Party splits, everyone gets bored to death

[Uncle Pine]

Players doesn't like when the party splits, either because they know they could end in nasty situations where intelligent foes want to separate the group or they simply don't feel like "going idle" for ten minutes or so. In fact, splitting the party puts the idle players in a situation that is similar to the one in which the caster forgot to transcript the effect of the spell he is going to use. Except that it can be worse.
As a DM, you can try to avoid such a situation, but sooner or later you'll have to handle one. Maybe the rogue wants to secretly join the local assassin guild, maybe the roleplay session you had planned takes longer than you planned, maybe the players themselves take differents directions inside a dungeon.

Now here's the big question: how do you act when one or more players are in a situation in which they can't act for an extensive spawn of time (10-20 minutes)? Personally, the group I dm in is a bit paranoid and hates splitting, but I'd really like to hear about your methods to be better prepared in future.

[Balor01]

Whoever is absent is sent cooking coffe/getting some snacks/to study some spells or mechanics they are failing at.

All in all a good smoke in front of the house is a good option too.

If they don't smoke just hand them cigarettes and enforce rule 0.

[Callin]

Whoever is absent is sent cooking coffe/getting some snacks/to study some spells or mechanics they are failing at.

All in all a good smoke in front of the house is a good option too.

If they don't smoke just hand them cigarettes and enforce rule 0.

LOL

Only problem we have is if you get 10 min and the rest of the group gets an hour. Time management is crucial for the DM if the party splits. (This don't happen often at my table)

Other than that it can be a fun and rewarding experience to tag team an objective like that.

[dascarletm]

First, I only allow splits if the party is capable of handling it. In my close group of players 2-4 players that I routinely play with(2 good friends and 2 nephews), they can handle just listening to what happens. If my nephews, who are younger, are sitting out one of them likes to go play a game of LoL. Usually the timing works out.

Other people I play with (the 4-5 others who sometimes join our games) just can't stand sitting around, and I just don't usually give situations where splits are required. There is a agreement to not split within groups with those types.

If those types of groups do split:
I'll run non-combat adventure on one side up until a combat starts, and then run the other side up to combat. Then I'll split the gaming grid in two and run it all like one combat, though both sides just cannot interact with one another. (Without means of doing so). I'll write those splits to be a short jaunt of non-combat for each side, with a similar combat for each after about 5-10min. 20 at most.

[Sutremaine]

You could also treat the non-combat portions as combat, in that you move between groups as often as you'd move between individuals in combat. It might be a little odd having a conversation in round-long chunks, but at least nobody has the spotlight off them for long.

[Callin]

If those types of groups do split:
I'll run non-combat adventure on one side up until a combat starts, and then run the other side up to combat. Then I'll split the gaming grid in two and run it all like one combat, though both sides just cannot interact with one another. (Without means of doing so). I'll write those splits to be a short jaunt of non-combat for each side, with a similar combat for each after about 5-10min. 20 at most.

Thats a great idea

[XionUnborn01]

My group has always handled splits in one of two ways, depending on the split.

if the party is split into two different groups, one group either goes outside or into another room for usually about 5 minutes at a time, maybe 10. then the groups trade places.

if the party is split into individual things, the dm and player go into another room and spend about 5 minutes there, usually no combat is done there because we like to try and keep all combat in places where it involves the whole group.

[dascarletm]

Thats a great idea

Thanks!

The smoke break works with one of my players as well, but we play outside so it doesn't much matter anyway.

[Uncle Pine]

Whoever is absent is sent cooking coffe/getting some snacks/to study some spells or mechanics they are failing at.

Definitely the most efficient way to handle the situation. Plus, anyone will finally learn all those grappling mechanics :smallamused:


First, I only allow splits if the party is capable of handling it. In my close group of players 2-4 players that I routinely play with(2 good friends and 2 nephews), they can handle just listening to what happens. If my nephews, who are younger, are sitting out one of them likes to go play a game of LoL. Usually the timing works out.

Other people I play with (the 4-5 others who sometimes join our games) just can't stand sitting around, and I just don't usually give situations where splits are required. There is a agreement to not split within groups with those types.

If those types of groups do split:
I'll run non-combat adventure on one side up until a combat starts, and then run the other side up to combat. Then I'll split the gaming grid in two and run it all like one combat, though both sides just cannot interact with one another. (Without means of doing so). I'll write those splits to be a short jaunt of non-combat for each side, with a similar combat for each after about 5-10min. 20 at most.

