Loremastering 9 characters

[poosticks7]

I think you should send them to destroy a ring or something

Never played in a group that big, perhaps you could consider having a deputy Loremaster and 8 characters.

[zedturtle]

I have eight players in my big group. Collect their character sheets for a moment, and make a note of any common skills that they have of three or higher. Those skills are the ones that you should try to have at least one instance of in each session.

That way, everyone has a chance to shine. And, as you play more, you will get a sense of what each player is looking for, and be able to make sure that you provide that on occasion as well.

[Hermes Serpent]

Run two games with four players in each. It's better for your sanity and will keep the game much more focussed avoiding players wandering of or playing with their phones when it isn't their turn. Nothing makes a game slow down more than when a player's turn comes around they ask for a recap before making a decision.

[Glorelendil]

Run two games with four players in each. It's better for your sanity and will keep the game much more focussed avoiding players wandering of or playing with their phones when it isn't their turn. Nothing makes a game slow down more than when a player's turn comes around they ask for a recap before making a decision.

The two groups can be aware of each other and their influence on Middle Earth will be mutually felt. Somewhere down the road they could join up for something epic.

[Blubbo Baggins]

Yes, when it's time for the two companies to face some huge mutual threat, a big army coming to destroy Dale, or Dol Guldor rising up to destroy the Woodmen etc...run a big Mythic battle for both companies all together...

[Celebril]

I have run 8 players for the last couple of years. I think the rules work fine with that many or more. You will have to scale up the fights. A group of 8 or 9 would not be challenged by just one troll for instance. A lot of times because of having so many players they can auto success a lot or most of the small tasks. So I give them things that challenge them as players like real riddles or something outside their comfort zone like dealing with gray areas of Middle Earth. They help me out in a lot of ways to. They have a bad habit of splitting their party. So I don't always have to deal with 8 players in any one scene. Also, encounters seem to work out fine with that many players. They are still working against a set number of possible failures. They usually pick one player to do most of the talking to avoid possibly antagonizing the person they are dealing with.

[windsurfjunkie]

Great idea of running two groups and then having them join up for a climactic point in the storyline. Running 4-5 players is enough of a challenge for most, particularly if you thrive on detail.