You Didn't Just Fail, You Critical Failed! - Ep. 61 of Intentionally Blank

[@groofay]

Brandon saved the ending of an RP campaign, that the players messed up, for over 20 years, to end a 6,000-page fantasy series. Talk about the long game.

[@BrandSanderson]

Oh, you just wait. Their response to it was so classically gaming PC that it was hilarious. I'll explain after book five is out.

[@hkfifty871]

I’m gonna make a prediction here (just for my own kicks and giggles, to reflect back on whenever we get to hear the full story)- someone seduced the major villain that poor Brandon spent the entire campaign developing and building up. And it was either Dan’s idea, his fault, or he simply gleefully enabled the entire thing.

[@zack32460]

If we're making predictions, I bet it's a twisty twisted twist where the first twist was a red herring and the blackthorn's Father is Vasher.

[@louiesosa4668]

@@BrandSanderson I have a looooot of reading to do to catch up so I can book 5 in real time

[@spenceratwood7899]

So it could be a lot of things, but I’d say it’s most likely to be szeth doing something insane at the behest of something he ascribes too much value to (sword, oathstone, highspren) OR Renarin’s corrupted spren tricking him into doing something bad, OR Ba-Ado-Mishram related. Or Pattern is up to something… OR stormfaker giving dalinar bad advice… so many possibilities Can’t wait for the shardcast episode theorising what this means. As long as it’s not too similar to the Ruin/Preservation twist in well of ascension

[@longshot9757]

I'm still waiting for a Mistborn crew to pull off a food heist of their own.

[@Denseus]

They wanted to steal atium which you eat Sort of That creaking sound? Me stretching real hard on that one

[@ConservativeJoanna]

@Nolo Contendere no.. please.. Scadriel would die 😂

[@longshot9757]

@@Denseus Personally, I'd like to believe the "food" in question is a crateload of the fruit of Patji's Fingers. That would be a Cosmere-level food heist right there.

[@jpdixon]

imagine all the pancakes Vin and Lift could steal together

[@noahearl]

Love this comment 😃

[@big_sis_moon]

Oh great, this just makes the wait for Stormlight 5 that much harder

[@jeanlucas2592]

We're almost there!!!

[@LzyBn1987]

Can we stop and appreciate how much power Dan has right now!? Ending plays a role in Stormlight 5!! In totally unrelated news, Dan if you need a dinner sometime soon, let me know.

[@TheodoreMinick]

Hmm. "Ask for a boon, get an unknown side effect" sounds vaguely familiar... I wonder where I might have seen that... 🤔

[@SmashedTomatoes]

Ah yes!! The binding of isaac.

[@timothygailey7288]

“Waiting since ‘99” My whole life. The ending has been waiting my whole life

[@TheWeirdTalesPodcast]

If you don't tell the cashier at the bookstore that you've LITERALLY been waiting your whole life to read this book, and then tell everyone else you know, you're missing so many opportunities.

[@777Looper]

This is one of the best DnD stories videos I have seen. And they are rampant on this platform.

[@galmannmedbart]

look up "Lab manipulates deceased spiders’ legs with a puff of air to serve as grabbers" And consider what we could accomplish as a society if we specked more into necromancy. :D

[@masonwheeler6536]

19:46: "That's the thing you have to understand about this character. He was pleasant, but disturbing." You heard it here, folks. Little Grunt was the original Laudna.

[@ethangadbois6599]

YES hahahah - the scariest 20 Cha you’ll ever see

[@d-emprahexpects]

Brandon doing powergaming sounds like the best kind of powergaming. Hilarious, fun, quirky and oddball characters are the best

[@MaranathaMetal]

Mr. Sanderson, you are ridiculously hard working and I appreciate you.

