D&D General Recommendation for a party of eight+ ?

[Duo Maxwell]

Storm King's Thunder with an emphasis on the large scale combat might work? delete the NPC allies in favour of the extra PCs

Whatever the adventure, with 8 players I'd emphasize PCs as part of mass combat scenarios, smaller teams breaking off to do small missions within the larger battle. Co-GMs is a good idea too

I would run this, if I weren't currently in a SKT game run by my friend

 

[Duo Maxwell]

Hard to run without a DMG or Monster Manual. Plus there's been some changes that might make older modules unplayable. I'd wait and see. Regardless, with how 5e worked, large parties lead to ridiculously huge combats. Plus you and the players will be slowed down by the new rules. One round of combat will probably take 30 minutes.

I'd either find a co-GM and split the group or limit the size to no more than 5-6 tops.

The large party alone would make only want to run a single-combat session for a one-off game

 

[aco175]

In a 1-shot I might only want 1 combat if you are playing 3-4 hours. With 8 players you have basically 2 parties and can load up on monsters. You can also have terrain and skills needing to be used in the combat. A pit opens and 2-3 PCs fall in and need to fight by themselves for a few rounds, a statue shoots fire and needs to be deactivated by the rogue. Bad guys come from a few different tunnels or halls causing 3 fronts to fight on.

You might just be able to use the Delian Tomb by Matt Colville MCDM. It is his starter adventure, but works and there are many people that tried it. I ran it for 6 boy scouts and it worked. Maybe make the encounter areas larger and double the monsters with 8 people. It is 3-4 encounters which you could cut one or two out.

 

[Quickleaf]

I plan on running a one-shot adventure with my friends, but it will be for a party of eight (and possibly more). What kind of adventure would you recommend running for a large group that's manageable? If I don't resort to writing my own, are there any classic modules that worked well for you in the past?

I've run a fair number of one-shots, typically for 3 to 6 players.
I also have run campaigns with up to 8 players.

I cannot think of any modules I've run for one-shots that I would recommend for the 5th edition system for a party of 8 players. None of them would fit in the allotted time.

My best advice for something pre-written would be looking at Adventurer's League modules which are designed for 3-hour time slots at conventions or game stores IIRC. I am not familiar with AL modules, so I can't advise you about specific ones.

Generally speaking, avoid dungeons for one-shot games. Or if you will include a dungeon, don't make it more than 5 rooms, and cut to the chase fast.

 

[pablomaz]

Recommendation for a party of eight+?
Split it into two parties of four+...

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Two parties of 3-4 players and two GM's who each play in the other's game or two different games with parties of 4 and one gm

I laugh because this post is so straightforward and frank - but it's not wrong.

It would definitely be best practices to do that. The game will be better for it.

However, if it works out that you really need to play with eight (I do it all the time), then whatever adventure you run, just make sure to not-quite double all the monsters. When this would result in you having to run more than, my gut says, about six monsters, then not-quite double their HP and damage output instead, so you're not bogged down with too much to do.

(When I say, "not-quite double", I mean eyeball it between 1.5x and 2x, depending on what the encounter already looks like and how good your players are at teamwork and using their characters abilities, etc)

 

[Li Shenron]

I plan on running a one-shot adventure with my friends, but it will be for a party of eight (and possibly more). What kind of adventure would you recommend running for a large group that's manageable? If I don't resort to writing my own, are there any classic modules that worked well for you in the past?

Classic module?
Big PC party?
One shot?

Tomb of Horrors!

You didn't say you still need them to be your friends afterwards, did you?

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Classic module?
Big PC party?
One shot?

Tomb of Horrors!

You didn't say you still need them to be your friends afterwards, did you?

That'll whittle them down fast!

 

[Duo Maxwell]

In a 1-shot I might only want 1 combat if you are playing 3-4 hours. With 8 players you have basically 2 parties and can load up on monsters. You can also have terrain and skills needing to be used in the combat. A pit opens and 2-3 PCs fall in and need to fight by themselves for a few rounds, a statue shoots fire and needs to be deactivated by the rogue. Bad guys come from a few different tunnels or halls causing 3 fronts to fight on.

You might just be able to use the Delian Tomb by Matt Colville MCDM. It is his starter adventure, but works and there are many people that tried it. I ran it for 6 boy scouts and it worked. Maybe make the encounter areas larger and double the monsters with 8 people. It is 3-4 encounters which you could cut one or two out.

Wow, I'll definitely check out Delian Tomb. Thanks!

 

[Duo Maxwell]

I laugh because this post is so straightforward and frank - but it's not wrong.

It would definitely be best practices to do that. The game will be better for it.

However, if it works out that you really need to play with eight (I do it all the time), then whatever adventure you run, just make sure to not-quite double all the monsters. When this would result in you having to run more than, my gut says, about six monsters, then not-quite double their HP and damage output instead, so you're not bogged down with too much to do.

(When I say, "not-quite double", I mean eyeball it between 1.5x and 2x, depending on what the encounter already looks like and how good your players are at teamwork and using their characters abilities, etc)

What's funny is that I forgot I ended up resorting to this years ago when I was running Rise of the Runelords and it worked, schedule-wise with the group split up and reunited at the end of the modules.