The Gift Among the Green | Exandria Unlimited | Episode 6

[@flandomaltrizian4603]

HEY, there might be some SPOILERS under the thing 1:40 Extended My Big Fat Greek Wedding reference 2:25 Berobed Matt and Sparkle Omar announce things 4:25 Intro Cinematic 6:10 Episode Starts 6:55 Recap Ends 8:40 Fy’ra and Dorian 10:15 Lowkey Liam dad joke 12:20 Ted is so irresponsible 19:35 Matt stacking 5’s and 0’s 23:50 Ignoring the city 26:55 Dariax jumps 29:00 Giving Dorian things 29:50 Nat 20 on hair defense 31:10 Don’t push me in 35:50 Treading water 39:40 Loxodon hype 47:40 Googal 50:30 Googal takes the crown 56:55 Fearne makes peace with Googal 58:20 Niirdal-Poc lore 1:03:25 Unplaceable accent 1:07:35 Dariax is a bad example of the outside world 1:12:00 Rock don’t crack 1:16:30 Uncomfortable truths 1:18:00 Dorian’s secret 1:18:45 Fy’ra’s secret 1:21:20 Genar’s secret 1:22:00 Orym’s secret 1:23:30 Mister’s trick 1:24:30 Fearn’s secret 1:26:30 Dariax’s secret 1:27:40 Opal and Ted’s secrets 1:31:30 More Niirdal-Poc lore 1:37:35 Break Starts 1:52:00 Art Montage 1:52:35 Break Ends 1:53:35 Dariax’s vision 2:02:50 Good branding 2:05:10 Opal sees her reflection 2:16:55 Magical privilege 2:29:55 Fy’ra Rai’s path 2:37:20 Orym’s quest 2:40:00 Robbie Daymon sigh 2:47:20 Things start to happen 2:50:00 Self actualize before you get knocked out 2:58:25 Chase sequence begins 3:00:05 Flute axe 3:07:25 Every animal is a sweet boy 3:12:25 Why do I have a turn if I’m unconscious? 3:18:20 Matt’s Opal impression 3:21:35 Are the meat beasts bad? 3:23:15 Losing donk 3:27:00 Fy’ra mounts Fearne 3:29:25 Deash 3:37:05 Who’s chasing whom? 3:38:15 More Opal impression 3:42:10 Running into Opal 3:54:10 Lava whip 3:59:10 HDYWTDT 4:01:25 Opal scream 4:03:05 I apologize 4:04:55 Filet by Opal 4:07:35 Which one is the real Opal? 4:13:50 Dorian earns an Opal kiss 4:22:25 HDYWTDT 4:28:20 Offensive druidcraft 4:33:30 Orym’s counterspell 4:37:40 Fy’ra must go 4:43:45 Post-credit scene 4:44:55 Episode Ends So it turns out Masters of the Universe: Revelation totally rules and is great DnD inspiration. I understand the people that aren’t into it, but as someone without nostalgia for the original, I think it’s a great time. It’s on Netflix Any moments I missed? Feel free to post them here. Is it Thursday yet?

[@Dazen101]

Man, you're fast.

[@nathanturner3098]

You never disappoint

[@jmercedesd]

100% agree about MotU, it was EXCELLENT.

[@oscarbautista6840]

HOW?

[@TheBlackSquirrel]

4:34:29 "What head, Nancy?"

[@bigsiskrishere]

Matt rolling for anything important: 0 Matt rolling to run in heels: 16 babeee

[@davidjennings2179]

Hey, if you've never had running in heels go badly you don't know quite how important that roll is! That shit is lethal.

[@bigsiskrishere]

@@davidjennings2179 Fair 😂

[@jtsmith4434]

Why is this Matt irl

[@emthatyourefuse2494]

Dariax exists in this world entirely to hype up his friends and be pretty, and he's so valid for that.

[@Yasha277]

Bullshit that he even had to make that roll. It was an illusion, not actual heels.

[@StereotypeNerd96]

They're The Chosen Ones because their dice always choose ones

[@faloof]

YEP

[@Flareon-fz3po]

or Aabria when she decides the dice results don't matter :/

[@greenquartz]

Love it! 😍

[@coledibiase1777]

@@Flareon-fz3po Anything else to complain about?

[@Flareon-fz3po]

@@coledibiase1777 don't get too defensive now, I barely listed a single criticism. Nothing to complain about that you would want to read clearly.

[@wayneweibel8970]

"I want you to be self-actualized before I knock you the fuck out" - great line Aabria

[@equinoxxed_7502]

This is going into my vocabulary immediately. 10/10

[@cFull_Rtrd]

@@equinoxxed_7502 damn how many people are you knocking out?

[@littlefurnace]

Ok i've just realised the genius of Ashley creating a character who has no impulse control and spends half her time as an animal - it means she can fulfill her every desire to touch all the buttons and still be completely in character. C3 is going to be a hell of a ride.

[@The_Thulhu]

I didn't even realize that...

[@pollister7482]

Hello are you also here doing C3 research?! Hiiii :)

[@The_Thulhu]

@@pollister7482 Yes actually. There are C3 recurring characters & I wanted to watch what was, essentially, their session 0.

[@littlefurnace]

@@pollister7482 lol yes, i heard that three of them had carried over their characters from EXU and i couldn't bear to watch the first episode of C3 until i watched EXU first! Glad i did too, it's an excellent stand-alone even without knowing they go on to c3

[@unorthadoxgamer1284]

@@littlefurnace same

[@CalicoOnYT]

Fy'ra gestures over to Dariax: "There is something extremely special about him." Dariax stares off into the middle-distance and absently picks his nose.

[@yoni10014]

Reminds me of Katara when she tries to convince her grandma that Aang is filled with wisdom

[@mitchellwilliam95]

There is something extremely special olympics about him

[@Direwolf181]

​@@mitchellwilliam95 hea Cad if Cad also had a low Wis XD

[@KG-uu5op]

The fry from futurama vibes are so strong

[@PancakeMonster359]

It's official. Liam can't help but hit on Matt's characters.

[@Coridimus]

What makes you say that? Serious ask.

[@PancakeMonster359]

@@Coridimus it's just a joke. Liam's PCs have/had romantic relationships with Matt's characters before in both campaigns. And it happens again here.

