I Asked Matt Mercer If Critical Role Is Scripted

[@catthemau4013]

Great video! Would love to see more interviews! Brennan Lee Mulligan next? 🙌👀

[@BonusAction]

👀

[@hadesblackplays]

@@BonusAction i propose this as the final question: What's the most important lesson you have learned as gm? (this is what i always want to know for other gm's)

[@svsoke]

BLEEM will give you an incredible monologue including his love/hate relarionship with Emily Axford. Please invite him!

[@smashbrandiscootch719]

@@catthemau4013 Gross

[@UrsaFuego]

​@smashbrandiscootch719 why do you think Brennan is gross?

[@miro-jz1si]

Travis: Scripted? I did not sit through 2 hours of shopping for you to call it scripted.

[@Koebalt]

Lol

[@TheL4W]

My players went shopping for a whole evening in my Star Wars game in a furniture shop for space ships. -.-

[@miro-jz1si]

@@TheL4W That actually sounds fun I'm ngl XD

[@stevesmith5883]

@@TheL4W I know you likely mean that they were shopping for funiture for their ships, but when I first read this I imagined a bunch of players trying to buy a space ship in a funiture store...for an entire evening and just not getting the point that they didn't sell ships.

[@sorrowandsufferin924]

@@stevesmith5883 I imagined a bunch of people coming into a furniture store and being like "Right, we wanna make a spaceship. Let's find some stuff we can use." Like just going up to the staff and being like "I really like this shelf. Do you have another 50 of those?" because they want to stack the shelves and use it as a skeleton to make the ship. Player (thoughtful): "Do you think, if you laid this shelf on the ground and put a wodden board over it, that it could hold a person, or would it break down?" Staff member (in tears): "Sir, it's a shelf. It's not been designed for standing on." Another player (excited): "Do you sell shears for carpet? I really like this pattern for a starship logo."

[@MicLanny]

People thinks it’s scripted because they’re watching professional actors/improvisers and one of the worlds best and most prepared DMs.

[@mattsmith1859]

People think its scripted because we've played D&D and CR doesn't run like even the most profession D&D game. It plays like a scripted comedy-drama show where the players know what is coming and how to react.

[@MicLanny]

@@mattsmith1859 until you and your friends take years and years of acting and improv classes maybe stop comparing your home game to a fully fleshed out, organized, well produced product being presented by professional actors, voice actors, improvisers, musicians and comedians. Also, when I use the Lost Mines of Phandelver campaign guide am I not working off a script? I guess that means your home game is scripted as well. Well unless you’re creating entire worlds, lore, backstory, maps from scratch, like Matt Mercer has.

[@mattsmith1859]

@@MicLanny You're not understanding. There's a difference between actors playing D&D (there are several groups out there that you can go watch) and actors acting at D&D. And by script I mean the players know what they are going to encounter and have planned out their actions. I don't mean that the DM has a 'script' of how he wants things to go.

[@mattsmith1859]

@@MicLanny And thanks for suggesting that anyone without years of 'acting' experience can't put on a good game. Strip away the props and the fancy maps and Matt Mercer is a shit DM. The only thing holding him up is the amount of prep time he gets and his budget. Give him three hours and four sheets of graphing paper and lets see how good he actually is.

[@MicLanny]

@@mattsmith1859 you’re not understanding. I’ve watched a ton of live play D&D/listened to podcasts. Critical Role is actors playing D&D. They just do the acting part at a much higher level than like Natural 6, naddpod, high rollers, acquisitions incorporated, force grey, dungeons and daddies or the adventure zone. As a DM myself, yes they aren’t as rules oriented as some games but I’d much rather watch their product over a bunch of rules nerds arguing over how to make levels of exhaustion tougher.

[@JaxiPaxified]

90% of the assistance is for Sams add reads.

[@Zoetic2]

as it should be 🙌

[@PaulGuy]

I noticed that too. Anything not GM-related is for Sam's shenanigans.

[@theirishboah8385]

Makes sense, they make it so different every episode it's crazy

[@Varouxx]

Worth it

[@YupDock]

You made the same joke as marisha twice, good job you’re so funny wow

[@holovoid_]

The fact that Matt Colville had an entire character and mini story arc prepared for him in Campaign 2 that didn't get used because the players decided to wander off to Xhorhas instead of engaging with the Imperial storyline is all the proof its unscripted I need tbh

[@SkepticalCaveman]

I didn't know that. Anymore details available about that character?

[@Avenphilus]

@@SkepticalCavemanMatt Mercer talks about it in the Campaign 2 Wrap-up, Matt Colville was supposed to appear as the leader of the Augen Trust, an intelligence agency in the service of King Dwendal, alas the party decided to follow the tunnels left behind by the Dynasty and went to Xhorhas instead

[@noahblack914]

Where did you hear that? Would also love to know more

[@SkepticalCaveman]

@@Avenphilus Did they delete the campaign 2 wrap up?

[@Avenphilus]

@@SkepticalCaveman no, it’s still at the Critical Role channel

[@SylviusTheMad]

The Matt Mercer effect is not Matt Marcer's fault. It is the fault of players who have unrealistic expectations of their DMs.

[@smashbrandiscootch719]

No. It's the fault of BAD DM's who don't put any effort into their campaigns.

[@PaulGuy]

​@@smashbrandiscootch719It's the fault of both.

[@iannmichea7061]

@@smashbrandiscootch719 Combination of both. Theres high expectations for DMs, but also a lot of shitty DMs

[@jakekeisei9023]

I beleive it is the fault of people who fail to realize that this is one of Matt Mercers jobs, and some might say his primary one these days. If DND was my Job, I would put that much effort into my games too. My players are under no illusions regarding what I can and cannot do prep wise precisely for this reason.

[@smashbrandiscootch719]

@@iannmichea7061 What would you consider a high expectation of a DM?

[@bebhinnkramer3130]

I feel like people forget that every cast member of Critical Role are literally famous actors and performers. Of course they are going to have amazing moments, it’s their literal job! Critical Role is absolutely not scripted, we are just watching incredibly talented people.

[@TheOnlyToblin]

*incredibly talented improv artists in a high-production environment with the tools and stuff they need to thrive I feel like that should be pointed out. Not only are they skilled at their art, they have the tools and environment they need to be leverage those skills to the max.

[@EpicMuttonChops]

@@TheOnlyToblin and they know each other so well, for the most part, they can all generally predict what everyone else will do... ...and then there's sam and taliesin

[@ralphhilborn3099]

this exactly. so many people just don't realize how GOOD these people really are at doing this. it all comes down to the fact that they just communicate with each other.

[@romxxii]

The fact that they still fumble a _lot_ in combat and from plot threads that Matt dangles in front of them is proof that this is about as "scripted" as a normal game. People are just salty they can't be as good at improvised storytelling as a bunch of professional, trained actors.

[@pindy6109]

This tbh. I’m jealous of the group dynamic, but I recognize how much work and talent goes into making that dynamic work in the first place. If I was thrown in their game, I wouldn’t be able to keep up. No way.

[@AbyssalDrake88]

I think that's it, exactly. I actually don't love watching Critical Role because they're really good at what they do, and I know I struggle with comparing myself. So, I just don't.

[@YuriGualeri-t5q]

they fumble lot in combat because after 3 full campain there are still player that have no idea how to properly play a character and what spell or ability do what.

[@mattisme]

​@@YuriGualeri-t5qthere's no proper way to play D&D. It's their table - as long as they're having fun, it's all good. If you don't enjoy watching them play, find a different show.

[@river-t4y]

The story is still very much scripted. When Matt wants a player to die, he can just set a high DC and wipe them in one turn. If he wants a player to live, he'll just make the boss do a really unfavorable attack. The rolls are just random little ups and downs in between. And also FCG sacrificing himself so Sam could take a break and get cancer treatment was also an obvious scripted event. They're just really good actors at faking their surprise. Even the fake crying was incredible.

[@charlesvanzee4879]

The "scripted" debate generally comes down to one thing: some people see others doing something way better than they are capable, and say it must be fake/cheating. It reminds me of when people accuse anyone who beats them in an online game of using hacks. They beat me, therefore they must be cheating. They role play better than me, therefore it must be scripted. Also, some people just call everything on the internet fake. They believe that by calling something fake, it means they're smarter than everyone else because they didn't get "fooled." So they call out "fake" without any proof.

[@mattsmith1859]

First off, no one 'beats' someone else in D&D. Second, the scripted debate comes up because the players seem to know way more than they should if they are just sitting down to a blind game. They hit their marks like actors who know what is coming not like players who just had it sprung on them. When you toss in the 'magic rolls' (hitting that one roll that you have to or else) hit way too often for it to be chance. Either you've never played D&D or haven't played it very long if you think CR is how a game actually goes.

