![criticalrole_streamys[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/iIF1HVX.jpg "criticalrole_streamys[1].jpg")
Sup /tg/, what are your thoughts on Critical Role?
I recently went on a binge that ended up making me find a group to play D&D with my buddies from work.
I'm curious as to what /tg/ thinks of it.
I'm currently watching through it with my girlfriend. We both really love it. She doesn't have much experience in tabletop games, so she gets to see D&D played in a natural setting. Matt Mercer isn't the greatest DM, but he knows his audience (the players) well, and he's a great voice actor.
I secretly wish for a game like Critical Role but with all the jokes and goofiness stripped away. I guess I'll just wait for Game of Thrones.
>>45830452
What is wrong with Mercer?
genuinely curious since I'll be DM'ing for the first time.
>>45830511
He's a pretty good DM actually. He does a lot of prep work to make sure his players can go anywhere they want.
The common criticism you may hear is that he railroads a little too much because it seems like his players always go where he wants them to go. However it's really more just that they realise that being in front of an audience means they shouldn't spend too much time on useless stuff like arguing about where to go next and so usually just accept Matt's first suggestion and go there.
>>45831128
Oh, I get it, I have that feeling too, but it seems being a show really changed the group dynamic, like forcing a fight every episode
>>45831883
Hey now. I get at least 1 in every 5 hour session...
It's not always right away. Sometimes it's at the end....
Shit.
>>45831933
Yeah, but 5hrs is enough, they force it into 3, with 7 players. It seems Orion left because he couldn't roleplay his character anymore.
>>45832063
the stories vary on Orion. The official story is that he left to work on his stuff and he just didn't have time for the show anymore.
Honestly I think he got the boot for being the spergiest guy there. He would steal other players thunder, argue about spells and rules, and make jokes that made other players uncomfortable.
Tiberious was a great character and added another dimension to the party, but his player was being That Guy a little too often
i'm genuinely surprised at how much i'm enjoying a fucking Geek & Sundry show.
best part about it is that the VAs seem to actually enjoy it, which makes the interactions and encounters that much more enjoyable to watch.
>>45832128
I think the other guys were assholes to him. Liam got to do anything he wanted, Travis got a lot of time to himself at the crucible episodes, almost everyone had their storylines progress except Orion.
Everytime he tried to do anything people would roll eyes and act like he was being an annoying shit.
>>45829884
Me and a couple friends get together and watch and play drinking games. Since we haven't been able to get a real game going for ourselves in awhile Critical Role has been helping to scratch that itch.
People complain about Mercer as a DM, but I'm guessing he's still FAR better than the average fa/tg/uy. The seams are starting to show because of the linear nature of the game, but that's just the reality of planning a game of D&D that's meant to be played in front of an audience. The players metagame a bit to that end as well, usually not poking holes or opening doors they shouldn't. I'd be interested to see just one of their original games before they started broadcasting it.
Much of the lethality of the game is also gone. The crew plays up the reactions, but at this point nobody is going to die without it being a heroic/important moment in the game.
Criticisms aside, it's the best game of D&D being broadcasted, and it's actually GREAT for making tabletop gaming look good to the average person.
>>45832128
Also, they all make lewd jokes at each other one point or another.
>>45832225
he was annoying as shit.
you see that Q&A he did where he addressed it? He's obnoxious.
>>45832225
>>45832267
You're both right, but it seems like the group didn't know orion as well. The dynamic just wasn't there, so a joke that Travis or Sam might get away with doesn't work for Orion. Maybe he just didn't have the charisma to pull it off.
Also, the solo character arcs starting picking up not long before Orion left. I think he was on the list somewhere, he just wasn't first or second. We still haven't gotten a Vex arc if I remember correctly.
>>45832263
Yeah, it's pretty clear nobody is going to die because of bad rolls, and just their cheer numbers guarantee that they will take on pretty much anything that Matt throws at them, specially since they usually don't fight many enemies at once. I wish it was still like the underdark episodes, where they actually tried to come up with plans to get some advantage on villains, I sometimes get bored and space out during fights.
>>45832263
You can catch a few snippets of their original games on youtube and stuff and it does seem to be a bit more of a normal game with a bunch of jokes and stupid shit. Does seem that Matts always been one of those DMs who plan and set up set pieces though like the discovery of the magic carpet.
>>45832352
From the way they told the story the Magic carpet seemed like an asspull to avoid a TPK
>>45832347
A character dying would be huge.
Theres just so much fan art, character shipping, merchandise, fanfics, etc. with the characters names emblazoned on it. You can't just throw that away anymore.
Mercer really has a tough job now. I can only imagine trying to make something on a weekly basis to entertain 15,000 people
>>45832347
>>45832456
Mercer actually talked about this, if one of them died (which sounds like it'll be damn near impossible because Mercer is generous on rolls) they'd reroll and enter into the story in a different way.