[@Coridimus]

@@PancakeMonster359 I must have missed it here. Sorry. Probably just my ace ass not picking up signals, but could you please enlighten me with an example for this campaign?

[@RenVicious69]

I mean, they're just so lovable xD

[@keanusabine6335]

@@Coridimus Shaun Gilmore and Vax were a thing before Liam decided that Vax was interested in Keyleth, Orym checked out the naked Dariax, and I am guessing something in campaign 2 though I am not caught up on that yet.

[@gavinbock8531]

Dude the change in Dorian since having the dream and getting his alignment changed has been beautiful and horrifying, huge Boromir vibes

[@SmoothAsFelt]

Kind of teminds me of Dorian gray but that might be the name more than anything

[@markferrara1609]

I was thinking the same thing

[@frisbeedan8905]

This whole series is just Matt's masterclass on how to roll terribly with class

[@bohdanhovorun3078]

Yeah, reminds me "The escape from Bloodkeep", where Matt has a simillar situation.

[@stevedoredandyfunk3032]

Bad rolls make for the best games. Explaining failures can create great character development.

[@ssfbob456]

Hell yeah, he even gets excited, bad rolls can make a character really fun

[@flaminyawn]

@@bohdanhovorun3078 Part of what made his character in Bloodkeep so amazing was that he WAS capable of rolling well, but almost exclusively when none of the other party members were in a position to see him doing cool shit. That and his absolute inability to kill gender-swap Samwise. XD

[@sylvnfox]

fact is Will comes in before every session and gives Matt a big hug.

[@Nova-jw6ju]

“Don’t worry. I would do *anything* for my friends.” A bold yet accurate choice of words from Dorien.

[@xx_Agent_Carolina]

He said _almost anything_ the night his alignment changed. The difference is worrisome. 🤐

[@alexandrawhalen4895]

I love Matt's expression when Aabria is describing the city. You can tell he is just loving this addition to his world

[@twistedbambi2370]

Way more than the addition of Kansas 😂

[@Misfit_Kitten]

All this time, Omar was uncomfortable because he just wanted his cape! "I can no longer let you outshine me, Father!"

[@KitKatWiffleBallBat]

Lmao I would totally hire you to write for the part of Omar in his grand episodic trilogy on Netflix. But he would need a nemesis or rival of some kind. Maybe not a cat...too cliché. 🤔😋

[@Karina-Loves-Andreas]

The cape is actually a very sparkly "Thunder Coat"...

[@lenac.4192]

Omg this comment is underrated! 😂😂

[@elbruces]

I like how Omar just proved he's perfectly happy to sit still for filming indefinitely as long as no one's trying to HOLD him! He will not be upstaged!

[@lethargicbobhope]

@@KitKatWiffleBallBat buddy cop movie with Dagon

[@Ailieorz]

Just want to take a moment to give appreciation to Liam for taking the backseat and allowing the new players (and Matt) to run with whatever crazy shit they come up with. It must be tempting to jump in and help but instead he just encourages and builds on what they do. That's a team player Also I saw that cheeky beer run ;)

[@MagatsuNimura]

I think Liam is taking the backseat because he is bored and not invested in this story. Can't blame him though, he's tried so many things at the beginning, with basically no impact during the campaign. So by now, I don't blame him for checking out most of the session.

[@Caitydid561]

@@MagatsuNimura He's not checked out, dude. He literally said _in this episode_ that he was so lost in the story he forgot to think about what he was doing next. It's just his character this time around is way more chill than Caleb or Vax were. He wouldn't play if he was bored. He'd find a way to leave the game. This group isn't the type to force someone to stay who isn't having fun. And he's taken the backseat in some of the one-shot games, too. It's called being supportive of his friends.

[@Ailieorz]

@@Caitydid561 Yeah he seems to be there to be the steady hand, so I could understand if he's not quite as engaged but I also think Orym is just a very reserved character.

[@MagatsuNimura]

​@Follow the howl no, I'm not. I don't need to project anything on anyone, I can have my opinions and still think there is people at the table enjoying the game, and people that are not enjoying it. I've seen Liam play for literally hundreds of hours, in Exandria, and other campaign settings, with different DMs, and even though in the first 2 episodes, he looked exceited and invested, their attempts to make some kind of impact in the game have been shut down, and I honestly don't blame him for not paying so much attention. I still think there are some players at the table who haven't chedked out. Obviously I could be wrong in my assumption, because it is just that, an assumption, but I feel confident, based on my experience with as an espectator with Liam as a player.

[@MagatsuNimura]

​@@Caitydid561 well, you have your valid opinion, I have mine. I think he is lost, but not in the episode. I think he's lost in the story because it's been kind of a mess. And I think that Liam is a great person, and a professional, and he wouldn't leave the table mid campaign because that would be rude, and because this is as much a fun game for them, as it is their job at the moment. If I were Liam, I wouldn't leave the table either. You can have fun moments, and still be bored at any other moment, and it is even more important to be professional, when apart from your hobby, it is also your job. Also, it is good gesture to Matt, who is also playing and trusting Aabria, and taking a well deserved rest as a DM. I don't see a world where Liam could be even hating the game, and still would walk out. He is much more respectful than that. In any case, I don't see why people get so mad about the possibility of one of them not having as much fun. You can have fun with a game like D&D, have fun with your friends, and still don't enjoy their way of DMing, for example. In fact, I don't know why this is so hard to fathom. Most people I know have to try different games, and different groups before finding THEIR GROUP. I know I have 2 amazing groups right now, but I played with several groups before, and they weren't my cup of tea (even though I like most of the people in them). And the people I play with now had the same kind of journey. And I really think my group now is amazing, with roleplayers who get into character as soon as the game starts, know their characters, love the story, are respectful to the DM, and enjoy the world. And even with this kind of tools, they had to search for a bit, before finding their kind of group. So I can totally get if Liam is not that invested, and I wouldn't judge him, because it is natural, and not at all a sign of disrespect to the campaign, or Aabria for that matter. And I wouldn't expect him to tell us that he is not enjoying it. As hard as it is for some people to see, this is an economic endeavour, and not a single actor would be on paid promotion and say he didn't enjoy the movie he is promoting.

