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Hello, lovely Paizo folks! I'm running a game starting in about a month and need a little advice. There are going to be five players, and I'm used to GMing for 2 or 3. I've been GMing for a few years but have never had a group of this size before.
I'm worried that 1) because this group is mostly new players, combat is going to take forever. Any advice on how to speed up combat with a large group?
And 2) I'm worried that in a larger group role-play will have to play second violin to roll-play. In a small group, each character gets a lot of face-time, and party splits aren't too hard because there are fewer people to get bored (and the group I usually run for, who unfortunately just graduated, are at least as interested in hearing each other's stories as they are playing their own). How can I make sure that role-play and character development is still important in a large group?
One thing I had thought of was that if the party splits, the two or three who are in a different place could role-play and talk amongst themselves. I would feel okay doing this with experienced players, but I don't know about new players. Thoughts?
If anyone needs more information, the setting is Land of the Linnorm Kings, hopefully eventually crossing over into Irrisen, and I'm only planning on going levels 1-6, medium XP track. Game should last about a year (real time).
First of all don't panic a group of 5 is not to bad it just seems a lot when your normal group is 2 or 3
Firstly when you do character creation do it 1 to 1 or in couples as that way you can give each player plenty of time to go through things
Also make up a sheet with the basics of combat writen out so everone has the info to hand
It should just have the basic stuff like BAB what to roll to hit and what you add etc also a list of actions they can do in a round
I also find with new characters and player that high lighting different sections of there character sheet can help as they can see at a glance where they need to look
So if in the middle of a combat you need a will save you can just say that it's in the saection of there sheet marked in blue or whatever
This will help players get used to there character sheets more quickly.
Also have the player throwen into it in the first session a small combat from the outset allows you to see how they act as a group and spot who's the real throw themselfs in to type of player and those who are not
Try not to split the party for the first few weeks but if you do make. Sure that both groups have something to do and switch between them every 3 or 4 mins to stop boardem in those not in the spot light
Also look out for hoggers those players that want your attenion all the time and will talk over others if they think there doing something more important
A good way to help stop this is to have you sit where no players are further away from you than any others (I would surgest that when you play at a normal rectangle style table you sit on one of the long sides so no one is to far from you this also makes it easier for everone to hear you)
As for role play this will happen once the playersa have had time to form there alter egos
Well that's about it hope this helps but remember have fun
I've run for large groups of inexperienced players before, and organization and planning is key. I strongly recommend that you use Combat Manager to help you keep track of battle; I've found it to be exceptionally useful, and the program is free.
Also, make sure that everyone has cheat-sheets and that you plan out your encounters well in advance. Your players will deviate from your plans, and that's okay, so be ready to roll with the punches. Don't feel as though you have to force them back into your plans, either. Between sessions, just keep planning; it's something to rely upon when you run out of ideas or your players are struggling.
Best of luck.
I play in a group of 7 pc's. Some of the time saving tips we use are: Someone manages the initative for the DM. We also take average damage dice. Someone also takes care of the monster's hit points, dr, effects for DM. If you have experienced players, maybe they would want to take care of these tasks? We prettymuch never split up.
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When I read the title I thought this was going to be another one of those 8+ player groups. 5 is right in my wheel house that's what I try to set my games up for. If one person can not make it, the game can still go on so everyone else isn't SOL. Its actually a good number.
As for advice pacing. Its ok for the group to split and do a little role playing with NPCs. Make sure it doesn't last too long though. Bounce back and fourth between the split groups. Even if group B is just having a drink at the tavern have something happen that may interest them. For combat, track initiative yourself. Some GMs try and get players to do it and IME the player has enough going on already. Soon as a player has taken their turn call out the next player. Once again you can control the pace of the combat as GM. Don't be to hard on them though since they are new a few of them are going to need help and by all means be ready to help them.
Good luck and good gaming!