>>45832398
Yea exactly. He seems to be a DM that doesn't like killing his players/only outs his players in life threatening situations when he knows how to make them survive.
>>45832323
Didn't see the q&a, but it seems like people acted like he was obnoxious more than he was actually being obnoxious, maybe because they just didn't like him, as >>45832344 put it
God I wish trinket died. I know it won't happen but I really want that fucking bear dead.
>>45832600
easy Sam
>>45832475
He's definitely said that in the case that a player dies they would just roll up a new character. He's also said (and stands by) his not fudging rolls or pulling punches. They like to cite the example of Pike dying as proof.
I think this is just to maintain the idea that the world is still dangerous. The sheer amount of spells, potions, magic items, etc. at the party's disposal means a character death is already unlikely, but if they DO die they'll just run the body over to church of whatever and get them revived. Such is the nature of a high magic world after all.
>>45832128
Apparently, he was also fudging his die rolls to the point where others were all double checking him.
>>45832600
That might be an easy string to pull for Vex's character arc.
It would also be a way to kill a "party member" without taking away one of the groups special snowflakes
Personally I want keylith to die. Whenever she says anything I can't help but cringe
>>45832640
Pike died before the stream though, I think a lot has changed, it feels very episodic now.
>>45832688
>killing Marisha Ray
deplorable
>>45832696
Absolutely. I've been saying throughout the thread that they're definitely playing more for the audience and it makes the game a little too linear. The problem is that stuff starts to seem a bit artificial and loses some of that charm that makes D&D so special.
shit, I'm still watchin though
>>45832733
She's the party "moral compass" of whatever. Really she just has to interrupt the flow of the game because its time for SAD EMOTIONS. She's just a party pooper, really. Also her backstory is literally Avatar: the last airbender. Absolutely disgusting.
Meanwhile, Scanlan is the literal party pooper
>>45832688
I think Marisha and keyleth are the worst things of the stream, she is just plain boring, also, anyone thinks she's kinda handsy? Like always grabbing the guys, and the guys always grabbing her, usually Orion and Taliesin. She just seems kinda slutty, like the kind of girl a mess to date, which is funny since she is Matt's girlfriend.
>>45832801
I noticed the handsy stuff too. God forbid you have issues with your personal space. I guess she's attractive enough to get away with it. Just don't let her open her mouth
>>45832795
The episode with Scanlans daughter was fantastic. Always great when the comedic reflief gets a serious moment.
>>45832801
Yea and her little incident with wind walk was just terrible.
>>45832801
>>45832845
Nah, I think they're all just good friends.
And besides, they're actors. Theater kids are always super touchy and shit.
Grog is best character.
>>45832801
being handsy don't mean you're a hoe especially around friends.
that being said Keyleth is just an annoying character altogether. Marisha seems nice enough though, apart from the fact that she reminds me of your stoner friends girlfriend who somehow manages to be a bigger stoner than your fucking friend.
>>45832911
I agree with everything you said, especially the stoner girlfriend part.
Holy shit. I'm having some serious flashbacks right now.
>>45832872
Scanlan's daughter completely caught me off guard, which is funny considering how common of a storytelling trope it is. I really enjoyed that entire sequence though. We got to see a bit more of Scanlan past the guy that just chimes in with a joke or a song occasionally.
Also: >marisha in charge of reading spells
>>45832640
Vex did nearly get fingerbanged to death by Lady Briarwood, twice. She just rolled well on her saves. And I believe Matt said that even when Pike died, the group had to do a few skill challenges to try and save her. So it's not like they'd just roll up into some place and pay a fee to get their character back.
so, do you guys think the party is going to find the eye and hand of Vecna?
my money is on percy using them
>>45832961
I wish we could see their rolls, and their full character sheet. I always get the feeling they are fudging shit, and "forgetting" to write down stuff like money spent. Seems like every session Matt has to teach them what to multiply on a crit.
>>45833013
I'm fairly certai they keep good track of their money seeing as how Laura is so hawkish with their shopping.
>>45833011
For sure, Matt is really generous with his magic stuff, he will certainly give them the hand and eye, plus, they need a bigger purpose after the horn of orcus. Though I wish they went after the second horn.
>>45833011
I was kinda hoping somebody would use the Horn when they were about to get wrecked by the mind flayers, kind of a miracle they all made it out of there with no deaths.
Percy/Taliesen seems like the kinda guy I'd want to play with. They all have their own constructed character arcs, but he seems to run with it the best.
Grog and Craven Edge are OTP, though.
>>45833013
I think its absurd that they still don't know the basics of the game after playing on the regular for ~3 years.
>>45833013
In fairness, most of their 'forgotten' things are from before the stream, or specifically in Grog's possession.Unrelated: Kashaw is cringey as hell, Zahra is babe of the year[/spoilier]
>>45833058
I've been shipping grog and craven edge since that christmas episode.