[@flaminyawn]

Fearne is so cute and sweet, but then she has her moments when she reveals the BESTIAL MONSTER lurking just under the surface. Just like her player.

[@imkabochan]

Adorable and terrifying. Two traits that strangely work pretty well together.

[@MarkZeroGaming]

Grog, somewhere, probably: "MONSTAAAAAH!!"

[@Ashtor1337]

That's a fey.

[@eyesofmuffin]

yes. I love her! :3 ashley's made a great character. it's the careful choices for me. i mean my surname is hemlock- we love to see lovely women & nonbinary people who will drop you and poison your food if you don't act right, but the dog wiggle and when she came out of the water i mean, adorable and all the fun!

[@dark_neverland]

She plays a Fae very true to type

[@Mysterio1021]

As if there weren't enough people chasing after Opal. She now has a ring of invisibility. _Sauron has entered the chat_

[@kjj26k]

She clearly freaking needs it!

[@kjj26k]

Well, it will help with the others.

[@franciscop6295]

Aabria saying "my cabbages" and Matt mentioning the legolas horse scene has been the highlight of this episode... these nerds are my people!!!

[@roftherealm3418]

Plus the Dariax & Opal Spiderman Meme (3:52:00). These people speak my language.

[@joshuaredling4590]

I feel bad for Matt on how bad his rolls are but at the same time it’s hilarious how well he plays them off in character.

[@picklechilli]

It does work well for his character. It's sad but good for us.

[@whateverppl1229]

I'm still convinced he custom made a weighted dice so it rolls low

[@Thiccremoch162]

I mean, he’s said before when he played in dimension 20’s escape from the blood keep that rolling low is something that he enjoys happening since it spurs the plot in an unexpected direction(he also had awful rolls in that campaign too)

[@lukeedwards6027]

@@Thiccremoch162 his rolls and his reactions to them made his character an awesome, hobbit fearing underdog that you couldn’t help but root for

[@seprich]

@@whateverppl1229 I totally agree that he is using a weighted dice. Probably didn't have to custom make it though, D&D dices are not casino quality and eventually badly balanced dices come up.

[@desaturatedyou]

I absolutely love how even though Matt isn't the DM, the whole cast still gets to screw with him with the ad read.

[@rosiecooper8030]

I mean, someone has to take over from Sam with the funny adverts.

[@disasterjones5798]

Aimee definitely needs to come back for a horror-themed one-shot or something. Her unbridled glee during the goriest parts of the chase were absolutely hysterical. I feel the murder gremlin growing stronger within. XD

[@martynpoyser6381]

Yes, yes, yes 🖤

[@Canibalteaspoon159]

Her and Robbie both need to be guests for campaign 3. I would love to see them with the whole critical role cast, it would be so much fun!

[@davidparkes7741]

I just wish she could join the table full time tbh. Though yes to Aimee in C3, especially since she couldn't guest in C2 due to the world.

[@saotiago]

it was that moment i realized why she's such good friends with ashley!

[@carlycchapman]

@@Canibalteaspoon159 Well, Robbie is in Campaign 3, so. 🤣

[@flamekatico]

I would just like to take this moment to point out Matt's dedication to the bread-eating pantomime.

[@babblingmongoose]

This unbelievable himbo!!!

[@V3xxe]

He always commits to his RP. You should see him in Dread, he mimes taking a sandwich out of it's bag, removing the wrapping, eating a bit then putting it all back all while the other players are talking, completely unprompted just because it's what his character would do!

[@bigdream_dreambig]

"I _am_ thinking of the imagery and I'm trying to decide what's f--ing sexier!" Forget tactics; _that's_ how to decide what you're going to do in D&D combat! 😝

[@Gaschdisturbed]

10:19 "I'm hungry." "I'm Liam." This is going to be a good episode.

[@patrickrogers9689]

I for one welcome sparkly caped Omar as our new lord and master.

[@darkvizardking69]

That dog looked majestic as fuck, as they rightfully should.

[@RowanKelsen]

Sparkly Omar is the best boy ever

[@ThyCorruptor]

I feel like Matt as rolled more Nat 1s in this campaign than anyone should reasonably roll. He needs new dice lol

[@NWolfsson]

Nah, that's just the DM curse at work. Takes ages to get it out of your system.

[@Jelboo]

Matt as a player is legitimately cursed. Someone needs to do some statistical research on him because whenever I've seen him plays he rolls TERRIBLY

[@Samueras]

I starting to think he sees Will Wheaton in secret. But the curse knows. The curse doesn't care.

[@KristenWood317]

@@Jelboo Nope. Not a normal player. That is Wil Wheaton and it doesn't matter who the DM is or what the game is. He is CURSED.

[@Davinky948]

I’m suffering the curse, finally got to be a player in a one shot instead of a DM and I screwed up every attack roll that I made.😂

[@Abyrae]

Dariax (as Opal): *giggles to himself* "Burned its junk." I lost it at that line.

[@kieran163]

definitely stealing “the size of my enthusiasm is rivaled only by the size of my hair.”

[@coledibiase1777]

But your hair isn't large.

[@kuroneko1813]

@@coledibiase1777 ????

[@UntarWow]

Bald?

[@HBhannahbrown]

Robbie out of game being worried about Orym but needing a reason to go after him in character is so good. I'm so glad we get more of their dynamic in campaign 3 🥺

[@agathiandevaraj9757]

Robbie killed it at that point. He knew Orym is in danger, but Dorian didn't know that, but needed SOME reason to o check on him, but can't do that without metagaming. It's nice that GM gave him a reason, a chance to go help Orym

[@crypto66]

I find Dariax's "Favored by the Gods" ability quite funny, as he is quite literally played _by_ God.

[@PBCjimbo]

But also ironic because matt has been rolling like trash

[@jv11t4]

@@PBCjimbo nah, he has rolled just right to play the golden character called Dariax

[@Lokinagyur]

OOOOOOH ! Now I want Dariax to worship the god Mattew Mercer, god of creation and the beginnings, and I want Matt to roleplay the interactions !!

[@reginav.3416]

As the saying goes: GMs are not Gods, they just tell them, what to do! ;-)

[@isaiahwelch8066]

@@reginav.3416 : I beg to differ. After all, G.O.D. stands for "Game Operations Director." In other words, GMs _are_ gods, because they have the powers of life, death, and destiny in their hands.

