The Summer Blockbuster: 8 Quick Tips To Running D&D and TTRPG Sessions With A Ton of Players

Greetings gamers from all systems, places, and timelines! 

One of the hardest decisions a DM can make is deciding on who they plan to invite on their adventure. Because if you have a huge crew who all enjoy gaming, it sucks not being able to include everyone. Scheduling issues aside, ‘why not just invite everyone,’ you might ask? Well my short answer is that most RPGs fall apart when you have too many players faster than Thanksgiving dinner the moment your uncle starts talking about politics. 

Case in point, In August we were staring at the possibility of having twelve character’s in one game. Which, to be fair, lands between a bad idea and a total disaster. Yet, somehow, we were able to gather more characters at the table than was in the Fellowship of the Ring for an evening and have a great time doing it. This is why we have compiled a list of eight tips which will allow you to run a one-shot adventure where you can invite whoever you want as long as you have a big enough place to host.

1. Split the Party With a Co-DM

DM Dave has touted his success in using a person from outside the game to control some or all of the monsters (aka the Monster Wrangler) which has worked well during several play tests. However, for a game of this magnitude, it called for something more extreme. As the finale was unreachable unless two separate quests were completed at around the same time, forcing the group to break off into teams before bringing them back for the epic conclusion (think Avengers: Endgame.)

2. Keep Both Groups Related but Different

This is where DM Dave was provided with a series of encounters to run until everyone could meet up at the end of the big finish. The only problem was that it required me to create the main portion of the adventure twice. Obviously, it could have been simply replicated but where is the flair in that? Besides, since the party had two separate quests which needed to be completed, it only stands to reason they would have encountered different opponents and obstacles. 

3. Focus On Player Agency

I wanted to avoid challenges at all costs which were either just pass or fail. Especially if that meant one group was unable to proceed any further. So, yep, absolutely no riddles during this session! 

This is why in my notes, there were several sample solutions for the obstacles whether they were puzzles, roleplay scenes or skill challenges. But if someone came up with a completely unique solution, then that didn’t make it any less meaningful . In cases where skill checks were involved, I created loose guidelines for a unique solution to a problem. For example, the player wanted to try and use an unorthodox skill to succeed with solving a task. Based on that idea it seemed there was a minimum and a maximum Difficulty Class which could be assigned.

4. No “I” in Team. Cascading Skill Challenges

In one of the travel scenarios, which took place in Hell, a lake of lava began to burst forth from the landscape which could quickly consume the party. For them not to be burned like the last time I cooked bacon in the Air Fryer, a mechanic which was employed where two of the six players would volunteer to attempt  4-7 challenges using their choice of  predetermined skills. If they succeeded, two different players would take over and try to succeed on similar skill challenges, just using different skills. The catch was that if one of them fails then, in the next round, those players had to succeed at a higher Difficulty Class. In the third and final round, if it ended with success, the party would move on unscathed but, if they failed, they collectively would have some nasty effect befall them. 

5. Combat Without Combat

Sometimes your players showcase their combat abilities because that’s just what their character would do. However, when you have a long adventure planned while using two different parties, this is where one could easily get trapped in a slog. To simulate combat, I hijacked a mechanic from the Arkham Horror board game, where you had to pass fight checks to proceed and slay the creature. It was just modified so that they had to hit a specific Armor Class X amount of times over X amount of attempts. If they succeeded, they fight their way through and might even get some treasure. On a failure, they had to escape and their only consolation prize was some damage and a wounded ego.

6. Contingency Plans

If you have two different groups running at once, it may be difficult to track the other teams progress. So work out with your co-DM an approximate time you would like to have the parties at a specific point. This will give you a decent bench mark if you should allow the players to explore a little more or nudge them along without necessarily putting them on the railroad. 

To be fair, no matter how interesting your encounters may be, all of them are probably not necessary if you become crunched for time. At least in terms of the story so the continuity holds up. This is why it is a good idea to consider in advance if the party is running behind which encounter to cut and move to the next part like you didn’t skip a beat. 

7. Save the Best for Last

One mistake which you should avoid, like picking up a copy of The Silmarillion when you just wanted to do some light reading, is to try and use props for every scene. For this reason, the theater of the mind, plus some art visual supplements can go a long way. Then when a pivot battle or scene arises, you can roll out a constructed board with those figurines you have been dying to use. 

Now if you are rolling out a complex designed scene in one of these big moments it’s also advised you have someone on deck to help you out as needed. Likewise, when you are wrapping up, they can help you clear the board so the transition between encounters feels smooth and not rushed. Do yourself a favor and take a pre-game picture of the awesome set you have created, so you’re not stuck trying to recreate things just like you did four days ago on the fly while everyone is watching you. 

8. Dealing with the Real BBEG – Schedules

This could be the biggest rock in the road when it comes to putting a game with a lot of players in expected attendance together. But it really doesn’t have to be. Throw out the date you’re aiming for as far out in advance as you can stomach and make everyone lock it in. Even if the module is just a rough plan that’s ok, have everyone put it in their phone and then check in with everyone later to make sure they are good. 

Also, there is also the chance that life will happen and you will have someone need to drop in the 11th hour. If this is the case and you need an even number of players because the group is splitting up, have an NPC locked in the chamber ready to go. 

Final Thoughts

In all the years in which I have run games, the biggest I ever ran was for eight players. And, retrospectively, the reason is once you reach or try to go past that number, you’re definitely going to need some help from your crew. Whether they will be running your monsters, helping set up or even running one of the groups this additional teamwork indeed makes the dream work. 

And, for all the dice rolling that will be required for this gigantic undertaking, make sure to check out our affiliate link at FanRoll Dice to receive 10% off your entire order!