[@diddydragon]

@@mattsmith1859 It only looks scripted if you ignore the times when they mess up or fail or tear up Matts plans or get stuck at a door for 20 minutes. I've played D&D for years and everything you said happens sometimes. The players can guess plot twists and events sometimes before I've even finished writing them. It comes with being a player who knows your DM well and knows how they plan things. And those 'magic rolls' that save the day happen a lot more often than you'd ever think.

[@Sexpizza]

@@mattsmith1859 My home games play out pretty similarly to CR, minus all the production value. Either I am a god tier DM, or, more likely, people just haven't experienced good dnd in their home games. That's the part that's annoying about the "CR isn't real" crowd, they speak from a place of ignorance about what is possible in a home game. They project their experiences onto other people and think "It couldn't possibly be any other way than how I have experienced it"

[@fitz8923]

​@mattsmith1859 you must be either jealous, inexperienced, or unobservant. My players constantly make death-defying rolls. A good DM knows when to make a moment feel epic. The big bad of a particular character's background is hit by said character, but they technically would have still had 10hp left? Fuck it. They kill it because narrative is more important. Genuine clutch rolls also happen ALL the time.

[@MrEricoze]

@@mattsmith1859 you actually just confirmed what charlesvanzee4879 was saying. Your experience is different and for the explanation why it's different you go for the lowest hanging fruit - cheating, faking, scripted. But, just saying, there could be other factors in play - talent, professionalism, dedication, luck, etc.

[@ricebrown1]

This "I Asked Matt Mercer If Critical Role Is Scripted" video is totally scripted!

[@thebluejay2216]

This comment is scripted

[@MattHatter360]

​​@@thebluejay2216 So is this reply

[@patrickmcisaac3142]

Marisha says "scripted" when talking about ad reads. 100% confirmed!!!

[@warmmilk9480]

I just played a game of D&D and I strongly suspect it was scripted. The DM seemed like he'd prepared it ahead of time.

[@DaMoNarch91]

😂

[@Hanayuni]

Hi! I don't know about other people, but I think it would be cool if Marisha Ray's name also appeared in the title of this video. She's also interviewed.

[@GeeGe.]

It's about the clickbait. People casually acquainted with D&D and/or CR will recognize Matt's name, not Marisha's. That said, it would be cool if he added it, yeah. Not too big of a deal imho.

[@Hanayuni]

@@GeeGe. I agreee with you, the title is clickbaity and I understand why that is. I myself clicked because I wanted to hear Matt's thoughts on this. I just think that, even if it's not that big of a deal it's good to have Marisha's name out there so she can become even more recognizable.

[@chrispan3033]

Even though Matt's is the bigger name in D&D and having his name in the title is purely for clickbait reasons, it's also continuing the fact that in society we prop men up way more than we do women, even if they do the same thing. I can't imagine this being intentional but that's also the point too. We unintentionally do this EVERYWHERE. Matt's included in the title because of his amazing work on CR, but Marisha has a big part in that success too. It literally doesn't hurt to put Marisha's name in the title.

[@Hanayuni]

@@chrispan3033 I wholeheartedly agree! And I also think it's not an intentional thing. I just watched the video about the new set for campaign 3 and the CR cast are all saying "hey this is all thanks to Marsha, she's the one who got everyone together to make all of this happen"! She is definitely a big part of the success of the whole CR enterprise even if it's less "obvious" as Matt's role. I know Matt's the one who might actually "direct" stuff because he's the DM but Marisha as a long time player at the table and an artistic director of the series also has an interesting point of view I think.

[@chrispan3033]

@@Hanayuni She is the Creative Director so she literally has a hand in everything they do. She is a gigantic part of the company. She won't get the same recognition because she is the least accomplished voice actor out of everyone. Those outside of the CR fandom won't know who she is, while those who love Last of Us for example will know of Ashley Johnson and Laura Bailey.

[@hannahpierson6352]

Its a credit to Matt and the rest of the cast and production that some critters think this is all scripted. Its impossible to do all this on a script but it feels like it because the cast is so in tune with each other. Their improv is such high level and the rest of us who also play aspire to that level. The way Matt can pivot and adapt to his players choices is beautiful to watch.

[@danielcobia7818]

Well put. On top of that I would add that they are willing and able to give each person the spotlight in their turn. Which people seriously struggle with in my experience.

[@jaymzOG]

I wouldn't call people who think it's scripted Critters. More like sideline casual watchers (if they watch at all) who like to judge things at face value or are terminally cynical/pessimistic.

[@dreadknot69]

Very cool that Matt and Marisha were willing to give an interview for this. Pretty cool of them. Also, love finding new Canadian creators to support so I'm glad the algorithm put this video in my feed.

[@WolfDaddy884]

Critical Role is D&D. It's theater kid D&D. It's not math rock nerd, rules lawyer kinda D&D. There's a HUGE spectrum of nuance in how to play this game and the Critical Role people do an absolutely wonderful job at playing a TTRPG in a way that's engaging to an audience and not just to the players at the table. They also, at this point, have arguably more time and a lot more budget to dedicate to making their D&D game cool and imersive than any table you're likely ro see outside of Will Wheatons basement. Does it look like your home game? No. Should it? Also no. 😊

[@mbrooks3952]

"Theatre kid D&D" absolutely describes this play style and I absolutely need to steal this term because it fits so well

[@work3753]

Also hugely important is that now its a job and a performance. They want to ham it up, to make sure the characters evolve, that it moves quickly and is entertaining. Each of them has a large incentive to bring their player A game (not in mechanics, but in polish and theatrics). Home games suffer because people are unprepared, have other things in their lives that take priority, and nobody worries about an outside observer finding the session a little dull.

[@WolfDaddy884]

@@work3753 absolutely. They're putting a product out there to be consumed. It needs to be engaging for the audience as well as the players. It changes how the game is played and puts more emphasis on narrative.

[@MikaeruDaiTenshi]

Yea, it's not like a home-game, because it's public and it's their job, or part of their job, creating other jobs. So of course they have to spice it up, which most likely affects their playstyle and how they are developing the story and their characters. That doesn't mean it's scripted, but that there will be things they do to pamper the audience to some degree - which wouldn't exist in a home-game. But that's neither something bad, nor something every TTRPG-Group should strive for.

[@work3753]

@@MikaeruDaiTenshi Spot on, Most DMs plan exclusively for the players and usually about an hour a week once it stabilizes and everyone knows the system.

[@Lraimondo12]

Duuuude, congrats! such a huge interview an topic!!!

[@allthingsgood6345]

I am a dm of 9 years and have been playing with the same group of friends for almost as long. I had the wonderful opportunity of meeting Matt Mercer in a meet in greet when he visited my school. In the past couple of weeks me and my friends have dedicated our time to starting up a live streamed campaign. We have all been putting so much of our hearts into the success of the game and watching this interview only solidified our confidence to commit to this project. Knowing that Matt doesn't want the size and success of CR to intimidate new creators is heartwarming and confidence boosting in the face of adversity and this new undertaking.

[@JoshuaSmith1986]

Good luck! As a critter, I wish you guys all the best. You never know, 10 years from now, you guys might be making an animated series about your campaign. As David Tennant said, "This is how all shows should be pitched. It should start in someone's front room and end up on TV. Why not?"

[@Prismaticlysm]

Good luck! Are you going to stream on Twitch or YT or something else?

[@allthingsgood6345]

@@Prismaticlysm I plan on streaming on Twitch than uploading VODs & shorts on the days between sessions.

[@Prismaticlysm]

@@allthingsgood6345 Could I get a link? Would love to throw a follow at you guys!

[@Raezik]

@@allthingsgood6345when you gonna do that? What’s the name?

[@alhemičarka]

Whenever I hear "you can't learn to play D&D from Critical Role" I just laugh because CR is how i went from not knowing or caring about D&D to having it be my main hobby. So if they're so sure they couldn't learn.... sounds like a skill issue.

[@gorgonheap9770]

That's a new one to me. I've heard "you can't run a home game like Critical Role," which is understandable; unless you and your friends are professional actors who build their own set, you might set your expectations too high. But people don't say "you can't learn to play football by watching the NFL." I learned football by watching and asking questions. At least D&D has a rulebook.

[@nucleargandhi2709]

I got into Critical Role in between deciding I wanted to play D&D and a group finally figuring out a schedule that worked for everyone. Critical Role didn't get me into D&D outright, but it did show me the creative potential of the hobby and made me fall in love with that.

[@gameraven13]

Also even if you discount live plays, they literally have a series called Handbooker Helper lol

[@LordArtes]

Its more like"you should not lern dnd from cr". Glad it worked out for you but cr is not a good reprisantation of what dnd or better rollplaying is about.

