Group size

[joe-dude667]

So, tomorrow I'll be playing D&D at the table again for the first time in months. Even that last time was a one off, and before that it was nearly an entire year! I'm really looking forward to it (obviously), but one of the main reasons is the party size.

My first ever D&D session was 8 years ago now (give or take), and there were 4 PCs. One of the players didn't really get into it, but we found someone else who did and we continued the campaign. Then another started losing interest before he just stopped coming. Ever since then I've been used to playing with those same guys. 3PCs, with the DM NPCing the guy-who-left's character. I wanted to introduce some friends to the game, as well as meeting new people who I found played RPGs, and now the party for tomorrow has grown to 7PCs! I'm a bit nervous for my friends who've never played, but overall really excited to see how the game will be with 8 people round the table.

So there's my life story, but heres my question:

Whats the biggest amount of people you've ever played with? Whats the smallest party you've been apart of? Most importantly, which do you prefer? I know some of you like Rain have played at conventions and stuff where there tends to be bigger parties, but I'm not sure that counts towards my questions since that's literally just the battle mechanics (or so I'm led to believe). One of the things I'm most looking forward to tomorrow is the RP element, or how easy/difficult it would be to get into the mindset with 6 other PC's to argue communicate with. As a DM, online I think 6 is the perfect number of PCs, but at the table I think I'd be uncomfortable with more than 5 (I'm PCing tomorrow, thank GOD!).

Well this has been a lot of dribble, but I'm just excited for tomorrow. >.< Let me know what your views are though! I'd love to read other peoples views and/or experiences.  

[Mongooseh]

Group of 13, s**t gets ridiculous when it takes hours to do a round. Not a convention thing either.

Edit: One on one sessions is probably the smallest anyone can go to and it isn't that uncommon.  

[joe-dude667]

Mongooseh

Group of 13, s**t gets ridiculous when it takes hours to do a round. Not a convention thing either.

Well ********. neutral

Was there much RPing in it (if thats even possible with so many)? Also what system did you use? I mean, what system can even COPE with 13?!  

[Mongooseh]

Little to no rp happened it's a bit hard to get any focus other than the jokes that circulate. D&D 3.5 was the system like I said it was horrific 4-6 people is about the ideal for rl games anything more than that gets redonkulous.  

[Maelthra Ssinss]

I prefer Five to Seven total players, one, obviously, the DM...

The biggest group I've played with is... six or seven...

In groups that size, obviously, roleplaying is easier, and gameplay is smoother.

Obviously, much depends on the players involved.  

[Rain Yupa]

My Monday Night Group has never had more than 7 people in it, but it's dwindled over the years (between moves and gas prices going up). I've never played more than that in anything regular.

LARPs being a different story altogether.  

[Mongooseh]

Rain Yupa

LARPs being a different story altogether.

That's because they're larps.  

[joe-dude667]

I've always wanted to go larping. I imagine it's D&D meets paintballing. blaugh  

[Keith Valken Lionheart]

D&D's really designed for 5-6 people not including the DM, so yeah.  

[Captain Ragnar Devonin]

I hate you and your ability to be able to play in-person, I so do. razz

All my experience is play-by-post/IRC/AIM chat, so make of that what you will with my responses.

The biggest group I've been apart of is 8, with me as the DM. That was slow as hell (play-by-post) and I'm never doing it again. I'm sticking to 4 - 6.

The smallest 'group' is two; however, I have DMed a fair share of solo/one-on-one games (about 5, IIRC) that were actually seperate games (and not just one character in a group game going off on their own for a little while).

Personally. I'm a fan of 3 people or solo games. I like the speed of play-by-post with three people, and if you have an interesting group dynamic, it works out pretty well. That being said, I'll almost always enjoy a good solo game (as a player, or a DM) just due to the fact that its' far more character-based than anything, and that lends itself to some amusing/interesting situations that you couldn't really have in a full group game.

In-person, I suspect as a DM, I'd probably not go over 4. As a player, I'd probably want the group to top out at 5 (PC-wise, so 5/6 including DM).  

[Dragon HighLord Flambe]

In person, sitting around a table, I'd be comfortable with probably about four or five, possibly six. It really depends on the players, if I've got four new fish, that's difficult enough without adding more. If I've got two seasoned veterans and four new fish, that would be a whole new story since the vets would be able to help teach the other.
Over some kind of IM service, I'm perfectly happy with eight, so long as they care to roleplay with NPCs and each other.
Play-by-post is usually fairly tedious with more than three if everyone is posting at the same time.


I just realized I haven't contributed anything to this guild in about a year. gonk