Greetings,

I'm getting ready to launch my chronicle/campaign and am curious as to what everyone thinks the ideal group size should be.
I have definite commitments from three players so far and it looks that might it.
Should I go with just three or flesh the party out with a couple of NPCs?

Frank Frey

I would say four is what the game is aimed at, as there are four roles in Journeys (Guide, Hunter, Scout and Lookout).

I suggest adding an NPC to make up the numbers to four.

Adding two NPC's gives you more work and you will only have to balance combat for extra NPC's anyway.

Ideally, make the NPC have poor social skills, otherwise the players will rely on them to negotiate in encounters and you'll end up talking to yourself!

There is no ideal group size in TOR, like say there is for Pathfinder or D&D4e. Despite having a system with depth, the focus is really on story and character over any real game balance.

So go with three and bring the awesome

Hey Frank,

are you going for a regular TOR campaign (TA 2946)? Btw, it's been good to talk to you at Gencon!

Francesco

Francesco,

It was indeed an honor and delight to talk with you as well.

I am going to go ahead with a regular TOR campaign. It will start in TA 2946. The Wilderlands is a very rich setting and I am really drawn to the Nether Marches as there is so much terra incognito there.
I already have two players who have created Heroes. One is a Dwarven treasure hunter and the other is a Woodmen Warden. The third player is coming over this Sunday to create his Hero.

The overall campaign is about the hunt for the long lost tomb of a great Easterling Warlord. The players will be working for a represenative of Pallando who now lives in Far Dorwinion and seeks to keep the relics of Prince Akzhander out of the hands of Lord Maltok who is a servant of one of the Ringwraiths, Khamul the Easterling. Maltok wishes to use the relics to show that he is the One to Lead the Easterling Armies to victory.
Should be lots of fun.(I hope)

Frank

Fourteen.

Anything less would be unlucky.

My first group was six players. My second group was three players. I have to honestly say, it was a pleasure to play with BOTH group sizes!

With roleplaying games that involve miniatures and maps, I find that the more players you have, the worse it is. Things tend to drag and players lose interest.

With TOR, there are no initiative rolls (unless there is uncertainty, and then its just one Battle roll), so that means no real initiative counts to keep track of. That speeds things up a bit. And...the players only have to choose a stance and a task, instead of spend wasted minutes deciding on movement and exact s on a map to gain the best cover, flank, or some other battlefield advantage.

In my opinion this promotes the best of roleplaying and also gives players some tactical choices that are easy to memorize. AWESOME game design!!!