*DUNGEONS & DRAGONS* is better than I thought

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Original Movie: Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
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[@michelle6337]

I love the distinction of "I wasn't trying to bring your mom back, I was trying to bring my wife back." I think it's such a self-aware line, and very humanizing. And then he brought back her mom instead of his wife in the end. Such good writing.

[@CuidightheachODuinn]

Well ain't that adorable.

[@kptmaci4979]

Yeah, it changed the entire plot for me, which seemed a bit flatlined through most of the movie. That line changed it a lot for me. He was being selfish in the end. He admits he wanted to do the thing for a selfish reason, his daughter was just an excuse up to the very end.

[@jsmithers.]

I fucking hated that distinction...

[@thejaiganticbridge5479]

@@jsmithers. I'm curious, May I ask why?

[@jsmithers.]

@@thejaiganticbridge5479 No.

[@jaives]

Nat: "The hither tither staff is just a little too convenient for something they just found..." That's called the DM improvising after party screwed up the bridge puzzle that took him half a day to make.

[@Dat_Ruski]

Exactly! Such a great addition that adds to the D&D experience as a whole!

[@KurNorock]

Yeah i always hated that crap so i force my players to figure stuff out. If they mess up, they mess up. Either they think of another way to do the thing or they fail. And there is nothing wrong with that. Failure is part of life.

[@motorcycleboy9000]

"What's the Aarokocra's name?" "Uhhh, Jarnathan."

[@sithus1966]

"You rolled a 1? Okay, you have stepped on the wrong stone and the entire bridge falls down in front of you."

[@CodeeXD]

​@@KurNorock you sound like a lovely dm....

[@BrenGunR]

The joke with the Intellect Devourers is my favorite D&D in-joke. All of the characters in the movie are representing classes that typically use Intelligence as a dump-stat - that is, an Ability Score that isn't very vital to playing the characters so players stick their lowest ability scores there (since Simon is a sorcerer and not a wizard he uses Charisma to cast his spells instead of Intelligence in the game). So none of them were characters with a high Intelligence score, so the Devourers just ignored them.

[@mattgarrett2583]

And Xenk being a paladin was the most charming and wise, strong, dexterous, and could take some damage.. but couldn't understand sarcasm and took things way to literal.. and walked over a boulder instead of walking around it.

[@vinsanity40k]

it would be interesting to see their character sheets, but i don't see simon with a high stat in either CHA or INT 😄

[@WhiteWolfDarkpaw]

Bingo. Our party consists of Xenk (Strength, Constitution, Wisdom, maybe Charisma? But also a DM character, DM's just gonna OP everything, so of course he won't be attacked), Druid (Wisdom), Barbarian (Strength/Con), Sorcerer (Charisma), and a Bard (Charisma). Though I personally prefer a fan theory that Edwin is NOT a Bard, but rather a Mastermind Rogue, which would be Charisma and Dexterity. I like this theory, because we don't see Edwin actually DO any Bard spells. He uses his Lute as a preferred weapon for Attacks of Opportunity, mostly, and a couple Sneak Attacks. But he also has a background as a Performer, thus why he's so good at playing the Lute.

[@Mordring]

@@vinsanity40k interestingly, their intelligence isn't that bad. Sure, not the main stat level, of course, but way above average for most (good enough to BE the main stat, at least on lower levels). The character stat blocks for the main cast have been released for free on D&D Beyond. If you have the account you can check a lot of details (weapons, feats, special skills, etc.) there, but just the stat array below: Doric (the druid): STR 12, DEX 16, CON 14, INT 16, WIS 19, CHA 10 Edgin (the bard): STR 14, DEX 16, CON 14, INT 14, WIS 16, CHA 18 Holga (the barbarian): STR 19, DEX 14, CON 16, INT 11, WIS 16, CHA 13 Simon (the sorcerer): STR 8, DEX 14, CON 13, INT 16, WIS 12, CHA 17 Xenk (the paladin): STR 19, DEX 11, CON 16, INT 14, WIS 16, CHA 17 also, since it's there: Forge (the conman - rogue who seems to be CHA-based): STR 11, DEX 14, CON 13, INT 15, WIS 17, CHA 20 Sofina (the red wizard): STR 12, DEX 14, CON 18, INT 20, WIS 14, CHA 8 As you can see, two of the Underdark team have the INT of 16, two others 14. If the average is 10 and few PCs, who don't use the stat, typically get it above 12, I'd say all of them, with the exception of Holga, would've been a treat for intellect devourers. But maybe, just maybe that particular pack was used to getting a lot of Sofinas on their hunting ground.

[@Tensen01]

@@WhiteWolfDarkpaw Paladin's core stat is also Charisma

[@lesliechan6242]

It felt to me that the party only "got" the staff because they messed up the bridge and in a D&D campaign it was a critical challenge that the party needed to complete to move the story forward. As a result the Dungeon Master needed to give them an item to skip the challenge and then the player found very creative uses for it that the DM never intended at first.

[@valathor95]

100% what happened.

[@ramteja1550]

They need to make it more about fun and action than sticking to the rules smh

[@johnbox271]

Doric: "Nice save."

[@Saje3D]

Just like a real game.

[@celestinebuendia]

Which is always how D&D seems to go, unfortunately for DMs! 😅

[@happyslapsgiving5421]

The party wasting *all five* questions on the Speak with Dead spell is the most D&D experience ever. They truly captured the essence of the game. 😅

[@ogrejehosephatt37]

Or brute forcing a solution by just asking every single corpse in the graveyard until they get the answer they seek. I can see the DM groan as they have to come up with another name and contribution to the battle.

[@RayvenQ]

I was giggling in glee knowing exactly what was about to happen before it did.

[@meewec2091]

i feel like the jarnathan escape while pardoned was

[@Crazy_Diamond_75]

They used that joke in the ad campaign and it never landed with me. But when I saw it in theaters it was perfect and hilarious. Just goes to show how much context and state of mind matter.