Truly the greatest love story ever told
>>45833058
I like taliesin, but he was really odd during his arc, he seems like a stay behind kind of guy, and didn't seem to deal well with being put in the spotlight.
There were many moments they were just waiting for him to say something and take charge and he would just stand there with his mouth open.
>>45833066
They've been running it in 5e for one year. Before that they were playing pathfinder.
>>45833066
Admittedly they (relatlively) recently switched to 5E after Pathfinder, which I imagined was houseruled to high hell.
Plus they only play at best once a week, while being extremely busy with work, conventions, and other G&S stuff outside of the game.
I DM'd for a group of fairly intelligent people (I was the only one that didn't have at least a master's) with decent positions in their fields, and I still had to reteach them most of the basics every few session. People forget shit when they're busy and can only remember so much.It's still irritating as fuck, though
>>45833081
I was really hoping zahra would be a recurring member of the group. For being a first time player in that environment she really killed it
>>45833113
>>45833081
Am I the only one here that fucking hated zahra?
>>45833110
you're right, I had forgotten about the switch from PF. Still, you'd think that if you're going to be playing in front of a massive audience you'd want to nail that shit down.
As the forever DM of my group I know the struggle of being the only one who knows the system best. It's kind of nice though because most of the time the group doesn't know enough to challenge me on any of my calls
>>45833013
The thing is that Matt houserules a lot of things; for example at the beginning they were doing criticals like normal but now they just multiply what they roll by two and add modifier. Talesin's entire gunslinger sub-class is homebrewed. In one of the QAs Matt explained that resurrection in his game isn't just a spell; it's a spell that requires a pretty hard roll that the party can sacrifice items to lower the DC. They don't even use inspiration the way the 5E book says because Matt feels Scanlan covered handing out inspiration well enough to cover the group so now it's something different. Sure, you have some moments like Laura forgetting that Trinket's new armour gives him an AC of 20, but mostly what's happeneing is that this group of 7 people are playing a pathfinder game ported to 5E where the DM keeps changing the minutia because he's still trying to make the game 'feel' right.
>>45833138
Can't say no to the major's voice actress.
Kashaw was annoying, but ...Fuck I can't even remember Wil Wheaton's character. His sole entertainment factor was his sheer bad luck.
>>45833138
all the guest characters were awful in their own way.
>>45833217
Even the group didn't believe his bad luck and asked him to change dice, but since it was the end of the stream we didn't get a chance to see him roll a lot with another dice.
Knowing he makes his money from being an entertainer and his "bad luck" is his gimmick, I'm pretty fucking sure his dice are messed with.
>>45833333
oh dear
>>45833217
Wil Wheaton is awful period, he completely ruined the 2012 penny arcade game, which incidentally was his last, thankfully.
>>45833333
>>45833355
fuck wil wheaton
I refuse to watch the episodes he was in
>>45833408
This is where I am watching the series, and fuck me, I can't make it through his episodes.
Him and the other guest are such fucking edgelords, it's like watching 14-year-olds play.
>>45833408
The first ones aren't so bad, but after the acid pool he just gets more cringy with each episode, Never letting go of his lame ass jokes like his name is aeofel. plus he is loud as fuck and tries to shout something into being funny.
Here's my thoughts:
1. It sets up unrealistic expectations on the part of new people joining the hobby who will only assume all games run like professional set-ups with paid actors.
2. The community it brings into the hobby is the most insufferable, hug-box needing group of SJW scum that are dragging everything about the hobby through the dirt.
3. It's pretty much all downhill now. There are no veterans anymore, just perpetual new people who will never get better or more intelligent. Handholding, spoonfeeding, and "Pls no bully" is what we have to look forwards to.
/tg/ is already mostly in the grips of this too.
>>45833408
Oh you meant critical role episodes, yeah he sucks at these, but them hunting a rakshasa was a cool idea
>>45832263
>The crew plays up the reactions, but at this point nobody is going to die without it being a heroic/important moment in the game.
This is the weirdest thing. Like, you have people who have, ostensibly, been playing together for 3 years now. They've been in hundreds of combats, they've rolled thousands of dice. And yet somehow even the act of doing 10 damage to an enemy, or rolling above a 15 has them all leaping out of their seats and screaming.
This isn't how anyone acts. No one who has ever played D&D acts like that. No one is leaning on the edge of their seat enthralled in the middle of a fight with mooks.
>>45833635
what can you say? they're actors with an audience. If you were to watch a regular game of D&D it would be slow and boring.
>you leap into the air and cut deap into the dragon's wing as it takes to the air. It falls with a crash to the floor of the cavern, taking 58 points of damage
>huh, cool
Nobody wants to watch that. People want to feel a sense of danger and excitement, and the players playing up their reactions and yelling every time Matt says "how do you want to do this" is the only way to properly convey that to an audience. Like it or not, it makes things interesting, and you can't help but share in some of the fun.
