Critical Role to Use D&D 2024 Rules For Campaign Four, Expands to Three Tables and Thirteen Players

Critical Role will continue to use Dungeons & Dragons as the play system for its upcoming campaign, with the cast expanding to three distinct tables consisting of a total of 13 players. Today, Critical Role announced new details about its new campaign, which is set to air on October 4th. The new campaign will feature the full founding cast members as players, alongside several new players. In total, the cast includes Laura Bailey, Luis Carazo, Robbie Daymond, Aabria Iyengar, Taliesin Jaffe, Ashley Johnson, Matthew Mercer, Whitney Moore, Liam O’Brien, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel, Alexander Ward, and Travis Willingham, with the previously announced Brennan Lee Mulligan serving as GM.

The campaign itself will be run as a "West Marches" style of campaign, with three separate groups of players exploring the world. The groups are divided into gameplay styles, with a combat-focused Soldiers group, a lore/exploration-focused Seekers group, and a intrigue-focused Schemers group. All three groups will explore the world of Araman, created by Mulligan for the campaign.

Perhaps most importantly, Critical Role will not be switching to Daggerheart for the fourth campaign. Instead, they'll be opting for the new 2024 ruleset of Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. Daggerheart will be represented at Critical Role via the Age of Umbra and "other" Actual Play series, as well as partnerships with other Actual Play troupes.

 

[Parmandur]

Talking about 2 games - thats obscura whatsit innit? how is that one going sales wise? Ive not heard much since its launch.

Im surprised their not pushing Daggerheart more, just from a marketing standpoint

Yeah, that game didn't have the same energy around it, but ir probably did about as expected. Daggerheart is a breakout hit, in hobby terms.

I'm not sure how much more they could push it than what they are doing?

 

[Micah Sweet]

Talking about 2 games - thats obscura whatsit innit? how is that one going sales wise? Ive not heard much since its launch.

Im surprised their not pushing Daggerheart more, just from a marketing standpoint

Apparently D&D is still where the money is.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Candela didn't review very well and I presume hasn't set the sales charts on fire. Daggerheart has fared much better.

It has, but I really think we need more time before we see what kind of staying power Daggerheart will end up with.

 

[Chaltab]

It has, but I really think we need more time before we see what kind of staying power Daggerheart will end up with.

Absolutely. Like Travis said, it's way too early for them to bet the whole endeavor on their own game.

 

[CleverNickName]

Some people really can’t accept the simple fact that there are folks out there who just actually enjoy playing DND.

The angle is usually "if you like D&D, you just don't know any better." And there's no way to say that without sounding like a tool.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Candela Obscura has a very specific setting and play loop, which definitely hurt it for me. (I don't want to be part of your dopey organization, thanks. I want to make up my own dopey organization and setting instead.)

Daggerheart, by contrast, explicitly wants to work for a lot of settings and game styles, much like D&D espouses.

 

[kermit4karate]

Some people really can’t accept the simple fact that there are folks out there who just actually enjoy playing DND.

What the $#@% did you say to me?! You better watch your tongue, buddy! You can't just go around accusing people of enjoying D&D! Who the hell do you think you are??

 

[billd91]

What the $#@% did you say to me?! You better watch your tongue, buddy! You can't just go around accusing people of enjoying D&D! Who the hell do you think you are??

 

[Nikosandros]

Industry insiders huh? Oooookay, sure.

Must be the same insiders that talked years ago about Kathleen Kennedy imminent firing from Lucasfilm.

 

[Aldarc]

Candela didn't review very well and I presume hasn't set the sales charts on fire. Daggerheart has fared much better.

Candela Obscura has a very specific setting and play loop, which definitely hurt it for me. (I don't want to be part of your dopey organization, thanks. I want to make up my own dopey organization and setting instead.)

Daggerheart, by contrast, explicitly wants to work for a lot of settings and game styles, much like D&D espouses.

Candela Obscura had two things going against it: (1) it's not faux-medieval fantasy genre which dominates this market, and (2) I don't think that it's particular mash-up of FitD narrative style was well mixed with its more traditional GM role. In contrast, I would say that Daggerheart does a much better job of designing something new while iterating on ideas from other games.

I also think that DP also initially rubbed some fans the wrong way when they didn't cite their sources when it came to their game: i.e., Blades in the Dark. It's obviously not required. D&D doesn't do it. But it's increasingly becoming seen as common courtesy to mention the other games that influenced your game, especially when it's a pretty clear influence. DP added those citations in later, but it was still a sore point for some.