[@sadee4175]

Brandon: Necromancer is such a strong word... I prefer the term Entrepreneur and Upcycler just.. with bodies

[@TheNinjaBees]

My first real D&D PC was an abandoned Warforged assassin model, that had broken down deep in a forest. And over the decades the magic of nature and it’s fauna slowly brought them back online, and that’s how they became a Druid Class. My “thing” was using a transformers soundboard every time I WildShaped into these mechanical versions of their favorite animals. Shoutout to the Level 6 Circle of Moon Druid - Fibonacci

[@OrionSeas]

Yo that's actually amazing, I love that. Broken down, abandoned technology and machinations being brought back online through some new power or force is one of my favorite tropes and I love the way you pulled it off!

[@paulrhodes6564]

This isn’t a particularly new idea, but Brandon would love a Lich who is the emperor of a country and he provides his subjects with everything they could ever want in life, so they never want for food or shelter and there are plenty of fun activities to do etc. But in exchange for such a fulfilling life, when they die, the Lich gets their soul and will forever serve him as an undead. I mean how do you think this Lich runs the country? Undead workers slaving away to provide unending happiness for his living subjects. It’s a fun twist on a Lich who figured out the key to success with his undead army isn’t to be an evil douche bag, but instead a benevolent ruler

[@robsright4256]

A character wearing a live helmet of his evil enemy is a great character idea

[@andraspapp1284]

I'm all down for a roleplaying stories session :DD

[@ashdog9235]

21:37 you some how got me even more excited for storm 5 how

[@Morfeusm]

OMG Stormlight 5 ending is going to be epic, isn’t it?!

[@joeybelasco]

I get overwhelmed and start crying if I think about stormlight 5 too long

[@TheStarMachine2000]

Yes

[@jonsedai2582]

I can't find the stormlight reference. Must have missed it

[@joeybelasco]

@@jonsedai2582 when Brandon stopped Dan from telling the D&D story because Brandon intends to take influence from that story in SA5

[@jonsedai2582]

@@joeybelasco omg that's … I'm speechless . I can only imagine. We are in for a ride my friend

[@Drooper99]

I just want to see these 2 on Critical Role one day as guests

[@jonathanf4082]

Brandon: "I don't like the Star Wars idea that attachment to people ruins you." Star Wars Rebels wonderfully reframes and fixes this with the Jedi Kanan. He may as well be married and his attachments gave him strength.

[@citizensguard3433]

I recently lost everything when my gf of 5 years left me last week, leaving me homeless in the process. I think this podcast was the first moment of joy I've had since it all happened.

[@TheRaptorsClaw]

Hey man. I just want to reach out because I've had almost the exact same happen to me a couple months ago. I'm glad you've found something that's given you joy. Please keep seeking things that do, and fill your day with it as much as you can. You deserve joy, and distractions will help you get through this. You can process the feelings with time, but for now, find friends, find ways to spend your time, and seek happiness in things as much as you can. Old hobbies, new things, whatever works for you. Just know that there are people out there who will help and care, and remember, the most difficult step a man can take, is the next one. Always the next one. Hang in there buddy. We'll both get through this. We will be warm again. ❤️

[@danwells9305]

That sucks, and I'm sorry. Here's hoping you get back on top soon.

[@pablomedeiros5573]

@@TheRaptorsClaw well put, like a warm hug in the form of written text

[@citizensguard3433]

@@TheRaptorsClaw thank you. That is very much appreciated and has made a significant difference for me. Sincerely.

[@citizensguard3433]

@@danwells9305 I really appreciate the thoughts. Thank you. Yes, it's hard when you've built an entire life with someone, only for it to all fall apart because they decide they want something else. I can tell myself a life built then destroyed, can be rebuilt. I tell myself if this life I've built has crumbled, God is telling me I need to pave my foundations elsewhere. Then it's 3AM and I'm lying awake thinking about it all, and no amount of things I could tell myself ease the sinking feeling. Sorry. I guess this reply was more for me, than for anyone else. I don't know why I decided to air out my life's problems via KZbin comment. But thank you again for taking the time to respond. Sincerely.

[@S1leNtRIP]

Give me MORE!!!! This is amazing guys!

[@jechuviadscape]

Am I the only one here wanting to see a D&D campaing of them playing?

