Hi all, I am running a campaign right now with 7 players. My main issue is that I can't seem to keep everyone engaged for longer periods of time, usually during combat but also in general. It doesn't help that almost everyone in our group has diagnosed ADHD (myself included) and sometimes I can feel myself loosing steam when it comes to keeping everyone entertained. Any tips for keeping the party entertained and having their attention?
Well - if you can get players to be ready for their turn, when their turn starts, that makes an absolute ton of difference. As in:
Player: Oh, is it my turn? Alright, where am I? Right, can I reach that guy? No, I guess I'll move over here and cast - wait, no, then I'm in range of the other guy. I guess instead I'll just cast some other spell and stay where I am.
GM: Ok, do you want to use your bonus action, or are you finished?
Player: Oh right, for my bonus action ..... (onwards to infinity)
vs.
GM: Random Joe, it's your turn.
Player: Right, Hzurk will leap right over the tank, land behind the caster, and stab him in the spleen. With Jump, he should be able to make the leap without attracting OA's. So move action: Jump 30 feet forward, attack action: Sudden invasive surgery on the caster, Bonus Action: Bonk the caster with the butt of my glaive too.
If everyone actually keeps with this, fights are more interesting, and much much faster.
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Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
I am playing online and having the initiative tracker is incredibly helpful for focusing me, and for helping me plan. I know who goes before me and after, I see how many slots it is to my turn. If you have a way to give people a clear turn order showing where you are and everyone's place in it I think that can help. If you're in person you could potentially give the job of maintaining that sign to a player which may also help focus them as well as taking a bit of load off of you.
Hi all, I am running a campaign right now with 7 players. My main issue is that I can't seem to keep everyone engaged for longer periods of time, usually during combat but also in general. It doesn't help that almost everyone in our group has diagnosed ADHD (myself included) and sometimes I can feel myself loosing steam when it comes to keeping everyone entertained. Any tips for keeping the party entertained and having their attention?
Well - if you can get players to be ready for their turn, when their turn starts, that makes an absolute ton of difference. As in:
Player: Oh, is it my turn? Alright, where am I? Right, can I reach that guy? No, I guess I'll move over here and cast - wait, no, then I'm in range of the other guy. I guess instead I'll just cast some other spell and stay where I am.
GM: Ok, do you want to use your bonus action, or are you finished?
Player: Oh right, for my bonus action ..... (onwards to infinity)
vs.
GM: Random Joe, it's your turn.
Player: Right, Hzurk will leap right over the tank, land behind the caster, and stab him in the spleen. With Jump, he should be able to make the leap without attracting OA's. So move action: Jump 30 feet forward, attack action: Sudden invasive surgery on the caster, Bonus Action: Bonk the caster with the butt of my glaive too.
If everyone actually keeps with this, fights are more interesting, and much much faster.
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
I am playing online and having the initiative tracker is incredibly helpful for focusing me, and for helping me plan. I know who goes before me and after, I see how many slots it is to my turn. If you have a way to give people a clear turn order showing where you are and everyone's place in it I think that can help. If you're in person you could potentially give the job of maintaining that sign to a player which may also help focus them as well as taking a bit of load off of you.
thank you both so much!