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<blockquote data-quote="bbjore" data-source="post: 5408640" data-attributes="member: 27539">While I agree, splitting the group may be done, playing in large groups can work as well. When you do encounter design, you have to remember that elites, solos, and minions are you friends. 11 standard monsters gets to be way to much to handle. Two to three solos can be a fun higher level challenge for 10 characters. And so can five elites. Minions make great filler because they require no book keeping, just make sure they have some sort of a respawn mechanism because 10 players will mow through them pretty quickly. Monster &amp; encounter design has to focus on simplicity. Use monsters with only 2 or 3 simple but flavorful powers. Monsters with good basic attacks you can spam, powerful encounter bursts or multi-attack powers, and auto damage auras all make good choices. This can get boring, so try and give each encounter a unique spin with terrain, location, puzzles, skill check or the like to tie your players up with tactical planning between turns. It gives players a chance to do something interesting while waiting.Then just pawn off some of your duties on the players. Make one track initiative and enforce turn time limits, let one manage skill checks or terrain challenges, and let one run the minion mob. That allows you to focus on rules adjudication and monster turns.It can be hard, but it can also be fun. Just work hard to keep the action flow going (hopefully player taskmaster will help with this), and make sure people don't get left out of the spotlight.Oh, also, make sure you have effective space for it. It's really hard to run a 10 person encounter without a good map, miniatures, and room for everyone to keep their stuff.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="bbjore, post: 5408640, member: 27539"] While I agree, splitting the group may be done, playing in large groups can work as well. When you do encounter design, you have to remember that elites, solos, and minions are you friends. 11 standard monsters gets to be way to much to handle. Two to three solos can be a fun higher level challenge for 10 characters. And so can five elites. Minions make great filler because they require no book keeping, just make sure they have some sort of a respawn mechanism because 10 players will mow through them pretty quickly. Monster & encounter design has to focus on simplicity. Use monsters with only 2 or 3 simple but flavorful powers. Monsters with good basic attacks you can spam, powerful encounter bursts or multi-attack powers, and auto damage auras all make good choices. This can get boring, so try and give each encounter a unique spin with terrain, location, puzzles, skill check or the like to tie your players up with tactical planning between turns. It gives players a chance to do something interesting while waiting. Then just pawn off some of your duties on the players. Make one track initiative and enforce turn time limits, let one manage skill checks or terrain challenges, and let one run the minion mob. That allows you to focus on rules adjudication and monster turns. It can be hard, but it can also be fun. Just work hard to keep the action flow going (hopefully player taskmaster will help with this), and make sure people don't get left out of the spotlight. Oh, also, make sure you have effective space for it. It's really hard to run a 10 person encounter without a good map, miniatures, and room for everyone to keep their stuff. [/QUOTE]

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