"How do I beat the Matt Mercer effect?"

On Reddit, a user named Mister-builder asked Matthew Mercer how to deal with folks who unfavourably compare their home game to that of Critical Role's videos. Matt took to Reddit to pen a reply.

"I'm running a campaign for a lot of first-timers, and I'm dealing with a lot of first-timer problems (the one who never speaks up, the one who needs to be railroaded, the NG character being played CN and the CN character being played CE). Lately, however, there's a new situation I'm dealing with. A third of my group first got interested in D&D because of Critical Role. I like Matt Mercer as much as the next guy, but these guys watched 30+ hours of the show before they ever picked up a D20. The Dwarf thinks that all Dwarves have Irish accents, and the Dragonborn sounds exactly like the one from the show (which is fine, until they meet NPCs that are played differently from how it's done on the show). I've been approached by half the group and asked how I planned to handle resurrection. When I told them I'd decide when we got there, they told me how Matt does it. Our WhatsApp is filled with Geek and Sundry videos about how to play RPG's better. There's nothing wrong with how they do it on the show, but I'm not Matt Mercer and they're not Vox Machina. At some point, the unrealistic expectations are going to clash with reality. How do you guys deal with players who've had past DM's they swear by?

TL;DR Critical Role has become the prototype for how my players think D&D works. How do I push my own way of doing things without letting them down?"

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Here was the reply from Matthew Mercer:

"Seeing stuff like this kinda breaks my heart. Regardless, the fact of the matter is our style of play is just that...our style of play. Every table is different, and should be! If they just want to “copy” what we do, that’s not very creative nor what makes the game magic at the table.

I DO believe that it’s important for any gaming group to discuss expectations early into a campaign so everyone can get on the same page and avoid dissonance. However, it’s EVERYONE’S responsibility at the table to provide and add to the experience for everyone to enjoy themselves and the story, not just the DM. As I saw some comments below mention, you want a particular style of game? That level of commitments rests on YOUR shoulders. Consolidate your style and wishes with those of the other players and DM, and somewhere in that unique mix you will find your table’s special style of storytelling.

Need I also remind your players that we are a table of professional actors, and I have been DMing for well over 20 years. We have spent our lives training in particular skills that allow us to get as immersed in the characters as we enjoy doing. Anyone can jump in as deeply, should they wish to, but EXPECTING that immediate level of comfort and interest is unfair and absurd. Do they want a deep, convoluted emotional journey like Scanlan? They better be able to bring it like Sam did. No? Then sit down and just have fun finding your own path.

PLUS, our style isn’t for everyone! Hell, just scan the comments below to see how many folks don’t like us, haha. I’ve played with many different players, ran games of many different styles and focuses, and I can tell you... there is so much fun variety to how a TTRPG can be played, they’re limiting their chances to enjoy it by trying to “play it just like us”.

Anyway, I say the best course is have a very frank conversation with them about these things. Clearly say that your game will feel like YOUR game (meaning you and the players together), and it’s THEIR responsibility to bring to the table what facet they want to see in it. Show them this post, if it helps. In fact, show them this message:

“Guys. Relax. Your DM is kicking ass, and is doing this for YOUR enjoyment and journey. Appreciate that, listen, build with them, and make this something UNIQUE. Abandon expectations and just have fun together as friends.”

Anyway, so sorry. Things like this are never my intent. It’s a weird, wild west these days. Your gonna be great, friend.

 

[Guest 6801328]

I know plenty of grown-ass adults who got into the hobby through Critical Role, The Adventure Zone, Dice Camera Action, and similar shows.

That just amazes me. In fact, the whole Critical Role as Cultural Tsunami thing amazes me. I kept seeing/hearing references to it and finally watched, or tried to watch. I got through maybe 5 minutes before I was bored out of my mind. Watching other people play D&D? There are at least 13,762 things I'd rather be doing, and trimming my toenails is one of them.

And I'm already a gamer.

I can't imagine a non-player finding it interesting in any way. And yet, somehow, they do.

What a strange, strange world.

 

[Alzrius]

This isn't really a proper comparison, but stories like this always remind me of an anecdote I once heard about the old WotC game Everway (at least, I think that was the game):

Someone at WotC was asked why the game didn't sell very well, and they replied, "it would have sold great if we could have included a copy of Jonathan Tweet in every set."

 

[Henry]

That just amazes me. In fact, the whole Critical Role as Cultural Tsunami thing amazes me. I kept seeing/hearing references to it and finally watched, or tried to watch. I got through maybe 5 minutes before I was bored out of my mind.

I used to think so, too, until I started watching the second campaign from the first episode in January. The first campaign had been ongoing and was hard to get into, and until I made myself sit through a couple of episodes, I could not see the appeal. The appeal for most people come in not in the rules-y bits, but in the CR cast’s attention to story and vibrant characters, especially the awesome NPCs that Mercer comes up with. The fun parts for me are characters like Victor the Black Powder Merchant (from campaign1), Magic vendor Pumat Sol (one of like three in the world, for those out there upset about magic item shops calm down ) from Campaign 2, slaver Lorenzo, Kiri the Kenku, Orly the navigator, etc.

Orly was proof for me that Matt Mercer can make a viable character out of damned near ANY CONCEPT, because Orly was an NPC that was put together with crowd sourcing as part of a charity event, and true to form people voted up the most “Boaty McBoatface” collection of conflicting attributes you could imagine, and damned if he didn’t make an interesting recurring character out of them...