[@mhelvens]

"Powergamer who tries his best not to let it ruin things." - That's me exactly! Unfortunately, when I find clever loopholes in the rules, my DM just says no. That's certainly one way not to let it ruin things. 😅

[@mellonmellonmellon5368]

You just gotta find a dm who lets you break rules

[@mhelvens]

@@mellonmellonmellon5368 No, breaking the rules is boring. The fun is in finding broken combos allowed by the rules. 🙂

[@Machtyn]

Oh, now I'm excited for the end of SL5 and then to hear the original story.

[@paralicular3927]

Now i imagine the night mother hiding a list of curses that would go with the boons she granted

[@TweaksDIRT]

Where is Dan's RPG channel? I haven't seen anything updated from it and forever and I love it

[@plusmanikantanr]

Spoilers : 😂 Nine Heads of Heralds floating while Taln the lil' Warrior casts Resurrection and ReBinding the OathPact allowing everyone to leave EXCEPT TOadium.

[@starmorpheus]

Reading Brandon's comments about Stormlight 5 got me a little too excited 😭

[@godminnette2]

I like the thumbnail. Maybe flip their positions, though. I get if the camera was behind them it'd be correct, but it's weird to my brain having Brandon on the right and Dan on the left...

[@adoniscreed4031]

Urgh...

[@kraber101]

Looks like an ad for a baldness treatment

[@stephalloplayz]

Because the mistborn crew tried to steal atium, which they ingest, does that make it a food heist?

[@MrExeetor]

this is my fav episode tbh! ^^love hearing old rpg stories!

[@stevepayne3094]

My first DnD character was for Dark Sun, a half-giant tank named Mukkel (from the Scots word Muckle meaning many, or lots). He annoyed some Elves in Raam by singing The Dwarven Drinking Song repeatedly and badly, and was poisoned with some magical concoction - I crit failed the fort save sending him on a naked delusional rampage through the city that did not please the Sorcerer Queen. Not even slightly. I was taken into their dungeon where I crit failed on a will save against some mental manipulation spell of hers. I was released back to the adventuring party's custody after a week of being tortured and brain washed. I ended up with a magically driven extreme distrust and dislike of Elves in general, and because of my double crit failed saving throws the DM decided that penalty was applicable to me as a player too and not just Mukkel. To this very day, I find I am rather distrustful of Elves, whom I find I dislike generally...

[@blugobln85]

D&D is my favorite thing, and hearing you two talk about it is so much fun. :D

[@alanlayton6295]

It’s sort of scary that 3e d&d was a massive simplification.

[@braydengraves4655]

I don't even want to think about what it would have been like before...

[@nicholaswells4572]

It wasn’t. It was massively more complex. With the exception of THAC0

[@hcstubbs3290]

I swear this man is always signing things.

[@jamcdonald120]

Anyone else notice that Nale (stormlight) is a Chatic Good Lawfull Evil character?

[@nobodybutzach]

This is now one of my favorite episodes! I need to hear more about Little Grunt.

[@suepedie1]

Now we're even MORE impatient waiting for Storm light 5!

[@obviousalias132]

I need Brandon to guest star on Dimension20

[@74gould]

As a lifelong D&D guy AND Palladium guy, I loved this episode. 😁❤️

[@pambennett8967]

Just finished book four and my son is in book three. This is the best series since LOTR.

[@Adam_okaay]

I like 2ADND, but I've only played it in Baldur's Gate. I like how you want a low AC but gear ie rings/necklaces/gloves/cloaks that give +x to AC actually give -x to your AC.

[@Adam_okaay]

"The guy from the Roots" is Questlove but the rest of The Roots make up the rest of Fallon's house band.

[@MarkEichin]

Mmm, I need to send the entire section on game-breaking and "buy in" back in time to the people *I* roleplayed with in the late 80s... a bunch of things could have been *so* much less stupid with that spelled out explicitly :-)

[@hallaloth3112]

Lol, Bradon's Necromancer reminds me of the characters my fiance always comes up. Take a fun concept and really lay into it.

