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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hussar" data-source="post: 7928238" data-attributes="member: 22779">So, right here.  Would it have been impossible for the players to create those nine NPC's?  Could you not have assigned 2 or 3 NPC's per player, even if it's only the scut work of generating a stat block for each?  Again, could we not apply the Dirty Dungeon approach here?  Each player generates three NPC's, some of which will likely not see use, and also give a loose outline of where they went and what they did?  And, again, the DM injects changes after the fact?As someone who also does a ton of play online, I get the issue.  I've certainly dived down the rabbit hole of trying to find and then crop and edit just the right image.  It can be very time consuming.  But, since we're dumping all this off on the players, it's no longer our time being consumed.No reason that this can't be done no matter who is doing the prep.But, since we're getting the players to do this, they can generate NPC's that apply to the PC's.  With the advice that they should create NPC's for other players and not just their own.Again, this sort of thing can be done by anyone including the DM.  There's no particular reason it shouldn't be done by the DM.There, I just cut your prep time down to about 1 hour, maybe 2.  Players have to submit their elements, say, three days before the session and you're good to go.  Exploration elements are kept because only 1 player knows what's going on in each scenario and there is no reason for any particular scenario to be used over another.  So, even if we use Bob's scenario this week, there's a very good chance that we won't use one of Bob's scenes next week.  Plus, you now have a lot more material than you would have had, meaning that you can take unused material and put it into your "use later" binder.  Every player is engaged.  Every player is exploring.  And, now, the DM has a fraction of the workload.--------Now, the bigger question is, do you find the DM workload difficult?  Is it too much or not?  If it's not too much and it's stuff you enjoy doing, then fair enough, why change?  Why would you change if it's something you like?  My point is that the advice in RPG's should provide OPTIONS.  A choice between the DM prepping 100% or splitting it between the DM and players in whatever ratio that group feels comfortable with.  As it stands right now, there is no choice being presented.  The DM must prep 100% and this is why everyone talks about DMing being hard.  Well, if people feel that DMing is hard, then wouldn't the solution be to make it less hard?  How can we make it less hard?  Well, one solution is to offload some of the DM's workload onto the rest of the group.Seems pretty straightforward to me.</blockquote>

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