General What are the personal qualities/skills of a good referee?

[Condottiere]

There's a reason the optimal number of players in a group is between three to five, ironically also about the number of subunits that can be directed; I always thought that a more semi professional approach would be inclusive a dungeon master and an assistant.

The trick is that everyone has minimal downtime, in that their characters are maximally involved in some way in the game play.

 

[kilemall]

There's a reason the optimal number of players in a group is between three to five, ironically also about the number of subunits that can be directed; I always thought that a more semi professional approach would be inclusive a dungeon master and an assistant.

The trick is that everyone has minimal downtime, in that their characters are maximally involved in some way in the game play.

I've got a trick for that.


I'll have subplots ready and insist that every character has a pet or pet robot and then outside friends/family/contacts. If two have downtime while others are off adventuring, I'll kick in one subplot with one playing their PC, and the other playing the part of the pet/significant other/family causing a ruckus to resolve.

 

[Spenser TR]

Ha! This is great. I'll have to use this.

In the past I've used side quests or break-outs, but in between sessions as Matt Colville describes here on YouTube.