[@protomundi]

I once watched a campaign. Where a they asked a giant turtle about many things. Because it was slowly falling asleep they had only one question left and one player quickly asked "What's your favourite color?" While falling asleep the turtle said one final word "Green"

[@hjalnelson9579]

The hither thither staff is a great nod to the game. Eventually the DM creates some puzzle the players cant solve, and the a deus ex machina is invented to keep the story moving...and the players abuse the sh!t out of it for the rest of the campaign

[@VegetaLF7]

My brother DMs for his friends and when they went to see the movie they immediately started asking for him to put it in their game. He already knows how they're going to try to abuse it and is trying to figure out work arounds

[@Mordring]

@@VegetaLF7 tell him the stats for the Staff are on D&D Beyond, free to pick up, alongside all the other important items (Helm of Disjunction, Horn of Beckoning Death, Tablet of Reawakening, Red Wizard's Blade). The staff specifically has limited charges so it can't be abused too much (still quite generous though, if you ask me). Interestingly, I did the math and they never used more charges than the item has during the movie as they did have a long rest (likely more) between the Underdark and Neverwinter to recharge it. A small detail, but good to know they kept it within the design limit.

[@RayvenQ]

I saw this bit as a DM spending ages on a puzzle for them to solve, thinkijg they'll love it, only to be stymied by that one impatient player who gets bored halfway through the explanation and interrupts the DM with "i stand on the bridge" so they're forced to come up with "oh that random item your party picked up a session ago is actually a portal gun"

[@singingwolf3929]

I always think about Scanlan with an Immovable Rod inside a dragon, and Vax just being broken with how many attacks he can take in addition to the boots of haste. He was basically like, "I'm going to attack 17 times and 6 of those are sneak attak!" 😂

[@TF2CrunchyFrog]

The DM had clearly been playing a lot of _Portal_ beforehand, too.

[@my_randomology]

One of the things that blew me away when I did my reaction was how much this FEELS like a D&D game. Not only do they use actual spells and abilities and monsters from the game, but the dynamics between the characters, the way things shift between drama and comedy, the way that the story and characters lean into just how silly some parts of the game are... When you DO play, this movie serves as a good intro to what a good D&D experience is like.

[@arandomnamegoeshere]

Agreed. I keep seeing comparisons of the breezy, snarky feel of this flick to Marvel movies. They're not wrong. But I feel like it's less of a Marvel thing and more of a... geek culture thing. Weaving high fantasy with contemporary views, including a sense of irreverence, had always been a part of my own experience around any given table. Marvel's success was (among other things) doing that with the superhero genre. But that sense of style in Marvel and this flick come from common culture rather than mimicry. If one hasn't experienced that culture... I get that this feels like Marvel does LoTR. But rather... it's just... D&D.

[@jasonblanchard7272]

Exactly what my group thought when we went to see it. It's totally fits the vibe of a D&D game.

[@jeremygilbert7989]

Can't forget the perfectly played DMPC paladin who actually did what DMPC's are SUPPOSED to do by just helping out the lowbies and then peacing out instead of hijacking the party to fulfill the DM's main character syndrome. Well done all around.

[@Dularr]

A meta critic is it looks like players in a dungeon part, dealing with NPC.

[@user-ee8yj4io3g]

Zenk leaves even as an NPC

[@jaives]

loved the fact that Bradley could've been just a joke cameo but instead, he was empathic and sincere.

[@devinwhite5064]

Mini Cooper was a nice addition ot the movie.

[@queenannsrevenge100]

Mini-Cooper - beautiful!

[@PaulGuy]

It's also just another example of the "DM" in the film. People often describe NPCs as "They look like such-and-such-celebrity, only small/green/with pointy ears."

[@Good_Hot_Chocolate]

​@@PaulGuyI've never experienced that. But I can understand why someone might do that. At least to cut time.

[@anthonyugarte1072]

Everyone like a mini Cooper!

[@thegeminidk]

A lot of the D&D references were just creatures and spells, but my favourite was “what did you say the range was” when they were talking about the portal staff. Because I’ve never had a session where someone didn’t ask what the range on a spell or item was. It seems like a throwaway line, but it’s very familiar to people who play D&D

[@brucemaximus3797]

**Quickly glances at the enemy** "Dangnabbit, he's out of my range." "What? How do you know?" "125 feet, just beyond my range." "...How... Are you SURE he's-" "Yup."

[@JMcMillen]

That reminded me of Portal 2 where you eventually discover that the portal gun's range is long enough to hit the moon.

[@chrisrubenstahl2046]

"I didn't ask how big the room was. I said I'm casting Fireball."

[@cojec]

​@@brucemaximus3797 "Sacha is 5 feet away from Xyganoth the River Lich, so if I cast fireball targeting them, it'll hit her, too. But the room is large enough that I can target an area 15 feet away from Xyganoth, barely encompassing them but missing Sacha. It'll also hit four of the six Naiad warriors." "...You figured that out in less than 6 seconds?" "Yes. Yes I did."

[@DParkerNunya]

​@cojec "I had an hour to figure out these 6 seconds, so of course my character who is much smarter than me could figure that out"

[@taejaskudva2543]

I had never noticed how often the movie explains a D&D until i heard Nat say, "What is...?" or whatever just before the movie coincidentally answers the question or explains the strange thing. "What is that? Bear-bird?" Immediately followed by Chris Pine, "What is that again?" and Justice Smith replying, "Owlbear." It's almost like the writers wanted to make sure that non-D&D players weren't alienated....

[@kickballjedi]

Good point. I also noticed for the first time how they explained some of the magic elements too- "We had to distract you long enough for Kira to put the bracelet on..." And I don't mind any of it.

[@Galiant2010]

I've listened to several D&D podcasts, and there's always someone who asks what something is, or how something works lol. This movie made me feel like I was watching the adventures of those podcast players.

