High Rollers: Aerois

[@john-marccartagenas6706]

Watched the episode live. Just here to say, the madlads actually did it. They named it Praxis Valla

[@o.d.d.5437]

Praxis Valla indeed. On both Twitch and Reddit, people (myself included) were wondering if the episode title should be Praxis Valla and it happened!

[@panthersnbraves]

I want to hold my action. Mark, so if they come out of the dark... Me, Noooo... Make it any enemy.. What if they telepo... Mark, you hear a crackle....

[@o.d.d.5437]

Ending spoiler Tasadar: Your chances of survival and escape are infinitely low. Valla: Ha Ha my divine powers and counterspell GO BRRR Nova: (Invincible) THINK TASADAR! THINK

[@McSenkel]

Homestuck reference... question mark?

[@LegendaryFloof999]

Nice invincible refence

[@Im-Not-a-Dog]

Valla, The Goddess of Counterspelling.

[@utopia2112]

Honestly I was disappointed that Nova didn’t say (Kim having just referenced Han Solo) “NEVER TELL ME THE ODDS!” (and then blast the ice devil).

[@MystLunarabne]

I can't wait for the conversation with the Wings of Ishtar about how this mission went.

[@Markcrazeer]

I would like to report the sucsessful recovery of the demigod Valla valkyrean her royal Guard maximilian (we will deal with him if need be.) ANd the aererna tasadar. We can unfortunatley not report the destruction of the flaggskip tasadar or ITS crew but that was your job. We are not mad just disapointed. In other news we need to report that commander xarkira has allied herself with hadar. Because emperor valkyreans plan of extract limitless life energi from planet yeet limitless life energi into far realm ANd detonere in the Face of eldergod that gains power from life energi ends about AS badly AS you can fear whatever you think happens it is likley much Worse. Please tell everyone that if starbane gets the world engine hadar escapes ANd wins. Also that kalus ANd not hadar is responcible for the fate of Alfheim.

[@gray9818]

Kim and Katie silently BEGGING Tom to explain the situation to Maximilian is me at all times

[@catdragon1313]

this, so much, the lack of communication!

[@justafox5356]

I wonder how much Sentry’s little move to burn her defense on defending Max affected his change of heart because if so then damn was it a clutch move.

[@thatmooseman]

Episode Start at 0:00 Sponsor at 1:35 Announcements at 6:50 DUN DUNS at 7:50 Recap starts at 8:49 Recap ends at 10:14 Break start at 1:24:08 Break ends at 1:34:20 Gameplay ends at 2:43:38 Ending donos at 2:49:53

[@notsu4935]

Thanks again man.

[@mixmastermike2128]

BUT WHERE DOES NOVA COMMIT A WAR CRIME???

[@aramere3650]

Watching Mark having a breakdown trying to count damage is the realest thing to ever grace KZbin

[@dblczx6819]

WOW. Just, wow. ... I need a list of favorite episodes. But this one? This one is clearly near the top 5. The execution, the drama, the clutch plays! And the COMPLETE SUCCESS at the end, even without those flaky Wings Of Ishtar backing them up. It was all perfect. Favorite moments of the episode... 1. The Engineer instantly recognizing the corporeal team. Combat ensues. (13:20) 2. Qill getting a 20-persuasion check (via Portent) on Max (1:39:58 - 1:45:37), then a 17, to turn him to the Aerois team. (2:07:55) 3. Aila making the Ice Devil run for its pathetic life, and it groaning as its ice wall only bought it 6 seconds... not even that. (41:55 - 44:23, 1:10:35 - 1:13:58) 4. Qill beating a RED DRAGON on a strength check (Dragon rolled a 4 via Portent) to let Valla arcane gate the bridge team to the others. (2:04:35) 5. Nova convincing Tassadar to leave the Valkyrian ship. (2:18:13) 6. Aila's crit on the engineer. (2:14:00) 7. Qill's mass Spell Break on the Mass Suggestion. (Mass Suggestion goes off at 2:24:08; Sentry's Sunbeam in response to it at 2:27:10 was icing on the cake; Spell Breaker goes off at 2:29:50.) 8. Valla's counterspell on the real Xarkira's counterspell, and that burn as the Plane Shift completed. (2:38:16 is when Xarkira and her Simulaccrum teleport in. Plane Shift attempt at 2:41:08, and Lucius and Valla prepare their own counterspells against Xarkira's. 2:42:27 is the golden moment.) 9. (After-episode commentary) The Wings of Ishtar get all of the flak. Granted, Zellion's care for his men is admirable, but c'mon, the team needed you... (2:48:15) MVP awards go to Qill/Tom, Aila/Katie and Valla (highest honors to her for bailing out the team, AGAIN. It's poetic; she sacrifices herself to save the team on episode 26, then saves them again here, after 87 episodes). Condolences to Lucius and Trott, who were completely shut down this game... guess we can't all have our shining moments this time. Here's hoping he gets a time to shine soon.