[@sgtflintlock6904]

"He has always been and will continue to be a problem" is probably the best description of a PC I have ever heard XD

[@BeinIan]

2:57:25 It feels so fitting that Opal is unconscious, and yet Dariax is still somehow the last one to react.

[@SmoothCriminal_-fp3ig]

I'm so glad that Matt's shirt says "Invulnerable Vagrant" because it's just the perfect description of Dariax's character archetype

[@aFoolsMartyr]

Dariax would be freakin hilarious as Pumat's right hand.

[@ettinakitten5047]

@@aFoolsMartyr But Pumat is Pumat's right hand!

[@johnathanbrandt2526]

Campaign 4 everybody plays as Pumat

[@TakeWalker]

"I worked hard to get that apple poppin'!" MATT PLEASE I AM EATING AN APPLE AT THIS MOMENT

[@billstephens396]

And he worked hard to get it to pop! You're welcome...

[@sheevpalpatine1105]

you better enjoy it, with that pandemic a good ass is hard to find

[@BlazeTube626]

Someone needs to stop comfy Matt, he's getting too powerful with his fabulousness.

[@Gaschdisturbed]

By the last episode he will be having a manicure in a hot tub.

[@JAY-gl5xd]

His final form will be Rocky Horror style lingerie.

[@masonray9881]

His final form will be Gilmore

[@lukeedwards6027]

Fabulousness or Gloriousness?

[@BlazeTube626]

@@lukeedwards6027 yes

[@IceMetalPunk]

Lmfao I love that Aabria didn't even think of the dog getting the crown, she was just like "you threw a bag of food, the dog's gonna munch on it". And then Matt mentioned it, and I could see the light kindle behind Aabria's eyes like, "Ooooh, THAT could go a very interesting direction... WE'RE DOING THIS NOW!" 😂

[@JAY-gl5xd]

A great Dm let's their players create all their own problems. They play off the players paranoia. Law of attraction but with dice.

[@IceMetalPunk]

@@JAY-gl5xd I'm DM'ing for the first time in two weeks. Since it's my first time, I wanted to start small and do just a one-shot. I told my friends it would be a 3-5 hour session... they were like, "No way, we're going to fuck around a lot and probably make no progress in 5 hours, so maybe do it in two or three sessions." So that's the plan now, two sessions, but I'm terrified because I'm trying to prep potential encounters in case they continue to wander and fuck around as much as they said, and if they end up not actually being as off-the-wall, I'll have overprepped and end up with the original 3-5 hour session and everyone will be disappointed...

[@shakyricLshadow1111]

@@IceMetalPunk I dm'd a homebrew campaign for a group of friends and naturally i felt unerprepaired no matter what i did (so i prepped as much as possible) And to my surprise, the players did not cover 1/5th of what i prepped for them the first session.... they didnt even leave the original town on the main quest 😂 So..... my point is don't fret. it's good to be prepared but as long as you've got a solid idea of what you want, some maps, some good encounters stats ready and decently immersive npcs, you'll probably be good. There's other skills too such as voices (which i find particularly fun) but that'll come if it aint natural.

[@IceMetalPunk]

@@shakyricLshadow1111 Yeah, I'm pretty comfortable with the story telling, improvising, NPCs, etc. What I'm not at all familiar with are the mechanical side of things: how many encounters should there be? How do I balance them? What kinds of creatures exist in D&D lore for me to use (i.e. with existing stat blocks)? If I reward them with loot, what kind of loot will keep things from being overpowered? It's especially hard for me because the story I have planned requires each player to basically get a strong NPC ally to join them, and so now I have to balance everything for both the players *and* the allies. I'm sure it will be fine. Worst case scenario is either it's too easy, and I just start duplicating enemies in hordes later in the session; or it's too hard, my players die, I resurrect them (with detriments so there's still some risk!), and at the end of the campaign I get tons of feedback to learn from in case everyone is okay doing it again sometime.

[@meepitydoodle]

@@IceMetalPunk I had my first session that I ran as a DM last Thursday, and had very similar worries with it all. It was actually really ok, obviously it wasn't perfect in the slightest, but my players enjoyed it! Basically what I'm saying is that it's really hard not to worry about it, but things will turn out better than expected :))

[@littlefurnace]

Sad to see Anjali go, she has SO much energy and enthusiasm, she's been a real boon to the show. Really looking forward to seeing her again somewhere on CR

[@twistedbambi2370]

Well, you got your wish 😊

[@davidbergfors6820]

so here is what I believe these Stained glass window sigils represent, they are important historical events or places: 4:41 The Cobalt Soul, (followers of Ioun, the knowing mistress) 5:03 The Reawakening of the Aeormatons, (Out from the icy tundra of Eiselcross, a metallic arm reaching out to the hands of other different races) 5:13 The sacking of Emon by the Chroma Conclave 5:22 Whitestone. 5:30 Vasselheim with the stone titan and the shadowfell city of Thar Amphala on it's shoulders 5:36 the War Between the Dwendalian Empire and the Kryn Dynasty, (represented by what I believe to be Trent Ikithon (human) and Essek Thelyss (Drow)) 5:44 The surrendering of the Luxon Beacon, (a dodecahedron above the brown bandaged arms of one Caleb Widogast) 5:51 The Marquesian City of Ank'Harel with its protector and regent; J'mon Sa Ord, the Brass Dragon Devo'ssa

[@faithjolley6034]

Oh my god thank you! I've been wracking my brain on what the second window represented and have seen theories about Sarenrae and it never made sense because there are 9 hands and they're all in the color scheme of the M9! But I didn't know what the other hand reaching out was, and it's TOTALLY Charlie!

[@slywolfe]

*SUPER UNDERRATED*

[@vacuumdiagram]

So good, thank you!

[@kadie9495]

Super good - do you think this is partly, especially the last environment, to be Caleb‘s wizard tower, referencing his idea of memorial glass-stained windows?

[@izzy4125]

thank you! I've been trying to figure it out for two days now

[@paulbadics4485]

She needs to run a game with Laura Bailey as a player. Her wording will get so many chuckles from Laura.

[@clintr1356]

Opal/Jester combo would be so funny.

[@krspy8849]

@@clintr1356 yeah but in a long campaign it probably wouldn't go so well

[@RowanKelsen]

@@krspy8849 oh, that'd be great.