[@gameraven13]

​@@LordArtes I think it entirely depends on the season tbh. I think campaign 1 is fine, and even campaign 2 has plenty of cool and funny "welp that's DnD" moments in it. From what I saw of C3 it's definitely the weakest link though. There's literally an entire series on here by SupergeekMike breaking down the episodes of campaign 1 and telling what we can learn from each episode as players and DMs, mostly DMs. There are a LOT of great teaching moments in CR of either things Matt did really well or things Matt realistically should've done differently (and in a lot of cases he did when similar situations occurred later on or in future campaigns) and what not. The only "bad" representation in CR is that the average table is not going to have the same acting chops unless those in attendance also have an equal amount of experience to the cast in that department. Every table will be unique though because each individual brings something different. Hell if you look at even just Dimension 20, also a bunch of professional actors with years of history as theater kids, their professions are improv comedy and not voice acting, so different aspects of D20 shine in ways that CR doesn't and vise versa. If we think of a DnD table as a stew, with the DM being the core of the stew, usually whatever liquid base there is, each player as one of the complementary ingredients, all working in unison to create the overall flavor, I think it puts in perspective how silly it is to say CR is a bad representation. You can make the stew with basic at home ingredients you can get for average price at your local grocery store, while CR is doing the equivalent of using the ingredients that like a high end 5 star restaurant would use. Is the stew going to be different? Absolutely. Is it a bit asinine to expect the average person to go out and get some a5 wagyu for their basic at home beef stew? 110%. But that doesn't mean that the more expensive high end stew is a bad representation of the stew. It's the same stew, just higher end ingredients. It's the at home cook who thinks they've failed somehow because they didn't use the most expensive ingredients that is the real heart of the issue and is something Matt himself has spoken out about many times. In this analogy he has said multiple times that the best stew you can make is the stew that uses the ingredients you work with best, whether they're high end or not. So no, CR is not a "bad" representation of D&D, people are just too hard on themselves about living up to some standard that even the cast of CR speaks out against. Overall it's still just a bunch of nerdy ass voice actors playing D&D. They just had the resources and skills to turn their home game into the media empire that it currently is. That's literally the only difference. Their game wouldn't look any different if they were still playing it in Matt's living room other than maybe they'd have not worried about linking the campaigns together with easter eggs as much. Those seem to be put in just as much for the cast as they are for the audience though because they enjoy the world Matt has built and cherish the experiences they've had with their fellow players, so who knows.

[@T3hIluvatar]

"Scripted" vs "prepared" is an important distinction to make, glad Marisha made it. And though I'd be glad if the players prepared a bit more when it comes to knowing the basic rules and what their characters can do... I still enjoy watching CR.

[@noahblack914]

They prepare "knowing basic rules" better than most regular players. People are too hard on them about it.

[@chorlesteajones6794]

One thing to remember is that D&D is always adding new stuff to their app for each class. Be it specialty items or how they would actually level up in specific orders and what skills/spells they have available at each level. So it can be really tricky for even professional players to be 100% prepared with things.

[@Pingviinimursu]

​@@chorlesteajones6794Not to be a hater, but the nature of dnd just isn't what causes Ashley not to know how a barbarian attacks after like a hundred episodes of C2. Although I can't recite everything related to it by heart (never played a barb) I know it isn't that complicated. If she wanted to put in more effort, she could've but she didn't and that's fine. I know she was off a lot, forgets stuff like that easily and generally doesn't seem to be the biggest fan of numbers, which is all fine. But if she spent like 20 minutes every week focusing on that stuff and maybe practicing doing simple math in her head, a lot of her turns would have been so much less painful to watch. And again, it's fine that she didn't. It's their show and I'm the one who keeps coming back every week.

[@StriderZessei]

Seriously, having a Session Zero is so important for this reason alone.

[@CommanderLexaa]

@@Pingviinimursu I think it's what makes watching them so charming, I got my wife into D&D a year ago and she was very intimidated by it but she got into critical role and seeing Ashley struggle gave her a confidence boost, especially seeing how patient Matt is with her and the friend that DMs for us is just as patient. She also got into BG3 and having the visuals of how spells and shit works made her actually excited to dig more into different classes, she now owns a few books and likes dungeons and dragons better than me and its all cus Ashley asks a lot of questions xD

[@ConstructedChaos]

As a serial over-preparer DM, I'm so glad that you made this video. Well done, man!

[@GundamAngelicDevil]

Something that helped me understand that it's not scripted is me watching Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond. Their episodes are not scripted but does have a frame. Their dialogues are mostly based on their synergy with one another and that is something only achievable through time and relationship building. They can bounce off each other because they trust each other. Much like a well choreographed fight scene, it only works when the participants trust and work with each other with mental synchronicity.

[@leviosalegolas]

It's always been baffling to me how people think it's scripted. I'm convinced that those that think so haven't watched more than 1 episode or a few out of context clips.

[@Darknova67]

That Hospital Mission in C2 was clearly scripted. Definitely not the biggest dumpster fire of everything going wrong in the most fun way possible

[@iceman3317]

@@Darknova67 it isn't scripted. They plan things and talk about it outside of the game but it is never scripted.

[@Ozgarthefighter]

​@iceman3317 Pretty sure they were being sarcastic.

[@romxxii]

@@Darknova67 I know you're being sarcastic, so I'll just add to the point you're trying to make. Even in C3, they've had so many times where Matt has dangled a plot thread in front of them only for them to ignore it or do something else (see, the momma sand kraken chasing the caravan) or times they've completely avoided an encounter by missing a cue, or conversely, walked themselves into combat when Matt didn't plan for it (any time combat is theater-of-the-mind only).

[@unholywarrior9007]

Actor Will fake slapped Criss. A slap was thrown never landed and this was planned. And I watched the interview of Merser saying they discussed more then once blowing up FCG. So is the show 100 percent scripted no . But many things are planed out . Writers plan out some of the role-playing drama . Sometimes very planned out . Like when Laura had a baby . There Actors and they script

[@claramello6282]

Great video! Would love to see the full interview

[@alexandertiberius1098]

This happens with any art form that has defined structure that is used for improvisation. There are "rules" to writing and to improv comedy in the same way there are "rules" in music and in dance, and when all the people involved understand the rules and their functions, you can reach a level of improvisation that is beyond what people outside of those spheres might understand; I can personally attest to this when it comes to music, "You guys must have practiced this" isn't an entirely uncommon sentiment when non-musicians watch people jam. That, with the addition of having Matt masterminding the whole thing, having a plan for them and being good at guiding them towards it and generally being good at what he does, and all of them being good writers, gives it a polish that can seem too good to be true sometimes.

[@aurawilming6047]

And we have seen him glare at his players while tearing up his prep work a couple of times lol. As much as he claims not to mind, seeing your player shit all over your plans and....fucking off to become pirates, then immediately do the first thing you tell them they couldn't do and now they don't wanna be pirates no more....that has to hurt.

[@Ozgarthefighter]

​@aurawilming6047 I remember when Talesin completely skipped what Matt intended to be an intricate sea battle by rolling two nat 20's to capsize the enemy vessel.

[@alexandertiberius1098]

@@Ozgarthefighter That's honestly one of my favourite Cad moments. It makes total sense, to me at least, for a cleric devoted to nature to be like, "Hey, do you know what nature does to boats?" and remind people of it's(Her) power.

[@RobbiePDX]

@@aurawilming6047 This is why I always make sure that when a fresh, bright-eyed DM comes to me for advice, I thoroughly emphasis the most important rule - "NO plan will survive contact with the players." You've *gotta* be able to look at your stack of prep and truly accept that at any moment it all becomes useless. This doesn't mean you *don't* prep - just understand that no amount of prep will save you.

[@veronicanolastname2467]

My DM will dangle a shiny button in front of the group and we will pass it by for some other action. But if it's really important, then when he dangles a very similar shiny button, we take the clue and go for his story..... because we like our DM and want him to come back next week.

[@Hodmindod]

It’s really cool of them to take the time to talk about it with you. I think the thing people tend to forget, is that they are all voice actors, who are used to performing and improvising.

[@Demirmay]

I believe that people claiming that CR is scripted have never seen the show, only the clips from cool, silly moments.

[@DellikkilleD]

or the moments that Matt retconns after the fact, to protect his story. Lot of that recently.

[@Demirmay]

@@DellikkilleD like what?

[@DellikkilleD]

@@Demirmay the fire stone from campaign 3. Set a nearly unachievable target, and Ashton managed with help, next game retconned and vomited back up. Im a fan, and have watched 100's of hours, but that was the most egregious case of retconning and gaslighting Ive ever seen at a table lol.