[@TheBlarggle]

Some things are there for the players though too. Like when they're asking the corpses the questions, and one of them mentions Zenk and Edgin says something about that being a dead end. And the 3 other "players" all make some kind of history or intelligence check and the Druid says "I've heard of him" and says who he is. And the other two chime in with them also having heard of him. Which is exactly how it goes when playing DnD, when the DM is giving YOU exposition, your friends roll their checks and they manage to remember him while you don't.

[@GrumpyOldGuyPlaysGames]

Themberchaud, the pudgy dragon, is actually a legendary part of D&D lore. He's fat because an underground city of evil dwarves effectively "hired" him as a living forge. He would basically lie around all day, using his fire breath to heat up their forges and melt metal for them, and in return they effectively showered him with food and treasure. Without any need to get out and be active, he basically lie on his pile of treasure doing nothing but eating and stoking fires. Hence the chubby dragon. Themberchaud was inspired by an event that happened in one of the games run by Gary Gygax (one of the two creators of D&D, along with Dave Arneson). Apparently Gygax's cat jumped on the gaming table, scattering dice and knocking things over. Gygax announced that the "fat dragon" had landed and was attacking. Later writers expended on "the fat dragon", giving him a name and a background, and a D&D legend was born.

[@tysondennis1016]

Yeah, seeing the chonky boi move about makes me believe that he was indeed inspired by a chonky cat

[@Painocus]

I see the cat story repeated a lot on youtube. Unfortunately it's an urban legend that is most likely untrue, if not outright impossible, for a number of reasons. For one Themberchaud, only showed up in any material after Gygax left TSR (D&D's original publisher). At first basically only as a stat-block in a list of Underdark NPCs. Without any real mention of his appearance, personality or backstory. A later book added a bit of personality about how he often ate underlings who failed to follow his orders and everything else about him was fleshed out (figuratively and literally) from there. A lot, if not most, of which happened after Gygax had already passed. Needless to say none of the material where Themberchaud appears was written by Gygax. Furthermore he is a character from the Forgotten Realms setting. A setting Gygax never used. When Gygax worked at TSR Forgotten Realms was just another DM, Ed Greenwood's, private setting. It only got turned into an official D&D setting after Gygax left specifically because the previous default D&D setting, Greyhawk, had been Gygax's setting as a DM, and they needed a replacement. Also I can't find any mention anywhere of Gygax ever owning a cat. And in the official tabletop material Themberchaud is presented a lot less like big-dumb-cat and much more like idk, Baron Harkonnen. He is also often presented as generally one of the more agreeable of the red dragons. Sure if you are sneaking about his lair with weapons you are going to get chomped if you can't come up with a good explanation real quick, but he is also presented as (since he can't leave the Underdark on his own, or really be able to fit much of anywhere) hiring adventures to do stuff for him and being generally honest and reasonable about it, for someone who likes to eat people.

[@andresmurcia950]

Fun fact: Both Rakor and Themberchaud are dragons from dnd lore. (And yes, Themberchaud is known to be a fat dragon because of it’s backstory)

[@kickballjedi]

I haven't seen anybody else point out Rakor is a Black Dragon which breathes black acid. Nat had asked what was coming out of his mouth.

[@JordanCesaroni93]

Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez have terrific buddy-movie chemistry in a fantasy film that definitely balances high-stakes action, warm drama and clever comedy.

[@user-ee8yj4io3g]

Michelle is very sorry considering that she physically worked hard to prepare for this role

[@wtimmins]

It's also always refreshing to have male and female leads whose relationship isn't romantic.

[@RayvenQ]

​@@wtimminsand that its spelled out very clearly so there's no will they won't they moments.

[@jonathaneverson3673]

I have been playing D&D since 2015 and this is somehow the first time I've heard a Sending Stone being called a "Rockie-Talkie". This is what I'm calling them from now on.

[@PierceArner]

As somebody who has played D&D for decades, I think that it's a perfect presentation because you don't NEED to know anything about D&D to enjoy it, but there are so many funny little nuances that are occasionally a bit funnier if you know the setting or if you've played before. Their dynamic and the events all play out SO much like actually playing through a good campaign, it's just spectacular so it's great ta see you enjoyed it. (Also, if you get a chance to try out playing it, you DEFINITELY seem like you'd enjoy it given all your theater background).

[@RichardWalkerBD]

As a DND player, you notice a lot of DND tropes and inside jokes - everyone having a backstory, noticing when someone rolls a nat 20, or a nat 1, Holga going into a RAAAAGE, because she's a barbarian, etc. So, I definitely believe people would've enjoyed it a lot more if they have played before, but it's still a great movie and I'm glad it's getting the attention it deserves

[@sableghost]

Sometimes in a D&D game, the players will screw up so badly that is derails the story (like prematurely stepping on a puzzle bridge and making it collapse before ever trying to cross), so the DM will come up with something to help get the story/adventure back on track (the Hither-Thither staff). Of course, then the players now have something the DM didn't original intend or plan for and they abuse the heck out of from that point on. Thus yeah, the Hither-Thither staff was too convenient but it also fits very well with things you experience in the game.

[@donkeyteethbites]

And when the players come up with a genius way of abusing their item the dm comes up with “the painting falls over”. Love it.

[@TF2CrunchyFrog]

It's also clearly a Portal device from _Portal_ video game, yet it works well in-universe because it basically just modifies an old D&D spell "Dimension Doom" that creates a short-range teleportation portal several characters can use.

[@niravathu7353]

If you're interested in more d&d based content, the animated series The Legend of Vox Machina is a fantastic show in much the same vein as Invincible, and I for one would be excited to see your reaction to it!

[@brettcoon9773]

Yes yes please 🙏

[@franciscoaugstburger4497]

yes! the legend of vox machina is great!

[@MusiKube_]

Legend of Vox Machina is so so great!! Natalie should definitely watch it

[@alexkramerblogs]

I am adding my vote to this as well!

