D&D General Critical Role Season 4 and the Ship of Theseus

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

In what you are describing, they are still the same setting, just with the focus pulled further out. But if the next game is Cyberpunk Red for the system and setting, it's a new animal.

Maybe the answer is that Critical Role is the name of the table, not a specific game, setting, etc. People come and go at tables and at many tables, it's not just the same game every time.

 

[Professor Murder]

Maybe the answer is that Critical Role is the name of the table, not a specific game, setting, etc. People come and go at tables and at many tables, it's not just the same game every time.

For clarity, I have no horse in this race. I am just positing a discussion of branding and expectations. I think the only item that needs to be kept to call this Campaign 4 is that it go on long enough to be a campaign and not a short series. Minimum run of a year, with some breaks, so you get 45+ episodes in said year.

 

[Scribe]

Selfishly, as a non-fan, non-watcher, I hope they go with Daggerheart instead of 5.5.

 

[Professor Murder]

Selfishly, as a non-fan, non-watcher, I hope they go with Daggerheart instead of 5.5.

I was swayed to pick up Daggerheart by watching it being used for Age of Umbra. Funnily enough, the campaign itself was just way too arch and labored for my tastes, but the rules really were sold well. But also again, I am not a large AP consumer, so I'm not a good judge of what makes for the best show material possibly.

 

[MichaelSomething]

So I take it the OP wishes for the return of race as class, gold for xp, and rolling stats 3d6 in order??

 

[Chaltab]

Honestly I'd prefer to keep it in D&D or at least a 5E derivative like Tales of the Valiant, if only because I don't have much interest in Daggerheart.

That said I'm sure I'll watch it regardless.

 

[definiteFreakyFishGuy]

So the question I am proposing is this: How will Critical Role Season 4 be Critical Role?
Well, what unifies the previous seasons? What traits do they share that make them Critical Role seasons as opposed to other APs that the Critical Role studio has released up to this point?

1) It's D&D. (For the pedants who may wish to speak to the origins of the game they are playing, we are only speaking about the public facing campaign, not what they privately played before.)

Specifically, for me, the whole "Nerdy-ass voice actors that play D&D."

2) Matt Mercer is DM.

Agreed.

3) The setting backdrop is Exandria, a setting Mercer developed.

Interestingly, I don't feel like I strongly associate Exandria with Critical Role. I know all 3 campaigns take place in the same world, but the main locations felt different enough.

4) The players around the table are mostly consistent of a core group. People have left and been added and there have been guest players, but the core has endured.
5) Campaigns are drawn out. They take years to play out in their entirety.
6) The Campaigns are in order and exist in the same continuity and timeline. Campaign one happens before Campaign two and events in Campaigns change the setting in ways that affect future Campaigns.
7) The games try to balance drama with mechanics. The dice shape the story.

Yes to 4 - 7.

Here are a few other things I've come to strongly associate with Critical Role (as opposed to say, D20):
1. Minimal post-production editing. No cuts. Any music or visual effects are done as the game is played (e.g. music the players hear is what we the watchers hear).
2. Fixed camera positions. The camera for the GM and the players are fixed. There is no zoom or other camera angles other than for the battle map cam.
3. Long episodes in which the players are at the table the whole time, with a break which is for the players which also happens to be a break for the watchers.
4. Mid-show fan art break (too bad this is no more as of C3...?)
5. Pre-show sponsors / merch / plugs for things.
6. I mentioned it above too, but Matt's whole "nerdy-ass voice actors playing Dungeons & Dragons" (with Travis making unintelligible sounds)

 

[Professor Murder]

So I take it the OP wishes for the return of race as class, gold for xp, and rolling stats 3d6 in order??

Sorry. it's 5am. Cackling loudly might wake up my wife.
No. Good God no.

 

[Marc Radle]

Honestly I'd prefer to keep it in D&D or at least a 5E derivative like Tales of the Valiant, if only because I don't have much interest in Daggerheart.

That said I'm sure I'll watch it regardless.

That sounds good to me!!

 

[Seramus]

#4 is the only one that really matters to me. Critical Role is the people, with all their experiences, humor, and raw charisma creating the feeling of a bunch of friends (these specific ones) sitting around roleplaying together.

Matt moving to a player spot keeps him in the picture, and I'm so glad he finally gets to be a player in a long form campaign! As long as about 4+ of the other remaining original members are still in the picture, I will be cool with the direction of Critical Role. Afterall, it was inevitable that some of the cast members were going to bow out at some point - the fact that they might be bowing out for a secondary game isn't really important, they could have simply retired!

So, to recap: Critical Role is (to me) at least 5 of the original cast doing some roleplaying.