Comments on: Multi-Party Adventuring http://dndnerd.com/multi-party-adventuring Ramblings of a Nerd who likes to play D&D Thu, 04 Dec 2008 05:45:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Tommi http://dndnerd.com/multi-party-adventuring#comment-7538 Tommi Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:13:10 +0000 http://dndnerd.com/?p=181#comment-7538 Here's a few practical tips that I have used when running a game that does not assume a party structure: 1. Ask every player (or group of players whose characters are together) in order: "What do you do?". After this, adjudicate what they do in arbitrary order, as long as it remains brief. If it takes a long time, skip to the next player or ask another question. I have no idea how this works in a game like D&D with extremely long battles. 2. Give palyers time to think. If someone is in a tough situation, is facing a puzzle, or was hit with a plot revelation, skip to the next player. This takes pressure off players and provides useful cliffhangers. 3. Let uninvolved players play NPCs (or monsters or familiars). "The guard just wants to keep his job and stay alive. First level fighter. Understands some elven. Has a family." Doing this with significant NPCs is interesting and fun, but takes guts and does not work in all playstyles. Here’s a few practical tips that I have used when running a game that does not assume a party structure:

1. Ask every player (or group of players whose characters are together) in order: “What do you do?”. After this, adjudicate what they do in arbitrary order, as long as it remains brief. If it takes a long time, skip to the next player or ask another question.

I have no idea how this works in a game like D&D with extremely long battles.

2. Give palyers time to think. If someone is in a tough situation, is facing a puzzle, or was hit with a plot revelation, skip to the next player. This takes pressure off players and provides useful cliffhangers.

3. Let uninvolved players play NPCs (or monsters or familiars). “The guard just wants to keep his job and stay alive. First level fighter. Understands some elven. Has a family.” Doing this with significant NPCs is interesting and fun, but takes guts and does not work in all playstyles.

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