Running a group with 7 players?

[CanadienneBacon]

Thought the DM might like to hear from one of his players.

Forget about having much, if any, roleplaying. With groups larger than five or six, you can pretty much assume that there won't be a lot of time for it since combat will take longer, and it's hard to get all your players interested in a heavy rp-type game. I'll admit there are, of course, exceptions to this, but it's generally what ends up happening. If you have been toning down the combat XP you've been awarding us and mixing in your own ad-hoc roleplaying XP, then you may find that you wish to bump up the combat XP back to standard since we won't be getting as much rp XP. If it turns out there there's enough roleplaying going on to merit continued rp XP awards, then keep your system the same.

Food will be important. I suggest the players take turns bringing stuff to eat on a weekly basis. I will e-mail the rest of the players with this suggestion.

Passing notes is also a good idea, one that I'm accustomed to from past games. I do this no matter the size of the group.

Combat is going to cumbersome and will take a long time. It'll be hard on us because we'll have to wait a long time between turns and it may be hard on you because you may end up throwing more monsters at us that you'll have to keep track of. Anything you can do to keep your initiative rounds organized will be a help to you. If this means doing up initiative cards and printing them out to bring to the session, then so be it. The book will tell you what level and number of monsters to throw at us. You already know that we like combat to be tough...perhaps your monsters, if they have the intelligence for it, can use more difficult tactics. Example: kobolds are low CR creatures, but you can easily make them a MUCH tougher encounter if we have to fight them in their lair, on their terms. Kobolds are sneaky, like ranged weapons and nasty traps.

The players are going to feel neglected at times. That's just part of playing in a larger group. While you may wish to keep an open ear for any gripes you receive, don't be afraid to let a lot of them roll off your back like water on oil. I don't think you'll need to assert yourself as DM; the existing players can be counted on to set the tone when the new people join in. The cleric and I, at least, can be counted on to not let the others walk all over you.

Keep your confidence up. Gaming for 7 isn't too terribly different than gaming for three. Though combat may take some planning and preparatory organization on your behalf, the tone at the table is likely to be fast-paced (to you at least) and lively. More players means more opportunity for joking and having fun. Be prepared for a lot of table talk!

Ciao,

w.

 

[ChainsawJoe]

My how things have changed

When I started out in this hobby, a group of seven would have seemed average. At least, that was my experience (lo, those many years ago). I, of course, have found the typical group today ranges from 3 to 6 players, with the average closer to 3 than 6.

It seems to me that, as groups get larger, there is more interaction between the players than between the players and the DM. Therefore, I suggest you make some attempt to keep the player interaction in character. If you do not find roleplaying opportunities for the characters to talk amongst themselves, they will still talk amongst themselves, but it will be about comic books, movies, news, sports, or just about anything else that will take them out of character and out of the game.

As noted by others, combats will take longer. You want to try to get everyone into a rhythm, so that each player is ready with their next action on their turn. If each player has her attention elsewhere and doesn't decide what she is going to do until you ask, the game will bog down hopelessly. This factor becomes more important as the group gets larger. It also becomes increasingly difficult to accomplish as the lag time between actions and the opportunity for distractions grow.

Large groups can be a lot of fun. I hope the experience is positive for you.

 

[Altalazar]

I've groups as big as seven or eight players - back when I was gaming all the time in college. I had a rather popular campaign. As it turned out, eventually only about five or so players could make it most of the time. Which was good, because I decided that seven or eight was way too many.

But good luck to you. If you can pull it off and everyone has fun, that is great. As others have already said - minis, and engagement are good.

 

[DM with a vengence]

I speak to you out of the darkest level of hell, as some one who not only DMs for 7 people, but who GMs for 7 teenagers

7 7th graders, to be specific,

7 7th graders, half of whom don't know anything about the rules.

I'm going to assume that your group is a little better, but here is my advice.

1) Go in a circle, this really helps.

2) Combat is fast. This is a game about dungeons and dragons, not tactics and strategy. If players don't know what to do, they attack the nearest monster or cast Magic Missile. Don't be precise about the affects of Fireballs. Just say it hits these three orcs and the fighter. Keep things moving.

3) Designate a Co-DM to keep through track of the party's status. Who has what, when does Bless expire, and similar.

Good luck.

 

[Wolffenjugend]

Learn to delegate tasks.

When a player finishes his/her turn and a question comes up about the rules, I ask that player to look it up for me. Saves me time and the player learns something.

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

I regularly DM a group of 6, and have run games with 9, or four PCs and three NPCs. There are a couple of tips I've found that helps with evening out the time for interaction, making good encounters, and making encounters go smoothly.

For combat, (if you trust your players to do this) have everyone roll up their attacks, damage, or whatever else before it is their turn. If you want to have them roll in front of you, make sure they roll all their attacks and damage at the same time to speed up stuff. At higher levels have a calculator handy (as waiting for the 15th level wizard to count out his fireball damage for the fifth time that night is a pain in the neck).

To challenge large groups, do not go for a single, more powerful foe. It has a greater chance of killing several of your players. For your group I'd recommend a large group of CR 1 or 2, maybe with a small hoard of lower CRs to boot. With a group that large they'll just gang up on a single foe and your monster may not get a single hit in, which is frustrating for the DM. When running hoards, have them all on the same initiative, it saves time.

For rules questions, have one person who is very familiar with both the rules and the layout of the book be the designated "rules gopher." Take just a minute for the gopher to find the rule if there is a question, and if it can't be found, make a spot ruling and go on. You can change the rule next time if it is found.

For non-combat, allowing enough time for everyone to roleplay is a challenge. I enjoy employing the TV technique of rapid cuts. Usually you get people that, in town, go off in groups of two or three. Spend a few minutes with one group, and before completing their scene, put them on "pause" and go to the next group. You group should understand your reasons for doing this.

For those that want to go do individual things, you can do the same technique. The trick is to not let any one person hog the spotlight, something that I find is more of a risk in larger groups. Those who are more quiet or timid by nature often can get left behind if a more demanding player steps to the front. So check with everyone every couple of minutes to see what their character is up to. A quick little random happening on the streets (a person with a trained dog doing tricks, a runaway carriage with a baby caught in its path, a cute little urchin that picks the player's pocket) or something like that can add a little fun to a player's experience, even if they aren't too sure what to do.

One of the hardest things to do, I've found, is do something interesting for the player of a scholarly character. Often what I end up with is the fighter going to talk to people at the inn, the rogue getting something with a five-finger discount, the cleric going to talk to his senior in the temple while the wizardly fellow says, "I'm going to go to the library." It's kinda hard to think up something for people who are doing nothing but reading. It is something I'm still struggling with, but I've had a couple ideas.

I was thinking I could print out some interesting little tidbits of information, even things gleaned off the internet, about magic, astrology, or other kinds of things, and give them to that player as "the notes you made." Or you could use this to further develop your campaign world, advance the adventure, or give the players a much needed clue or direction. Or you could try to think up some hijinks in the library. A student thinks a younger wizard is cute and tries to flirt, the character comes across some kind of ghost that's living in the stacks (a la Ghostbusters), or an imp gets loose in the library.

So that's my two copper.