Critical Role Explorer's Guide to Wildemount Rockets to #1 In 'All Books' on Amazon

When the Amazon page for Explorer's Guide to Wildemount leaked, the book went straight to #15 in all books (not just games, or even just fantasy - all books!) on Amazon before WotC had even said a word about it. It quickly jumped to #3 on Monday, and as of today... it is currently sitting at #1. In ALL books.

Screenshot for posterity!
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It sits there, just above Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, Profiles in Corruption: Abuse of Power by America's Progressive Elite by Peter Schweizer (note -- that is not an invitation to start discussing American politics on EN World), and Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson.

Last year, Critical Role's Kickstarter for an animated show based on their livestream smashed records and raised over $11,000,000. It then went on to get picked up by Amazon for a full series. While there are people on the web confidently declaring that this book will never sell, I think it's safe to say not only will it sell, it already has. Critical Role these days is a brand as strong as D&D itself. Indeed, a couple of years back when speaking to the Seattle Times, WotC indicated that more than 50% of new player watched live-streamed games.

 

[Reynard]

Several ways, actually.

Campaign One: Vox Machina

Campaign One, or The Campaign of Vox Machina, is the first campaign of Critical Role. It follows a group of adventurers, Vox Machina, first in their adventures across the continent of Tal'Dorei and eventually the larger world of Exandria and other Planes of Existence. The campaign that became...

criticalrole.fandom.com

Campaign Two: The Mighty Nein

Campaign Two is the second campaign of Critical Role. It takes place beginning in Sydenstar, 835 P.D., approximately twenty years after the adventures of Vox Machina. The returning cast plays all-new characters and features the continent of Wildemount as its primary setting. In the eighth...

criticalrole.fandom.com

These contain synopses of the various sessions for both the first and second campaigns, broken into rough "chapters." (ignore the chapter1-8 and chapter 9-16 business, if you just want the second campaign start with chapter 9, it's not vital to know anything from the first campaign, it just fills in Easter Eggs.)

Also,

Critical recap is a short vlog series hosted by one of the Critical Role Staff, Dani Carr, which gives quick synopses of all the sessions of campaign 2, from session 1 up to session 89. However, this vlog series was discontinued as of the end of 2019, so while it's quite current at this minute, they are switching to a written recap on their website after this point.

And finally, there are several creators on Youtube, particularly
Critical Role Memories

Critical Role Memories

This is a unofficial channel created by and for fans of Critical Role where you can find some of the best moments of this bunch of nerdy-ass voice actors tha...

www.youtube.com

Nico Nielsen


And too many others to link to, who as a side devotion to their favorite streaming show create short clips of key moments or funny moments, of which there are THOUSANDS of clips. Long story short, if you are catching up, and reading one of the recaps, and a particularly moving or hilarious scene is referenced, there is a HIGH likelihood that you can search YouTube using keywords of the scene and you'll find it.

Should you decide to watch some of the old episodes archived on YouTube, frequently one or more of the commenters have made a post in the comments filled with time codes for key moments, as well if you want to skim the episode.

Good luck, and hope you find something you enjoy in it!

Thanks a bunch. Like many folks, I wouldn't mind trying to get into CR, but the backlog is very intimidating (especially at 4 hours per episode).

 

[Henry]

Thanks a bunch. Like many folks, I wouldn't mind trying to get into CR, but the backlog is very intimidating (especially at 4 hours per episode).

Yeah. I'm up to date on Campaign 2, but only because i've followed it real-time. I never completely watched Campaign 1, but I don't feel left out because I read over those recaps, and googled any key moments that people kept bringing up in Reddit/Twitter/etc.

 

[akr71]

Thanks a bunch. Like many folks, I wouldn't mind trying to get into CR, but the backlog is very intimidating (especially at 4 hours per episode).

Yeah. I'm up to date on Campaign 2, but only because i've followed it real-time. I never completely watched Campaign 1, but I don't feel left out because I read over those recaps, and googled any key moments that people kept bringing up in Reddit/Twitter/etc.

At this point, any new-comers might as well wait for the animated series. They're animating one of the best story arcs, and if it does well, the other interesting ones will get their due as well. None of the player discussion, all of the (relevant) character discussion and action. Its a win-win!

I say that as a CR fan. Its one of the more watchable D&D live streams IMO, but there are still points where table chatter slows down the story. Good thing no one is watching my games

 

[Matchstick]

Thanks a bunch. Like many folks, I wouldn't mind trying to get into CR, but the backlog is very intimidating (especially at 4 hours per episode).

I think they'll start a new campaign this year at some point.

At this point, any new-comers might as well wait for the animated series. They're animating one of the best story arcs, and if it does well, the other interesting ones will get their due as well. None of the player discussion, all of the (relevant) character discussion and action. Its a win-win!

I say that as a CR fan. Its one of the more watchable D&D live streams IMO, but there are still points where table chatter slows down the story. Good thing no one is watching my games

Honestly, if they're smart they'll wrap up C2 a month or so before the animated series releases, take time to recharge and do publicity, and then start up C3 a couple weeks after the release.

They really need to start looking at providing another jump-on point; it's been two years since the beginning of C2.

 

[Samurai]

Count me as one of the doubters on how big Critical Role is and whether the book was too specific an audience.. Yea... Ill be quiet now. Smart move By WoTC. Yes, I pre-ordered. The kids in my gaming group were anxious to use this

I was a doubter on the Acquisitions Incorporated book. I still haven't bought it and have no plans to. But I immediately went and bought Wildemount on Amazon. I have watched some Critical Role, but I'm not a hard-core "Critter". But I love Matt Mercer's gaming style (as well as the whole cast), and I bought Tal Dorai a while back and liked it. I really think this could be 5e's new "Eberron", a new take on the classic D&D that includes everything in the standard game, but has many new and interesting twists to make them different. As a big fan of Eberron, I can't wait to see what this new setting holds. I already went and bought the Scarred Lands for 5e book from Onyx Path, as I think parts of it can be used in the magical wasteland area that Matt talked about in an interview. Hornsaw Unicorns transferred to Wildemount should scare the heck out of the PCs!