[@djcowell91]

Here here!! (or is it hear hear? Hear Here? Anyway, yes do this!! 🙂)

[@curtisd5864]

I’m glad you enjoyed it too! Gonna add to the “you should watch Legend of Vox Machina” crowd if you’re looking for more DnD adjacent, incredible shows

[@allisonperron6365]

Yes! Was looking for someone else recommending it! I really hope she gives it a try one day! 😊

[@danilooliveira6580]

second that

[@EyeMCreative]

Yes, it's an amazing show based on a real game of D&D, but it's totally watchable even if you've never watched Critical Role

[@MarcoMM1]

Hey Nat another awsome reaction like always, the "fat" dragon its called Themberchaud and he appears for the first time in D&D in Drizz't Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark in 1999 which was a 2nd Edition supplement for the Forgotten Realms setting, but in 2015 an adventure called "Out of the Abyss" came out and it was where he got well knowned in D&D in general. And he was basically raised as a living furnace, sitting in place using his breath to heat up metal while being given endless food. That's why he's a lazy chonker! It was really cool seeing him on screen. And a fun fact that Themberchaud was first conceptualized when Gary Gygax (Co-creator of D&D) was running a game and a cat jumped onto the table during the session and started knocking things over, he improvised and used the cat as a fat dragon, who later had their lore expanded to become Themberchaud. God i grew up playing D&D and i love this movie hope it gets a sequel. Keep up the amazing work.

[@Felipeleog]

Can you find a source on him being an improvised cat inspiration, with the table and stuff? Can't find it online and would love it to show to my players. I'm currently dming out of the abyss.

[@schwann145]

@@Felipeleog Seems unlikely as Gary Gygax didn't have any involvement with Forgotten Realms.

[@kryptonianguest1903]

One of my favourite things about this movie is that, even though it's very funny it doesn't do the Marvel thing of undercutting every serious moment with humour. The sad bits get to be sad, the heartfelt moments get to be earnest. It's something I've been missing from big Hollywood movies for many years.

[@dougdynamo9398]

I just left a comment saying pretty much the same thing. The characters never sandbag the story to make a joke, but instead, the jokes comes from their personalities interacting with each other and the world around them. And when it's time to be serious or sad or frustrated, then the characters express that earnestly.

[@JaneXemylixa]

Yes! Even Edgin's cynicism ("just because it's symmetrical doesn't make it not nonsense!") feels like a cocky bard player messing with the DM. And he's more than just this irony AND is balanced by other characters, particularly Xenk

[@DanReyesB]

The potato scene was such a D&D moment. It felt like when you interrupt the DM mid speech to try something really stupid and roll a nat 20. As a DM that scene made me have flashbacks Edit: Natalie you should give The Legend of Vox Machina a try. It's just as awesome and also D&D based

[@tanuvazi]

This. Do this.

[@motorcycleboy9000]

Another vote for Legend of Vox Machina.

[@DrLipkin]

Thirded.

[@elfthehunter]

Yep, Vox Machina is great.

[@Thurrak]

Yes! Please watch it, its so good.

[@VLK_Static]

For reference as far as dragons go. In dnd there are typically 5 different color evil dragons. Black (the one in the flashback) acid. Blue - Lightning, White - Ice, Green - Poison, Red - Fire (the one in the underdark)

[@paulallison3974]

There's a quick reference to an 80s saturday morning cartoon in the maze, which for those of us older folks was fun to see. For me what made this movie really work, other than just being plain fun, is that it plays out how so many campaigns do, hinges on creativity and insight far more than good planning, cause most of us suck at planning ;)

[@DoctorAvenue]

This movie is so silly and so fun and it really nails the vibe of actually playing D&D. Like, you can tell the parts where each character rolled a 20 and when they rolled a 1. You can tell when the players asked for a character's name and the DM had to make something up on the spot. And every single piece of equipment, every spell, and every skill is straight out of the rulebooks.

[@gorramgomer]

The only Easter egg I think you missed was at the beginning of the maze scene, that other party that was there, the other party (the one that had the wizard in the green robe) was a nod to the 80's D&D cartoon.

[@ColeSlawMcGraw]

It's funny you brought up how important the portal staff became, because in the game, it's often that even the most common magic items get used the most. In all the campaigns I've played, someone usually acquires an item called an Immovable Rod (literally a stick with a button that stays still in whatever position its in when activated and can't really be moved by anything physical) and it always becomes a staple of the group's equipment.

[@SteveMND]

"A million and one uses!" -- Immoveable Rod advertising poster

[@johnirving5949]

For the next movie I hope they have a Decanter of Endless Water 😂

[@hjalnelson9579]

Yep. I'm here for this reactor reacting to this movie. The pairing is like golden graham's and honey.

[@NatalieGoldReacts]

mmm tasty

[@neighborlyfiend1484]

I have been playing D&D for over 25 years and I can homestly say this movie felt like a group of friends in an actual game. Also, you can 100% drink when playing. Everyone should play D&D it's therapeutic.

[@rgallitan]

This movie will be the Galaxy Quest of this generation. Little-seen nerd movie that somebody conned a studio into spending waayyyy too much money on given it's box office potential.... That nonetheless spent that money really well and turned out to be really good and will be beloved by a larger fan base than ever 20 years from now

[@lukefrederiks5906]

Would be great to see you dip your toes into the world of D&D. The potential for creative storytelling with your friends is an experience that really can't be topped!

[@3Kings_Industries]

And D&D doesn't have to stick with the fantasy realm, there are story settings for all genres, cyberpunk, star wars, my little pony, Transformers, ninja turtles, office cubicles, back of house kitchen ... just, have fun in a social setting!

[@Zechree]

Hell yes watch detective pikachu!

[@NatalieGoldReacts]

I definitely want to play sometime! Maybe one of these days I’ll have the time for a campaign haha

[@3Kings_Industries]

@@NatalieGoldReacts another option, there are some board games that come with pre-made characters and enemies, use a series of tiles, and provide an easy set up and play scenario for between 1-5 players. Ravenloft (vampires in D&D), Drizzt DoUrden (a popular hero & his trusted group), and Ashardalan (?Sp?, steal from a big red dragon). They are between $50 - $80, have everything you need, and are interchangeable. It's a quick jump in and go play style. Also, easy to enjoy w/ friends and drinks (nit that all D&D players require alcohol, etc.) But, the old school table top will be more engaging and fun when it's nearly 100% player generated, w/all forms of quirky fun, theatrical even. Basically, it's creative storytelling. As a theater kid, this would definitely be up your alley!