[@judeklement2671]

Aimee, sam, ashley and laura in a game is a must have

[@paulbadics4485]

@@judeklement2671 pure chaos! I pity any DM that would have to go through that, especially if there isn’t a Travis or Liam to try to rein them all in one direction.

[@theroseylane]

Is Robbie slowly morphing into Dorian? First shaving the beard, now rocking the half-up, half-down man bun? Now I just wanna see him in full cosplay for the last episode! 😂

[@Blue-Pheonix455]

i thought so too

[@1970joedub]

New D&D players tend to play themselves or an idealized version of themself.

[@zackgeldhof1206]

I fully support Robbie's metamorphosis.

[@sedeslav]

Somebody have to say to him that he can levitate as an Air Genasi! :D

[@zackgeldhof1206]

I also fully support Cozy Matt's Metamorphosis.

[@rowandrake2045]

That Avatar "my cabbages" reference was under appreciated in its time

[@targetdreamer257]

Yeah I caught that one that had me chuckling for a little bit.

[@louiskat1900s]

And don’t forget the ‘yip yip’ ❤️

[@whereami2906]

@@louiskat1900s she said "that's enough avatar for one episode" and I thought "NO! MORE PLS"

[@karimhaid4553]

I didn't notice that. Timestamp? :)

[@rowandrake2045]

@@karimhaid4553 it's been weeks since I watched so I don't remember where it was. Sorry

[@xelloskaczor5051]

NEVER tell ex members of Vox Machina to treat someone as they would an elder. Why tempt fate.

[@dawiddulian2403]

Oh. My. God xddddd

[@CharmChampion]

I was thinking the SAME thing. Why assume the person you’re talking to treats elders with respect?

[@SeerOfTime577]

“The power of this candle is nothing against the thought that I have to put it out. So, what is a thought against something that turns and burns in the world? All of this place, all of Exandria, holds potential, holds energy; grabs it, takes it, makes it, and gives it. But it is the decision of you reaching into a place, full and ripe, and deciding to bring something into being. That is the power that some call of the Gods, that some called the Arcane.” - the Tetrarch “I am here to tell you it is never better to be alone. Stay with your family. Not all family is blood. Much family is chosen.” - Fy’ra Rai

[@jester838]

“now that we’ve broken matt’s spirit” the way i HOLLERED

[@knitwit9447]

When Dariax was jumping off the cliff into the water, I was terrified Matt was gonna end up channeling his wife lmao Thought they were gonna have to gather up chunks of dwarf

[@brittoncooper1251]

I though the exact same when Orym leaped, lol

[@xxMamaTreexx]

I love how immersed they’ve been getting into their characters. When Fy’ra was talking about opal to the tetrarch I saw Aimee shake her head and gave a glare and HOT DAMN if that wasn’t an Opal thing to do. Amazing

[@johnathanrhoades7751]

Professional actors with improv training are quite fun to watch 😄

[@32krod]

Petition for the group to be named "Bronte's Inferno"

[@BigBoyGiraffeGraff]

Does no one remember that Will Wheaton literally touched all his shit that one time before their session. I’m telling you right now that Matt did not cleanse his dice properly I’m telling he got a little rub off from him this campaign.

[@LongLiveHumour]

That, or he just bumped into Taliesin.

[@abooie]

Oh shit I remember that now! That is one cursed dice roller

[@jordanschleth1760]

Yoooooo. That Legend of Vox Machina segment during the break actually made me emotional. It's so amazing how much this game that started around a table at Matt's house has become the phenom that it is. I, personally, can't wait to binge the bejeezus out of the show when it comes out.

[@jessicadavin7138]

Matt: *making dirty puns* *playing a chaotic idiot* *singing "It's been awhile" and "makin' my way"* Me: *nods proudly* Good. Good for him. He earned this.

[@alonkellner5375]

"The Chosen Ones" is not accurate since they were the natural choice, "The Natural Ones" fits much better.

[@diode_wow]

The Nat 1's

[@darkvizardking69]

True, only issue is it's way too close to 'the natural oneders' of TFS at the table, and they wouldn't try to step on that.

[@alzoruledura7416]

@@darkvizardking69 Lockwood Natural 1ders represent

[@simsamsammie]

As someone who is decent at lip-reading, I appreciate Aabria for her silent asides SO MUCH

[@georgebalderas4942]

Wait im missing out on stuff timestamps please?!?!

[@HS-iw1ed]

For this series being Amy's first time playing D&D, she's got a blindingly quick grasp of the rules and Opal's abilities, really impressive!

[@thebronzescribe2793]

Yeah, I know. That's how I feel about Robbie. The dude is playing his character as if he's been playing D&D for a few years rather than a few months. Either he or Aimee would be awesome as recurring guest characters or even new additions if they wanted.

[@bri8661]

@@thebronzescribe2793 I think both of these guys really showcase how you can be good at D&D just by being a fun and attentive player. And with this group, roleplay is so much more important than your abilities. It's spectacular! Edit: typo

[@Taurusus]

Except for the *Shield* spell! Gosh I hope someone explains it to her eventually :P I feel like Amy would really shine in a more narrative-style system, she's going for a lot of flavour that D&D just doesn't really support.

[@Ashtor1337]

@@Taurusus that's DnD.

[@faithjolley6034]

@@Taurusus Yea, DND looks like many, many different things. 99% of the rules are guidelines and literally every table plays it differently. C1 and C2 were heavily narrative, there were whole episodes without combat. CR is full of voice actors, their style goes heavy on the RP and on story. DND can support anything because the system is inherently flexible and can essentially provide a bone structure for an RPG. I don't think the system is more important than GM style and pacing. I feel like she would benefit more for having some more breathing room for her character instead of having time constraints. She really wants us to know Opal, and so she's going out of her way to explain her character because she knows she's getting a very small fraction of the time that the regular cast has. She would also be awesome to have on Talks. And spells are really really hard your first go round. I know I still remember the Turn Undead Fiasco in C1, where Will was hinted several times to use turn undead, and didn't figure it out until it was spelled out. Sam was a prodigy and no one knows how he learned every spell so quickly, but I think he definitely sold his soul to Tal for it. These two are doing amazing considering that this is the only game of DND they've played.

