Critical Role Why Critical Role is so successful...

[Wishbone]

I would note that they played Pathfinder pre-stream (sans the initial Birthday one-shot which was 4e) and also it seems to me like Sam knows what his class/race allows but often purposefully avoids certain things, he notably has said the Halfling luck "seems dumb" on a few occasions

I don't remember exactly when he said that, but it could always be Sam razzing Liam over always using the Luck feat in Campaign 1 much to Matt's chagrin.

 

[jgsugden]

...
I honestly think it's disrespectful for a player to fumble the rules that much. I totally understand being new to the game, and that everyone forgets now and then, but if you haven't figured out the basics of your class by month 6 then you're making the entire table wait on you while you flounder.

Yeah - I've played 20 level campaigns with people that always asked how to roll initiative. The rules just don't lock down for some people.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

Anyway, I recently watched this YouTube video that makes the interesting, and entirely reasonable, claim that the exploration pillar is really the foundation of the game and the other two pillars (combat & social interaction) play supporting roles, and after watching the latest episode of Critical Role it got me thinking... Yes, Matt Mercer is a fantastic DM & voice actor; yes, the PC players imbue their characters with interesting motivations and role play. But I think the root of their success is Matt’s talent for dangling so many enticing invitations to exploration in front of his players and, as a side effect, their audience.

Thanks for posting this @robus. The video by Zipperon Disney is great food for thought on how DMs of all levels of experience can benefit from stepping back and revisiting the basic play cycle. @Charlaquin's prescience has proven accurate, though:

I think your thread tile here is doing you a disservice, because the conversation is going to end up being about Critical Role itself, the alleged “Matt Mercer effect,” personal DMing style preferences, etc. when the real meaty subject matter here is the exploration pillar and a better framework for how to think about it.

 

[Khelon Testudo]

One tip I picked up from a how-to-write book: if you add a distinctive odour to each description, eg: "The caves smell of ancient stonework" or "the tunnel smells of rotting flesh" or "you can smell fish frying and spilled beer in the tavern", your players will remember the place far better.

 

[Charlaquin]

One tip I picked up from a how-to-write book: if you add a distinctive odour to each description, eg: "The caves smell of ancient stonework" or "the tunnel smells of rotting flesh" or "you can smell fish frying and spilled beer in the tavern", your players will remember the place far better.

That’s a cool tip. Might try that out.

 

[robus]

One tip I picked up from a how-to-write book: if you add a distinctive odour to each description, eg: "The caves smell of ancient stonework" or "the tunnel smells of rotting flesh" or "you can smell fish frying and spilled beer in the tavern", your players will remember the place far better.

Great stuff. This, too me, is what box text should focus on. What are the PCs sensing from the space they’re in. What are they seeing, hearing, smelling and perhaps extra-sensory on occasion.

 

[robus]

Thanks for posting this @robus. The video by Zipperon Disney is great food for thought on how DMs of all levels of experience can benefit from stepping back and revisiting the basic play cycle. @Charlaquin's prescience has proven accurate, though:

A CR reference is like playing with fire around here

 

[Seramus]

Yeah - I've played 20 level campaigns with people that always asked how to roll initiative. The rules just don't lock down for some people.

The great thing about playing with friends is that you get to spend time with friends. The downside is that most groups of friends only have one or two great players, and several who are mediocre. But there's nothing wrong with sitting down and having constructive criticism, offering player aids like spell cards, etc.

 

[robus]

I wrote this thread a couple of years back. My feelings haven't changed over this time.

The Closed Door

Thank for posting this, good stuff!

 

[CapnZapp]

Yeah - I've played 20 level campaigns with people that always asked how to roll initiative. The rules just don't lock down for some people.

Tell that to @Celtavian and others who remain unconvinced an extremely rules- and math-heavy game such as Pathfinder 2 isn't for everybody, and certainly not for the average 5E gamer...