In the world of public library gaming, overbooking is more than a strategy; it is a survival mechanism. Because I run a free weekly game at the library, I learned quickly the math of the “soft yes,” where a forty to sixty percent no-show rate is the standard baseline. I invite twelve players expecting six, and usually, the universe provides. But every once in a while, the stars align in a way that feels like a cosmic prank, and suddenly I’m staring down ten eager faces at a table that can hold seven at most.
This is the moment where the “Living World” concept truly proves its worth. Rather than turning people away or allowing the game to descend into a sluggish, unplayable mess, I decided to lean into the geography of my setting and treat the crowd not as one massive party, but as a living community acting in parallel.
Divide and Conquer
The key to managing ten players without losing the narrative thread is physical and mental separation. In my persistent world of Hammersmith, the dwarven town is large enough to support multiple simultaneous crises. When the full roster arrived, I divided the group based on their current location in the town, placing one faction on the left side of the table and the other on the right.
This physical divide allowed me to alternate scenes with cinematic precision. While one group was negotiating with the surly dwarven metalworkers, the other was dealing with the fallout of human farming tensions on the outskirts. By running two separate initiative tracks and alternating focus between the Left and Right Table, I kept everyone engaged. The players weren’t just waiting for their turn; they were watching the other half of the story unfold across the table, knowing their paths would eventually converge in a high-stakes finale.
Taming the Combat Clock
When you have ten players and a swarm of enemies, traditional D&D combat becomes the enemy of fun. To keep the momentum from grinding to a halt, I had to implement a system of ruthless efficiency. This meant moving away from individual initiative in favor of group turns, allowing the two parties to act as cohesive units.
I also adopted the “on deck” system, explicitly telling players who was up and who was next to ensure they were ready the moment their window opened. In a group this size, there is no room for “let me check my spells” when your turn starts; if a player isn’t ready, their character takes the Dodge action, and the story moves on. To save even more time, you can also use the average number for monster damage and even use mob rules for larger enemy groups, though I didn’t find that necessary (rolling is fun for me too!).
Maintaining Focus in Public Spaces
Running a game of this magnitude in a public library adds another layer of complexity: the strict time limit. With only four to five hours before the doors close, every minute spent looking at a phone or arguing over a minor rule is a minute stolen from the climax.
I’ve found that a firm no phones policy—except for digital character sheets—is essential for keeping ten people focused on the shared mental map of the game. I also make a point to actively manage the spotlight by going around the table clockwise during social encounters. This prevents the loudest players from dominating the session and ensures that the quieter participants are given a direct prompt to act. By ending descriptions with a specific question for the group, I trigger immediate action, pushing the party toward the finish line before the library lights begin to flicker.
Strength in Numbers
While most experts would advise against a ten-person game for the sake of the DM’s sanity, the “Hammersmith Split” proved that with enough preparation and a bit of narrative bravery, it can work. Seeing two disparate groups of heroes finally unite at the end of the session to tackle a shared threat provides a payoff that a smaller group simply can’t replicate. It reinforces the idea that the world is bigger than any one person, and even when the guest list is overstuffed, the story always has room for one more.
Your Turn: How do you manage large tables of players?
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