Wizards of the Coast launches official Dungeons & Dragons Actual Play show

Wizards of the Coast is getting back into the Actual Play game. Today, Wizards announced via Variety that they are launching a new Actual Play show called Dungeon Masters, starring Jasmine Bhullar as the Dungeon Master along with players Mayanna Berrin, Christian Navarro, Neil Newbon and Devora Wilde. Wilde and Newbon are veterans of Baldur's Gate 3, a smash hit for the Dungeons & Dragons IP. However, both actors will be playing new characters and not their Baldur's Gate 3 characters.

Of note is that the show will feature "official, unreleased D&D content" which will be put up for sale on D&D Beyond following every episode. The first arc takes place in Ravenloft and will feature content from Ravenloft: The Horrors Within. New episodes will be released weekly on YouTube, starting on April 22nd.

Wizards of the Coast previously produced several official D&D Actual Play series, including Dice, Camera, Action and Force Grey. Dice, Camera, Action was their flagship D&D program for years until it unceremoniously ended due to a scandal involving two of its players.

 

[SkidAce]

I should mention that I have Roll20. We would play on Roll20 exclusively. I work from home. Which means, I would be on the computer all day in my garage and then, when it came time to play, I would retreat back into my garage to play. I realized I rather get together with my friends in person and share pizza, beer and laughs. So what if it took a little longer?

I guess it depends. Our group has the classic d&d meme scheduling problems. And over half the group works retail.

We would prefer the in place game, but the ease of getting home, turning on the computer, and getting started versus changing, driving, and setting up is a big factor.

I dont get to use my minis, map, dm screen, etc. And I cant see the players faces (we agreed no cameras from our office/bedrooms).

LOL, you should see how many times I'm making hand and arm motions, and expressions to the computer, that no one sees.

 

[Clint_L]

Hard disagree.

4e's issues were not with timing. They were with presentation, a not great rollout and to a lesser extent, rules pushback.

5e hit with 4e and new players, brought back 3e players and even hit with 2e players (from personal experience, and reading online). Something 4e decidedly did not do.

I actually really liked 4e and thought it brought a lot to the table. But to claim it would have hit as big as 5e if the timing had just been better? IMO, wishful thinking at best!

I’m originally a 1e player, and 5e spoke to that essential core. 4e actively irritated me. No timing would have saved it, IMO. Nor would actual plays: Critical Role started with a modified 4e before immediately switching to Pathfinder (as many did; it’s the competitor 4e created) before being lured back by 5e.

Why bring up that dead horse? This actual play is doing 5e (5.5e I suppose; same thing).

 

[AlViking]

I’m originally a 1e player, and 5e spoke to that essential core. 4e actively irritated me. No timing would have saved it, IMO. Nor would actual plays: Critical Role started with a modified 4e before immediately switching to Pathfinder (as many did; it’s the competitor 4e created) before by lured back by 5e.

Why bring up that dead horse? This actual play is doing 5e (5.5e I suppose; same thing).

I agree. I don't think 4e would have ever been as successful as 5e - but I also don't want to get into edition wars so I'll just leave it at that.

 

[Mort]

I’m originally a 1e player, and 5e spoke to that essential core. 4e actively irritated me. No timing would have saved it, IMO. Nor would actual plays: Critical Role started with a modified 4e before immediately switching to Pathfinder (as many did; it’s the competitor 4e created) before by lured back by 5e.

Why bring up that dead horse? This actual play is doing 5e (5.5e I suppose; same thing).

Yeah, it's a WoTC actual play, they're going to play the newest iteration of the newest edition!

I just really hope it has a fun "game night" feel. And not an actors doing improv dinner theater feel.

 

[SkidAce]

That was, by far, my favorite Critical Role season. Just a bunch of people playing D&D who happen to be professional voice actors.

The later seasons just get TOO polished and the current season is more like actors showing up to an improv gig than a D&D session (though I dropped out a bit ago, maybe recent episodes are less so).

I agree (although in addition to 1, I liked 2 with the Mighty Nein).

I saw all the table humor, innuendos, mistakes, etc. that I see with my regular people games. Haven't watched Season 4 yet.

 

[SkidAce]

How did you feel in 2001?

Felt like somebody had taken many of the house rules we used and put them into a refined version. Worked great until we got swamped by numbers bloat, the core was fine and still DnD.

 

[SkidAce]

I thought 3e was a good move because of how they fixed the math but the gameplay felt much the same even if they did screw up higher levels with how powerful casters became. While 4e may have had the basis for a good game had they had more time in development or narrower focus it didn't feel like the D&D I had grown up playing. With 5e they brought back most of what I wanted.

I don't mind evolution. I don't want a rewrite.

This is the Way.

 

[Mort]

I agree (although in addition to 1, I liked 2 with the Mighty Nein).

I saw all the table humor, innuendos, mistakes, etc. that I see with my regular people games. Haven't watched Season 4 yet.

A word of warning. The first several episodes of season 4 (like the first 4 or so) are all about Brennan Lee Mulligan moving the players where he wants them to be. While not scripted, they are very, VERY, guided. I couldn't keep watching them.

Keep planning to drop into at least the soldiers table (groups are split into different tables by theme), but haven't yet

 

[SkidAce]

A word of warning. The first several episodes of season 4 (like the first 4 or so) are all about Brennan Lee Mulligan moving the players where he wants them to be. While not scripted, they are very, VERY, guided. I couldn't keep watching them.

Keep planning to drop into at least the soldiers table (groups are split into different tables by theme), but haven't yet

BLM does "guide" a bit more than I prefer.

And, as much as I like Mercer, he sometimes tells players "how" they feel too often. Almost lost me Season 2.

He's a great expositionist however, very good DM all around.

 

[Mort]

Felt like somebody had taken many of the house rules we used and put them into a refined version. Worked great until we got swamped by numbers bloat, the core was fine and still DnD.

I will happily play in a 3e/3.5 or Pathfinder game.

But running a game through level 20+ completely burned me out on running 3e/3.5!