[@3Kings_Industries]

Detective Pikachu was surprisingly good.

[@ZTMercx88]

They troped so hard with all the characters and I loved it. My two favorites are Holga always messing up the names of things and Xenk being THAT paladin! I love it so much because you don't have to be a player to enjoy it. I have a bunch of new people talking to be about playing D&D now!

[@louiegarcia2500]

Holga messes up names because she likely has a low Intelligence score. (Typical for the Barbarian class.)

[@rainvm]

There were some jokes you would only notice if you have experience with D&D. For example Xenk was clearly a DMPC. Which is a character that the dungeon master plays as for a portion of the story to help and guide the players, and some of his quirks came from that role.

[@JoshieboyStudios]

“This item is very important for something that was just conveniently found” might be the most D&D thing in this movie

[@billedens4749]

For people that went to see it, the audience reaction was really good for this one. Unfortunately, for some reason, not a lot of people seemed interested in seeing it in the theaters. Too bad as it probably means we won't be seeing another one.

[@nezfromhki]

It's probably a movie that'll do pretty well on streaming platforms through word of mouth, so that could still make it possible for us to get a sequel as sequels usually perform better in theaters anyway. After all, it did make some money (around 200 million USD against its 150 million budget) so it wasn't a complete flop.

[@justinmcqueen7922]

@@nezfromhki 200 on a 150 budget is a pretty big flop sadly, theaters take roughly half the box office, and then there's the marketing costs on top of the budget, generally a movie has to make roughly 2.5 times its budget to start being considered a success. I do hope the streaming/digital/physical media sales are good though, this movie deserved to do so much better than it did.

[@LMoftheCoast]

Unfortunately the film came out right on the back of a couple of serious PR blunders by Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast (who are the owners of the D&D brand) which caused a lot of the built in audience to not go see it as retribution. Without that audience, and the word of mouth they’d have give the movie just couldn’t build up enough steam to become profitable. A massive shame as it was a really fun film, and I’d love to see a sequel.

[@hawke5311]

@@justinmcqueen7922 While that is true for traditional movies, much of this movie's success will be on how much the streaming and ancillary markets do. If there is a massive spike in interest in the game and the books start selling like wildfire because of it, the movie did well enough to be considered a loss-leader and might still garner a sequel.

[@kryptonianguest1903]

Hasbro and the movie studio said that they believe that the film did badly in theatres because they released it too close to the Mario movie. And they said they intend to make another if this one does well on streaming.

[@SteveMND]

So glad this was one you decided to react to! As a person who's been playing D&D for 40+ years now, this movie hit the tones and feels just right, and honestly had no business being as good as it was. A very pleasant and rewarding surprise.

[@jeremygilbert7989]

This movie was positively stacked with legit D&D references. from events like battle of the Evermoors to groups like the Uthgardt tribe of the Elk, the Cult of the Dragon, the Harpers, and the Red Wizards of Thay to big bads like the black dragon Rakor(that was acid he was breathing btw, all black dragons have a cone of acid as their breath weapon) and Szass fucking Tam to the various creatures throughout like the gelatinous cube and the displacer beast(the panther thing) and the owlbear, it was everything a Forgotten Realms player could've hoped for. They even included much more subtle things like the talisman used to revive the dead soldiers being shaped like the symbol of Kelemvor, the current god of death. my friend and I were giddily pointing out references throughout the movie in between bouts of laughter lol. I can only pray we get a sequel but given the fact that it didn't do great at the box office it may land in with Alita: Battle Angel as another faithful and well made adaptation doomed to Hollywood purgatory due only to lackluster box office performance.

[@kryptonianguest1903]

Also, Edgin keeps telling Simon, "Hold this." because if you look closely, Simon has a Bag of Holding.

[@grumpygeezer]

And don't forget Themberchaud the chonky boi! Lol. He was great.

[@phoenixdzk]

Okay you HAVE to do Vox Machina now, it's a full blown adaptation of a D&D campaign and season 2 is insane

[@damian01061973]

❤❤❤

[@wrenwry]

I got to see this movie early a couple months back, and it was a massive surprise! A sleeper hit straight out of left field.

[@ConnL]

A neat detail for the uninitiated is dragons in d&d with different colors have different breath weapons, which is why Rakor breathed acid and Themberchaud breathed fire. This movie captured the comedic and dramatic timing of a really good d&d campaign, I know the game isn’t for everyone but I do hope you’d somehow find a chance to play someday Natalie. 😂👍

[@davidfergusson5559]

One slight easter egg thats fantastic, when Simon was doing his show and made it smell like Fresh Cut Grass, thats a nod to Critical Role. Wont spoil it but youll find the clip on youtube, well worth a watch

[@bluebird3281]

Um actually Natalie, Sorcerers are born with the innate ability to use magic, they are always that way. It is wizards that have to refine their skills through study and practice. (pushing my taped glasses closer to my face)

[@toddsmitts]

Did anyone else read that with the Comic Book Guy voice in their head?

[@Vaishino]

​@@toddsmittsmy mind went to Mike Trapp but his whole show is kind of rooted in the same stereotype as Comic Book Guy

[@bluebird3281]

@@toddsmitts I hope so!

[@danielbloomquist9810]

From Charizards to Spoony Bards, Nerds are passionate about many things, but what they love most of all is correcting people. This is "Um, Actually!"

[@darksydedigital]

Oh no Natalie, many MANY D&D sessions have been hilariously improved when alcohol is added. I've got a group I play with weekly (online for 3-4 years now) and its always good laughs to begin with, but when we drink it gets hilarious.

