Post/Author/DateTime	Post
boatmanj 11-09-05, 03:07 PM	Okay, here's a question that I'd like some advice on. What do you typically do with players that wanna split up? For example, half the party goes after the BBEG and the other half go to rescue some type of hostages or something similar. What do you generally do to make certain everyone stays interested and involved..
HamHam 11-09-05, 03:17 PM	Run split sessions if you can manage it and they aren't likely to meet back up spontaniously. If it's not for very long, just alternate between the two parties.
Slumber Hulk 11-09-05, 03:35 PM	Very tricky. I suggest doing it once. When both sides get annoyed about having to wait long. Just nod and say, "You decided to split up." The characters can choose to do something differnt. To keep players involved, if there is combat, I usually split up to monsters and let them play some. (With caution about playing an orc too smart or a using ooc info.) If you as a DM dislike this try not leave these opportunities open too often when designing a session. But the best laid plans always change when the pcs show up.
Burning_Shadow 11-09-05, 04:12 PM	Slumber Hulk has some good points. Just so you know my party does this too. There is nothing wrong with it, as long as you are able to keep people entertained and that really is the key. In a most recent occurrence of this two of my group stayed behind to lay a trap, bind and hold a NPC who had information about evil plans. It worked and they interogated the NPC, but got very little. Eventually to not get caught they had to ditch their plans and flee. In the process they created quite a ruckus and it did not look good. The players that were watching were just laughing at what happened and had no problem picking up where they left and then coming back to help the other players explain themselves with the law. When my group splits up, usually odd or tense situations happens in which everyone gets pulled in or they laugh their heads off. It really is up to you as the DM to make it fun for everyone regardless of being together or not. Of course the PCs can split up if they decide to do something creative and random, but the only time I really plan or have the option of having the group split up is if I know certain people in the group cannot make it to the next session, then I create a sub-quest in which those that will be there can explore.
Habronicus 11-09-05, 04:16 PM	What do you typically do with players that wanna split up? For example, half the party goes after the BBEG and the other half go to rescue some type of hostages or something similar. What do you generally do to make certain everyone stays interested and involved Usually, I allow it. The only ones who may suffer from that decision are the players anyway, so if they later find it was a bad idea, they'll learn. In order to keep them interested, it depends on the situation. - If it's a long period of time (for instance, a couple of players decide to get on a boat and travel to a different land, while the others stay and do something else), then I'll have different sessions for each group and time it so they eventually meet at some point. - If it's a short period of time (like the example you gave above), then I take turns with each group on the same session, but ask the players who are not playing to leave the room. This actually helps build up suspense because each team is itching to know how the others are doing.
Twisted Puppy 11-09-05, 04:21 PM	What do you typically do with players that wanna split up? I let them. Once the characters are split up, I smile. Usually followed by Arty Johnson's Wrenfield laugh...
Dragonsblood 11-09-05, 05:10 PM	Let them, and don't hold back on encounters. If you have a group of 4, and they split off in 2 and 2, let them run into things that were designed for a group of 4. If you kill off a PC or two, they won't split up anymore if they can avoid it.