D&D 5E Maximum Manageable Number of Players

[PnPgamer]

I wont do games that contain more than 5 players.

 

[payn]

I said 6 its the most ill have at the table. Too many players makes both RP and combat more difficult.

5 is my magic number though because if one person has to miss the session we can still play.

 

[delericho]

What is the maximum number of players, in your experience, that a GM can manage well?

For me, the answer is 6, though that's specific to D&D - my experience is that most games work better with fewer players.

I can't comment for other GMs, because as you say it varies a lot. Though I would be very wary about joining a group with more than 5 existing players already.

 

[Ezequielramone]

I can manage 5. But 4 is MY number. I like my games to be very closed. I mean a few friends, a little group of close friends. I don't like bigger groups, it feels unpersonal, I have run games for 6 players and it was to much.
This way we can fit in a normal tablE, with all the character sheets maps and minis and food and stuffs. You are closer to everyone and can make them feel an important part of the history instead of one the important group.
plus I can't schedulw ten closer friends at the same time.

 

[innerdude]

The sweet spot for me is a group of 6 -- 5 players, 1 GM.

This leads to the most variety of playstyle options, the best inter-party interactions, and so on.

4 players is nearly as good, though for some reason I've found that adding that fifth player character just seems to add a bit of "spice" or "zest" to the proceedings that isn't there with only 4 players.

Anything less than 4, and you've got to have a group and GM with a solid social contract, since it means the players have to be more directly involved, and be prepared for lots of spotlight time.

6 players is manageable, but there's a noticeable drop in characters' ability to generate "face time." Invariably, someone at the table is bored / not paying attention. It actually saps the energy away from the table, rather than adding to it.

Anything over 6 players is just a massive waste of time for the types of games I enjoy playing / running.

 

[Tony Vargas]

What is the maximum number of players, in your experience, that a GM can manage well? QUOTE] I've run successful games, even using notoriously 'slow' systems like Hero, with as many as 12 players.

If the DM's up to it, it's entirely possible to run quite large games. Not that 4-8 players isn't a good deal more practical.

I haven't had occasion to run a large session with 5e, yet, but I see no reason to think it'd present any difficulties.

 

[Sunseeker]

I have "managed" fifteen players several times, but it was too much work.

Anything over 7 is more than I want these days. Yes, i voted "7." I prefer five players.

My preference leans towards 6, as due to the nature of real life, it is not uncommon to have someone who can't make it today (it is usually not the same person), which makes the table ends up with 5. I feel like 4, while a good number for the game itsself, often leaves the table feeling somewhat empty and pushes people into "acceptable" roles instead of them playing the character they want to play. 3 is just too few to run a long-term game on, but fine for short ones.

 

[jgsugden]

In a game with quick combat rounds and experienced players, 6 is the cap before you start to have people fade away in combat towards their Smart Phones... In 4E I got to the point where I didn't want more than 4 PCs in the game because turns took so long.

 

[Hereticus]

It all depends on the skill and experience of the DM, and the level of cooperation from the players. Four to six is optimal, but I played in one group with 14 players (two assistant DMs).

 

[Jacob Marley]

I find it interesting that so many people prefer to have an even number of players at the table. In my experience, an even number of players is significantly more difficult to manage than an odd number due to ease in which the party can split into two equal groups. Without having a player to serve as the tiebreaker, it often bounced back to me to assist the party in their decision making. This is something I really dislike to do as the DM.

If given the option of six players or seven, I'd choose seven in a heartbeat. (Although I voted five as I find that to be the ideal.)