[@blairbird8022]

I love that Aabria and Asholes make up stuff about Comfy Matt and he makes it real.

[@RandomImaginings]

@David Von Fakename Sounds like the cousin to the show John Dillermand.

[@Thiccremoch162]

Matt being confused by the city since it’s something completely new is exactly what I was looking for in EXU, new content that even seasoned players and DM’s wouldn’t know about

[@omecronrodneydheel349]

Well, it's canon now.

[@omecronrodneydheel349]

Also, the confusion was Dariax', not Matts

[@Thiccremoch162]

@@omecronrodneydheel349 well Matt would be confused as well, this is a world he wrote from the ground up and this is something he hasn’t made, plus when niirdal-poc was being described he did seem visibly confused

[@omecronrodneydheel349]

Um, actually, he published the material knowing full well other DMs would add there own flare to it...much like the entirety of D&D.

[@Thiccremoch162]

@@omecronrodneydheel349 I never said he didn’t, I know about the Tal’dorei guide and explorer’s guide to wildemount. The entire point of the comment as a whole was that I thought it was neat to see experienced players and the dm of this world encounter things that are completely 100% new in this world that even Matt hasn’t seen.

[@GBS4893]

I love how Aabria just distributes inspiration like candy, i think it's a good lesson in a particular style of dm'ing (or at least i'm inspired by it) Definitely a great way to make people feel valued for their interactions and for everyone to feel good. Sometimes just throw good things at your players, as long as you know what you're doing

[@hdoddema]

I really love the way Aimee is playing. A chaotic character, but she really knows what her character thinks, and she's not afraid to try all kinds of stuff with her actions. Also, imagine Jester and Opal ever meeting.

[@jennifernagy473]

Um... Opal is about as chaotic as Knott/Veth... so just a new addition to chaos crew. Now the shopping... all I can say is that poor store clerk.

[@uwutioussterling3576]

Now THAT is a good One-shot idea !!!

[@davidparkes7741]

Hmm, if Opal ever met Beau what do you think would happen there (If it occurred pre-Yasha)?

[@familiamiltoniana4469]

@@uwutioussterling3576 With Twiggy

[@uwutioussterling3576]

@@familiamiltoniana4469 Lolth Yeah !!!!

[@riddickwalter7888]

I love how despite this series being 8 episodes, every episode radiates the "fuck it this is a one shot, do what you want" energy

[@solothequeerbard837]

I would like to remind everyone here of the fact that Opal, who blinded by rage gruesomely stabbed a recently killed guy, got blood all over herself with rage, confusion pain, as well as generally being a kinda obnoxious pretty teen who wants to do whatever she wants, is played by the voice actress for Adora, aka, the 'I must always do the right thing and must protect everyone' moral compass girl. All I'm saying is Aimee got RANGEEEE ya'll

[@ApequH]

Wait, she Adora??

[@jesah1483]

Yep! Whenever I find myself wanting to strangle Opal, I remind myself that she is a teenager being played by an extremely talented voice actress - OF COURSE she's going to get under your skin!

[@zaza_ink]

4:12:58 I fucking love that Robbie was the one that suggested how the dissonant whispers spell would act as a receiver on a construct and make its way back to the spell-caster and Aabria not only went along with that logic but built on it. Just great player-DM communication there 🙏😭 makes things so much more interesting

[@shadowpsykie]

Opal (wild eyes): what Head Nancy? Cast: woah Aariba: Oh my god! Matt: 😳

[@dokushirizo]

And our little Ashley just grins lol. We need an Opal, Fearne, Laudna, and Imogen quest to go rescue the boys.

[@loganc9441]

Anjali: “Ah, Stay close.” Opal: “What’s wrong?” Anjali: “You will be fine” That sounded so stereotypically Russian I almost died. 18:50

[@luckyslob3359]

Robbie: EVERYTHING IS *FUCKED!!* Aabria: ~happy dm noises~

[@joluoto]

Omar: "Why is Comfy Matt talking so much? Does he think people are watching because of him?"

[@LetTalesBeTold]

Okay, off topic: before I even start watching this episode, I’m on mobile, and whenever the little info bubble pops up for “Isharnai’s Hut Puzzle” (this episode and last), my dyslexic brain reads it as “Isharnai’s *Pizza Hut* ” and I just... all I can imagine is Isharnai as the franchise manager of a fantasy Pizza Hut and these miscreant teenagers calling themselves “the Mighty Nein” come causing trouble all the time, trying to scam free breadsticks and hoping to convince her to sell their cupcakes as a little side business or something.

[@Direwolf181]

okay I wanna one-shot of that lol

[@Rellyks]

Aabria talking about what magic is, and all of that, was an awesome moment. I was really immersed in that. Wonderful job

[@AM-hf9kk]

One view of magic - in particular a pre-calamity view that Hallas, Yussa and the Somnova would appreciate...

[@Rellyks]

@@AM-hf9kk in some moments of the game I really thought that Thrascuur speach sound a lot like the Somnovum, which only solidifies that is all about the will, and not about the power itself. Really really well done by Aabria.

[@PuzzleBox83]

@@AM-hf9kk I was going to say. It really goes with Matt's ideas of what Magic is in the Universe too. In Campaign 2 he has touched on many aspects of Necromancy and other magics not being a bad or evil magic, but just a different misunderstood magic that is many times used for evil.

[@godspeedhero3671]

@@PuzzleBox83 I mean, honestly, Matt and Aabria are just explaining the original explanation for magic that was explained in previous editions in more depth, especially 3e.

[@viktoriascholl5580]

is it really critical role if liams character doesnt hit on matts?

[@delilahkreitz822]

I love how Matt Role Plays eating and now I know how Dariax eats. It’s so cute and animated. That’s so dope.

[@AltairCrysis]

OMG, Robbie's face at 1:18:44 -- he interpreted "There was that one time with my sister" VERY differently 😂

[@vacuumdiagram]

Same! 🤣

[@Snips.Snails.Fairytales]

I didn't expect Opal to be my favorite character, but I honestly understand and love her journey to self actualization. Well done Aimee, I love everything you've been doing this campaign!