[@knwjb5844]

You nail all of the notable points!!! 👏👏👏

[@kyraevermoon5544]

To be fair he shined all last episode. He got them as far as they realistically could. And that early counterspell was real slick

[@RossMKitson]

Watched this on Twitch, and utterly watching it again now. Mark's pacing was simply perfect on this; you can feel the players' tension throughout. Like watching a movie, but less predictable. Easily the best DnD liveplay on KZbin.

[@westinlanser9068]

Oh my god, the moment when Quill turns Max and Mark tears up just a little. So good.

[@ZedCactus]

I know! So good 😭

[@rainbow206]

Ok but, quill X max, we need to make a ship name

[@Quantanimobay]

Quaks

[@davidkoudelka10]

@@derschwartzadder Well that one "master shapeshifter" was in Starbane's quarters, and Maximillan was at Valla's side when she told that, so no I don't think so.

[@5hadow5talker]

The question about scaling encounters at 1:30:40 and whether the party will go back to the haunted castle reminds me of the conversation at the end of the Lightfall campaign where Kim said that if JiuTou had the chance she would want to go back and beat the shit out of the animated armour that killed her.

[@Musikur]

Poor Trott, I don't think I've ever seen him look so bummed out as he did at the end of this episode. To be fair though he had a clutch episode last time with several great saves

[@calunsagrenejr]

He was offered the chance to counterspell but ignored it, so I think it was fair enough since he accepted the spell.

[@Nesetroll]

Quill, counting all the people needing to get out, comparing with the number of people the spell allows. "Quick, someone jump into Aila's Handy Haversack!"

[@GoddamitJmie]

Merk better give Moonstar some XP for all shes done so far and let her reach a higher level and be a useful character on par with the npcs , she deserves it , or get her to mkae Lucius a spellcasting mechasuit he can wear

[@ninja5708]

Its times like these that either we had the old youtube system of stars back so I could give it five stars, or I had bot accounts to like this video more than once. I watch both critical role and Highrollers, let me tell you, sometimes even mark out does Matt Mercer and I get more hyped about HR than CR. Especially this last month or so.

[@YamiYaiba]

Seriously. They're both truly great DM's, and native this is just the Mercer Effect talking, but Mark's style seems so much more... attainable, despite not being any less good. I really aspire to be more like Mark in my DM'ing.

[@ghostrickqueen4937]

Mark makes the situations he puts the players in look impossible but makes sure they have the tools to make it work and that makes every mission so tense and every victory so rewarding. I love it.

[@27jools]

I just realised they’ll return back to the halls of resplendence with valla and she’ll get to see her mom!!!! 😢😢

[@utopia2112]

LOL, Kim’s “Let’s sends a selfie of us (to that Wings of Ishtar NPC who didn’t join them on the Tassadar raid).” EPIC TROLL!