>>45833940
I'm not arguing against anything you're saying. I'm just wondering why people too stupid to understand that they're watching paid actors, not actual people playing actual D&D.
>>45833138
I really enjoyed her, but that's probably because I have a crush on McGlynn.
>>45833582
>1. It sets up unrealistic expectations on the part of new people joining the hobby who will only assume all games run like professional set-ups with paid actors.
The type of person who thinks that thats what an average game of D&D looks like probably also believes the moon landing was a hoax and never finished high school.
If anything, it sets a good example of what D&D SHOULD look like. The game might be linear and of course not everyone is going to be actor-level RPing, but they actually get into character and interact with each other. I've played in so many games that are just glorified combat simulators because nerds are too afraid to pretend to be an elf for a couple hours.
>>45833989
It's hard to say what the majority of the viewer base believes.
I think it's just more fun to believe that these professional actors just happen to get together every week to play a game because they're really in love with it. The sober reality is that some of that experience is going to be artificial, but forgetting about it for a few hours every thursday suits me just fine
>>45834034
>If anything, it sets a good example of what D&D SHOULD look like.
Yeah, and Loomis sets up a good example of what proper figure drawing SHOULD look like. And yet the vast majority of people that ever pick up a pencil expect it to be easy, and when things don't turn out like the polished, professional example they were shown, they get angry at the people around them for not making it happen.
Thousands of people watch Critical Role and start playing RPGs. None of them put the effort in, they just get angry when every DM isn't "Just like Matt", and when every session isn't made of them and their best friends cheering for Nat 20s.
>>45832801
>light hands pats from Talked in
>friendly hugs between Orion and Marisha
"GOD THEY'RE ALL SO HANDSY AREN'T THEY?"
>>45832911
I'm hoping when the day comes for a new campaign and new characters she makes a less annoying one
>>45834071
So in the end, it becomes a meta-fantasy where we as the audience have to believe that the players truly believe they are roleplaying
>>45834077
you're not wrong, but I just can't see the hobby getting shittier because of more normalfags showing up. If the player sucks and has unreasonable expectations then you tell them to fuck off or get used to it.
The hobby already has an entirely different set of shitlords making things awful, so really this isn't anything new.
If crit role can convince some of my normal friends to come hang out and throw some dice with me for awhile then I'm okay with it.
>>45834087
This is basically the 4chan mindset
Everyone here is just looking for the tiniest little things to shit on someone for.
Nothing is allowed to be good ever.
>>45833211
Its almost like he's DMing a game or something
>>45834132
>but I just can't see the hobby getting shittier because of more normalfags showing up.
I cannot imagine why this is the party line here on /tg/. You don't really believe it. It's never, ever been true in the history of any hobby ever.
>If the player sucks and has unreasonable expectations then you tell them to fuck off or get used to it.
Except that with the new players comes the need to change the culture to coddle them. They're new, remember? We can't act any way that would cause them to be scared off or leave the hobby, right? This IS a hugbox, isn't it?
>If crit role can convince some of my normal friends to come hang out and throw some dice with me for awhile then I'm okay with it.
If you couldn't do that yourself, then the hobby was better off without them.
If it really takes the "Look at these attractive, normal people who are playing this nerd game! Now you don't have to feel weird associating with neckneards and losers, because things are hip now! Real, attractive, normal people do this stuff! It's a safe space!" to get people to consider trying RPGs, then everything is better without those people.
Allow me to vouch for Mercer's ability as a GM. He had the entire backstory of his world memorized and was able to recite it without error. His players were even waiting for him to look down at his notes, and he was able to completely recite it.
>>45833066
it's actually pretty understandable for them to get confused considering that most of the campaign so far has been in pathfinder
>>45834208
>He had the entire backstory of his world memorized and was able to recite it without error.
Holy shit what is wrong with you.
Dude, it's not hard to know what NPCs are going to come up in a given session. Most DMs do this all the damned time. It's not amazing, or complex, or miraculous. It's just called basic prep-work.
>>45834208
It helps when you're the one who wrote it. I can recall pretty much all of my campaign's history, characters and sessions
>>45834211
The bad thing is that Matt has to remind them of their abilities and bonuses instead of just letting them suffer because they can't keep track of their own sheets. He has to make sure they're fighting at their fullest otherwise it doesn't seem as exciting. I stopped reminding my Rogue of her sneak attack bonuses after the 5th session.
>>45834211
If you've been playing 5E for a year, you think it would be acceptable for you to not know the system?
>>45834197
>disillusioning lots of people to the idea that only neckbeards and losers play tabletop is a bad thing
I want the grognards to leave.
>>45834266
You may want to get a ladder next time you're trying to catch a point, they seem to be going over your head.
It's not about changing people's perceptions of what types of people play RPGs. The problem stems from the fact that there are apparently huge swathes of people who will ONLY play RPGs if their perception of what the majority of players look like is altered, along with how those people behave amongst themselves, and make them feel welcome and loved.