Gold words. I like the idea of organizing combat and non-combat scenes differently. I'll surely remember this next time the party splits!


You could also treat the non-combat portions as combat, in that you move between groups as often as you'd move between individuals in combat. It might be a little odd having a conversation in round-long chunks, but at least nobody has the spotlight off them for long.

It might be a little too schizophrenic for me to switch from one group to another, but it could turn into a hilarious sight.


My group has always handled splits in one of two ways, depending on the split.

if the party is split into two different groups, one group either goes outside or into another room for usually about 5 minutes at a time, maybe 10. then the groups trade places.

if the party is split into individual things, the dm and player go into another room and spend about 5 minutes there, usually no combat is done there because we like to try and keep all combat in places where it involves the whole group.

In my experience splits often involve combat scenes and dice rolling, but that's changes a lot between groups.

[BowStreetRunner]

I think others have addressed the short-duration splits pretty well, and am sure you will receive some other replies worth considering as well. For the truly epic party splits however - such as Frodo and Sam going off to Mordor on their own - I have had some very successful experience with this.

I ran a campaign a while back with 4 main characters and at one point they parted ways, each off on a mission of their own with the intention of reuniting once they completed their separate goals. I ran each mission in a different set of sessions, and during each session I gave the other 3 players pre-made NPCs to run - along with a set of secret goals of their own.

I explained that the NPCs who were accompanying each PC would be run like a PC (full player control), and after all four missions were complete the entire group would get full XP for all the encounters in which the players had participated.

The 'secret' goals of each NPC however were not necessarily in harmony with the goals of the PC, and would often make the PC's job more difficult. I had considered offering additional incentive to the players for accomplishing the NPC goals, but need not have worried. All players were very enthusiastic - especially if it made things difficult on the PC in the group! They actually all said they had a blast and would love to run something similar again.

[big teej]

Players doesn't like when the party splits, either because they know they could end in nasty situations where intelligent foes want to separate the group or they simply don't feel like "going idle" for ten minutes or so. In fact, splitting the party puts the idle players in a situation that is similar to the one in which the caster forgot to transcript the effect of the spell he is going to use. Except that it can be worse.
As a DM, you can try to avoid such a situation, but sooner or later you'll have to handle one. Maybe the rogue wants to secretly join the local assassin guild, maybe the roleplay session you had planned takes longer than you planned, maybe the players themselves take differents directions inside a dungeon.

Now here's the big question: how do you act when one or more players are in a situation in which they can't act for an extensive spawn of time (10-20 minutes)? Personally, the group I dm in is a bit paranoid and hates splitting, but I'd really like to hear about your methods to be better prepared in future.


thus far in my gaming career, the only time I've had a split party* on either side of the screen is during that 'intro' adventure used to bring the group together.

and the way I've always seen that handled, and handled it myself, is to simply go around the table with the back and forth of:

DM: what do you do?
PC: *action*
DM: okay *arbitrates action*
NEXT!

*there are two exceptions to this, 1 is whenever the party has 'down time' which is handled as the above, and 2 is this one time I played a barbarian and wandered off by myself (well aware how bad an idea this was) and the rest of the party (much newer at the game than I) took this to mean "hey gang, lets split up and look for clues".... my barbarian was the only survivor...

[Man on Fire]

Players doesn't like when the party splits, either because they know they could end in nasty situations where intelligent foes want to separate the group or they simply don't feel like "going idle" for ten minutes or so. In fact, splitting the party puts the idle players in a situation that is similar to the one in which the caster forgot to transcript the effect of the spell he is going to use. Except that it can be worse.
As a DM, you can try to avoid such a situation, but sooner or later you'll have to handle one. Maybe the rogue wants to secretly join the local assassin guild, maybe the roleplay session you had planned takes longer than you planned, maybe the players themselves take differents directions inside a dungeon.

Now here's the big question: how do you act when one or more players are in a situation in which they can't act for an extensive spawn of time (10-20 minutes)? Personally, the group I dm in is a bit paranoid and hates splitting, but I'd really like to hear about your methods to be better prepared in future.

