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1 year ago ::
Apr 24, 2012 - 9:39AM
#1
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Date Joined:
Apr 16, 2011
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So maybe I am the only person like this in the whole world, but i just don't have that many peopleto play D&D with. Never have. When I read things like "An average party is 4-6 players" and then you add the DM on top of that, that is a room with 5-7 people. Sorry, but while I have various aquaintences, my list of close friends is very short. When you sort them by people who are interested in D&D, that ist gets shorter. For example, I love sports like Football. I watch games with my buddies during the season and we are lookign forward to the NFL draft this thursday [April 26 2012,] but these aren't people who are interested in D&D in the slightest. That's fine. Of all the peopel I have asked, only two are really interested in giving D&D a shot. With me as the DM, that leaves only two party memebers. Even with a DM character, that still only gives us a party fo three. The PHB or DMG [maybe both] talk about how the game is desgined for 5 man parties. That just isn't posible. What can/should I do to play smaller two or three PC player games? On top of that, I am interested in running a more gritty mid-to-low fantasy setting game. Two really good articles I recently read that illustrate how I want to DM/play: blogofholding.com/?p=2907blogofholding.com/?p=3495
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1 year ago ::
Apr 24, 2012 - 9:46AM
#2
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Date Joined:
Jun 15, 2004
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Of all the peopel I have asked, only two are really interested in giving D&D a shot.
New D&D players almost always have to go outside of their circle of friends to establish a complete group. Maybe try playing a couple sessions of D&D Encounters (Wednesdays) at a local gaming store to meet more local players and learn more about D&D.
What can/should I do to play smaller two or three PC player games?
Halve the number of opponents.
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1 year ago ::
Apr 24, 2012 - 9:50AM
#3
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Date Joined:
Apr 16, 2011
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Of all the peopel I have asked, only two are really interested in giving D&D a shot.
New D&D players almost always have to go outside of their circle of friends to establish a complete group.
What can/should I do to play smaller two or three PC player games?
Halve the number of opponents.
halve the number of opponents doesn't really work with Solo monsters. Should I just grab lower level solo monsters?
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1 year ago ::
Apr 24, 2012 - 9:58AM
#4
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Date Joined:
Jun 15, 2004
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Should I just grab lower level solo monsters?
Yup: i.e. create encounters using half the XP budget that you would normally use (or about 4 levels lower than normal).
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1 year ago ::
Apr 24, 2012 - 10:05AM
#5
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Date Joined:
Apr 16, 2011
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Thank you. I figured it would/could be a simple fix like that, but I wasn't sure. I didn't want it to be too easy.
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1 year ago ::
Apr 24, 2012 - 11:01AM
#6
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Re the solo, I'd probably downgrade it to an Elite, rather than go with a lower level solo. As for a DM character; use a monster stat block rather than a PC build and let the players roll for it in combat. You don't want to be distracted from DMing by having to run an extra PC and you want to be sure that the PCs are the stars of the show.
HAving a smaller group is not a bad thing at all - I'd far rather run a game for two players than six or more. The smaller the group, the more time in the spotlight each player gets and the easier it is to run combats.
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1 year ago ::
Apr 24, 2012 - 11:11AM
#7
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Date Joined:
Oct 24, 2001
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Sorry, but while I have various acquaintances, my list of close friends is very short. When you sort them by people who are interested in D&D, that list gets shorter.
In my opinion, you are starting at the wrong end of the spectrum.
I play D&D with folks who like to play D&D. Along the way, I sometimes form friendships (and not just acquaintances) with a few of these players. I only have one close friend with whom I play D&D.
When I am ready to start a new campaign, I send an email to the people in the area with whom I have played before, describing the world, my intentions, and the game requirements. They get first dibs on playing. If there are any empty slots, I ask the folks who decide they want to play if they have anybody they would like to invite. This usually fills the table. But if it doesn't, I then send an email to the local game store and let the owner post an invite.
Over the course of any given campaign, I lose two or three players to life obstacles, and easily replace them within one session.
Start with D&D players, not with close friends. Then narrow the field to the size of your table.
(If your table must remain short of players, the advice others have given you is spot on.)
Here are the PHB essentia, in my opinion: - Three Basic Rules (p 11)
- Power Types and Usage (p 54)
- Skills (p178-179)
- Feats (p 192)
- Rest and Recovery (p 263)
- All of Chapter 9 [Combat] (p 264-295)
A player needs to read the sections for building his or her character -- race, class, powers, feats, equipment, etc. But those are PC-specific. The above list is for everyone, regardless of the race or class or build or concept they are playing.
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1 year ago ::
Apr 24, 2012 - 12:45PM
#8
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Date Joined:
Oct 12, 2005
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For the past year I have played exclusively with my two close friends. Here is my list of ways I've made the game run well with the two of them:
- As stated by others, reduce the XP budget, when appropriate
- Allow the players to hire henchmen and hirelings (as from Mordenkainen's Magnificent Emporium)
- Increased # of consumables - i.e. potions of healing, scrolls of detect secret doors, etc.
- Allow the players to use Fotune Cards in custom built decks
- Encourage players to find ways to avoid combat
- Use special events in combat to help fill missing roles - a cauldron filled with oil can be knocked over to deal damage to a swarm of minions, similar to having a controller in the group
Overall it has worked well - in general, the two work alone, and they face enemies they can handle just the two of them. When they get to epic fights, they may have an ally or two, or something up their sleeves, and in the end it balances the encounter against a monster that is same level and solo. It's still a hard battle.
Welcome to ZomboniLand - My D&D Blog http://zomboniland.blogspot.com/
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1 year ago ::
Apr 24, 2012 - 1:48PM
#9
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Date Joined:
Apr 16, 2011
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I wish more forums had a "like" feature.
Thanks for the replies. They are very helpful and very encouraging. I wish WotC went into more detail how to do this in the DMG. It has one paragraph on page 31 that basically tells you the game wasn't desinged for groups of less than 4, but if you want to run such a game, recomend a Striker paird with a leader for a 2 man game, or a defender if you are running a 1 PC game. IT has NO TIPS on encounter building or anything else important. So, thanks again.
I am thinking about running my first campaign striaght fro mthe back of the DMG with modifications, and then moving on to Keep on the Shadowfell. See where that takes us.
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1 year ago ::
Apr 25, 2012 - 9:09AM
#10
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Try asking the two people who do want to play if they know anyone who might.
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