[@DellikkilleD]

@@PlayPodOG saying you something happened and then rewinding it and saying it didnt is absolutely a retcon.. what are you talking about?

[@victorelessar]

meanwhile 90% of people who are avid viewers, never actually played one session of RPG, so there's that.

[@VariousIdeas-f2q]

Matt is the MJ of DnD. Someone saying they won't play because a game can't live up to Crit Role is like never doing art because DaVinci painted. There will always be someone better than you, just go and enjoy life. Take the exceptional people as inspiration, not elitists. Also, there will always be those who think the moon landing was fake: because they can't do it, they think no one could. Or they're just dumb.

[@aggonzalezdc]

The only insidious thing is that some players expect Da Vinci, even of a beginner (and probably very nervous) DM. Which isn't the least bit fair. It's also not Mercer's fault at all, he loves this stuff, he has far more time to prep than a normal human, and he's good at it, and there's nothing with showing that off. It's the fault of unrealistic and unfair players. I tell new players, "I'm not Mercer, I don't dm in his style, and I'm not nearly as good as he is, but I try, and it at least seems like people still enjoy it. If that's not good enough, Im only human, and you're free to ask if you can join Mercer's group instead."

[@VariousIdeas-f2q]

@aggonzalezdc yeah, that's on them. If I baked someone a cake 🎂 and they say, "why doesn't it look like Cake-Boss'?", or "I only eat Cake Boss Cakes", guess they're not getting cake ever.

[@evetobe]

Matt already shared Dropbox documents with his notes... it's basically a bunch of prepared if/else route scenarios. If people think this is a script, do they even play with the DMs who prepare before the games in any capacity?

[@1Morphed]

As a DM I do a similar thing, you have no clue where your players will take the game so you have to have backups for the backups

[@zardok11]

This reminds me of a conversation I once read between Batman and Superman.. Batman basically says that because he doesn't have powers, he has to have 5 contingency plans for any given situation.. and then 5 contingencies for each of those plans. A good DM will be able to sort of guess where their players are going to go, but nobody can be right 100% of the time.

[@Aurora_Lightbringer]

It's scripted in the way that Detroit Become Human is lmao

[@nightkil13r]

I code and script, and have never thought to use If/else if statements in my dming outlines. think im going to have to start doing that instead of what i have been doing(random pages of scenarios i thumb through when one would be appropriate)

[@WolvzReign]

I think the thing that sits with me the most as a DM is when Matt said “and then I pray,” because that’s so real…

[@kiwiviking175]

Super video, beautifully crafted! Great interviews with Matt and Marisha and hats off to them both for engaging so beautifully in this way. The couple of vids of their homegame show how truly, brilliantly, hilariously chaotic they are!

[@mytrados]

Omg so cool that you got on a call with em!

[@mdotli]

Well done. Great video on dissecting a nuanced topic. Long form story telling will continue to evolve as any art form. Happy as they stay true to themselves and being authentic.

[@johnmagowan6393]

A few thoughts: 1. Critical Role played similarly when they played their home game. It has improved and been honed by playing for an audience. 2. Matt and the players are way more prepared because now it's their job. When knowing your spells pays the bills, you know your spells. ** And yet sometimes they still don't lol** 3. Nobody gets inspired by average. Arnold inspired me to go to the gym, not slightly less schlubby than me guy.

[@romxxii]

A lot of it is also the production getting much better. Watch any of the Orion-era C1 episodes, and the level of acting is similar. But the audio's shit, the lighting is bad, and the old-school Twitch format makes me want to throw my TV out the window.

[@fangzntalonz]

@@romxxiiit was a level of relatability that I think made it easier for people to accept that nah, this is just a group of friends playing their game of Dungeons & Dragons. The polish & recording rules like “no eating at the table” makes it seem a lot more put together than it is.

[@elbruces]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/omLEeKeKnZpsedE

[@rstlr01]

I will counter argue number two, Matt may be prepared and I would also say Liam and Travis. But the rest of the cast is hard-pressed to remember what class they’re playing and pertinent spells in abilities related to the game. Hi for one I’m looking forward to them moving to the new system daggerheart. Hopefully it eases the absolute clunker that is them doing combat and trying to figure out what they want to do for 15 minutes on a single persons 6 sec turn 😂

[@noahblack914]

​@@rstlr01Lol. People are way too hard on them about rules. You exaggerate bc you mostly have to. They know their stuff as well as or better than most regular players.

[@SkimoStories]

congratulations on the interview. Great video!

[@SkimoStories]

and happy canada day!

[@selonianviking6622]

The magic of the Critical Role is that they are also incredibly talented players. Matt is great DM as he has cultivated an atmosphere where players can shine, sure, he plans out what players "should do" - does it always happen like that? No. I would assume he has had to ditch so many battlemaps just because players decided to go and do something else, take an alternative approach. That is not scripting, that is preparing, any DM does that. To the core essence of it all, Critical Role has made strides to make sure that everyone sees that the game is not centered around a DM, it is a strong collaboration of individuals. If everyone is not board, it won't work. Scripting won't help that either.

[@drummyt7166]

Are they though? 9 years and Fearne and Sam barely know how their characters work.

[@romxxii]

People keep forgetting that they're a bunch of nerdy voice _actors._ Emphasis on the last word. Laura and Ashley have won BAFTAs for their voice work. Sam has an Emmy. All of them have been working the VA industry for ages. And nearly all of them were frustrated theater kids who took up acting in college. So yeah, they'll be better than your average guy at not only improvising a character moment, but also executing that improvisation.

[@selonianviking6622]

@@drummyt7166 I think a ton of people misunderstand what a great DnD player is. From my personal standpoint as a DM and a player (This is the reason for the edit): I have done multiple campaigns where people know all the little stat things and everything about their classes, spells and mechanics but have no idea how to do the core aspect of the DnD experience, which is the role play. At the core of it all, that is what makes the biggest difference.

[@RobbiePDX]

@@selonianviking6622 While I'm in agreement that roleplay is the part of D&D that makes it truly special, I'd hazard you against making any broad-sweeping, definitive statements about what is and isn't D&D. I've met many a group who is plenty happy getting together with beer & pretzels, kicking down doors, and bashing in skulls. For those folks, stats and number crunching are much more important than good RP skill. They're not the groups for me, but they're just as much a D&D player as you or I are.

[@secretsalute]

Sam has 2 Emmys now 😉

[@Shintegami]

Wow, awesome to see this interview, well done with the questions! Great video!

[@cindabearr]

Just wanted to say that CR absolutely helped me learn how to play. Without a shadow of a doubt! And it continues to inspire me both artistically and as a player. I'd love for my table of friends to grow into that level of comfort, knowledge, and camaraderie that the friends on CR have. As an artist (and as a CR consumer) I adore Matt's descriptions of things, and seeing both the official artwork that the incredible fanart makes my art brain extremely happy. I've been doing more fantasy themed art since watching, something I haven't done much of in 20 years! Edited punctuation

[@jacobmcnear8841]

Well done video my friend! This is a much needed video in the TTRPG community. I am a believer of collective story telling in TTRPGs. That’s what this is. This is just peak story telling by a group of people who all know how to step into their characters.

[@AlaskaSkull]

I say haters are going to hate. Love Critical Role. Love Matt's style and his insane ability to definitely script a 5 hour weekly show lmfao.

[@davidbodor1762]

Honestly scripting the entire show would be far more impressive than what they do right now.

[@imagineitqll]

It’s interesting to see how people define “scripted” in the case of improv. For me, an improve “script” is a general plan for where the scene will go with the improv being how it gets there. This is very common in improv theater shows. Whether or not it’s done in CR I don’t know and person don’t care because I don’t watch the show. But if it WERE, I assume that’s how it would happen, not an actual word for word script

[@jus4000kicks]

@@davidbodor1762 People on the internet always assume if something that seems genuine is too good its scripted or fake. Its likely due to the the culture we are in and the way businesses are run and the way tv shows and talk shows work.

[@briankristensen7847]

In my group we have discussed Critical Role, and are in agreement that Matt is an awesome DM, and the rest are awesome players. We due take note on somethings and use them, and alot of other things is like "nah, that dont vibe at this table" We all also agree the even though Matt is awesome, and i would wish a could create voices as good as him, his DM style wouldnt fit the at our table. I love and enjoy watching them, and hope they continue for many years. Bless for enriching my life Bonus Action and Crit Roll

[@AnotherDuck]

I don't think it seems scripted. There are too many awkward moments and mishaps (not counting dice-related ones) and oddly paced episodes for it to be scripted. Sure, you can script those things too, technically, but it doesn't make sense from a production perspective, even if you want to make it seem unscripted. The small part about the time-constrained live shows include the one thing I think should be the most scripted (but not mostly): The beginning, especially for one-shots. You need to get the party together somehow, and sometimes it's just better to agree to do it even if it might seem weird for the characters' personalities. Of course, the DM can benefit from scripting speeches and other NPC dialogues that may show up, but that's still only going to be from one side, since things can always change. And will. The last few years I've seen a significant increase in the disbelief that anything posted online is genuine. A lot of things aren't, but for the most part, it doesn't really matter. These things are for entertainment. People get invested in actual scripts just as much as in real stories.

