Critical Role PSA: You are not Matt Mercer

[Doug McCrae]

It's a game, not a competitive sport.

Gygaxian D&D was highly competitive (I recall reading somewhere that playing was quite a stressful and intense experience), probably rather like being in a very successful WoW raiding guild, though I'm not sure if anyone plays it that way any more. Even the posters on ENWorld who run 1e or B/X seem to have a more relaxed approach afaict.

 

[S'mon]

Have any of you guys met with this issue out in the wilds? How do you deal with it when it shows up at your table?

I see a lot of posts from new players looking to play a D&D game in the style of Critical Role, and a smaller number of GMs offering such a game. I haven't had any complaints at my own table, but I am a bit more thespy than some GMs - I like talking in character, and I really enjoy a Bard player who has a go playing the part. And I build worlds; I even like (organically emergent) dramatic arcs. I guess I'm sufficiently Mercer-ish!

Edit: Typical play session account from one of my games! VOJack is a professional voice actor.

 

[Morrus]

Gygaxian D&D was highly competitive

Not in the sense we’re talking about. Different topic.

 

[billd91]

It's not even that. Diving, or basketball, or whatever, is a competive sport backed by large corporations and international competitions - the goal is to get "good" at it, and then in some cases get rich from being good at it.

D&D's goal isn't to get "good" at it. It's to have fun with your friends on a Thursday night. There's no competitive element to it.

I don’t think bringing up competition is even relevant. All I’m talking about is expectation of one’s performance. There’s definitely an expertise to gaming just as their is in diving. Nobody’s gonna start out as good as Matt Mercer any more than they will as good as Greg Louganis in their respective events.

 

[Charlaquin]

It's not even that. Diving, or basketball, or whatever, is a competive sport backed by large corporations and international competitions - the goal is to get "good" at it, and then in some cases get rich from being good at it.

D&D's goal isn't to get "good" at it. It's to have fun with your friends on a Thursday night. There's no competitive element to it.

I mean, getting good at DMing is certainly a goal of mine. I’ll agree there’s no competitive element to it though, beyond self-competition.

 

[Eltab]

I have not watched CR; fair warning, full disclosure, and all that.

IME most people can come up with a good one-liner or two during a session, but expecting them to act all the way through is more than they can achieve. If somebody does 'get in character' for a while, it is memorable.

When I DM'ed Tiamat, I gave Arauthator (ice dragon) his own voice, he knew secrets about the characters, he was a tactical master. I had a month beforehand to think about it, as the PCs worked their way through his lair over several sessions. Fighting (and defeating) him was a high point in the campaign.
For one-and-done cannonfodder foes, no such work went into them. They had a bit part and left the stage, not really noticed. They were part of 'the world is going crazy and some hero needs help to get a grip on things again'.

 

[3catcircus]

I dunno. I'll just say that critical role is professional voice actors engaged in a serial "radio" show disguised as D&D. No one should give a hoot about trying to be them - be yourselves. Whatever level of 1st person/3rd person roleplay you are comfortable with is fine.

 

[Oofta]

As much as people claim it's all a performance ... they claim that it is not. It started as a home game (non-broadcast) as a pathfinder campaign.

 

[3catcircus]

As much as people claim it's all a performance ... they claim that it is not. It started as a home game (non-broadcast) as a pathfinder campaign.

A home game played by professional voice actors is a performance, even if unintentional. That's like saying Michael Jordan and Scotty Pippen playing a pickup game in the park isn't the same as as an NBA game. It's still a performance...

 

[HJFudge]

I think of it like a game show. They are playing a game, sure, but its a show. And I do not doubt they find it fun.

But most games are not shows. Adding the show bit...well, it just naturally changes how things work and the best practices.