Splitting a party is regarded as one of the most common blunders in Dungeons & Dragons, but with careful preparation and effort, it is possible to make the party stronger than before.
If your Dungeons & Dragons campaign starts going off the rails, it’s probably because of something small, like a bad die roll or a poorly planned strategy. One mistake players often make is splitting the party, which is usually a very bad idea. If you do end up splitting the party, things will probably get more dangerous and complicated.. So, if at all possible, try to avoid it.
Splitting the party is usually seen as a bad thing because it makes things more complicated and difficult. Encounters that are balanced for a whole group will be too easy if only half the party is there, and events or plot points can become confusing if characters who might otherwise have anything to say are absent. This can be especially tricky for Dungeon Masters, but there are some things both DMs and players can do to make things go more smoothly.
Split Parties Can Offer Unique Opportunities if Everyone Works Together
Sometimes splitting the party can work out great!It’s all about capitalising on the peculiarities it can generate. As a DM, you should keep the focus moving between both groups; this way, nobody gets bored and you don’t have to do any retcons. Also, try to avoid putting either group in combat if possible. Even if you speed up combat, it’ll still take forever.
If you find yourself in a situation where the party gets split up, don’t worry! There are actually a lot of fun and unique role-playing opportunities that come with it. This is your chance to really interact with the other characters in ways you might not be able to when everyone is together. You can focus on developing relationships or conflicts between characters that take a backseat during normal gameplay. And if any problems arise, you’ll have the chance to flex your creative muscles because you won’t have access to all of the party’s abilities. Even though split parties can provide some interesting opportunities, getting everyone back together should still be your top priority.
Everyone Should Work Toward Reuniting the Party
Dungeons & Dragons is a team game, and that means Dungeon Masters need to do their part to keep the party together. When characters split up, it almost always leads to problems. So it’s important for everyone to help bring the team back together. For DMs, this might entail offering players several of opportunity to back out or giving divided characters new choices for navigating around hazards. For players must recognise the threats and play more cautiously than they would otherwise. Thanks for everything, Dungeons & Dragons!
If you’re careful, a split party can actually be a fun chance to learn more about the game and some of the less central characters. But if it starts to drag on, DMs should try to wrap it up, and players should do their best to avoid getting separated in the first place.