[@rickrogers8735]

Thanks for doing a video on this with the CR folks! It is what many of us expected. I don't think most of the questions about scripting come from people who are feeling discouraged. I suspect the people who say it is "kinda" or definitely scripted, are talking about the pre-arranged roleplay that happens between the PC players at the table. And many DM's encourage (even require) inter-PC roleplay to be considerate (even consensually pre-arranged if there will be tension between the party members as a result). The fact that they might talk in advance about whether their character might make a romantic advance, or ask a difficult question about the other PC's past, or steal from each other, is just good roleplaying with your fellow players.

[@rickrogers8735]

I'm going to correct myself, as this popped up in my feed the next day: kzbin.infottn2fetU13o They are also on record that they don't even check in with each other regarding inter character moments beforehand. This just underscores how sync'ed up they are with each other at the table. :) I'm going to continue to ask my players to do this when it could result in a shift of agency from one player to another. After all, that can be very problematic. But I guess the experience of theatrical improvisation helps players to recognize how to offer a scenario without obligating the other character to accept that offer.

[@SamuBrownYT]

People need to watch Brennan on his wrap up of calamity. See all the contingencies he planned for amd dealt with out of the blue that the cast through at him and that series was much tighter and needed to get from place to place.

[@wouldiwasshookspeared4087]

Brennan is incredible at mid-length campaigns.

[@Jakarate84]

Great vid dude, Matt and the cast had the same affect on me, they inspired me to be better and take that jump. I was lucky enough to tell him that last October at MCM, he inspires me to be a better DM.

[@emilymitchell6823]

Such a comprehensive and well put-together video! I really hope this is the last any of us need to hear about this :)

[@matizieu]

Great video! I wanted to share a few quick points as a long-term DM that runs with a group of very-tight-knit friends/family. Our group has played everything from MMORPGs together for over two decades, and DND for about the past four years (about 800hrs/year... yeah, we go hard and have long sessions!) Every group is different, but there are dynamics that I see as a DM for our table that VERY much resonate with everything described here and what I've seen from Critical Role's DM'ing. I was inspired by Matt's DM style but then took those ideas and learned my own style that's right for our table/group. I'm so grateful that we decided to do audio recordings of every one of our sessions as a nod to CR! We've had some really incredible moments where I've shocked the table as a DM, and where players at the table have completely shocked me. They're a real table that's kept the magic alive. And it IS possible for genuine home table campaigns. :D Thanks for the great video, and enjoy!

[@Bass2467]

Great interview and questions! Big thing that I think people forget is that yes this is a dnd game and such but the players are also professional actors and were before critical role got popular so of course they are going to have incredible moments they literally went to school for this

[@loomingspire]

If I start using the phrase "my albatross to bear" is that the Matt Mercer effect?

[@BonusAction]

Yes, and that would be your albatross to bear.

[@ImEveGaming]

Amazing video! I was really surprised when Matt and Marisha popped up lol

[@jloost-gamer]

I've seen multiple videos about this, but this one is very in-depth and the interview with Marisha and Matt makes it so wholesome and really adds to the arguments. Thanks for making this!

[@Tigerblade11238]

They provide me endless hours of entertainment. Whatever they are doing, keep it up. Love the show.

[@darcybhaiwala7057]

Great interview. I'd be curious to know further the extent to which the players know where story arcs are going when there are guest stars or people leaving the cast temporarily.

[@sathdk79]

Some of the magic in those magic moments is the skill and craft of Mercer. He knows when to let narrative triumph over dice rolls for cinematic effect. He has recently allowed players to do something dramatic and simply chosen not to use a boss's Legendary Resistance ability. You could argue that a GM not using every tool in his box to get in his players' way is "scripting" the game from a certain point of view, but your goal as GM should be to entertain your players and make the game fun for them. Your imaginary monsters probably aren't coming back to your table next week and they definitely aren't bringing beer or pizza.

[@fangzntalonz]

It's the same as Sam constantly refusing to use the Halfling Luck ability EXCEPT for when trying to keep a cursed item that cursed the owner to not want to part with it. Optimal? No. Brilliant storytelling and character choices? Absolutely.

[@leonqubick7716]

Thats the job of the DM...entertain the players. And hopefully himself. It should never be DM vs players for who "wins" Monster HP are fluid and depends on the circumstances of epic moments vs TPK cuz of dice rolls or DM error or DM overestimating players. If you give many hints that this is a dangerous battle and the players just waltz in joking around then they deserve it. Do they walk into what seems to be an easy quest and you toss 3 adult dragons at them? Thats on you DM... Do they spend 20 minutes trying to figure out a puzzle that isnt there? just give em one when they "solve" it to make em feel good and didnt waste time. They dont know what you have planned. but never make it obvious that its all fake or handed to them...

[@Your_Opponent1216]

Great video! Matt is simply an amazing DM who has done this for YEARS and knows what he's doing - and his players are all VO artists - often the simplest explanation is the best. Also, thanks for reminding me that I'm almost a thousand hours in with C1 and C2 lmao. I've taken a break before C2 to enjoy some Dimension 20, but I can't wait to dive back in.

[@LevelUpmmo]

Congrats on the opportunity! And great video. I enjoyed the insight.

[@hobbiest6831]

Excellent interview! I think Mercer puts it so well when he Says the things about setting expectations. The majority of us are not voice actors and most of us also don't have the time between sessions that the cast is afforded.

[@sircharles8722]

For people truly wondering if Critical Role is scripted. Campeign 3 Episode 33. That episode was a cluster F**K and all the players had no idea what they were doing, it was super clear that they were all legit panicked and they pretty much all screwed up everything they could.

[@tuomasronnberg5244]

Obviously they were told to act like they don't know what they're doing because the script demanded it /s

[@pobg]

Is that the ep where thuul fucked them all up?

[@RobbiePDX]

Campaign 2 EP. 1-3 is a lot of this, as well. You can tell that they're just absolutely lost.

[@RobbiePDX]

@@user-jt1js5mr3f it definitely is. /s at the end of a sentence means "this is sarcasm".

[@Dawg93]

@@user-jt1js5mr3fdude it even says /s

[@samardevneo]

For me, the Mercer effect has worked in reverse - his obvious and wholesome love of DMing has made me take the plunge and DM for the first time in my life at 44 - having played D&D since age 14. And I’m having SO MUCH FUN, even if my players are neither actors, adults or very interested in roleplaying. They seem to love adventuring together, and I’m loving preparing and running those adventures. That’s enough.

[@destro6971]

Same! Between Mercer and Deborah Ann Woll those two convinced me at 45 to fire up a game with my kids first and now I’m moving onwards to a friend group.

[@Vengerin]

As a DM, I love to hear Matt talking about dming, I think he's attitude towards the game is very healthy and caring, both for the story and players. Also, taking I'm mostly an improviser DM (I prepare things but not in so much detail) I admire the dedication that Matt shows for his task, the care he shows for preparation.

[@jonaaberg]

I really would recommend the video CR released about 2 years ago with Matt, Aabria Iyengar and Brennan Lee Mulligan. It's called "Game Masters of Exandria Roundtable". About 1h 50min of them talking about GMing in general and some about Aabria and Brennan GMing for CR too. Really good and insightful discussions!

[@MauroDraco]

Excellent talk and points! Congratulations!