Those people are not a healthy audience. They're the kind who will hostily take over a hobby they actually have no interest in, specifically to change the perceptions of it, and then once all the people supporting the hobby have been driven off, they'll just realize they never had any interest in the first place and move on to something new.
>>45834252
Thing is, Matt is definitely the ForeverDM type, who, while lucking out and gathering a shit ton of people who have an absolute love and natural talent for acting, in-character shenanigans, and story narrative altogether, at the end of the day they are all absolutely casuals to the fullest. Matt actually has a love for the hobby and it really shows in his ability to dungeon master and the effort he puts in, and everyone else loves playing. But I couldn't possibly see anyone other than Matt picking up a video game or something and doing anything other than easy mode, if you catch my meaning.
>>45834258
Yes, it's completely acceptable for adults with things to do the other 6 days of the week to not remember every single rule of a heavily houseruled game by heart.
But then again, I'm not a grognard.
>>45834344
Is that the excuse you use for never having learned to read a clock or get your email?
>>45834339
Not to start a shitstorm or anything, but isn't that the same exact argument against bronies?
>>45834342
Well Talesin and Liam seem to be pretty focused but if I recall they were actually the ones to introduce Matt to the game.
>>45834361
Against bronies what? I don't know anything about bronies aside from the fact that all of them, regardless of age or gender, are a blight on humanity.
>>45834339
holy shit, you had a tough time in high school didn't you?
>>45834339
>Those people are not a healthy audience. They're the kind who will hostily take over a hobby they actually have no interest in, specifically to change the perceptions of it, and then once all the people supporting the hobby have been driven off, they'll just realize they never had any interest in the first place and move on to something new.
This is an argument I've seen for years for any number of hobbies, and it's always full of crap. Normal people getting interested in your hobby won't kill it, you shrieking manchild.
>>45834365
Matt, Talesin, and Liam were basically the only ones who had ever played RPGs. Everyone else started with the first session they all played together.
The thing is, apparently they never moved out of this "Omg this is the first time I'm playing what do I do?!" headspace.
>>45834339
>muh casuals
>>45834382
And yet, video games.
Oh wait,
>Ur just salty theres literally nothing wrong with the game industry its more progressive now its better
>>45834339
>Those people are not a healthy audience. They're the kind who will hostily take over a hobby they actually have no interest in, specifically to change the perceptions of it, and then once all the people supporting the hobby have been driven off, they'll just realize they never had any interest in the first place and move on to something new.
This argument doesn't hold up to TTRPGs really. It can apply to video games, books, tv shows, even music where the loud minority shifts the creators attention to something shitty because the loud minority are the only ones who say out loud what they want and what they want is shitty.
But this is a TTRPG, the DM is the content creator. If you don't want to play a game for casuals then don't make it one.
Why would I watch someone else play D&D when I can just play an RPG?
>>45834402
But there is literally nothing wrong with the game industry.
It's the consumers who keep supporting shitty companies that are the problem.
There are plenty of solid companies who seem ethical enough (especially thanks to the indie renaissance) but people insist on continuing to support shit like EA and Riot.
>>45834344
There's playing a few times every summer and there's playing every week for over 2 years. At some point it becomes silly that you haven't read the rules for the simplest iteration of D&D, especially when you're doing it in front of thousands of people. Just write notes on your character sheet ffs
>>45834402
Video games are more popular and better than before. I know you're probably from /v/ and have a skewed perception due to having your head up your ass, but having a larger audience doesn't kill a hobby. The only people who think this way are a cancerous niche that will retreat to some dark corner where they play Jagged Alliance 2 with racist slavic men for 300+ hours or run an OSR campaign in a smelly basement.
>>45834427
I find it a nice thing to have in the background, also as someone who loves doing voices in their DM work, watching the pros do their thing is a real treat. Matt's Black Powder merchant improv was inspiring.
>>45834467
>Video games are more popular and better than before.
Fallout 4
Farcry Primal
The Division
Assassin's Creed #100
Yeah. Better than ever.
>>45834494
All of those are pretty gun games anon (excluding Divsion since it isn't out). Sorry that you're a hipster loser.
>>45834467
>Yeah! Fuckin grognard neckbeards. Take your racist, sexist, problematic OSR games and stay in your basements. We'll be out here playing, inclusive, progressive 5E games because that's hip and attractive people play it!
>>45834473
It wasn't just the voice though, his expression and mannerisms shifted as well. That's what it takes to make characters your players will want to remember and protect. I just can't see someone going murder hobo in one of matts games
>>45834532
>racist, sexist
Did I mention either of those things? Seems to me like you're just make shitty, fallacious arguments and associating me with groups you don't like because you can't actually come up with a reasonable argument as to why a hobby being inclusive is a bad thing.
>>45834523
8/10. You'd troll /v/ pretty well.
>>45834553
>you can't actually come up with a reasonable argument as to why a hobby being inclusive is a bad thing.
