Ive been running a campaign loosely based on Dante’s inferno for about 6 months, and I’ve implemented a new protocol that I wanted to tell you guys about! In the past, the dreaded schedule monster has TPK’d every table I ever tried to run, and this time I decided to make some changes to keep the game alive. Previously, I was a 100% participation or we can’t meet kind of DM. In hindsight, yeah that was too much. We’re all adults with complex lives and only meeting when every player could make it was causing games to fizzle because we could only meet every 1.5 months. I run 2-3 sessions a month now, and will run the session if 1, or even 2 of my players are missing. (5 person party)
If 1 player can’t make it, we run a “main story” session just like we would with the full cast, and I do some balancing changes on the fly. Having a little more experience as a DM has made this way more feasible, as I think I’m finally over the preparation paralysis I suffered from before. I feel a little bad about people missing major story beats, but they’re all on board with this approach.
If 2 players can’t make it, I have a bunch of “side quest sessions” prepared. I have these set up with random tables to create some fun variety for me. Usually how it goes is I’ll roll 2d10 to select my side quests, and then pitch them as a dilemma for the party I.e. do you want to help the arch mage find his missing orb or do you want to help the cleric repair his shrine. I try to have these side quests be as random and bonkers as possible, and have a great time burying leads for the main quest in them. These side quest sessions often end up being the most fun sessions we have.
If we’re in a situation where a side quest just actually doesn’t make sense and I can’t get 4 people to the table, only then do I reschedule the session. Obviously if you’re right outside the BBEG lair you won’t be able to nip off for an errand, but even these can be finagled with some strategic railroading.
After either of these scenarios, at the next session, this is my favorite part. I have the players update the players who were missing on what happened last session. This is such a fun opportunity for me to have a temperature check, and see what things stuck with them. Rarely I will interject and remind them about some key thing that happened, but mostly I just let them talk. It’s been great for me as DM, and I think also great for my players to have a little memory jogging exercise at the beginning of the session.