[@ProjectChimeraEnhancedCo-cc2th]

To me this has always been a very silly argument, saying this as someone with over 3 decades as a GM and is a TTRPG system designer. In my experience excellent players will put hooks/knives into their backgrounds, assuming the system itself doesn't demand they do so, and even if they don't, the mere choices they make from building a character are all big shining spotlight beacons in the sky of what kinds of stories they are interested in telling. One player might put an obvious knife in their background, another player might approach the GM and say explicitly "I'm looking to try and achieve this kind of arc for this character" and another only gives subtle tells at the table of what kind of stuff they enjoy and don't, but all are methods of communication you can use and interpret as a GM to help mold the story, and very importantly, as a GM, your unique style and interpretation, if executed well, even when giving the player who explicitly asked for something, some kind of unknown quality in how it comes about, when it does, and why it does, and all of those can make for very different kinds of story beats. I feel like people that make this kind of argument not only are a little jelly/insecure, but very importantly, don't have the experience to know better. Any GM who has been one for long learns very quickly not to write a script because your players will not and can not follow it. They will up end any railroad script and it will blow up and it will not work out how you thought (either they do literally anything else, or they quit because you're forcing their hand and taking away their agency). One might make the argument "but their paid professional actors!" but those people don't understand how acting works. To get the right shot for every scene movie producers might take the same shot 20 times or more, and that's with top tier oscar winners. And they certainly will not get it right perfectly in a live setting for years upon years of content. That's an absurdity. No actor/actress is that good, let alone a full cast of 7 people. It's just never going to work like that. Plus like @BonusAction stated, there are plenty of examples where it doesn't go perfect, and frankly those are nowhere near the rate of how often it happens in a scripted environment like a movie or TV set. Some people just want to neigh say because that's easier than tackling their own self doubt and feelings of inadequacy, rather than learning to be better. Some people are afraid to try because they are paralyzed by the idea that they might fail, but that's really between them and their therapist to work out.

[@GeeGe.]

That last point in your 3rd paragraph is exactly what I always think when I see this. People trying to claim CR is scripted fundamentally don't understand what acting (with a script) is. Having thousands of hours of a live show where everything goes exactly as planned, and every interaction at least *LOOKS* so seamlessly natural and improvised, is quite literally impossible. No individual actor is that good, let alone an entire group of actors. It's why there was a time when they'd joke that they were doing it like they "practiced on rehearsals". The only way scripting a weekly show with 3+ hours of episode runtime would be remotely possible is with an incredible amount of effort (e.g. rehearsals) every week. And even then, pulling it off live, without cuts, would be legendary acting if at all possible. So at the end of the day, that argument is nothing other than ignorance, and the people making it always sound so convinced, so assured of how fake it is. Like anything other than their opinion is an absolute undeniable impossibility. It honestly helps me put in perspective how... let's say "shortsighted" humans can really be.

[@Lord_zeel]

@@GeeGe. Exactly, and look at the sort of shows that have anything like that sort of volume: Soap operas, a genera who's hallmark is cliche scripts and bad acting. That's what you get when you try to make that much scripted content that fast. If CR was scripted, it would be an order of magnitude more impressive than what they're actually doing and they wouldn't lie about it because it would be an incredible accomplishment that they would be proud of achieving.

[@GeeGe.]

@@Lord_zeel Great point about soap operas, I never stopped to think much about them but you're absolutely right.

[@Fenikkusu14]

The new comments will be "Well clearly they are lying." I've found these people can't seem to shift their beliefs, only move the goalposts.

[@hadesblackplays]

first of all, sorry for the long ass comment. This is such a good video. its informative and takes into account every corner of the usual criticism with Critical Role. I've been playing ttrpg's since middle school. first were homemade versions of Resident Evil, then as a teen i jump into Vampire: The Masquerade, 7th Sea, dnd 3.5 and even made a homebrew version of The Witcher. then i stopped playing because i didnt have time or friends interested in the hobby. But one night i opened youtube and on some thumbnail was this guy from College Humor that i knew it was very nerd and funny, so i jumped into the channel and there it was, Brennan Lee Mulligan on Calamity. I had no idea whatsoever who the other members of the table were (dont yell at me, im not american so i didnt recognize their voices from other media), but i recognize they were playing dnd. i was in awe of the story and how the cast played, portrayed their characters. After Calamity (and following the suggestion from a close friend) i started watching The Mighty Nein and relearn how to play dnd. in the meantime, the same friend insisted for months that i should dm a campaign... And here i am, two years later from my first approach to Critical Role, running a campaign that's still going. I understand what the people mean by "the mercer effect" but i honestly think they're focusing it from the wrong angle; Matt & Brennan (among other great gm's from other actual plays) shouldnt be seen as this unrecheable idea, but as examples for what you can get if you develop the skills for good storytelling. Im a very anxious and i suffer a lot for impostor syndrome, but i've learn to not hold me to other people's standards or expectations. i just hope my players have the same fun the cast seem to have at CR or Dimension 20.

[@RobbiePDX]

Fuck yeah, dude! Keep that passion going, and never stop improving your craft

[@TreyCool9597]

Never forget, Brennan and Matt both still feel imposter syndrome too. You’re on your track. You got this.

[@hadesblackplays]

@@RobbiePDX that's exactly why i continue to watch actual plays, so i can learn and keep improving the craft!

[@hadesblackplays]

@@TreyCool9597 yeaaaah, dude thats hard to digest, but its so true

[@able724]

I was a Theatre major many years ago. I changed degrees and don't work in Theatre, never have, but seeing Matt Mercer inspired me and helped pull skills out of me that I hadn't used since I was in college. I ran a game that got shut down by the pandemic with all new players and me as a new DM (I grew up playing D&D and have more than 20 years experience with table top RPG's prior though) and we ALL had an incredible time. In no small part to what Matt Mercer and Critical Role inspired me to do and to add to my games when I stepped behind the screen for the first time.

[@amyshaw6825]

The only thing I wish I could add to what Matt said - re expections and Matt Mercer effect is that like - you (as in people in general) don't have to be The Best In The World at whatever you pick up,. By all means strive to improve, by all means work hard at it, but the end game is to have fun. Maybe you'll run a game for 20 years or whatever, and in that time you NEVER get as 'good' as Matt Mercer (though 'good' in most artform hobbies is more than a little subjective) but that's fine. You'll still probably improve, and if you're having fun, and your friends are having fun? That's what matters. You can paint without the expectation of being the next picassdo. You can cook without the expectation of being a five Star Michelin Cheffe. You can sing without the expectation of being the next Tailor Swift. Or make music without the expectation of being the next Beathoven or Motzart. Or enjoy the process of writing and write without the desire to be the next Shakespear. These people are their own unique thing. A DM has to find their own voice and, most importantly, most vitally - enjoy it, and bring enjoyment to others. Sometimes that's enough.

[@wipeout770]

Love your point. Hilarious that Matt Mercer is the only name you managed to get correct out of all you listed. Including Chef.

[@GeeGe.]

@@wipeout770 came here to say the same thing lol brilliant comment really, but maybe check how to spell extremely famous names before using them

[@amyshaw6825]

@@GeeGe. Very fair point! My dyslexia strikes again!

[@GeeGe.]

@@amyshaw6825 I appreciate that you took it in stride 👍 if only more people (on and off the internet) were generally open to (constructive) criticism like that.

[@duanekessler5064]

Thank you for covering this. Would love to see more interviews.

[@Maiasgameroom]

Great video!

[@christinajordan9713]

What I've learned about playing dnd from watching Critical Role has given me the confidence to try. I've learned a lot from them about how the game play works by watching them talk through action, bonus action, reaction, haste, rage, etc. I've been able to use that knowledge in my friends game even though I haven't read all of the words from the manuals.

[@PJZ]

Exactly. All you need to do to know it's not scripted is watch the show. Was just watching CR2e105 and it is LITERALLY three straight hours of planning and doubting themselves...and then planning some more. No one makes those episodes on purpose for compelling "TV". It's the ebb and flow of something organic. That and just watch their reactions when a player does something truly off the cuff or batshit crazy. Those are *genuine* reactions. I acknowledge all of these folks are incredible actors, improvisers and storytellers...but holy ain't nobody that good. Just watch peoples eyes buldge out or jaws drop when Sam / Laura do something delightfully chaotic...doesn't get more real than that.

The people saying they think its scripted in some ways are also watching the show. Its pretty obvious to me that the players work out their characters together, and they know at least some portion of the story before the games / campaigns are conceived. For example, the first campaign had Taliesen, he was a noble of that house, I'd be very surprised if Matt didn't tell him a lot of backstory. It's obviously not scripted in the way that cartoons or TV is, but they run a business and are full time employees working likely more than 8 hours a day writing and planning stuff. Scripting is also not bad, especially for narrative games, if your players aren't improv masters, giving them information they should know in character is good... Giving them the ability to craft the story with the DM is good... It just doesn't sell well when exposed that "Oh this thing is fake"

[@DerusGrindz]

Not only that, but they are famous for planning for hourssss only to not do a damn thing in the plan lmao

[@ketubann9405]

Didnt Otohan heal for more damage than FCGs self explosion the round before dying? Id lean towards they have general storyline points and how to get there then Matt fudges stuff it to make it happen. That being said, S3 def feels more "guided" than S2 or 1 personally.

