D&D General Critical Role: Overrated, Underrated, or Goldilocks?

[Scott Christian]

Great insight @Snarf Zagyg .

I think if there are any gamemasters out there that have run a four hour adventure four or five times, they understand the difference between improv, being prepped, or true fluidity.

In my own experience, I have run the same four hour adventure for probably twelve different groups. By the fifth or sixth time, the segues, the NPCs, the details of a setting, and the pacing is night and day difference from the first time I ran it. I have always thought that is what Mercer and his crew bring to the table with their vast years of experience. It's as if they have run something twenty times already, even when it is their first time.

 

[Scott Christian]

On a side note, the players at Mercer's table do not play into the mechanics, which makes the storyline seem more natural. For example, one clip I was watching had the characters interacting with a hallway. Not one player said, "Oh, I'm going to wait for the rogue to come over and try the door." No. Whoever was in front of the door simply interacted with the door. They looked for a trap, then tried to open it.

 

[Maxperson]

Well, this thread actually has me wanting to watch an episode of critical role. I've never seen one.

 

[CleverNickName]

Well, this thread actually has me wanting to watch an episode of critical role. I've never seen one.

I recommend Campaign One (Vox Machina), but start at about 20 episodes in. The very first few episodes are pretty unpolished, and that puts some folks off.

 

[Maxperson]

I recommend Campaign One (Vox Machina), but start at about 20 episodes in. The very first few episodes are pretty unpolished, and that puts some folks off.

Okay. I'll keep that in mind. Thanks!

 

[Bolares]

I'd recommend campign 2. Their production quality is way higher, making it an way easier watching experience. If and when you start liking the show, campaign 1 is greeat too, and you can ignore some of the production issues it has.

 

[The-Magic-Sword]

Yeah I'd just start with episode 1 of campaign 2, they've come a long way since campaign 1.

 

[Mort]

Yeah I'd just start with episode 1 of campaign 2, they've come a long way since campaign 1.

Personally, I found campaign 1 a lot more fun than campaign 2.

 

[robus]

Personally, I found campaign 1 a lot more fun than campaign 2.

I think covid really took the wind out their sails.

 

[billd91]

I think covid really took the wind out their sails.

There was also a somewhat different atmosphere from the start - partly because Campaign 1 was new and their presentation was evolving. I think they also went with a somewhat more serious direction for Campaign 2 with many of the characters. Sam was playing an oddball character in Nott, but not a joke character as with Scanlan. Travis was playing a much more serious character than Grog. For that matter, so were Marisha and Ashley. Laura and Taliesin were the only players with characters bordering on actually being light in mood/atmosphere.

I also noticed that they were a bit more... cautious... in campaign 2 - at least in the sense that they ran away a lot more and/or earlier than I recall in campaign 1. Died a lot less often as a result.