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Running a group with 7 players?
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<blockquote data-quote="Gilladian" data-source="post: 1475573" data-attributes="member: 2093"><p>It sounds like you won't have all seven players all the time, which is good, but does mean you will need to decide how to handle "absent player syndrome".</p><p></p><p>To keep the game on an even keel, do the following; assign one experienced player to each newbie to give rules advice and assistance in game mechanics. However, warn them that the newbie needs to make the final decisions.</p><p></p><p>For combats, be prepared for them to take longer. Give everyone a firm expectation of how long they have to act. Cut the newbies a little more slack, though, especially a spellcaster. We use a strip of corkboard with thumbtacks in it for initiative, with different colors for monsters and PCs. It gets put where we can all see it reasonably well and thus know who is coming up next.</p><p></p><p>To keep the whole game rolling, you have to enforce discipline. Put the quieter or less expressive people near you at the head of the table. Put the party leader at the foot of the table. Enforce (fairly) rigid rules about no out of character talk at the table. Don't allow people to wander off at any moment to the kitchen. Take a break every hour or hour and a half for drinks and stuff. That keeps everyone from having to wait while first one and then another person toddle off for a soda.</p><p></p><p>When they ignore you, talk over each other, won't focus, etc... just shut up and wait. Eventually they'll see you sitting or standing there watching them and they'll get the message. Don't turn away and do other things, just sit and wait.</p><p></p><p>Encourage the group to stay together. Long split sessions get boring, fast.</p><p></p><p>That's my advice after 25 years gaming; hope it helps.</p><p></p><p>Gilladian</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Gilladian, post: 1475573, member: 2093"] It sounds like you won't have all seven players all the time, which is good, but does mean you will need to decide how to handle "absent player syndrome". To keep the game on an even keel, do the following; assign one experienced player to each newbie to give rules advice and assistance in game mechanics. However, warn them that the newbie needs to make the final decisions. For combats, be prepared for them to take longer. Give everyone a firm expectation of how long they have to act. Cut the newbies a little more slack, though, especially a spellcaster. We use a strip of corkboard with thumbtacks in it for initiative, with different colors for monsters and PCs. It gets put where we can all see it reasonably well and thus know who is coming up next. To keep the whole game rolling, you have to enforce discipline. Put the quieter or less expressive people near you at the head of the table. Put the party leader at the foot of the table. Enforce (fairly) rigid rules about no out of character talk at the table. Don't allow people to wander off at any moment to the kitchen. Take a break every hour or hour and a half for drinks and stuff. That keeps everyone from having to wait while first one and then another person toddle off for a soda. When they ignore you, talk over each other, won't focus, etc... just shut up and wait. Eventually they'll see you sitting or standing there watching them and they'll get the message. Don't turn away and do other things, just sit and wait. Encourage the group to stay together. Long split sessions get boring, fast. That's my advice after 25 years gaming; hope it helps. Gilladian [/QUOTE]
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