John Wick in "Play Dirty" gives great advice for this. When one of the players have solo moment, you give other players (or some of them) small cards with NPC name, his position and one sentence decribtion of his feelings at the oment. And you ask players to roleplay the npcs in that scene.

[Uncle Pine]

I think others have addressed the short-duration splits pretty well, and am sure you will receive some other replies worth considering as well. For the truly epic party splits however - such as Frodo and Sam going off to Mordor on their own - I have had some very successful experience with this.

I ran a campaign a while back with 4 main characters and at one point they parted ways, each off on a mission of their own with the intention of reuniting once they completed their separate goals. I ran each mission in a different set of sessions, and during each session I gave the other 3 players pre-made NPCs to run - along with a set of secret goals of their own.

I explained that the NPCs who were accompanying each PC would be run like a PC (full player control), and after all four missions were complete the entire group would get full XP for all the encounters in which the players had participated.

The 'secret' goals of each NPC however were not necessarily in harmony with the goals of the PC, and would often make the PC's job more difficult. I had considered offering additional incentive to the players for accomplishing the NPC goals, but need not have worried. All players were very enthusiastic - especially if it made things difficult on the PC in the group! They actually all said they had a blast and would love to run something similar again.

I love this. I never thought to give the other players some NPCs to run, but the idea sounds really good. Thank you for the great suggestion.

[killem2]

I have not had the party decide to split on me, but through dungeon creation it might actually happen.

In the very very beginning I had the party split as they work towards each other.

I set a hard limit of 15 mins for each. Combat or not, and switched between them.

If it happened now I would do the same but make it 30 mins each.

[Zombulian]

Bookmarked this thread to look at when it's relevant to me. I like your ideas people!

[nedz]

This is not really an issue with the groups I play with, we have all been playing this game a while now.

In the past I have occasionally run into situations which led to players grumbling. Just make sure that the player's who have gone off by themselves take any blame. So if the party splits into two halves, make sure that they accept (they should know already) that this is a result of their actions. This should result in them splitting up less or at least accepting that it's not your fault.

[RogueDM]

My party only tends to split themselves up during party "downtime". They've just arrived in a new village and they want to check out different sights. I usually give each character or group their situation and wait for their reaction. Usually I'll then give them their reaction and move to the other group for their action. Although, sometimes I'll pause them before getting their response but I'd rather not... gives them time to think of a response.

I only forced one party split, and that was in a dungeon. I designed a trap to divide the party into thirds, well fourths but something went a bit wrong with my planning and they only wound up in thirds. I ran this as above, and only did so because the party spell casters were "content" to sit in-the-rear-with-the-gear while the rogue checked for traps and the barbarian checked for baddies. Once they even all abandoned the barb in a fight meant for the lot of them because it meant entering potential danger. SO I forced them to adventure on their own for a while. I thought of it as a confidence building exercise.

[Lord_Jord]

I think others have addressed the short-duration splits pretty well, and am sure you will receive some other replies worth considering as well. For the truly epic party splits however - such as Frodo and Sam going off to Mordor on their own - I have had some very successful experience with this.

I ran a campaign a while back with 4 main characters and at one point they parted ways, each off on a mission of their own with the intention of reuniting once they completed their separate goals. I ran each mission in a different set of sessions, and during each session I gave the other 3 players pre-made NPCs to run - along with a set of secret goals of their own.

I explained that the NPCs who were accompanying each PC would be run like a PC (full player control), and after all four missions were complete the entire group would get full XP for all the encounters in which the players had participated.

The 'secret' goals of each NPC however were not necessarily in harmony with the goals of the PC, and would often make the PC's job more difficult. I had considered offering additional incentive to the players for accomplishing the NPC goals, but need not have worried. All players were very enthusiastic - especially if it made things difficult on the PC in the group! They actually all said they had a blast and would love to run something similar again.

This is awesome!:smallbiggrin: I am currently writing a scenario that is very similar to this. My PCs are all around 10th level, but in this next scenario they will be playing 5th level characters. The idea is for them to see the world through a different perspective than their own. They will all create their own 5th levels, with some prerequisites given by me, and go out on their adventure. There is a lot of travel time to where they are headed, so to break the monotony of it all, I've decided to write short "background encounters". Each of the players will have one, and they will be accompanied by 3 NPCs (played by the other players). I'm glad to see that this idea has already been thought of and implemented successfully, and now am even more eager to try it out!