[@CERap22]

Same. Holy Hell-- same. She was the surprise hot for.me. So easily, she could've been the thing that ruined it all, but Aimee-- WOW-- she really handled the role play so damn well. She was wise enough to show growth in what would EASILY be a frustrating player/ character to play with. I hope we see Opal make a returm.at some.point in campaign 3 (I'm starting it AFTER I finish this)

[@chaostheorem2680]

'that Situation is now on radiant flame' - Dariax One can only love this man

[@greenquartz]

So Orym is just Samwise Gamgee now right? He's even been given a mysterious seed by a wise ruler and told to make it grow.

[@davidbergfors6820]

Exactly the thing I that came to my mind

[@laurenreese6462]

But who is his Frodo? Is it his dead husband? That would be even more tragic

[@cosplayannie]

@@laurenreese6462 Yeah I've been thinking about that too and Liam's storytelling tends to make me cry so I can't wait to find out more about Orym's past :')

[@ThorVonElig]

I love how they low key introduced loxodon to taldorei. One of my favorite races that most don't include.

[@bigdream_dreambig]

I figure if I'm going to have one of the animal-type races, I might as well have them all, so Aarakocra, Kenku, Leonin, Loxodon, Minotaur, Tabaxi, and Tortle will probably all exist when I create a custom world -- although they'll probably rarely be found outside their own communities/regions, except in more cosmopolitain cities.

[@MidwestMiniatureGuy]

I have a Loxodon and a Kenku as players in my game, and, can I say, it is...Glorious.

[@yami8739]

We don't speak of them, especially when inside. 😅

[@collectorofmyst2107]

Sometimes it doesn't really fit the vision of the world. So races like changelings, loxodons, kalashtar, sometimes warforged, I tend not to include. With Leonin, what I tend to do is make them a rare 'subrace' of tabaxi, less agile, more heavyset, that sort of thing.

[@dblundz]

I keep saying it but Matt has been an absolute delight to watch in this series, so rare we get to see him not as an DM BUT ALSO WHAT IS UP WITH THOSE DICE OH MY GOD

[@GirishManjunathMusic]

As nearly everyone in this forum is saying, _Wheaton..._

[@clozzyozzy42]

The spider man meme moment between Matt and Aimee was awesome, around 3:52:00

[@TheSolitaryGrape]

The synchronicity was absolutely on point

[@kyoukotsukino6322]

2:50:45 Plot twist: Orym was secretly Caleb all along.

[@ericmalave7715]

Watching Aabria really lean in to the “yes and” of DMing with a a group dynamic like CR this game is amazing. I love watching her adapt to the gameplay yet still making it challenging. Go ‘head, sis!

[@Matisyahuwu]

Yeah honestly I don’t mind at all that the rules are a bit more flexible. I think this campaign is more to tell an interesting story, and the way she’s doing it is perfect.

[@deepspaceexplorer9529]

@@Matisyahuwu Used to dm for basically every group I ever played with, it’s always been my experience that if dungeons and dragons isn’t a collective storytelling process then you’re missing out.

[@kl-1447]

Yes, I actually really like how much of the "yes and" method is in her DMing! It's also something that's hard to do when you're DMing for performance and must keep the story going in a straight line. (If you're interested, Rusty Quill Gaming is an actual play podcast where the DM and players do a lot more of "yes and" and talk about how it works when playing for performance, since a lot of their VAs have an improv background)

[@hel117]

@@kl-1447 RQG is honestly underrated

[@nicodranasien]

The comfy matt gag is always my favorite new part of this series!! Also omar is rocking the cape and i never thought i would love the fake nails a second time but im still living for it

[@queenofbabble24]

"welcome to EXU where the rules are made up and the points don't matter" and I'm into it honestly.

[@CelilasArt]

whose turn is it anyway? ;)

[@queenofbabble24]

@@CelilasArt it's all I can think of watching these chaotic bis

[@1970joedub]

Best critique yet!

[@Bellathor]

Some of the rulebending is ok, but some of it I really dont like.

[@ryanweaver3348]

@@Bellathor agreed

[@kaolinjarlsdottir5849]

I’m sad it’s almost over! Loving the fun they’re all having, and Aabria is so different. It might be weird but I like that she’s so thorough and the characters don’t miss anything with her guidance. Plus they’re all genuinely having so much fun.

[@ksdajkfahgdkhsdag]

What do you like about the story?

[@ksdajkfahgdkhsdag]

@@kyeo77 it is but it isn't. I keep watching wanting to like this but I have the same feeling of everyone's having fun but what is the story? genuinely

[@MeemBeen]

@@ksdajkfahgdkhsdag yea I was actually just to comment something similar myself. All it would take is changing some names around and it could be completely disconnected from Exandria as a whole. It's fun to listen to but I'm anticipating it to just kind of fizzle and....be done? Everything feels so disconnected (story wise) and it's even reflected in the last episode when everyone had absolutely no clue what they were actually trying to accomplish. Each character has like 4 of their own dangling plot points and as a group they have a handful more. What are they even going to accomplish by the end?

[@chickenchampAK]

The pre-series hype had some parts that sounded like Opal was the crux of the campaign… but (before watching this episode) it’s felt more like Fearne or even Dariax? Possible the collective amnesia is hiding something more coherent that Aabria is holding onto, but so far it feels like a collection of nice moments and good vibes without any real Big Picture.

[@Ghostleeee]

@@MeemBeen feel u….everytime the plot starts to kick in or it’s gets explained a lil bit….some drops a joke, followed by more jokes and the story/quest just get lost And I stop caring

[@Yellowtark]

High key hoping that Orym will forever be Nancy to Opal

[@queenofbabble24]

Me toooo

[@rocksedge2000]

Love the way Aimee says "Nancy". So cute!

[@shaharwine7793]

I love how Matt's just casually says to go to the Iron Authority while he knows exactly why that's a bad idea

[@reneehoenicke4765]

"A dark moon is a dark omen" oh BOY that hits different now...

[@kaitybell]

I was just thinking today about the next episode coming out... having always been behind with Critical Role by a couple years and trying to catch up (currently on Campaign 2, Ep 82) this whole being up-to-date and having to wait in real time for new episodes is for the friggin birds. There are so many times in Campaign 2 that they mention taking a couple weeks off and I just grin, laugh, and then move on to the next episode like "Haha! Not for meeee!"