[@sanddry738]

Listened to this and my god what a butt clencher SPOILERS I absolutely love how they basically got nearly “the best ending” for this adventure. Valla, Tassadar, that one awesome dude who’s name I can’t remember, no deaths/losses, and the biggest middle finger to Xarkira and Kalus

[@lorde_spooky]

Maximilian?

[@goggledgoon3342]

Maxiboi

[@ducttapemaster1408]

Only better ending if they managed to blow up the ship in the process, but that's like wayyyy above and beyond what is already above and beyond. Maybe if the Wings hadn't bailed, but hey, consequences in dnd are fun and interesting!

[@RabidBlackwatch]

I love when mark was just fighting himself haha

[@Fairax93]

I don't know if any of the high rollers will see this message. But I'm so grateful for all these episodes. I've re-watched the Lightfall campaign multiple times, now catching up on this, Aerois campaign. I've found myself getting emotional while listening/watching this. When something goes bad or good for the players. I can't help but feel for the players and the NPCs. Hard to put it all into word. I find myself dreading the time when this will end, it has given me so many entertained hours! So I just want to say, thank you so much, High rollers!

[@gentlegiant4663]

one of the best episodes so far Trott is a master with the music

[@thatlycantomboy]

Mark just playing DnD by himself after the break absolutely killed me, poor man

[@travisfuller436]

I love love love this series so much! The story has me completely hooked. Top notch role play by the players and amazing DMing by Mark.

[@hathaway384_4]

I watched this live, and have already re-watched the episode twice on twitch. But here i am again, because this episode is simply amazing. Despite it being heavily combat based, they still manage to bring in the amazing RP

[@nonam3party]

This feels like a final episode! I can’t imagine how they gonna top this 😁😊

[@GoremGrimblade]

Combat Conversations operate in DBZ time. 6 seconds is 5 minutes.

[@T3hIluvatar]

True, though it's more like 20 minutes of monologue is 6 seconds in combat

[@shimonaspancake]

1:51:27 - Did Nova just threw in an Invincible meme to persuade Tassadar?? Hahaha! 😆😆Excellent episode btw!

[@transarchivist]

I love that Hesper and Quill's mum pronounce Quilek wrong but Max gets it right first time 😎

[@Im-Not-a-Dog]

Me the whole episode: "TELL THEM XARKIRA HAS SIDED WITH HADAR!!!!!"

[@chrisboudreau4488]

Mark you tearing up makes me tear up that was a really moving moment with Max your an inspiration

[@thefracturedbutwhole5475]

You're*

[@jamesweaveriv524]

That was one of the best episodes ever! Multiple close bests but WOW! There should be an award for the DM Of The Decade bc Mark Hulmes would have it hands down!

[@geedee212]

I usually keep my opinion to myself but holy crap this episode was fantastic. I would say great planning and execution if that were the case but instead I'll say you guys owe Lady Luck a drink! Congrats! I'm happy you're all still alive!

[@MrHlum]

Plot twist: Hadar is actually G4T3CR4SHR and the only way to defeat him is by using CiaskaVPN

[@McSenkel]

Umm... [adjusting glasses like a nerd] Actually, it's not 'Ciaska', it's 'Siaska'.

[@aramere3650]

Lmaoooooo

[@Im-Not-a-Dog]

You devious bastard...

[@ElijahForLong]

@@McSenkel That is correct, you get one point!

[@McSenkel]

@@ElijahForLong Yaay!

[@renegadesensei]

Damn why every episode of HR now either makes me cry or gets my heart pouding...so good!

[@jelenadjokic9843]

Moonstar is like that character in video game you bring with buff squad to level up.

[@yuzik01]

They should've just hired Zarkira for the job, her entrance was so smooth 😁

[@arcticbanana66]

I'm only a little bit surprised that the Chief Engineer wasn't a reskinned beholder using it's eye beams as her hair-tentacles.