I'm gonna guess in your games black people get "reparation bonuses" and trannies get free XP?
>>45834552
Yea I've always used some body language but its mainly just to facilitate the voice (like trying to open my chest for resonance or shifting my jaw for a speech impediment) but never that far. I've been doing it since and wow what a difference it makes.
>>45834552
>That's what it takes to make characters your players will want to remember and protect.
I'm fucking amazed people in this thread aren't saying how "doing character voices breaks their immersion". I've seen /tg/ actually advocate for DMs not doing voices for exactly that reason. And not one person either, a whole thread of them.
I will agree with a lot of posters so far about the fucking druid.
I could sort of overlook Marisha's depiction of Keyleth as some ridiculous, ditzy, over-critical downer for a while because it sort of fit their character background.
But holy shit. She just does not. Let. Up.
Fucking hell, barely a session goes by without her redundant moralising now.
[/spoiler]I came into this thread, just to read the train of posts that lead to this glorious amount of butthurt.
As a citizen of the board, I find it my civic duty to keep it going as long as possible.[/spoiler]
>>45834564
And I bet you're one of those faggots that thinks white washing everything improves the quality of everything. Enjoy Gods of Egypt you fucking Amerifag.
>>45834622
>As a citizen of the board
>Doesn't know how to spoilerFuck off.
>>45834622
That was the worst shitpost I've ever seen.
>>45832263
The lack of lethality is just a thing about high level DND which has always been true.
>>45834590
I dunno anon I have a pretty hard time remembering voices, it can get pretty tricky.
>>45834830
Do you have a hard time remembering how to drive, too?
>>45834614
I think it's because of the fact that she's so fucking desperate to have cool moments like everyone else and forcing them instead of letting them come naturally
>>45834830
If you can remember pages of backstory and lore along with double that of rules, you can shit out a couple voices here and there
>>45834554
/v/ has shit taste anyway.
>>45834887
Mindlessly insisting every AAA game is "lol fun" because you're a contrarian faggot is having good taste, huh?
>>45834590
It only breaks immersion when your DM is shit at voices. These guys are professional voice actors, they know how to do a character voice.
>>45832165
Most GnS shows are enjoyable when you view them for what they are, the entertainment equivalent of shwarma
>>45834968
Any attempt at roleplaying is 100% improvement over not attempt at all.
>>45833011
I'm hoping instead of those, they go after thehead of vecna
>>45834976
I'm replying to you, because....well, the other post is 2 hours old.
But I'm pretty sure Vecna is, much like Orcus, just a lore thing Matt name-dropped because it told the episodic story he needed at the time, and has since been forgotten about by the campaign world.
>>45834975
You've never heard my DM try to do a Russian or Irish accent then.And I say that meaning I honestly can't tell if he's trying to do a Russian or an Irish accent. Sometimes it seems to be South African
>>45835000
No, but I have heard my players, one of who is trying to do a sorta-Russian, sorta-Norse accent for his Iriseni witch. Is it good? Fuck no. But it's better than him not doing it, because it shows he's actually making the effort to be in character.
I'm still trying to break that hurdle that everyone stumbles on where they understand that they suck, and it keeps them from committing 100% to the voice and pushing through it.
Once you stop being self-conscious and commit, it becomes infinitely more believable and better for everyone involved.
>>45832911
She is a slut. I bet she evenhold hands withthe other players on a regular basis
>>45834973
Something most people only are aware of because of the Avengers?
>>45834993
The dragons are their next thing to deal with, finish up the personal side quests, then Vecna is the level 18-20 end game.
>>45835109
I assume you don't live in a major city. Having grown up in and around New York City, schwarma is pretty common. Very few people ever actually eat it, but then again very few people eat from falaffel carts too.
>>45835133
If you have to introduce 3 completely different campaign-level BBEGs, all completely independent from each other and all with only minor side-plots, it's a sign you probably have no idea how to write a story.
I kind of hate that Matt is so alright with bland, episodic, non-consequence plot threads that lead nowhere. He, of all people, should understand the concept of not being alright with "good enough".
>>45835142
Anon, it was brought up in Avenges specifically because it was New York, the average american doesn't even know what it is now, let alone before hearing the word in the movie.I live in Ohio, and have never seen/heard of it in Cincinnati, Cleveland, or Columbus
>>45835198
>Cincinnati, Cleveland, or Columbus
I said major city, not farm town.
>>45835209
I got sports teams out the ass!I travel within the state for work, so those are as big as my experience, outside of vacations, goes.
>>45834590
I'd advocate for only doing voices if you don't suck at them.
>>45835276
And I'd advocate for putting in the effort to not suck. Anything less, and really you're just not worth the time, now are you?
>>45835302
I'd say literally anything else in the game is more important than voices.
>>45835312
Making excuses for why you refuse to put in effort is not a good quality for a person to have. If you're not actively trying to improve as a DM, then you're a shit person and a shit DM.
