"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.

 

[SkidAce]

For me it also became good background listening. Something I put on when painting minis, because I just needed to hear it. (And I have sooooo very many Reaper Bones to paint.)
I also often listen while at the gym. Because just running on the treadmill be boring.

Or cutting the grass, while driving long ways, etc.

 

[Guest 6801328]

These guys are actors, don't expect to be as good as trained actors, you'll be disappointed.

See, I don't get this. Do people really evaluate other roleplayers based on their acting ability? Some of the gamers whose company/participation I most enjoy are terrible actors, but they are very good at coming up with courses of action that are both in-character and surprising. The fact that they deliver it in third-person monotone in no way detracts from the entertainment value. In fact, it may improve it because it leaves the details to my imagination, which is better than any acting.

 

[cmad1977]

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.

So... I’m similar. Sitting down to watch people play D&D? Nope. However I fired up the CR podcasts out of curiosity and kinda enjoy those while I’m driving or doing errands. In podcast form I found two things I enjoy about them.
1) it’s kinda like a radio play. And the players are fairly funny people.
2) it’s kind of like ‘watching the tape’ when you’re on a sports team. I get to hear someone handle different situations and think about wether they did it ‘right’ or how I would do it differently.

But mostly It helps distract me from chores.

 

[SkidAce]

I guess the point is that these things work well in a performance piece, providing descriptive touchstones to let the audience visualise the action, but in a home game they'd tend to drag and potentially feel like needless spotlight hogging in comparison to other players who just want to say what action they're taking and roll the dice.

As a player, I will tend to describe a spell or ability in some detail the first time I use it, but thereafter will take it as read and just say what I'm doing game-mechanically. Other players will find their own balance between flavour and expediency.

I kinda disagree, we've been describing spellcasting and weapon attacks with "quick one liners" since the late eighties. I dont feel that it bogs down or causes spotlight issues.

We cal it "flourish" and the level of it can vary depending on the scenario, but it has never caused a problem of any kind. The players who aren't as verbose say "nice" and then roll their dice for their attack.

 

[Lucas Blackstone]

I don't hold Matt Mercer responsible for people's expectations in other games. Just likes others have mentioned, this has been occurring in many forms of entertainment for years. Made for TV and movie adaptations of the same characters ( take the superhero genre as an example ) usually vary significantly. Which one is right? For some, one or the other is far superior, for others, both are fine, and for others, neither do the source material justice or cause them to dislike it for other reasons. To me the answer is that none of them are "right". It is what it is and comes down to personal opinion and taste.

The same holds true for D&D streams and home games. None of them are right or wrong, just right or wrong for me.

 

[cmad1977]

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.

Yeah.
When I was a new player my characters were all carbon copies of heroes from books. It’s the same thing.

 

[5ekyu]

So... I’m similar. Sitting down to watch people play D&D? Nope. However I fired up the CR podcasts out of curiosity and kinda enjoy those while I’m driving or doing errands. In podcast form I found two things I enjoy about them.
1) it’s kinda like a radio play. And the players are fairly funny people.
2) it’s kind of like ‘watching the tape’ when you’re on a sports team. I get to hear someone handle different situations and think about wether they did it ‘right’ or how I would do it differently.

But mostly It helps distract me from chores.

I agree and have described it as reminding me of the olde school radio plays. It's a strange medium- story voiced with props plus gsme mechanics and acting- all around.

But as someone who not infrequently **sees** movie sequences and maps gsme mechanics onto them, this "radio play with rolls and stats" seems perfectly natural to me.

It's not gonna be yo everyone liking, anymore than a golfing one-on-one PPV would be or a musical- but it foes strike me how many of the "cant understand how anyone likes it" comments on the various nets etc remind me of older days reactions to RPGs and their players before nerdy became cool.

But, again, this "you game is not like..," is an old problem, not a new one.

90k+ watched live the debut of season 2 CR on twitch alone - no idea about the other platforms and YouTube posts later. That's cool in my book.

CR added new faces to my table - so that's great. Since I GMed my first campaign before Matt Mercer was conceived, I sin't sweating it either as like everything else- I can learn and steal from him too to give better game.

 

[Jester David]

Seeing actors whose work you enjoy playing D&D is a significant part of the appeal for some people. That’s what got me to check it out. I knew of many of the cast through their voice acting work, but I didn’t know anything about them as people, they were just names and faces behind characters I liked. I thought it would be cool to get a glimpse of how the people those names and faces belong to spend their free time, especially since D&D is an interest I evidently have in common with them. I was delighted to find out that Lust and Mustang are married and play D&D with Mephisto, Ellie, and McCree, and wanted to see what such a game would look like. (I didn’t really know Liam since he doesn’t do many lead roles, or Talisen or Marisha cause they aren’t in as much that I’m familiar with, but now I recognize Liam all over the place, and I enjoy Marisha and Talisen both a lot on the show).

I mean, the vocal talent is a big part of the appeal too, but don’t underestimate the draw of celebrity.

I’m the exact opposite. I didn’t know or care about any of them.
But know I do know them and adore them, I look for them in the credits of shows I watch or games I play.

 

[robus]

2) it’s kind of like ‘watching the tape’ when you’re on a sports team. I get to hear someone handle different situations and think about wether they did it ‘right’ or how I would do it differently.

I find this to be thoroughly valuable. Matt is constantly dealing with interesting developments and how he navigates them is very educational.

That and how he describes things are the two big benefits I get out of CR. The hilarity is gravy.

 

[CydKnight]

You don't "beat the Matt Mercer effect". Nowadays, with Critical Role as popular as it is, if you are running a game with new players, you pretty much need to survey them in advance to find out if they really expect the game to go the way of the show. They need to be made to understand that every DM and every game is different. That every player has a role in telling this cumulative story as well so they are likely not to get out of it what they expect if they are simply mimicking what they saw on a webcast. If after receiving that type of explanation they are still insistent that they play Matt Mercer's Critical Role, then perhaps your table is not for them. I don't like turning players away from my table. It is the absolute last resort in all cases but it may be better for all involved not to go down a road expecting something that can't be delivered.