[@MorinehtarTheBlue]

lol Mark really does love his Beholders/Beholderkin. But he used two in Lightfall and two in Aerois. I mean I wouldn't put it past him but it has to stop sometime. Probably will be more for the third campaign as well. Half hoping one of the players make a Beholder adjacent PC to pacify Mark. Then again that might just serve as an excuse for more Beholderkin. 😂

[@Killerwolf3241]

Everytime I rewatch this I just feel worse for trot. He's playing a a magic used in a campaign where all of the big bad enemies are better magic users than him.

[@blackh9604]

The scene confronting Max was so hype, what a guy 👍

[@theprophet7318]

So… something fun that this is reminding me of: my group were fighting this fire wyrm thing that was resistant to non-magical damage, so the only two that were doing full damage was my level 6 monk and our groups wizard, the rest were a regular melee fighter and a cleric with the only heavy hitting spells being fire spells.

[@PaulStarhaven]

Spoiler? This was a very successful stealth heist actually. Only 3 people on the opposition side were killed. Ice devil, Drow Lieutenant and that soldier. Praxis Valla for ultimate clutch move!!

[@logankadrlik6628]

Yeah vallah said her first curse word on screen. Wooooooo

[@davidkoudelka10]

Our bby is growing up!😭❤💓

[@gothmissstress]

what a fcking episode. absolutely legendary. so many super close calls there. i was on edge the whole time. this is probably one of my favourites. i think, traitors as they were, the Stormchaisers must inform Wings of Ishtar that they succeded. because at some later point the wings could still teleport to tassadar and explode it when the Valkirians least expect it

[@stephenpodeschi6052]

Well done Quill praise where its due ... Mark is an amazing combat DM ...But who won ? you will have to watch....

[@MorinehtarTheBlue]

Even Divine Intervention could have been a clutch move with the right argument. Sianna did say they could call upon her for help. It's a little sneaky but as long as Quill used her name it could work as a substitute especially since the entire Starborn pantheon is part of Siaska. Then again he didn't make the role. However without pushback he loses one of his class abilities for an in game year. And that's not counting any weakness that Siaska might suffer from afterward. EDIT: Ironically the part that actually made this a relevant response. I should really save the hot takes until the end of the episode but I get emotional. In either case several opportunities beforehand where those portents could have come in handy but I absolutely can't argue with where Tom chose to use them.

[@Greenfire714]

Amazing episode cant wait for the Valla Reunion episode!

[@gothmissstress]

Watching this episode for the second time now because i took a loong break. I decided to start with this one because its one of my favourite episodes ever. Chills, even watching it for the second time

[@jaybenjamin2404]

head cannon, maddening darkness is just novas random thoughts driving them mad lol

[@youngobiwan_5186]

I have watched since the start and every episode has been sooo brilliant but this episode has been insane!!! Soooo good

[@Blasted2Oblivion]

I WAS gonna listen to this at work tomorrow...then I looked at the schedule and realized I have the day off.

[@jamesmaceaveli6679]

Evil Chris Trott is the best and I'm loving his highjinx, he's too funny. Kinda hope Regular Trott's VPN gets turned off again...

[@charlesrogers7393]

Best Aerois episode so far. Spolier: The part where Max made his choice hit me in the deep feels.

[@AntlersAreCool]

The dice were really against Trott and Rhiannon 🙃

[@ultimatedemon2]

What a fantastic episode, so many clutch moves

[@LowPolyPixel]

SPOILERS When ethereal squad burst into the bridge I was wondering how they were going to get out of there and then a few second later I remembered Valla has epic magical powers. Still a butt clenching watch though.

[@kellygingrich4302]

SO many cool moments in this one!

[@ganymeade275]

I watched the Nord VPN ad 4 times straight and it got a very rare snort laugh out of me

[@Trashpanda04]

Ayo what up been listening through this series on the podcast

[@ZedCactus]

What an absolutely great episode!.. I felt sick with worry!

[@Spiceodog]

“ well yeah , that’s cuz I killed your god” I love to imagine hearing that out of context.

