So, I love me some PbP, but I had a thought recently (Gaston warned me it was a dangerous pastime!) and I wanted to get some perspective/thoughts on the matter before even attempting something like this...
THE IDEA: Inverted Pathfinder!
The premise is simple: rather than have several players and 1 DM, why not switch roles, and have several DMs with 1 player... DM... person.
This would probably only work on PbP, but the idea is that the DM makes a player for themselves, and then everyone else acts out the world around him, within certain guidelines set by the DM beforehand. I haven't hammered out the structure on this works quite yet, but the general concept is thus:
The DMPC is an adventurer, seeking out a quest for fame, fortune, or he's bored with nothing to do that afternoon. The players take up the job of playing out the world around him, from NPCs, to monsters, to traps, to sorting out how the dungeon works or the adventure will play out. The DM hands the players a randomly generated map and a loose version of the plot (which can be as simple as 'Get the hero to destination A'). From there, the players are in complete controls of how the story plays out... mostly. Obviously, CR restrictions must be in place, the DMPC might be a slightly higher level than most, and perhaps a pregenerated list of loot is handed to the players to be placed out as they see fit. Beyond that? They can go nuts. The NPCs might be trying to send him out as a sacrifice to their god, or after the hero defeats a group of kobolds in one room, the next has a bronze bull. Lord only knows...
...okay, so it needs a bit more work. That's why I'm throwing this out instead of willy nilly starting it up. A tiny bit of structure for players would be helpful, but the idea is the roles are reversed.
So... anybody?
Dot. Sounds interesting, but hardly solidly functional, at present. Instead of the rolled being completely reversed, it seems more like a non-standard (for PF) division of labor. You effectively have a group of GMs, all of whom get their basics and guidelines from the Player. Interesting idea, but it requires a very specific group dynamic to function. Anyway, following this and/or maybe adding more later. Maybe. :)
Like I said, this is hardly close to finished. But (and this would probably just add to the anarchy of a campaign concept like this) my imagination for it is basically, since you have a lot of DMs and only one player, people can jump in and contribute as they can, or drop out altogether, or jump right in without much warning and go 'A slime draws near!'
I put in guidelines simply because you know at least 4 out of 5 players are going to be like 'Lol, let's put a dragon in the first room!' and as hilarious as that can be, it does bring things to a halt like a brick wall.
Now, as you said, this takes a rather specific group, BUT if people didn't insert the archangels of the netherworld in the first room, I'd be more than willing to say 'Screw it! Just throw whatever you want at the hero, he'll roll with it!' And of course, this isn't just restricted to dungeons. Towns, castles, anything.
Also, with that said, if someone decides to put a dragon in the first room and has a feasible way to beat it, I'd also be all for that.