 seconds to declare their action before I tell them "your character hesitates" and go to the next character on the rotation. Then I come back to the hesitator and see if they have a clue yet. 2) Game combat time management. Remember how long a round is. When the bard tries to recite the "Charge of the Light Brigade" cut him off after 6 seconds. Make sure people don't saddle a horse in one round. The trick is to say "fine, you spend the next 15 rounds getting the saddle on" so that they know it's going to take forever and you can essentially skip them this fight. If they decide to change actions refer to item 1. 3) Non-combat game time management. The easiest way I've found to handle a lot of out-of-combat actions is to get people's plan for the day. Inevitably people will cluster together, in at least 2s and 3s. As DM you can also induce clustering by having the weaponsmiths located near the blacksmiths and the corrals, so that multiple loners' activities are in the same general locale. Then remember how long it takes to get places on foot. Even on horseback, plan on spending 2-3 hours getting to the other side of a big city, given traffic congestion plus finding the place. That tends to limit errands to 2-3 per person, per day. Tell people how long they'll spend in transit in the beginning and then start with the people who will arrive first. that way if a fight breaks out, you have an idea of who is where at the time (very important if the cleric casts Status in the mornings). Roleplay the first 2-3 minutes of an encounter and then, if at all possible, switch to die rolls. Figure out how diplomatic, perceptive, etc. the characters are as well as what they intended to do then sum up the encounter on the whole. "Method Actor" roleplayers may get in a snit. If so tell them that they will have to wait until a coke/smoke break or after the game to handle their monologue. 5) Manage the spotlight. Some people don't want to be the center of attention, others crave it like the crack pipe. The trick is to make sure that everyone gets a chance to be the focus before the addicts run wild. And know that at a certain point, it's time to say enough is enough. My favorite phrase is "and a good time was had by all." 6) die rolling. People with lots of attacks can roll during other players actions. I trust 95% of the gamers I've played with. The other 5% are given a "minder" who takes an active interest in the suspect players' die rolls. "Oooh, a 2, that sucks dude!" Die-fudgers either give it up or are booted from the game. 7) no take-backs. Mistakes happen on both sides. If someone forgets the bardic song bonus or to declare Dodge, too bad. As a DM I often run very large combats with dozens of NPCs. Forgetting things happens on both sides of the screen so it's a wash. [/QUOTE]

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