[@pr_manager]

Y’all really need to give trott some extra camera tokens......

[@stevieharvey7803]

i feel like there needs to be less counterspells

[@cesargeney5268]

I did it, all of Aerois in less than a month. now I have to wait for sunday to watch it

[@marias8472]

valla's clutch everytime!!!

[@weine1979]

When Marc tells Trott to start the Dun-Duns the OK that came out of Trott made me think of the Orcs in Warcraft 2 when u give them orders.

[@Im-Not-a-Dog]

There were Kaiju in earlier editions. Look up the Gargantua. They were great and are really easy to update to 5e(I've already done it and made many of my own).

[@clailia21]

LET ME TELL YOU I SCREAMED. Amazing episode, I love this story and these characters so much!!

[@jellybeanki4626]

Yes Tom you’re right, it was Mark the Tiktok sensation that brought me into the series. How could I resist

[@joaozin156]

What an episode. Very intense high stakes. Very well managed by Mark and played by everyone. I will say though that i was a little bit disappointed at how meek the captain of the Tassadar was when facing Xarkira, i mean i get it, she's a powerful sourceress and 2nd in command of the Valkyrian empire, but come on, this guy is the captain of the Emperor's flagship, and was given an order by the Emperor himself to protect his daughter, yet offered basically no resistance when Xarkira showed up and told him to give her the emperor's daughter. I mean, sure the Tassadar had been compromised, but up until Quill, Sentry and that angel showed up on the bridge in a suicidal charge, the situation was pretty much under control, i was expecting him to offer a little bit more resistance to Xarkira's demands. Anyway, absolutely loved the episode and was on the edge of my seat the entire time, good job to the HR crew.

[@dregoth0]

Aila once again proves that she is not a glass cannon, but a hellbore cannon.

[@EverlastingEclipse]

Magic resistance doesn't work on Turn There is a specific Turn Resistance ability

[@thatlycantomboy]

SPOILERS “Not this time, you snake bitch.” God, I’m so proud of Valla, I’m screaming, I’m so proud of the Stormchasers, they got Tassadar and even got Max, and they GOT OUR GIRL!! Mark’s pacing is the most phenomenal thing I’ve ever seen in my life, oh my god. Frankly, I’m obsessed with how Valla heard that someone from Aerois had infiltrated the Tassadar and Mark described her as looking smug. Like she was just so confident in the Stormchasers and ready to go home and I’m not crying you are And Quill, Valla’s like what, fifteen, sixteen? Let her curse. She deserves it.

[@josephbristow6241]

Marks goblin energy at an 1:35:00 has got to be clipped.

[@cheat200]

I just realized that a 1v1 between 2 high-level magic wielders would just turn into counterspell city where by the end the mages are just going to end up using cantrips to kill each other. Talk about a let-down, 2 level 20 mages resorting to cantrips.

[@mme.veronica735]

Well think about harry potter. When The professors fight the bad people it's mostly just, here's deadly thing, other person turns deadly thing not deadly, repeat.

[@thefracturedbutwhole5475]

Depends on the mage, a sorcerer could just wear out any other type of mage until they can no longer cast counterspell and then draw on their font of magic (sorcery points).

[@asherandai1000]

There is another option. If one of the mages successfully casts a globe of invulnerability then only counterspells of a high enough level can affect them. That would limit the amount of counterspelling their opponent could do.

[@AjLechtenberg]

me before starting this episode: ya know what, i think ill watch the ads before the show starts me 5 minutes later: *tearing up from laughing*

[@DefZombie]

Absolutely amazing episode and escape

[@slendertataGames]

Quill's god is incapacitated and can't take actions

[@AntlersAreCool]

Watching this after watching D20s Neverafter, @14:00 I'm imagining creepy Rapunzel!

[@chintex_]

This episode was one hell of a ride. My heart is fucking racing.