>>45829884
Too many players for my tastes, and I can't stand the Hangouts quality of the videos. If it was a bit more polished (like the Wheaton ones) and with a couple of players less I'd be a fan.
Also, about the thread topic of "reeee normies taking up muh /tg/s".
Besides being a stupid stance in general, it's like you neckbeards forget the kind of investment that goes into playing an RPG. Even assuming that the 5e model of premade modules becomes somewhat the standard (and it isn't going to), even running a huge premade module takes a decent amount of time investment that a "casual" isn't just going to put in. It's not like Magic where you can just netdeck and show up at tournaments.
Besides, I've been gaming for 20 years and bringing "normies" into my games for the whole time. Obviously not everybody sticks, but how are you getting new players otherwise? Ads for neckbeards on Craigslist?
>>45835370
It's better to get good at one thing then move on than to try to improve everything at once. That's just a recipe for frustration over apparent lack of significant progress.
Why don't you http://vocaroo.com/ your voices to show us how it's done? Remember to talk normally, so we know you don't sound like a zombie normally.
>>45835472
>Remember to talk normally,
At first. FFS, me.
>>45835370
If your primary enjoyment in roleplaying is making silly voices then you're a fucking simpleton.
>>45835406
>it's like you neckbeards forget the kind of investment that goes into playing an RPG.
With 5E going the way of the rules-lite (at least, attempting to halfway through development) and all the million and a half "Lasers and Feelings" type one-page freeform systems popping up, RPGs are trending more and more towards a model where the investment is more and more minimal, so that people don't have to feel like they're investing all that effort of learning the complex rules of "nerd games".
>Even assuming that the 5e model of premade modules becomes somewhat the standard (and it isn't going to)
Modules have existed since AD&D. They've always been a thing. The only difference is that with 5E, WotC decided to spend their shit on making modules and adventure paths because Paizo is making so much money off them, rather than putting that development time into splatbooks.
>Besides, I've been gaming for 20 years and bringing "normies" into my games for the whole time.
And I'm sure you would tell us everything in your games is perfect and there's even fresh baked cookies at every session and it's never bad.
>but how are you getting new players otherwise?
...play with people who are already experienced players? Who aren't new, casual, and refuse to be involved unless the group has a certain level of photogenic-ness?
>>45835507
I'm the guy who was arguing with that guy, and even I know that's retarded.
>>45835507
Keep making excuses for not caring about the quality of your game.
>>45835523
>Modules have existed since AD&D. They've always been a thing.
Hell, even the huge level span modules series have been a thing since 1e. TAGDQ, Dragonlance, etc.
>>45835532
Keep not posting those voices mate.
>>45835063
In public? Disgusting.
>>45835063
Nah, mate. Best drunk food available in Gothenburg Old Town
"Does the feast know my character is a vegan?"
Fucking hell.
>>45835523
Ok, first of all, games like "lasers and feelings" are circulating only on websites such as this, and if you hand out one of those to a "normie" with no prior exposure to RPGs he's not going to know what to do with it.
Also, rules-light games (and, as you said, modules) have been a thing since forever, but no one cried casualfag invasion before.
>And I'm sure you would tell us everything in your games is perfect and there's even fresh baked cookies at every session and it's never bad.
As I said, not every new player sticks. And it's not like experienced players can't be bad, see all the That Guy threads floating around.
You seem also very insecure about your physical appearance. Why does it matter to you?
>>45835507
>wahhhh stop having fun in ways i don't like
>>45834968
It breaks my immersion to hear awkward nerds living in their mother's basement pretend to be an elf too, Anon. Yet here we are.
As >>45835039 said, it's a 100% improvement over remaining an awkward nerd and not giving it an honest, earnest shot.
Is this as bad as Ashes?
Anyhow the problem with these shows always seems to be that they are playing some weird version of roleplaying games where everything is predestined and no one can ultimately fail. The players don't drive the plot - they just fill some dead air in between plot beats. The dice are there to give the illusion of suspense. A narrativist game would be a far better fit for the format because they are already playing in a narrativist way.
>>45834639
You what? high level D&D is rocket launcher tag. Second edition Lolth had 55 Hit Points. Same for ye average level 15 Lord. Two castings of Chain Lightning can wipe just about anything in the game.
>>45835472
>Why don't you http://vocaroo.com/ your voices to show us how it's done?
You do not seem to be aware that the crux of his point is that any voice is better than just speaking in your normal voice because you're too self conscious to put yourself into your character.
Laughing at his voice because you'll undoubtedly consider it "bad" to support your point that you shouldn't bother doing voices because you're afraid you and others will be "bad" at them ignores this point entirely.
>>45835821
>I'm too self conscious to put my voices on the net to let other people tell me what I need to work on.
