We're thinking of having a large one shot for a bachelor party where 10 people will be playing D&D. Which can be a little much for a DM. We had an idea of perhaps two people playing a single character (reducing total characters down to 5) which could speed things up quite a bit but we're not sure how that would work mechanically.

Here's a little bit more background: 

• There's a mix of veteran and beginner players.
• It is a one-shot with pregenerated characters to play.
• We're having a professional DM run the one-shot.
• We're wrestling with having either two separate one-shots, each with 5 players, or one group session with 10.

Any suggestions?

When you say you're not sure how it would work mechanically, what's concerning you?

If you're making that split, it would seem to me the way to handle would either be,

1) Players take turns being in the driver's seat for a while. Maybe you run a combat with one player taking the reigns one the other is chatting with the other non-reigns players or having snacks.

2) Your players are in-sync enough that they can copilot the character, bouncing ideas off each other.

I think that might slow things down even more than everyone having their own character.  I think maybe a different game would be better for a crowd that size, or else get two people to GM and have two groups.

10 people - 3 roles, 3 leaders with one for each role. Combat leader, Interaction leader, Perception leader. Let the leaders do the most work; if anyone else wants to do something let them bounce it off the leader real quick.

Let veteran players be the leaders; let everyone else get a chance but generally not get in the way.

Quote from SimeonTor >>

10 people - 3 roles, 3 leaders with one for each role. Combat leader, Interaction leader, Perception leader. Let the leaders do the most work; if anyone else wants to do something let them bounce it off the leader real quick.

Let veteran players be the leaders; let everyone else get a chance but generally not get in the way.

If I was playing in this game as one of the other players I'd probably feel like a third wheel. "Can I do this?" "Nope, gotta ask Jim."

In fact with this suggestion, I'd probably lean more to leaders being the least active and most actions by the less-experienced. (So the vets would be more of mentors, than leaders.) Have them ask the veterans for guidance on how to do things, but have them make the decisions instead of bouncing things off the vets.

Quote from VitusW >>

Quote from SimeonTor >>

10 people - 3 roles, 3 leaders with one for each role. Combat leader, Interaction leader, Perception leader. Let the leaders do the most work; if anyone else wants to do something let them bounce it off the leader real quick.

Let veteran players be the leaders; let everyone else get a chance but generally not get in the way.

If I was playing in this game as one of the other players I'd probably feel like a third wheel. "Can I do this?" "Nope, gotta ask Jim."

In fact with this suggestion, I'd probably lean more to leaders being the least active and most actions by the less-experienced. (So the vets would be more of mentors, than leaders.) Have them ask the veterans for guidance on how to do things, but have them make the decisions instead of bouncing things off the vets.

 I like your twist with the leaders being the ones who have the least experience.

You're right. That way they are taking charge and engaged; the veteran players aren't missing out much they get to just drink and watch the clown show happen. So it is a win win...

Those with experience will say less, do more and have better timed interjections too. The flow will be much better. If a novice is stumped and takes to long, or misses something a veteran player thinks obvious, that's when the vet can interject or the new players just ask. But like; give them at least a minute to think through things.

I've seen "learn to play D&D" games of parent/child teams playing one character (and neither the parent nor the child necessarily having any D&D experience) work well.  Don't overthink it, and just make sure the pairings aren't combustible.  Since it's presumably a one shot, and a party, no one should be so invested in a character's trajectory that player agency arm wrestling takes place.  

Make one a summoner or pet class (e.g. BM/Drakewarden Ranger, Creation Bard, Wildfire Druid etc) and the other controls the summon/pet. The former still has to spend their bonus action but then the latter chooses what to actually do. And of course, if the former becomes incapacitated, the latter gets to keep acting freely as normal.

Ideally, the people should split into two groups of five. If that can't be done, just run it with all 10. It can be chaotic so use modified initiative - highest roll goes first and everybody follows in a clockwise fashion. It is not RAW but regular folks understand taking turns in a clockwise fashion very well. They respond to it better/faster than veterans using initiative order as far as preparing their actions.

Keep it light. It's a one shot. 

Have a stack of pregens available. If you make everybody roll up characters, that's going to burn your whole night.

Feel free to railroad them a little. New players don't always pick up what you're putting down. 

Thanks for the suggestions! 
Here's a little bit more background: 

• There's a mix of veteran and beginner players.
• It is a one-shot with pregenerated characters to play.
• We're having a professional DM run the one-shot.
• We're wrestling with having either two separate one-shots, each with 5 players, or one group session with 10.

Quote from VitusW >>

Quote from SimeonTor >>

 

In fact with this suggestion, I'd probably lean more to leaders being the least active and most actions by the less-experienced. (So the vets would be more of mentors, than leaders.) Have them ask the veterans for guidance on how to do things, but have them make the decisions instead of bouncing things off the vets.

I like this approach. we'll have enough veterans to mentor others, and they can co-pilot. 

Quote from MidnightPlat >>

I've seen "learn to play D&D" games of parent/child teams playing one character (and neither the parent nor the child necessarily having any D&D experience) work well.  Don't overthink it, and just make sure the pairings aren't combustible. 

Perhaps we're slightly overthinking it. We will be having a professional DM run our one-shot and they should be able to direct people enough to comfortably co-pilot a character.

Quote from Wysperra >>

Ideally, the people should split into two groups of five. If that can't be done, just run it with all 10.

Keep it light. It's a one shot. 

Have a stack of pregens available. If you make everybody roll up characters, that's going to burn your whole night.

Our alternative to co-piloting is to just run 2 separate one-shots with 5 players each and a mix of experience in each. Our initial thought was to try and have everyone a part of the same story, but perhaps we're overthinking it.

Ideally, and it would take some clever maneuvering, run two groups that start at opposite sides of a dungeon. Then both groups meet up in the middle for the BBEG encounter.