[@TheBaldParakeet]

That clutch ending. OMG

[@ZedCactus]

Absolutely amazing... this is why I watch RPG-streams. Also Mark is so damn good.

[@poisonedoak6563]

MEGA SPOILERS DO NOT READ BEFORE END Great Feats- Spellcaster out-strengths a literal dragon Both of the heavy hitters only lose 2 turns to all stuns Non-charisma caster convinces the best boi Barbarian terrifies literal devil Small girl rips spacetime Katie Brutal Criticals the annoying spellcaster Nova says “Fuck off” to enemy reinforcements Heroic sacrifice denied, you don’t get to die on us Quill cancels more bs spells Blind counters counterspell Valla carries the party with utility

[@AlexRobles-tl4jd]

That. Was. The. Best. Episode. Ever.

[@Hashtoons]

Valla kinda popped off at the end there tho

[@leprekhantar347]

Valla was always a NPC that Mark could not roll low for.

[@Hashtoons]

@@leprekhantar347 truly

[@o.d.d.5437]

@@leprekhantar347 Even during her lockpicks at the elven manor near Rosehall were legendary, she even did a reverse lockpick at disadvantage.

[@HuNtOziO]

This episode was nuts!! Watched it on twitch on Monday night 😁😁

[@little_lilac3262]

After that end moment watch all the Valla fan arts start rolling in

[@rudeusgreyrat5236]

2:43:14 its 2 years too late.....but Mark said there were 2 Simulacrum

[@Maccapacca2341]

Best episode by far

[@Maccapacca2341]

Ik it probz won't happen but I would love if valla , the stormchasers, Danika bloodfyre and the Titan Syanna met in the halls of infinte resplendence with Seasca's Tomb

[@gittawynant157]

OMG that was so scary. Epic episode!

[@charlesrogers7393]

Looking forward to the possibility of Starbane having to rename his flagship.

[@lincolnsummers1235]

Amazing episode, it was perfect, so tense. Just wanted to check? I don’t think you can counterspell a spell that has already been cast, so if you ready a spell I don’t believe you have seen that spell be cast? I might be wrong, it was an awesome moment 😀

[@rowansjet]

It probably worked out better that the simulacrum used their counterspell on the prismatic spray. Meant there was only one for the plane shift.

[@MorinehtarTheBlue]

The thing is you don't ready a counterspell anyway as it is a reaction. And if a spell has already been cast then what you can do is Dispell it. Basically the same mechanics too. The only thing is different class spell lists have them and it's pretty much mutually exclusive.

[@IndicaDreamz]

I don't know why this episode enraged me so much haha!

[@aaronneswald5811]

Holy crud this was a awesome episode maybe my favorite so far. Also valla is back

[@LokienSilver]

This episode had me stoked the whole time. So good

[@malaynaberhalter965]

Who else could watch Mark vs Mark for a few hours?

[@lorde_spooky]

Next high rollers special, Mark DMs a one shot with Mark, Mark, Mark, and Mark, facing a big baddie played by special guest Mark

[@mme.veronica735]

I don't think anyone could because Mark would just fall apart or get stuck in a loop before the hour mark

[@little_lilac3262]

The end made me scream this is getting too spicyyy

[@27jools]

BEST EPISODE EVER!!!!!

[@27jools]

Yassss Lucius with the nat 20 stun

[@brandonfinney7126]

The chief engineer's hair reminds me of Entrapta from the newer She-ra

[@ayrelocke4811]

A mix between Entrapta and Spiderverse's Doc Oc

[@MorinehtarTheBlue]

Honestly I was thinking if another Marvel character - Medusa of the Inhumans though it's essentially the same ability.

[@ZandyrBier004]

Lucius: I’m gonna do something cool. Marks dice: the fuck you are

[@eddy7174]

Sheeeeesh this is what I live for right here

[@Markcrazeer]

So tasadar is mordenkainen. Good to know.

[@thompson9529]

25 halved is 12.5, Mark!