[@dasnurk]

Nat, in the ad: "I'm a sorcerer!" *Proceeds to describe a Wizard's training*

[@joshuabarnett88]

The fat dragon is the perfect encapsulation of D&D as a whole and really shows that the screenwriters understood what they were writing. A campaign is controlled by the dungeon mastery, and the interactions, plans, failures, new plans and eventually success really feel like they're how a real campaign would play out. This is the most underrated movie this year

[@devinwhite5064]

that and also Themberchaud is a canon character.

[@samwallaceart288]

Right down to the wizard lady's final defeat being an anticlimactic pound-down on her HP because Doric got a good roll.

[@toriecarter2711]

You saying that your group couldn't play D&D because you were usually drinking got such a chuckle out of me, cause, to me, the best nights of D&D I've had involved drinking (a "beer & pretzels game" as we call them). IMO beer and pretzel games are the best~^.^

[@backpack_hermit25]

I loved how Hulga barely EVER used her actual weapon in fighting. It’s such a barbarian thing to do, rage and use every little brick, rock and random gnome on the street instead of your axe.

[@KK_RPG]

One thing about the convenience of the Hither Thither Staff is that it is the exact sort of nonsense that a Dungeon Master (DM) will have to make up when the party does something stupid or makes a bad roll that backs the DM into a corner like not being able to solve a puzzle or skill challenge, which is what the bridge was. A personal example is when I was running a game called Curse of Strahd I let my players find an item called the Deck of Many Things, where you pull a card and all sorts of random good of bad things can happen. Everyone knows pulling from the Deck almost always goes really bad or really good. One player pulled a card that destroyed all of their magic items. Mysteriously in the next area/dungeon they found a new magic crossbow to replace the one they lost. It's wasn't there in the adventure and it wasn't rolled on a loot table, I just placed it so the players had a chance and would have a good time.

[@ProHero86]

I just saw this last weekend and loved it, so much better than the 00’s one. I never played D&D but used to play WtA and VtM in Highschool so I was familiar with the premise

[@AuspexAO]

This is how you make a movie that is satisfying to fans of a franchise while also welcoming and not alienating newcomers. It's pretty much representative of what happens during a D&D game. Just like a real tabletop game, the aim is not to create some work of flawless storytelling, but to entertain and excite. There's juuust enough weird D&D stuff to get someone new asking, "Ohh, what is THAT?" and maybe wondering if they too could adventure underground, meet dragons and the undead, and turn into wild creatures.

[@kitkompo]

i love that this movie had the same vibe as The Princess Bride and A Knight’s Tale. i hope they keep going with this theme… with or without this cast.

[@ApesAmongUs]

"It's a little too convenient for something they just found..." Welcome to D&D! Where every deck of cards can bend reality and half the homeless people you meet are gods.

[@besupaaa]

I'll watch every reaction to this movie that I loved SO MUCH and I have rewatched it about five times already.

[@LeeCarlson]

In D&D if you use an artifact like the Tablet of Reawakening the person is resurrected as they were prior to their death, rather than being an undead creature like Sofina.

[@TheeGoatPig]

I love how the pardon hearing ends, and the cemetery, and he maze, and mostly everything. This movie is a lot of fun.

[@OhThatRobin]

D&D is my special interest and I take care of my grandma so I read novels set in this world to her (actually we read one that took place in Neverwinter about thirty years before this movie x3) and it makes me so freaking happy that there’s finally a movie set in the Forgotten Realms and that it’s *AMAZING*! Like the rest of the world gets to see how cool this world is now! Welcome to Faerûn, everyone!!

[@swalsh216]

MASSIVE props to your editor for the Bird Up! reference. Nearly spit out my coffee I was so taken aback.

[@anniewanny]

The Jarnathan scene is also a classic: DM creates easy, narrative-appropriate path for the players to follow ... players stick to their own convoluted, crazy plans and force the DM down a side tangent.

[@protomundi]

I loved, that in the grave scene they didn't just left after the first one like in movies where nothing is repeated. But in a DnD campaign you try it over and over till you get your infos. Plus when everyone had informations about the paladin was a nod to a campaign where the DM gives everyone a bit of information, that everyone can bring something to the table

[@AnnMegFair]

They did an EXCELLENT job capturing the feeling of a D&D game for people who play D&D while making it a genuinely fun experience for people who don't play D&D. I really wish for a lot of people to watch this/stream it/ react to it, so cchances go up that we'll get more films like this, there's definitely room for a sequel - Sasz Tam is still out there, and the characters have such great chemistry (the beach scene was fantastic) that I want to see more of. Also, I'd love for you to watch Detective Pikachu, another one that managed really well to be fun for both people who love Pokemon and those who don't really know that much about it. Hehe, maybe the secret ingredient to succesful game adaptation movies is Justice Smith!

[@craftyluna6381]

Just watched the intro, and you can TOTALLY drink while playing D&D. Probably best to be sober when you make your character, but once you start playing, bottoms up! So many adventures start with characters meeting in a tavern anyway, so you can even drink in character. 😁

[@djcowell91]

Just a suggestion: Play your first session or two light on the drinks while you learn the basics, then after that, yeah add a few more to taste. 🙂

[@FulcanMal]

Sending Stones have been a part of D&D for ages...and this is the first time I've heard someone say "Rocky Talky". Well played.

[@TheModwriter]

Here is a fun easter egg i havent seen anyones mention so far. In the 80s, there was an animated dungeons and dragons show on saturday mornings. (Modern day kids dropped into the world) they had a very specific look, and were included in the maze fighting scene. It was the group of younger adventurers stuck in the cage. Fun nod to longer time fans.