[@zachswanson6643]

Ooh new thumbnail?? Nice work producer Adam 😄

[@cathbadh1320]

So happy to hear of more people my age who played the d6 Star Wars game back in college. Such a great system. Ranks up there with the original version of Deadlands for fun story telling.

[@masonwheeler6536]

WRT the D&D-monsters-that-became-Koloss, were they magically-mutated former-human abominations, or did that part come later?

[@EliasMheart]

Can anyone tell me what the "spot on the wall" ability is, that's being mentioned? Not familiar with the reference :/^^

[@dannychan0510]

So you’re telling me that the origins of the Nightwatcher is “Death who was Jeff Goldblum”? I can never see the Nightwatcher the same again!

[@LrnecBuma]

That elf empire that praises death sounds an aweful lot like warbreaker too

[@alexh4935]

I will pay real dollars for a Dan Wells novel about Little Grunt and his Lawful Evil talking skull who reluctantly advises him on proper etiquette.

[@kristinakugler5880]

I was in that first campaign with you guys. I was the rogue! 😁

[@hoonterofhoonters6588]

Brandon wants to meta game around odd rules and combine seemingly useless magic powers to create absurdly powerful combinations? He should play Noita.

[@thomashearne4670]

Dan literally became The Collector from Darkest Dungeon lol

[@uptown3636]

Ok Dan, it’s time for you to channel your inner Ben Mezrich and write the definitive book on the great wine heist.

[@jauxro]

aw this thumbnail is very clean but I hope it doesn't mean discontinuing the old style..! I really believe a human face creates a sense of appeal, bringing in new viewers from people unfamiliar with Sanderson's content. Human back-of-the-head? Yes, it's quite clean and simple this one time, but it does convey emotion or identity or give you an idea of what's going on.

[@andrewvanhorne4359]

> A simple, streamlined system that lets you do what you want > 3rd edition It's fascinating how perceptions of each edition vary generationally. I'm wondering whether either of you tried the B/X rules.

[@chadskelly8955]

Please please you guys have to start your own Critical Roll show. That would be beyond epic!

[@milkboy195]

Please more about roleplaying

[@mace71730]

Man, I would love to play some D&D with you guys!!!

[@billyclabough9835]

Dungeons and Dragons 3.0 was more a follower to existing treads than a trailblazer when it comes to reducing rules complexity in favor of story. For example: White Wolf's Storyteller system, 1990, removed a lot of the crunchy bits in favor of a streamlined storytelling experience. Amber Diceless Roleplaying Game, 1991, was another story focused system.

[@ri3sch]

Wow, a Leroy Jenkins reference. Been a long while since I thought about that

[@janalewis3030]

Where did you get the idea for the Kandra? My first thought when you explained how they assumed the shape of something else was those creatures in The Beastmaster (I'm sure you know what that is!).

[@RubyMineshaft]

I’d love to play a d&d campaign with BS as the DM

[@brendanadkins175]

20:47 i have read stormlight 5 and am still not sure what they are referencing here...

[@Stormsign]

I have to agree with you here, I thought it would have been obvious what the ending he mentioned would be, so now I'm left confused.

[@deanadavi7082]

I’m a little worried for Stormlight 5, since I’ve felt Dalinar was missed in book 4 and his plot was kinda forgotten…I hope he will return in the series

[@cbpd89]

Originally he was supposed to have his flashbacks in book 5, so I wouldn't be too worried. Brandon has said before that Dalinar would have a smaller part in book 4 than in 3&5

[@tomchisholm9467]

what is the Spot on the Wall Asimov story? I've heard of spot on the wall powers as a concept but never where it came from. Would really love to know what story it comes from.

[@DisneyBatchman]

Could be more than one place, but I think it was actually a Piers Anthony Xanth power that showed the range of powers from incredible to nothing special.

[@tomchisholm9467]

@@DisneyBatchman Thank you!

[@voidsabre_]

34:43 THAT'S how you say Obligators?!?!

[@mrplatink]

Keep going strong, Brandon!