>>45835846
>The point
>Your head
>>45835846
>I am a retarded child incapable of basic logic and argumentation skills
>>45833094
I feel like that would work well in actual acting, to be fair
>ITT: Cynically overexaggearting aspects of the show and claiming 'paid actors' when it's literally a charity
>>45836244
You forgot
>arguing about voices
>>45836244
>implying giving part of the money collected charity precludes them from profitting from it
>>45836244
The donations go to charity. The players get paid, considering Geek & Sundry has 15000 people paying $5.99 a month to support them.
>>45836411
<$30k a month divided amongst the entirety of Geek and Sundry
Damn shame they don't just do it for free.
Since this seems to be the place to bitch about gaming podcasts:
Are there any GOOD podcasts that do full campaigns (not just fucking one-shots) of games OTHER THAN D&D/PF?
>>45836859
Itmejp does a bunch of different games. They're doing a Shadowrun game right now.
>>45838283
Shadowrun's over as of recently
>>45829884
Why do they dress up like that?
>>45834851
I didnt know that was a fact.
>>45835209
>thinking cincinnati, cleveland and columbus are farm towns
top kek m8
>>45834087
Nah, pay closer attention, sometimes Orion and taliesin grab her by the waist, and she rests her head on their shoulders and stuff, Orion was specially handsy
>>45834197
What about comics? Go to /co/ and ask for examples of shitty sjws being inserted into comics, like squirrel girl.
>>45840038
They don't actually play the game like that, they just do it for promotional stuff.
>>45835000
Your DM just sucks then. Mine does voices for every single NPC, full of different accents and personalities. Not a single one is groan worthy.
>>45840928
Yes, that is an example of a medium being taken over by miserable human scum who want to change it into their image of what it should be, and then not actually supporting that industry while driving off the people that did.
>>45836464
The total is 90k anon
>>45841779
I think Twitch takes $2 out of the $5 subscription.
Even still, from donations (G&S had all their multiple $4000+ cameras, computers, and other tech donated by sponsoring companies) and the sub money, they're making pretty solid cash.
>>45836859
There is the glass cannon podcast, I have only listened to one, seemed okay.
But its audio only
>>45836859
Sorry, the glass cannon is d&d, didn't pay attention to your post
>>45841913
Yeah, they get a lot of stuff for free, they even do special episodes just to open gifts.
>>45841971
Oh, I wasn't even talking about viewer gifts, I was talking about stuff that they actually use to run their channel.
I mean, in one night, Matt opened two gifts of the same $400 dragon figure. Though to be fair, most of those gifts are just handmade junk, shitty artwork, and other waste-of-time crap.
>>45842423
Yeah, sometimes I feel awkward just watching them open those crappy things knowing it would be terrible for them to keep them and knowing the person who made them will have their heart broken when they don't see it on set or being worn, like rings and pendants and shit.
>>45829884
I have had experience recently with a GM whose soul source of GMing info comes from critical roll. I've never listened to/seen it. But I can say, my GM is the most bland, generic, shuttle you from combat encounter to combat encounter GM I've ever had.
I've never had a less creative more one dimensional GM ever.
>>45842774
As has already been mentioned, that's not necessarily a symptom of Critical Role being your only exposure to the hobby, but it is pretty much what you should expect of someone who decides to pick up gaming because of it.
>>45842917
I don't think he's that new to pnp, but he played out exactly like the bland stereotypical GM. Contrary to his Shadowrun games, which were still formulaic, but weren't combat shuttles.
My previous PF gm was a vindictive fuck who was always trying to kill us, but even he was vastly more engaging.
I think it's more inherant to dnd than just critical roll followers, but CR seems to enforce it.
>>45842987
>I think it's more inherant to dnd
I dunno, I've DM'd D&D my entire career, and constant self-criticism and work to improve the quality of my games has always been the thing that kept me trying harder each session.
Then again, I am chronically incapable of understanding how people function in this world without that "artist's" mindset (for lack of a better term) that forces them to be their own harshest critic and never be satisfied. The fact that people actually have "good enough" in their vocabulary is something I don't posses the capacity to understand.
>>45829884
Liam is a huge overactor who continually bores me with his melodramatic plotlines to the point where I skip the scenes he takes the lead in.
everyone else does really well though. Mercer shows his full range with dozens of different voices, Marisha and Travis fully embrace their characters, Taliesin has an excellent sense of comedic timing, Sam is unpredictable at best, and Laura plays a great deadpan realist compared to everyone else. Wish there was more Ashley because Pike's dynamics with Grog and Scanlan are great, but it can't be helped that she's often too busy with her show.
>>45844075
Really? Liam's my favourite because he seems to be the one most invested in the roleplaying aspect. Marisha's serious roleplay moments strike me as being more melodramatic, like when she suddenly just starting arguing with the paladin or that whole fire druid tribe segment.
>>45836859
If you can take the 40k ,cknoor has a pretty decent cast called lets rogue trade
The AcqInc guys are way better anyways. I can't wait for when the guys hit upRavenloft