[@darthcarnage12]

There’s probably nothing important you miss in the movie from not having played D&D, but there’s just a bunch of fun references and details. My favourite is how the paladin is meant to be a DMPC inserted to get the party through a difficult section 😛

[@william_santiago]

They actually went meta with the movie as well. Beyond the things noted about what was in the movie, the meta was of the characters. It seems like in every decent sized group you have the person who takes the game WAY too seriously. They usually choose a character class that is generally the same, like the Paladin. They also tend to be what has become known as "Rules Lawyers." People who know every convolution of the rules to their advantage and often frustrate the DM. Then they get butt hurt when the DM disregards their inventive use of the rules. Then, you have someone who is just along for the ride. They don't really care to learn about their class, or the rules and just end up hitting everything with their lute. Beyond that, you have the killer who just wants to kill things and they will use an axe to bash their way through every solution. They tend to break out of character with the use of a lot of modern colloquialisms. Then you have the sensitive guy who is looking for love among the group, either in, or more preferably out of the game. They tend to, oddly enough, not have a lot of confidence. You can tell who the frustrated environmentalist was.

[@samwallaceart288]

Xenk is also a bit of an NPC

[@motorcycleboy9000]

Xenk is for sure an NPC, when he leaves the group he even walks in a straight line, regardless of the environment.

[@william_santiago]

@samwallaceart288 and @motorcycleboy9000, Xenk wasn't an NPC. He's also the guy who can't get to the game due to his schedule, so they write him in and out as needed, but also give him a reason to be there with the connection to the Harpers AND his relationship with the Thayans. Xenk is definitely a player.

[@lachazaroony]

In the D&D game Dungeon Masters Guide, one of the first pieces of art is a pencil drawing of a thief taking the loot from the corpse of another thief, and the caption at the bottom says: `No Honour Among Thieves`.

[@hawkthorn33]

One of my favorite little bits, is just before the high sun game starts. In the background, just before they enter the maze, you see a second party. That party is made up exactly of the characters from the 80's cartoon. It does not show up in your edit, but I love that it is there.

[@Ilix42]

D&D can be played pretty well remotely these days.

[@bluebird3281]

for sure, so much easier to find players and schedule.

[@thetankgarage]

Only minor issue I had from knowing D&D was that Chris Pine didn't use any magic. One of the defining moments from Critical Role was a bard using magic, it was such an epic move it had some of the cast full on ugly crying. Other than that I think this was a great D&D movie. Hoping they get to make more, maybe if enough people watch it on streaming.

[@Starsaber222]

I think it was just to keep things straightforward for the casual audience with Simon being the only member of the group who really had "magic". The only magic that Doric really used was her wild shape (which worked differently than it does in game for rule of cool). Edgin almost seemed more like a Rogue with the Performer background than a Bard, but that's the role they needed him for.

[@SteveMND]

Ginni D had a good Short on Edgin and his approach ( kzbin.info2u-ekvaWnAo ) and also another one about Doric ( kzbin.infoKUhgrlfNiDA ).

[@roguecomics4775]

My favorite Easter egg was the inclusion of the 80s D&D animated characters during thr arena scene. Chefs kiss.

[@mikal4452]

The movie is very relatable to an actual D&D adventure. I can just see the players around the table laughing as the Intellect Devourers ignore them.

[@michaelriddick7116]

Cant drink during D&D?! 🤔🤔😑 LIES!! 🤣😂🤣😂

[@michaelriddick7116]

Lol *BONK* 😂🤣😂

[@martinbraun1211]

Please give Star Trek a chance.

[@jaimearismendi8990]

no, please not

[@Felipeleog]

27:48 The staff is for sure super convenient, but sometimes that's how it goes when you play D&D. There's a lot of stuff like that in the movie, little thigs that hints to stuff that happens whe playing with your friends. The staff in particular appears conveniently when they just messed up a puzzle (the bridge) the DM (Dungeon Master, The Narrator) puts for the players. So, for the game to keep going and don't let the players and the story stucked, the DM sometimes improvises. And sometimes that goes by giving players some magic item that fix that particular problem. And then the players love it and try to use that a lot more than the DM had imagined. Like infiltrating the vault. The DM prepares a whole plan, a step by step route, but the players just say "nope, we're doing our own way". And then the DM might put even more situations to let players use that item. That's a little bit of the magic that happens when you are playing. As a DM, a LOVE when my players surprises me with plans that i've never come up with or prepared.

[@gabebernal]

For me, as someone who plays D&D, I loved how the party seemed like a group of friends playing at the table. Just a bunch of idiots thrown into a big adventure. And many of the minor characters and monsters just seemed like the DM trolling the players. This movie did a great job of capturing the spirit of D&D

[@roystoyscomics1361]

It's not a panther.... it's a displacer beast. Classic D&D monster type like the Owl Bear and the Intellect Devourer and the Gelatinous Cube...lol 🤣 So the most fun about D&D is rolling up a new character, choosing a profession that matches their skills and abilities and character stats. Coming up with a backstory. Then going on an adventure with like-minded individuals. Exploring a world, delving into dungeons for treasure and experience. Battling the occasional monster. It really gets the creative part of your personality a chance to shine. 😊

[@lilfungi_]

my favorite thing about this movie is that every character's name is a basic name with a couple letters switched around to make it more fantasy-esque. 10/10 meta D&D reference.

[@matthewfrison4665]

My favorite “Easter egg” is one of the other teams in the games were the OG characters from the 80s cartoon. Loved this movie

[@arrudaum]

One Reference was the other party at the games are characters from an 80's Dungeons and Dragons Cartoon. It's probably not so famous in the US but in Brazil, everybody knows and loves it.

[@proudpapaprick]

My favorite part of this movie is the fact that most if not all of the weird plot bits match up with little weird moments and mistakes that actually end up happening in D&D games for various reasons.

[@wolfkniteX]

Here's a neat fact. In D&D Lore, the city of Neverwinter was built downstream of a river that passes by a Volcano just North East of the city. The Volcano in question is home to Fire Elementals (Primordial Entities of nature that take on traits of natural elements, fire, earth air, water and more) which heat up the river which flows to the city and carries it's supernatural warmthm thus keeping the river and Naverwinter's harbor from freezing and giving the city a permanent warm climate. So you were right on the money with never needing mittens in Neverwinter.

[@andrewhoward6946]

I'll be honest, the second half of a campaign centering around using one random magic item you found to solve all your problems sounds pretty legit. My favorite was always the Portable Hole.