[@nkonts]

But how did Brandon accomplish that much with colorful spots? What did he do with that?

[@GeorgeKinsill]

His Heroes unlimited discussion where he becomes all powerful with "spot" powers might have inspired Sony in how they just wrote Across the Spiderverse.

[@ConservativeJoanna]

Y’all are such nerds I love it😂😂

[@icicle-kv8zg]

Now I really want Andy Richter to play Sanderson in stormlight 😆

[@Halrax_38]

As a fan of Worm I was confused until I googled it. Apparently that’s a more common name than I thought.

[@YoJesusMorales]

Honestly, I kind of want to see a module(?) or something with a bunch of random tables that Sanderson has written.

[@johnslash8508]

Dan almost spoiled the ending of stormlight 5

[@Morfeusm]

The thing is we would know until we would read it. Imagine that lol

[@damianmay7666]

So….now that Stormlight 5 is out I really hope they revisit the story that Dan wasn’t allowed to tell here lol

[@bisqueknife]

Great episode, entertaining and informative!

[@cbpd89]

I should have expected a solid argument to the utility of necromancy as an ethical choice for labor, but I didn't see it coming. I'm convinced! Is this the part where you ask me to invest in your necromancer start up?

[@nicholaswells4572]

Brandon D&D or PF real play podcast when? Or Brandon allowing Paizo or mage hand to make Cosmere subclasses/classes/archetypes for their games. I need this.

[@fullmatthew]

Is it just me or do Brandon and Dan have very similar inflections in their voices when they speak? Maybe it's because they're good friends LOL. Anyway I recently discovered this podcast and I'm loving it.

[@ConnorApps]

I just want to say that I love the thumbnail

[@robbybevard8034]

Which episode was it that they originally talked about their friend becoming an immortal character? I remember it but not the episode title.

[@robbieaustin8402]

20:15 a little bit of SA 5 teasing.

[@RadarScreen]

I too have an intentionally-blank business card. Does that make me a fellow journalist on Intentionally Blank? :-P

[@torjones1701]

Every American is a Journalist, at least as far as SCOTUS is concerned.

[@zyrohnmng]

Dan almost spoiled Stormlight 5

[@DisneyBatchman]

Wasn't spot on the wall the definition of a really weak Xanth power from Piers Anthony?

[@Parmandur]

I started with 3E, but there are certain systemic advantages to THAC0 that 3E broke and weren't fixed until 5E.

[@s0rd3z]

You should check out "The great Mars Hill Bank Robbery" about my distant cousin. It's a crazy story that people thought was a criminal master mind but it's honestly just a big comedy of errors.

[@cbpd89]

Isn't there a Jared Hess movie about that?

[@s0rd3z]

@@cbpd89 Not sure. I do know of the book, written by a guy that used to be a Game Warden in Maine. I never heard about a movie.

[@pablomedeiros5573]

The wine heist guys where probably waiting the cheese heist guys (everybody Knows cheese goes well with wine), but the wine heist guys got there too soon and the police got them instead ;) The police probably originally wanted to get the cheese heist guys because of a tip that something smelled funny :p

[@mrzoonix6368]

The Red Bull heist were 11 trucks and took 12 hours.

[@Nylspider]

heeey love the new thumbnail!

[@joshshortt9599]

"The whole idea that any sort of attachment ruins you." I think a lot of people don't get that attachment and love are not the same thing in Star Wars, so it makes the Jedi look inhuman. Lack of attachment is merely a non-possessive attitude. The Jedi can still care about other people.

[@SomeTomfoolery]

o-BLIG-ator? I've been saying OB-ligator

[@giggleanthropisticon7061]

I like the new thumbnail

[@BladeWinters]

Woah, Dan plays Starcraft

[@SharknBake]

I propose that rather than journalists you guys are closer to the role of pundits during the food heist segments - take that as you will of course lol

[@ptrickthepat]

Can someone explain what the spot on the wall power is that Brandon apparently turned into a game breaker?

[@MountainDewComacho494]

D&D = Homework the Game