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Oh! And go and search for Spell Cards or make them get the spell app for android/apple. This puts all the spells in one neat place they can have in front of them...gives them a LITERAL prepared spell list too.
I'd also limit the classes to 1 companion...adding in a lot of summons is only going to make your head hurt...
Hello, lovely Paizo folks! I'm running a game starting in about a month and need a little advice. There are going to be five players, and I'm used to GMing for 2 or 3. I've been GMing for a few years but have never had a group of this size before.
Five isn't that bad at all; it's the inexperienced thing that might slow stuff down the most.
Things that will speed it up: Stunned, Held, and Unconscious.
Ok ok serious advice - with a large but inexperienced group, no or few companions (animals, familiars, mounts, NPC Cohorts/buddies); they don't need them as much as smaller parties do anyhow. If people really really really want to run a class that has such a feature, try to find ways to insure the NPC companion doesn't slow things down/isn't seen as a combat feature. At least not early on (ironically, when they are often at their most useful in combat. But, again: a large party shouldn't need the help as much. Except perhaps for the companion "saving the boss's bacon" since inexperienced types tend to acquire the game's best status effect frequently).
Hello, lovely Paizo folks! I'm running a game starting in about a month and need a little advice. There are going to be five players, and I'm used to GMing for 2 or 3. I've been GMing for a few years but have never had a group of this size before.
Five isn't that many. What will slow it down most is inexperience.
The most effective way to speed things up: Stun, Hold, and Unconscious.
Ok, ok, seriously: few if any companions (animals, familiars, mounts, NPC buddies in general); at least not ones that involve themselves in combat; a large party won't need them as much. If some insist upon playing characters with those features, try to keep the companion's combat involvement to a minimum early on (while the players are still learning); aside from saving the boss's bacon (inexperienced players tend to acquire the game's best status effect often).
If you have 5 players and 1 of them has a familiar, another has an animal, and a third gawds knows what (perhaps some noob decided to bring a Summoner to the table 'cause they heard it was "biatchin"), and they each want to fumble around trying to decide what the companion does, that has the potential to slow things down as if you had 8 players instead of 5.
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OH! I keep thinking of more things!
Make sure you yourself AND your players know how and when they can take 10 and 20! Encourage them to do so! This will shave 3-5 seconds off each event. May not seem like a lot but think of how often people roll dice and have to add and modify things. Not to mention account for failure!
Any advice on 14 players? Some are inexperienced, but others are. Currently we are about to run a new campaign of half and half, good vs evil, player vs player with 2 game masters. It sounds good, but I suspect things to get a bit out of hand.
Don't get me wrong. There was a time with AD&D 2nd Ed that I ran 14 experienced players through a custom dungeon of my own design and it went very well. This new group...I have some concerns.
Any advice on 14 players? Some are inexperienced, but others are.
Split them into two groups.
I once had the "honour" of DMing a new RPG club in school, where some of us were experienced gamers, and others were new people who came to try out the game, and there were at least 14 players at the table.
After like 3 sessions that was the end of trying to run a big group all at one table, with people not understanding what was going on mixed in with those who knew but got bored (and then would find ways to start trouble) while I tried to explain things to the new people and answer their questions.
Remember that with inexperienced people you'll need additional time to answer questions. In theory the experienced people can help them but this might lead to too much cross-talk at the table, different people giving conflicting advice (or 'advice') and the new people just getting more confused.
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Any advice on 14 players? Some are inexperienced, but others are. Currently we are about to run a new campaign of half and half, good vs evil, player vs player with 2 game masters. It sounds good, but I suspect things to get a bit out of hand.
Don't get me wrong. There was a time with AD&D 2nd Ed that I ran 14 experienced players through a custom dungeon of my own design and it went very well. This new group...I have some concerns.
If it's player vs. player, I think most of the time they can probably keep each other busy. Having two GMs is good, but remember that most of the time, they won't even need a GM to adjudicate most of the pvp battles (presumably there are no monsters, and they can roll to-hit against each other's AC without having a fight).