I'm going to dismiss some players.

[Y.O.Morales]

One question to the GMF:
Does a Game Master have the obligation to accept 8 players?

[Background Info] Back in the middle of March, a fellow Game Master decided to stop his campaign and asked me to recruit his 8 players for my upcoming campaign. I got convinced by him to abandon my original plan (less players) and so I started GMing with them. But the four sessions so far have been a nightmare for me: lots of things to keep track of, more preparation of game material, more stress, etc.[/Background Info]

The question above has been drilling my brain for the last 24 hours. I think that I've no obligation to keep administering the game for the eight of them, and so I want to call only four for the next game session and the rest of the campaign. But that will hurt some people and create tension in my buddy group. That sort of moral dilemma and pressure is creating in me a conflict of whether to dismiss some players or not.

So basically I would like more opinions on what should I do.

 

[Y.O.Morales]

There are, of course, many benefits for myself as a GM and for the players I choose to play with.

1. Less players means less game material I have to prepare for them (I do make a lot of rules changes, handouts, feats, etc.).
2. Less players means less things to keep track of (the fighter's ready action, the wizard's entangle, etc.; now multiply that by 8). This reduces stress for me and allow me to lend more attention and time on the players that remain.
3. Less players means faster game sessions and the remaining players can get more things done in the adventure.

In my past campaign about 2 1/2 years ago, I had 5 players at most and we covered more things in a single session. Besides, there were less off-topic conversations, less waiting for other players, and in general more attention on the adventure.

 

[Jdvn1]

I see how you're obligated to do anything, here. Do what you think you'd enjoy more. It's a game about fun, not obligation.

 

[Nightcloak]

This would seem to be a reoccurring theme with DMs. Several here in the GMF have had similar issues in that the game wasn’t working for them and a player “issue” was involved. In fact, this is what inspired the description of “leader” in my Mission Statement. DMs end up being responsible for the players individually and as a social unit in addition to being responsible for that little detail knows as THE GAME. Not very easy at times…

The best advice I can give you is to remember one fact: You are a player too. You need to enjoy the game. If you don’t, then it will eat you from the inside out until it shows up in the game and something ugly happens. Take it from someone who was the DM 90% of the time since 79 and 99% from 99 until last year (two campaigns). I have been on “vacation” since then. I know from experience how things could go if you burn out… So don’t burn yourself out.

You need to do what is best for you. The million GP question is how do we remove four players from the game without costing you any friends?

1. Be honest. It worked for me.
2. See if any of the players have DM ambitions. He/she might just take several players off of your hands (then you can send them here )
3. If not, then you may need to make some tough choices. Your best bet is to determine a way of taking players that removes you from the process. Seniority, for example.
4. Ask the players what they think is fair. Let them help with the tough choices. If they really want to play, then they need to take some of the responsibility also and get involved. There is no reason you need to be the bad guy here.


Hope these thoughts help you out. Good luck.

 

[Y.O.Morales]

Thanks NC. You're an invaluable fellow GM.

You need to enjoy the game. If you don’t, then it will eat you from the inside out until it shows up in the game and something ugly happens.

The ugly thing is precisely beginning to happen (a.k.a my desicion to reduce the group). And in fact, I'm not enjoying the game. For the past four sessions, when Sunday was about to came, I got in my mind the idea of cancelling the session or not showing up. I even ended the last two sessions with a headache (not kidding). My girlfriend has been telling the same thing as you, but I still 'walk in circles' in this dilemma.

1. Be honest. It worked for me.
2. See if any of the players have DM ambitions. He/she might just take several players off of your hands (then you can send them here )
3. If not, then you may need to make some tough choices. Your best bet is to determine a way of taking players that removes you from the process. Seniority, for example.
4. Ask the players what they think is fair. Let them help with the tough choices. If they really want to play, then they need to take some of the responsibility also and get involved. There is no reason you need to be the bad guy here.

As for suggestion #1, I'm gonna do it. I'll call the players that will be left out and tell them the reasons for why, honestly.
@ #2: One of the players is thinking of running a mini-campaign in summer. Its still a few months away, but that's all we got besides my campaign.

 

[Catavarie]

Well there is always the killer DM way to get rid of them

But in all seriousness, you could just let the dice do the talking and have each of them roll and your top 4 rollers stay, that way no one can say that your "Playing favorites" since everyone gets equal opportunity and everyone is there to witness. But of course if the problem is deeper than the group just being "too big" and its with a certain player then the best thing to do is to just tell them straight out, yeah they might get upset and start talking crap, but if thats the kind of person they are I wouldn't want them in my game either. I've been a player in groups of 8+ and it always took forever for us to do anything, a single fight where we out numbered the enemy would last for hours simply because everyone wants to do something spectacular...the Storm archer wants to split his dual attack between two mobs, while the wizards all gather around their spell lists to try some fancy new combo, I usually played a fighter so my turn was more like "I hit it" then go grab a smoke, eat a snack, watch some TV in the other room, check to see how much longer I got till my turn,"Oh the Necro wants to try and raze the dead dracnid and command him as a pet?" go take a nap while the GM and necro argue as to wheither he has the ability or not, come back an hour later, "I hit it" Lather, Rinse, Repeat

 

[ChaosEvoker]

Hmm...too chaotic with dice though.

I'd definately go with NC suggestion...

NC, is your Wisdom like 20 or something?

 

[Nightcloak]

Hmm...too chaotic with dice though.

Agreed.

Wolf handled this situation well with his group (If I remember correctly, he had to let two players go). Hopefully he'll swing in to explain it all...

*Poke* *Poke*

NC, is your Wisdom like 20 or something?

Na... The 20 is for 20+ years of DMing, that’s all. Managing people in a business environment has helped.
Mostly just a lot of listening and learning my friend.

 

[Xen155]

I havn't had a group of players yet that I havn't at one point or another not wanted to invite.

 

[Blade of Desecration]

I agree that rolling is a bad idea. People will get hard feelings if you just ask them to quit, but people will get really bitter if they think that they had to give up something enjoyable just because of sheer bad luck.
What I when I had this exact same problem was to split the qroup in two. I chose another groups "team captain" and we chose who was in our groups. I'd also suggest that you keep in contact with this other group. "Guest DMing" appearances would always be fun, and also a good way of finding out what the other group is doing. Also, you and the other groups DM can work together, by floating ideas past each other, pointing out problems and solutions, etc. You can even have the two groups mix it up occasionally, or have a big "get together", with the two groups both on the same mission, but either competing or helping each other. Like of a race to see which group can get to an artifact first. Have both of them go different routes, and have different obstacles to overcome, with you and the other DM joint DMing.