[@PJZ]

So....the things everyone who plays D&D do. There are Session Zeros. PCs have text chains out of game to talk about what to do. Matt is given some backstory and then he runs with it, fleshes them out, and weaves it back into the story..... that's not "scripted" ...that's "Dungeons & Dragons" "Prepped for" is a better term when "scripted" implies it's WWE Wrestling.

[@PJZ]

@@ketubann9405 Please consider saying you're going to spoil something for people before you do. As someone 50 episodes out from finishing Campaign 2, you just ruined a large chunk of Campaign 3 for me.

[@matthewgarry9169]

I also think the factor that they are voice actors, and they are experienced in creating and forming fun and captivating stories

[@andishawjfac]

We know it's not scripted because there are loads of instances where a player at the table is clearly not clocking something and somebody says "haven't you read the group chat". How would a player be missing something if it was scripted? And if it was scripted, why would the players have a group chat where they talk about what they have figured out? If you take scripted to mean "any and all preplanning" then every Dnd game is scripted, no DM comes to the table with no prep at all, unless you are playing a boxed adventure. Is creating your character before the game "scripted"? Is having a backstory "scripted" 99% of the people who think CR is "scripted" have never sat at a DnD table in their life, if they did they would see the notes the DM has behind the screen and start shouting about "scripted".

[@Aurora_Lightbringer]

Even with a boxed adventure, your script is the boxed adventure.

[@dannykent6190]

I 98% agree with this. My only argument here is that, as a DM, there are definitely times that I've come to the table completely unprepared and just did a total "wing it" campaign... it's not ideal, but life is busy. It happens.

[@darthvulture]

Great video with great questions to matt and maricia. well thought out !

[@sortilien2099]

Deciding where to go at the end of every session with your character. Is a basic if you want compeling story. I play a character that though justice must be serve, the sooner the better. But in one scenario if he did it he would have let a all city die because all faction were at fault in the civil war happening there and there were to much people to juge them individualy. Even if i didn't knew how to act or what to do, it's not my gameplay that was wrong. It's was a sign that my character had to evolve. At the end of the session the GM and I set a course for next few session at least to soften my justice fanatic Goblin unflinching nature... to make sure this kind of dead end never push him to inaction ever again. So yeah GM is gonna propose me some alternatives to make my character grow, my game is scripted. But i'm still free to grab the ones please me the most and use them my own way.

[@jonathankottier862]

Loved this. So much insight. And; I already knew I was blessed with my DM. But I see even more now how much he does. What a beast!

[@andyspillum3588]

Not including episodes 98, or 99 of campaign 3, there has been 1493 hours 30 minutes and 52 seconds of play (minus adreads/intros/announcements), yeah there's going to be moments that "look too perfect" as well as the rest of the gambit of moments you would expect in 1500 hours of creatives interacting. I think it boils down to people who think that if they can't do a thing that anyone doing that thing must be "cheating"

[@thibni_]

Okay, I stumbled on your video, and I'm thrilled. The various depths of topics you've instigated and questioned and received answers from is... outstanding. So. I'd like to comment on the following, from my perspective. I was introduced to Dungeons and Dragons about 22 years ago. I enjoyed it, but wasn't hooked on it. I played on and off over the years but it wasn't until I discovered "Vox Machina" the animated series that it brought everything up to a whole new standard. Vox Machina brought me to discover Critical Role. When I learned that this show was based out of a DnD game, I was dumbfounded. And this is where my in-depth dive into DnD began. Critical Role inspired me to want to DM. And what did I do with it? I jumped into it. I just jumped into the role. I always believed that my imagination could be harnessed to do something awesome with it, but I never had any tools to make it happend. I have been a DM for over 2 years at this point, a player in various campaigns and although I truly enjoy playing as a Player, surprisingly so, I do not enjoy it as much as I enjoy DMing for my friends. For those that I gather around my table and that I later end up calling friends. And so, I never really got this whole "Mercer Effect". I am not one of those people who let my insecurities get the best of me or use crutches to allow myself to feel better. That is what I think of the term in question. Having someone so good at something means that those who aren't just shouldn't put in the effort? Geez... So, there it is. That is what I think about this. I enjoy playing DnD, I would say as much as Matt does. I honestly believe that him and I would be great friends, but hey, that is a story for another time. I've never met the guy. He isn't a hero to me, but rather someone who inspires me to believe I can always do better. As for CritRole being Scripted, hahahahahaha. I'm glad you covered it. I never believed for one second that this was scripted. The animated series? Sure, of course it is! But not the game in and of itself. Matt has a form of script, which is important. But as for the players? They have no idea what they're getting into except that they're about to enjoy playing a game with their friends. That's it.

[@morphinpink]

i mean, most if not all dnd games are "scripted" then since most people will have some kind of backstory and idea of pc's personalities, ties to the universe and lore and other characters. These are things youll find in most dnd games lol people hate critical role for no reason

[@Teap35]

this was great, thank you for taking the time to settle this (thank you for Matt and Marisha taking the time to talk to you). I tried to be a Matt Mercer but found out after a while that I was over preparing and flailing in situations I hadn't anticipated, that caused me to dial it back to a happy medium and everyone is happier for it.

[@declanmorden]

So basically the production team is for Sam’s shenanigans and to help Matt with prep work aka every DM’s dream

[@cycloneabsol9405]

I would love to see sometime like this for Dimension 20! Especially in A Court of Fey and Flowers, you can tell that there was clearly a lot of planning put into it. In the Intrepid Heroes seasons, Rick Perry and the team have to put a ton of work into it well in advance. I'd really like to know how much advance knowledge the players have on D20

[@teytreet7358]

TLDR: No, it's not any more scripted than any other DnD game at your house.

[@TheShepherdFilms]

Effin awesome episode.

[@unknown_individual7050]

It all makes sense now. DnD is tabletop Jazz...

[@CausalEffect]

To me as a longtime player but new DM, the "Matthew Mercer effect" was that I was inspired to elevate my storytelling to create a compelling narrative and immersive experience for my players. I don't have the resources (time, finances, talent) to copy him exactly, and I'm okay with that. What I have instead is a goal to strive towards, and everyone at my table benefits from that

[@oliro]

The real Matt Mercer effect is the creation of legions of new GMs who want to join in the fun that is role-playing games

[@matthewlane]

"The real Matt Mercer effect is the creation of legions of new GMs who want to join in the fun that is role-playing games" Hahahahahahahahaha, no. The REAL Mercer Effect is in the creation of zoomer tourists who thought that playing D&D would make them internet famous & so they act like overly dramatic bellends at the table & complain "that's not how Matt Mercer would do it", when ACTUAL DMs would not run the game like they are being paid millions of dollars a season, making an internet tv show for said zoomer tourists.

[@sonicmaster047]

​@@matthewlanecaveat to this is if your DnD games have no emotion, players aren't trying to play their characters and are just "oh I do this" "I do that" "I roll" etc. then that's not a fun game.

[@ben5676755]

I agree with this so much. I have a 3 year campaign, I'm in, that took about this long to truly get up to CR, or close to, levels. I can't express how much this game means to me and how much time us players are trying to work to make this story this best it can. It's the time and effort that really makes these kinds of games, after being kind and empathic.

[@MrBillblabla]

People who claim it is scripted, either never played roleplaying games, only watched it. Or the rpg they play is not great. Most experienced dms and players have the same type of games they do on critical role. And usually the games last for 5-10 hours. not 4. It is really not that hard to keep it running if you have a good group.

[@MrBillblabla]

And to build on that, most DMs with a brain ends a game with a direction planned out, or 3. And then they ask their players "hey, what do you think you want to do next?" Sure, they can change the plans one week later, but its a good way to prep a session so you are 90% certain how things will go, rest you can improvise easy if you know the world and npcs around them well, then you can just react.

[@romxxii]

or they play the game, are unable to pull off the level of acting and improvised speech that trained actors are capable of doing, and then blame it all on "the script."

[@DefinitelyNotAMymmik]

It’s about the group being in sync with each other and how well they can bounce off of one another, player dynamic and party dynamic. DM playing style is a big part of it too. A narrative DM (like Mercer) that has a party of imaginative and inquisitive players who lean into the RP aspect of it will actually reflect CR as much as a home game can. The group I play with now is amazing. We all mesh together well and we get some really intense and in character RP moments that felt so much like a movie that it’s been hard to top it in some of our other campaigns. If we had been recording on a podcast it would have looked like a low production CR and I mean that genuinely. Some DMs and players don’t have that in them to do, some like strict rules and numbers, which will not get you a CR experience. Once you find that group, the ones you can just meld with seamlessly, you will not be able to play it any other way. I hope everyone gets to experience this.