[@firstnamelastname180]

Ah yes, I remember those days. Sweet summer child, it will take time but there will come a day when you too shall suffer as we do in waiting

[@Michelleishappy]

Right there with you (well, almost - C2E51). I love/hate the tension in the waiting.

[@firstnamelastname180]

@@Michelleishappy seriously the...no spoilers...snowy section of the campaign was kinda boring imo tbh. After that it picks up again. There was a dip imo where they didn't know wtf they were doing.

[@ArthurPencilDragon]

Lmao that's why critters are constantly rewatching both campaigns

[@davidbergfors6820]

I just caught up now. As of now, there is no more of either C1, C2, canon one-shots or EXU that I have not seen. It's a weird feeling, and I am now very afraid. the worst part is, calming myself down with "ah, there's a lot more episodes left, this can't be a TPK" is now not working anymore.

[@finlaybrace2637]

It feels weird having a nord vpn ad without the nordverse or even just sam

[@privpi]

It feels weitd having an ad without Sam

[@danieldundon6]

Truth

[@MeemBeen]

I haven't even tried to listen to any of the ads. It feels like cheating on a girlfriend.

[@SapphireDragon357]

I watch the ads to try and predict what Aabria and the crew are going to say about future Comfy Matt. ...Wow that sentence was a time journey...

[@themorrigan7224]

@@MeemBeen That is an extremely accurate way to describe this feeling. Thank you for putting words to it 😂

[@robertbrochu7418]

Anjali Bhimani's hair is absolutely gorgeous in this episode.

[@ArtoriasB]

Her hair is absolutely lovely every ep to be honest.

[@PuzzleBox83]

Cute how Ashley makes all her wild shapes "good boys" she wants them all as pets. Glad Aabria specified that you can change into whatever sex you want in wildshape too. Makes no sense that you would need to stay the same sex when transforming your entire body.

[@brentage5000]

The nobility of Omar in that sparkly cape can not be topped. Hail, King Omar!!!

[@williamdaughtry6981]

Long may he Reign

[@TheCrimsonElite666]

I think we can officially say that Matt is affected by the Wheaton Dice Curse with his trash rolls throughout this adventure.

[@picklechilli]

Its not Wheaton curse , it's his DM dice that only roll good when he's dm. He needs separate dice for when he's a player.

[@614Amsterdam]

He’s equally as bad in escape from the blood keep

[@bwendure94]

Ashley is right there with Matt at 10:11 nat 1's for this campaign

[@zlatkotasevski9609]

Aimee is so good at role-playing I am blown away.

[@Valwryn00]

"WHAT HEAD NANCY!" Caught me off guard. She's a natural.

[@zlatkotasevski9609]

@@Valwryn00 yea that's what I mean. She seems so effortless

[@darkreflex93]

I love how Matt as a player tries to make his character give a shit as little as possible so that he finally gets a break from constantly having to write immersive lore and story as a DM XD

[@brandong2142]

3:21:38 Aabria (ominous voice) “yeah, I want you to have that” Genuinely lol’d at this. Something I’m unable to describe about this is so good.

[@thisreplywillbeuselessbuth9879]

Me: *eats cereal* Aabria: "Make a wisdom saving throw"

[@a-walpatches6460]

Ikr! And faaar to slow to move the story forward. Maybe people like the slower pace, I think Matt Mercer is an unrealistic standard for other DMs to be fair and even he makes players roll too often for silly things.

[@madisondenny3960]

Just realized that The Chosen Ones applies not only to this group but it’s the name of the Misfits and Magic group too! Everyone touched by Aabria is a chosen one!

[@DiamondBaron]

Aimee is probably one of the most amazing improvisors I have seen in CR to date, she's just so dang quick with her improv and so on point it's a blast watching her work.

[@kparish05]

I love how Matt lets Aabria run the game as she will - even if he knows the rules as written better. He lets the story move forward without interference. 🥰 That takes self control, trust and respect. Plus his characters are always entertaining. Epic person.

[@Kaiju_Inc]

Liam pulled a full-on "I ATTACK THE DARKNESS!"

[@Caitydid561]

Wait...Dorian's given name is Brontë? Like Charlotte Brontë, author of _Wuthering Heights_ ? Oh, man, I love Robbie's creativity more and more every episode!

[@swingin.n]

Oooft I'm really going to be that guy... Charlotte's sister Emily Brontë wrote Wuthering Heights. Sorry! She's my favourite writer so I couldn't help myself

[@Snips.Snails.Fairytales]

Charlotte Brontë wrote Jane Eyre :) But! The point still stands that Robbie picked a name that could very well be a reference to a very famous family of writers and that's pretty neat!

[@V3xxe]

@@swingin.n I can never remember which of em did which! I only ever remember one of them making shoelaces out of the hair of her dead sister lol

[@Ellebeeby]

Bronte as in Thunder, like Brontosaurus ("Thunder Lizard"), what with him being an Air Genasi AND a bard!

[@TheBizarrista]

2:15:58 Dorian and orym drink at the same time is very fun

[@WiscoKnight0806]

Both of them reaching to the same screen split is what really makes it lol

[@alleycat2297]

LOL I NOTICED THAT TOO I WAS LIKE YEEEAA YOU'RE IN SYNC idk why that's cool but it is

[@_D_W_]

Y’all! After 8 months of addictive watching I’m officially caught up to the most recently released Crit Role. Glad to be here with yall

[@bigdream_dreambig]

Welcome! (Now you can moan about having to wait through Tuesday, Wednesday, etc., like the rest of us! 😉)

[@garrnk]

Congrats now while waiting for the next weekly episode you can start season 1 :-P

[@jelanihowell5786]

"My Cabbages!!!" She clearly has watched Avatar: The Last Air Bender!!

[@Caitydid561]

They all have, darling. (She also said "yip yip!" less than five minutes later, lol.)

[@jpe6312]

I know it was an Avatar reference but I like to think it was Brian foster reference.

[@ty-qj4ms]

@@jpe6312 brian is the cabbage man of our dimension

[@ForeverWog]

“This place is worse than Omashu!” By the way, watch the Matt and Taliesin best of Talks Machina for another great AtLA reference!

[@MyBubbleInSpace]

"That situation is now in radiant flame" I have NEVER heard a better sentence in my entire life! 🤣🤣🤣