[@seannovack3834]

40 year D&D player going back to Christmas of 1982. I really liked this movie. You're the classic "non-gamer" person who enjoyed the film, and they did a really good job of putting it together that way. For us hardcore gamers, there are TONS of little Easter Eggs to see, from the spells and abilities used, to one of the other groups in the High Sun games being from another D&D adaption - the old Saturday Morning Cartoon from the 80's. Xenk the Paladin is a classic "Dungeon Master run Player Character", that the DM uses to do an information dump to the Party, get the Party from Point A to Point B through an area they have no business going, keep them alive while they are there, and then exit stage right while the Party moves on with the adventure.

[@cpcoultertweedles7216]

This movie is a niche market movie done right. People who aren't familiar with the property can just enjoy the story, but fans can relate to it in different ways, from enjoying their favourite monsters, laughing over the nat 20/crit fail moments, or smiling at the more clever moments of writing. Personally I love the subtle humor of the Intellect Devourers. Yes, the bit where they walk past the party is funny, but the reason why they would is a subtle D&D reference. None of the characters are intelligence based classes. Barbarians (Holga) are strength based, druids (Doric) are wisdom, sorcerers (Simon) and bards (Edgin) are charisma, and paladins (Zenk) need strength for the weapons and charisma for spell casting. If you were creating any of them for playable characters, you would likely be making intelligence the 'dump stat', or the one you put the least points into. No wonder the Intellect Devourers just kept walking.

[@randomdud668]

All the dragons have an element according to their colors in D&D. The dragon in the flashback was a black dragon, which have acid breath attacks.

[@madeleinereads]

I loved this movie! My tabletop role playing group saw this in the theater together. D&D was the first thing we played together. ❤ Then eventually we explored so many other TTRPGs. I just love hanging out with friends, ordering food, creating characters, and going through the story together. As a player of D&D, it really did remind me of the game, and how fun it can be, and the sometimes things don’t go according to plan on your adventures.

[@gembocobo9484]

-after one for all- it was extra fun having flashes of table top shenanigans visualizing the cast of this movie as themselves having a cozy day play session throughout this movie~

[@user-js5ib7sk9o]

17:34 so, the reason why this dragon doesnt breath fire is because its a black dragon. In dungeons and dragons, based upon what color the dragon is, it has a different breath type. Black breathes acid, white breathes frost, red breathes fire, blue breathes lightning, and so on and so forth

[@DarkPaladin24]

I didn't think i would enjoy this. I laughed so hard at the cemetery, the owl bear smashing the lady like Hulk did Loki and Forge trying to escape only to hit a brick wall.

[@pemberliegh]

The great balance of this movie is that it struck that fantastic balance of making an enjoyable story that was funny and charming and touching and adventurous that could be fun for people even if they've never even heard of dnd. But also throwing in so much dnd that if you have played it was meaningful. The story takes place in Faerun, an official dnd campaign setting, so as a player you recognize the places (Revel's End prison, Neverwinter, Baldurs Gate, etc), the races of creatures (Doric as a tiefling, dragonborn council member, Jarnathon the aarakocra, the tabaxi cat people), the magical beasts (owlbear, intellect devourer, rust monsters (blink and you miss early on), axe beaks (big ostrich like birds), mimic (the bitey treasure chest), displacer beast (the magic panther), the gelatinous cube they jumped into). And you recognize lore. Szass Tam and the red wizards of Thay are actual Faerun big bads. Themberchaud, the fat dragon is a canon dnd character. You recognize what they get right, like spells that they cast or how black dragons have acid breath. And things they bent on purpose to make the movie fun like technically druids can't be owlbears bc they are monstrosities and wow she'd have to be an insanely high level to wildshape that many times in a row. But who cares bc it was dope for a movie so... But none of that is necessary to enjoy the movie. It just means for us players they brought dnd to life in a spectacular way without making it a barrier for entry to anyone else.

[@merdufer]

The only important things you miss from this movie when you don't play D&D are those moments when the protagonists come up with really stupid plans and you go "yep, that's D&D".

[@astron1973]

thad had to go across the bridge so the adventure could continue. and as the bridge was the destroyed, the dungeon master "found a convenient quikc way" to make it possible for then to cross the gap where the brigde was(otherwise they wouldve had to find something else or comeback later and that would stale the adventure). that was a fun little reference. and also, the way the paladin was explaining the puzzle in the bridge its just like a dungeon master would.

[@f.g.5967]

There is a 1 hour video of a spanish geek naming ecery spell and reference in the movie (mordenkainen was the character of Gary Gigax, one of the creators of dungeons and dragons, for example) so yeah there are a ton of easter eggs

[@andromidius]

Oh, for context - Dragons in D&D are sub-divided by their colouring (which is essentially... ethnicity?). 'Chromatic Dragons' are evil - Red, Blue, Black, Green, White. 'Metallic' Dragons are good - Gold, Silver, Bronze, Iron. Each has a unique appearance (size, face shape, horns) and abilities. Red and Gold Dragons breath fire, Blue breathes lightening, Black breaths acid. The Dragon in the flashback scene is a Black Dragon and is essentially vomiting acid.

[@gamernebula]

Stoping to check and see what the potion of the video is labels is a hilarious touch love it

[@tofton1977]

Just two words for you girl: CRITICAL ROLE!

[@robertbunting3117]

I LOVE the potato backstory bit. It's a weird something that a DM can have some fun with🥔😵‍💫

[@besupaaa]

And I think some of the conveniences of this movie in particular make sense because it feels like a campaign. Sometimes the DM needs to come up with something to progress the story, or players forget they have that One Cool Item in their inventory. I think it's forgivable in this case :) and makes it feel like a group of friends having fun playing.

[@bandi138138]

17:36 In D&D, different color dragons have different breath type. Black dragons spew acid, green breath poison, red dragons fire, and white ones ice, etc.

[@josephamoraz7990]

Went to see this in theaters with my D&D group and we were all surprised by how good it was. Very entertaining and hope there will be a sequel