[@theduketw]

A good video that gets to what i think is the heart of the reason, that the level of CR feels unattainable, and so theres an ease to pointing at it and deciding it must be scripted and thats the difference, but the real reasons are more that theyre all exceptionally skilled and practiced, and that they have a budget, which isnt something a home game has

[@aurawilming6047]

I mean, they started out on stream with maps in sharpie and ballpoint. And let's not get into sound quality because I still can't watch the first 25 episodes or so of Vox Machina with sound on and CC off. Budget came as viewers threw money at them.

[@theduketw]

@aurawilming6047 100%, and I think if it had stayed that way there'd be less feeling of it being unattainable - though that's not to say I think it should have, I very much enjoy watching the newer stuff the most from the production value

[@aurawilming6047]

@@theduketw I do very much love the high production value content like Tal's Call of Cthulhu. And I know we're supposed to not mention it but Undeadwood was sleek. I miss that series.

[@mbrooks3952]

You absolutely summed up everything I've thought about CR and using APs for inspiration. I very much consider learning from Matt with respect to how stories and threads are organized and tied together akin to transcribing jazz solos (which I do as a professional musician even to this day). You find the masters of the craft, learn and copy, and eventually, it becomes your own voice.

[@Fennyella]

Love the video. Sadly the people who need to hear this the most are either not watching or not listening. And the ones who do end up seeing it will probably just say "Yeah, you're in on it. Of course they deny it when you ask them." soooo...yeah. Really love the interview, sadly stubborn people will stay stubborn, which is sad.

[@robertmastrobattista6333]

2 years and 53 sessions into our game that takes place in Exandria. i know first hand how perfect moments just come out of the blue and it almost feels scripted. our games are wild and i have been told more than once by a fellow CR fan in our group that ive managed to make that same kind of magic in the game. x3 really all it takes is an attitude "ok that was great. now how can i make it better next game?" i myself put probably way to much work into planning and when the DM has a mountain of relevant information inside their head, its easy to pull lore 'out of thin air' for every situation. i also feed my players breadcrumbs in and out of game. just enough about an upcoming thing to catch the interest of a certain player because i have a good idea of how they will act. that 'scripted look' to their game is just a combination of excessive planning, knowing their players very well, communication, and just raw experience. and i thank them for giving us all this wonderful world to explore and make epic stories in.

[@Alfderydd]

Every game of DND is somewhat scripted both home games and live play shows it has to be inorder to tell a cohesive story

They should be atleast lol. Can you imagine having all your players go in totally blind, having no idea what the other players were doing or playing? Or what the story would be about lol.

[@nicolaiklg181]

Very great video, i love these interview style videos! Your poll was a little weird to me tho. You spent a good portion of the video trying to define semantics, when you could just have made more poll options. If you already plan on pulling up the dictionary, why not just include those definitions in a poll? Its like saying "who knows what this answer means??" when its your own poll.

[@RobTheNewb]

I think that is why so many people think it's scripted. The players talk a lot out of game about conversations they want to do as well as they understand timing and cliff hangers and will often wait to time it with the end of an episode.

[@Xingmey]

'they talk a lot out of game' about what they want to do... yeah that's what 'scripting' means... you say what you wanna do and when

[@RobTheNewb]

In hindsight, I commented before you said the points I said. So I totally agree with your points, overall I think having a better understanding on what you can take to make your games better should be the way. You don't need to be them, cause you ain't. Like all hobbies, we are ever evolving and growing and taking inspo from other places

[@ItoeSan]

@@Xingmey Ok but, like, i have a group i have DM'd for for years. They do talk about the game, they have conversation on what kinda thing they want to do next session, they talk boundaries about specific player to player interaction they intend to do. They do all the things you have described as "Scripted", so every good group that is invested in an RPG campaign is scripted?

[@reubencanningfinkel5922]

@@Xingmey Literally not. Have you never played DnD before? What are you talking about. When I text my GF that I'm going to visit her in the evening--am I "scripting" the kind of conversation I'll have with her when we're in the room? What? There is a major gulf between imagining what a PC wants to do and the actual mechanics that GET them to where they hope to be. Designing/coordinating your hopes and dreams are PIVOTAL threads to chat with between players and DM's...but its still a game of chance (regardless of modifiers). Your comment is brain dead.

[@RobTheNewb]

@@Xingmey Not really, scripting is when events are set and written beforehand and the people playing are nothing but spewing it back out (with skilled acting of course) Do you not talk out of game to your players about events? Do you expect them not to? The table is nothing more than chaos incarnate. I've rarely seen a plan go to plan that the players or dm has done beforehand, rather just adapt and seize the opportunity for acting out what they want / would like to happen. Where things are actually scripted, there is rarely adaption or chaos. Things happen to a beat. But really in the end, it doesn't matter if it is or not. It, like any live show, is enjoyable content released for all. Watch it or don't.

[@jackreacher-ov6pz]

Critical role is scripted in the same way WWE is scripted, the impromptu jokes and dice roles are real, the character deaths are (except for fcg for obvious reasons) and you have to be ignorant to think it's not. They are a multi million dollar company if they don't make a profit what are they even doing there now I don't believe it has always been scripted, I think it started around 1 or 2 months into covid. But if you don't think episodes are planned out a certain amount of episodes in advance I honestly don't know what to tell you.

[@hem9483]

this. Matt and Brennan met in *january* of this year to discuss the current 3 episode Aeor arc he'd be DMing. what does this mean? at some point, sooner rather than later, Matthew *had* to get them in a room with the BBEG and the plot device required to set up that arc. the show isn't scripted line by line, but at least campaign 3 has been fully scripted in terms of long term arcs.

[@jackreacher-ov6pz]

@@hem9483 exactly

[@anilatakay]

@@hem9483That’s basically how ttrpgs work mate. You plan in advance and always had some contingencies.

[@FangTehWolf]

They even talked about FCG, and that Matt wrote a means to write him out for an indefinite amount of time if it went that way. Sam chose a different means of leaving, haha.

[@jondebeer6863]

That's some grade a conspiracy theory. Anything to base that on except your feelings? It's still a giant mess to this day, which is exactly why people watch. They made their millions playing D&D, what makes you think they need to do anything else? Also, a DM preparing story lines or writing in in-game reasons for real life absence (like Laura delivering a baby or Sam getting treatment) isn't scripting. It's part of the game.

[@matthiashurst]

Great video and summary! Tha nk you for that! Quite honestly: QR is so cool that I wonder why anyone would care if it is scripted. Just enjoy this absolutely phantastic content - created by incredibly talented people - rather than trying to make a point.

[@AmberPanda382]

I recently heard an adage from a friend who’s been DMing and playing for over 10 years, and has one character he’s been playing for 5 of those. Basically, the longer you play a character the more you get it’s voice and the more emotional moments can happen with it. I had one moment with a character i player for 4 sessions(campaign had to stop), and it was the first time I had really found that characters voice. Now look at how long these players have been playing the characters, they’ve found the voices

[@sittingduck6049]

There are so many moments when Matt is obviouly shocked and/impressed by his players (yeh he's a an actor but it's real) . Talisen ends a sea battle with control water and a lucky dice roll (Matt rips up his sheet of rules for a sea battle he spent ages making), and Laura's legendary cupcake to name 2

[@manaskyshroud]

love this! i was always on the fence because so many people said it was scripted. I still enjoy it either way. Matt is the DM I wish I had. Great video sir!

[@offcenterideas]

The 'Matt Mercer Effect' is like watching an NBA Championship game, picking up a basketball for the first time, and expecting to be just as good. Each of them has (on average) 20+ years of acting experience, numerous awards for said acting, and over a decade of RPG experience. Matt's been playing D&D for almost 30 years. Nobody's gonna be Matt Mercer tier or Critical Role quality their first (or 100th) game, but that doesn't mean you can't have an absolute blast with your friends regardless! You're not gonna be the next Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan after just a couple hours of shooting hoops with your friends. Have fun!

[@lv1123]

I'm currently planning/preparing to be DM for my friends. No one of us has ever played, but I'm the most motivated so I got the role as the DM. I've watched critical role for a year now and it has really helped me understand the game. In the beginning... I didn't understand anything, but while reading the players handbook and watching critical role... I started understanding what was happening and is currently still enjoying their campaigns. I am an introvert and I do get insecurities when it comes to introducing my friends to DnD, but I also feel inspired. I know I won't be at Matt's level of DM, I know it will be tacky and a lot of mistakes, but my only goal is to get my friends a similar experience as when Matt describes, creates and delivers story's to engage the players. My only goal is to give my friends a good story to be a part of and feel the same joy I've gotten from witnessing their campaigns. It takes me ages to start, since I want to be as prepared as I can. I hope one day I'll get good enough to create my own world for my friends to discover. Thanks for the vid! They really deserves some recognition for their hard work.