Critical Role Professor DM interviews Critical Role Cast

[Clint_L]

Based on the interview, we know he DOES often have some prepped encounters and terrain builds that don't make it into the game because the game heads in a different direction. That said, I'm sure some game sessions are more predictable than others and can support more reliable prep and that means less wasted prep work and the potential for more elaborate scenery.

We also know that sometimes he and his team rush to build a set during the break, which is one of the reasons that they often break right before a big combat encounter. On a few occasions he has described frantically pulling something together, and in other interviews he has shown the extensive terrain and miniature collection that they have on site, and even how he organizes the terrain.

Edit: as someone who also enjoys building elaborate sets for my home games, here's my process:

1. I consider the most likely outcomes based on where the party got to in the last game. Sometimes, this makes prep easy: we broke off right before the big battle (usually because it was late and combat takes awhile), so I am almost 100% certain that we will need X set.
2. The party has entered a fairly confined environment - a dungeon-type scenario. Then, I just prep the key locations, and they are very likely to get used.
3. Other times, the party have some significant choices to make, so now I will prep some different options. Frequently, I will prep three different sets and only one or none gets used - this happened just a few days ago. C'est la vie. I keep the sets around for a few sessions in case the party goes back to those plot threads, and then I recycle them when it is clear they have moved on.
4. Something totally unexpected happens and now it is theatre of the mind!

 

[Neonchameleon]

Great example. I remember when everyone terrified of the Monty Haul campaign as if it were the worst thing that could ever possibly happen, and I think even with the game at the time, it was largely a made-up problem.

Monty Haul is specifically a problem in what is now called Westmarches style play - when there are multiple DMs and the same characters are taken between different tables. Which meant that you could have at the table two ultra-rich characters and four poor ones.

 

[TiQuinn]

Monty Haul is specifically a problem in what is now called Westmarches style play - when there are multiple DMs and the same characters are taken between different tables. Which meant that you could have at the table two ultra-rich characters and four poor ones.

I can see that being an issue there.