Anyway, not saying you should give it another try or anything, but the reason it’s popular is not necessarily just because “people would like streaming D&D”; it’s because of the skill and chemistry of the people involved, the gaming is the framework for them to tell a story with elements of random chance.

 

[Charlaquin]

That just amazes me. In fact, the whole Critical Role as Cultural Tsunami thing amazes me. I kept seeing/hearing references to it and finally watched, or tried to watch. I got through maybe 5 minutes before I was bored out of my mind. Watching other people play D&D? There are at least 13,762 things I'd rather be doing, and trimming my toenails is one of them.

And I'm already a gamer.

I can't imagine a non-player finding it interesting in any way. And yet, somehow, they do.

What a strange, strange world.

Some people start watching because they like the actors, and it feels like a glimpse into their interpersonal lives. Seeing the voices behind a ton of your favorite anime, cartoon, and video game characters all hanging out at the same table, playing a game together is appealing to fans of those mediums, even if they’re not familiar with the game their playing. That’s kind of the premise of the whole Geek and Sundry network. Then there are people who are curious about this whole D&D thing and want to see an example of it being played, without the social pressure of physically sitting in with a group of people you may or may not know. Some people love RPGs but don’t get to play them often for whatever reason, so watching a bunch of professional actors play might be the next-best thing.

Another thing to keep in mind is that most of the fans of these kinds of shows don’t just sit down and actively watch an episode like it’s a TV show. Part of the appeal of livestresming as a medium is that it’s something you can just have running in the background while you do other things. I think this aspect in particular is how it hooks adults. Don’t have time in your busy life to spend hours watching Game of Thrones, but it’s easy to just put on Critical Role while you do housework and let your attention drift in and out of it as you go.

And, of course, there are a TON of these shows out there, each with their own style and gimmicks. Don’t think that just because you’ve watched a bit of Critical Role you know what all D&D streams are like. That’s like watching a couple episodes of Seinfeld and thinking you know what all Sit-Coms are like. I find Critical Role a little too unfocused for my taste, but I adore The Adventure Zone.

 

[Slit518]

I have never seen Critical Role myself.

But I assume Matthew Mercer (being an actor and voice actor) may voice many of the NPCs, and perhaps even act them out.

Now I am not saying this is the correct way to play the game, but as a DM myself, I have always done this.

Does he sometimes give the players real life items as kind of a symbol for an in-game item?

I know I have.

If some of these are qualities in his game, I wouldn't call it unique. I would actually suggest it to be common, especially in the older gamers, or theater type of gamers.

I've taking acting class, and have done improv, and it elevates the D&D game so much (for myself anyway). But I wouldn't say it is required.

 

[D1Tremere]

I think it may be useful to mention that those players who come to the game BECAUSE of what they have seen on streams like Critical Role are likely being encouraged by what they have seen because it fulfills some primary needs for them.
As has been said, it is important to have an open and honest discussion about expectations, and to refresh that dialogue on a periodic basis. As a DM, I am always interested in what needs my players feel are being met by their favorite streams/groups. While the game and style that I facilitate may be vastly different from their favored stream in many respects, I find that meeting fundamental needs is important, and usually results in increased enjoyment even when the superficial aspects are vastly different.
I encourage my fellow DMs to discover what their players really need in order to feel fully engaged, and to find your own way to give that to them, even if we can't all provide it with a professional actors polish.

 

[MarkB]

That just amazes me. In fact, the whole Critical Role as Cultural Tsunami thing amazes me. I kept seeing/hearing references to it and finally watched, or tried to watch. I got through maybe 5 minutes before I was bored out of my mind. Watching other people play D&D? There are at least 13,762 things I'd rather be doing, and trimming my toenails is one of them.

Ultimately, shows like this aren't watching people play a game. They're watching people play out improvisational fiction (drama, comedy, romance etc. in varying combinations) with the game used as both a common touchstone and a framework for structuring that performance. You're watching people tell a story, one whose general direction is set by the DM but whose details are forged in the moment by the performers.

If you go in expecting to watch a game, or to try and use it as an instructional video for how to play the game, it's not going to work for you.

 

[M.T. Black]

I suspect these fears are overblown. Even the OP was talking about a potential problem they foresaw rather than an actual problem that had manifested yet.

We have a good existing parrallel in sports. Anyone who is interested in football, for example, has probably watched hundreds of hours of pro-quality games on TV. But 99% of people realise they are not going to match the pros when they take to the field themselves. It's the same here.

Also, I don't see the problem with people, especially newbies, imitating characters from critical role. I think its a good way to learn to roleplay. And your imitation will inevitably become its own thing after a few months anyway.

 

[DQDesign]

We have a good existing parrallel in sports. Anyone who is interested in football, for example, has probably watched hundreds of hours of pro-quality games on TV. But 99% of people realise they are not going to match the pros when they take to the field themselves. It's the same here.

It would be the same only if the DM would be Ian McKellen, the players Daniel Radcliff, Harrison Ford and Scarlet Johanson and the show would air on BBC1 or Fox in prime time, not with the actual CR show with (albeit professional) voice actors streamed on internet.

 

[Charlaquin]

We have a good existing parrallel in sports. Anyone who is interested in football, for example, has probably watched hundreds of hours of pro-quality games on TV. But 99% of people realise they are not going to match the pros when they take to the field themselves. It's the same here. .

That’s really not a good parallel, because football doesn’t have slightly different rules on every field, and professional football players and referees don’t play by house rules. Also, professional athletes are still primarily concerned with playing the game to the best of their ability, nor putting on a good show.