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<blockquote data-quote="Wik" data-source="post: 6673933" data-attributes="member: 40177">I DM for 6 every week.&nbsp; I've done larger.&nbsp; The worst I ever did was around 15-20, and I'll never do it again.&nbsp; Not fun.&nbsp; At that size, it's just a matter of looking at the clock and trying to find any excuse to get the hell out of dodge.&nbsp; Anyways, for 6 or 7, it's not really a big deal.&nbsp; I'd suggest being less free-form, and keeping things in an order.&nbsp; Party goes into a situation, you ask everyone what they're doing - start with one guy and go clockwise, and next time, start from someone else and go counter-clockwise.&nbsp; Don't be a tight-butt with players that hesitate for actions, but ask everyone to keep up with pacing.&nbsp; If people are going slowly, ask them again to hurry up for everyone else.&nbsp; This usually works.&nbsp; Break up your fights into larger groups.&nbsp; One monster isn't gonna cut it.&nbsp; You're better off with three ogres instead of one hill giant, for example.&nbsp; But that's a mechanical issue, and not a practical &quot;how do I do this?&quot; sort of thing.&nbsp; Something to think about, though - if you can split any combat up into several smaller, simultaneously running &quot;mini combats&quot;, you'll keep players more engaged.&nbsp; I like to think about team deathmatches in first person shooter computer games.&nbsp; It's two teams killing each other, but as a player, you only know what's going on around you, and your closest team mates.&nbsp; And that's where you're going to focus on when you tell your &quot;war stories&quot; later on.&nbsp;&nbsp; And most of the people in that same deathmatch will have had a completely different experience.&nbsp; If you can foster that in play a little bit, you'll keep your players more engaged.&nbsp; You do this by making sure that the challenges they face have different aspects, so that the party is forced to split up while everyone's in initiative order.&nbsp; So one group is trying to hold a hallway against a wave of goblins, while two PCs battle an angry ogre, and a third group of PCs are trying to stop a siren from singing her song... or whatever.&nbsp; Finally, use your players as free labour.&nbsp; Get one player keeping track of initiative.&nbsp; Another is in charge of monster hit points and status effects.&nbsp; A third is your spell looker upper.&nbsp; And a fourth manages all of your NPCs.&nbsp; Seriously, this works great.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Wik, post: 6673933, member: 40177"] I DM for 6 every week. I've done larger. The worst I ever did was around 15-20, and I'll never do it again. Not fun. At that size, it's just a matter of looking at the clock and trying to find any excuse to get the hell out of dodge. Anyways, for 6 or 7, it's not really a big deal. I'd suggest being less free-form, and keeping things in an order. Party goes into a situation, you ask everyone what they're doing - start with one guy and go clockwise, and next time, start from someone else and go counter-clockwise. Don't be a tight-butt with players that hesitate for actions, but ask everyone to keep up with pacing. If people are going slowly, ask them again to hurry up for everyone else. This usually works. Break up your fights into larger groups. One monster isn't gonna cut it. You're better off with three ogres instead of one hill giant, for example. But that's a mechanical issue, and not a practical "how do I do this?" sort of thing. Something to think about, though - if you can split any combat up into several smaller, simultaneously running "mini combats", you'll keep players more engaged. I like to think about team deathmatches in first person shooter computer games. It's two teams killing each other, but as a player, you only know what's going on around you, and your closest team mates. And that's where you're going to focus on when you tell your "war stories" later on. And most of the people in that same deathmatch will have had a completely different experience. If you can foster that in play a little bit, you'll keep your players more engaged. You do this by making sure that the challenges they face have different aspects, so that the party is forced to split up while everyone's in initiative order. So one group is trying to hold a hallway against a wave of goblins, while two PCs battle an angry ogre, and a third group of PCs are trying to stop a siren from singing her song... or whatever. Finally, use your players as free labour. Get one player keeping track of initiative. Another is in charge of monster hit points and status effects. A third is your spell looker upper. And a fourth manages all of your NPCs. Seriously, this works great. [/QUOTE]

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