Critical Role Animatic - Quokka, Mike Hunt!

Today's episode, we learn about quokkas, and follow Fearne's adventure into the Seat of Disdain.
*Sometimes you think you know what things look like, draw it a bunch of times, and then you look it up and go, "Oh that's not quite right." Always use reference kids
A Taste of Tal'Dorei | Critical Role | Campaign 3, Episode 25: • A Taste of Tal'Dorei |...

[@cmrobbins88]

“Um yes, someone has taken me as their pet.” Ashley has the best “this is fine” energy.

[@MrMaradok]

Imagine a whole campaign like that, with the players all as undercover animals

[@hfar_in_the_sky]

"JUST CALL ME MICK!" was honestly the best way to lean into this

[@bunnycat5552]

I did not expect you to animate the WHOLE "quokka throws children" conversation but I'm so happy you did, that extra time was not in vain

[@blackheartthedarklord6428]

*"TAKE MY KIDS!"*

[@thornangel16]

For some reason I’m picturing the Vox Machina trying to open a door (again), only this time someone looks down and sees Fearne in animal form stuck under the doorframe.

[@ZyroShadowPony]

I hope thats the running gag for campaign 3. Fearne is just always stuck

[@bluefootwalking]

Scanlan, looking at stuck Fearne: “…first time?"

[@gabegrether8647]

@@bluefootwalking freaking doors get you every time.

[@ladyasphodel9326]

Well that explains everything 🤣

[@ZyroShadowPony]

I just love matt's voice when he plays the female soldier. Thats the voice i exoect of a battle hardened woman immediately falling for a lovable creature

[@aeddiefarmer]

I know, I felt bad that she didn't get to keep Fuzzbottom.

[@ryan76043]

Fun Fact: High level druid's can maintain their wild shape for long enough to actually be someone's pet 24/7

[@KearoNasanam]

How high level would they have to be for that if it's half of your druid level twice a day? 19/2=9 hours rounded down.,twice a day=18 hours. Unless you just mean lv20 since it can be cast an unlimited amount of times at that point.

[@Peter_Cordes]

Wild Shape is 2 usages per *short* rest, and you can rest while you're wild-shaped. So even a lowish level druid can be a pet cat, especially if they act as a lazy one. A level 4 druid can stay wild-shaped for 2 hours per usage, so they can be active for 3 hours with a 1 hour rest. (Probably rest *first*, right after re-upping your shifting, so you can try again in case something interrupts your rest.) Without a clock, you'd need a good sense of time, perhaps, although hopefully you'd know when you're close to losing a wildshape. But to sleep overnight for say 6 hours straight, you'd have to be level 12. You can't re-up your wildshape while you're unconscious. (But it doesn't take concentration so it doesn't end when you sleep). Some animals (like cats) take lots of nap during the day, and maybe don't stay asleep for a long time all at once. But a wild-shaped humanoid might screw this up and oversleep, to have their "owner" find them asleep in the pet nook in humanoid form.

[@alannatherson7721]

NPC idea: a druid wild shaping as the party's horse. The horse acts very weirdly, and we see how long until the party notices something's up.

[@JoahTheThread5ive]

@@KearoNasanam You get your uses of wild shapes on a short rest, it isn't twice per day, you would just need to be able to do it long enough to sleep, so at least 6 hours. Level 12 would probably be enough.

[@heartofthewild680]

@@Peter_Cordes I want to read that fanfiction

[@LocalMaple]

Ah, Mike Hunt, creator of the Celebone.

[@JonathanMandrake]

"It's this glass rod"😂

[@kumonoameai]

Does he also research hard tunnels with Everosk?

[@LoryK98]

Great descendent of Purvan

[@stingerjohnny9951]

@@JonathanMandrake It’s a very powerful magical ituuuuuum

[@JonathanMandrake]

@@stingerjohnny9951 It's reusable

[@ishmaelthegreat1893]

One of my favorite parts is when Ashley was like, "Well...I take a nap." And everyone just burst out laughing at the idea of her going in and fjucking NAPPING.

[@TempestLM]

Ashley just nails every comedic timing so perfectly this season

[@Beacuzz]

Druids man Can't wait to play one next year. Brand new campaign. Harengon druid

[@corbettevans7483]

Dusk.exe has stopped working Probably the funniest gag you’ve animated 🤣

[@stonecoldku4161]

Of course it was Sam and Laura that questioned it first. "Mike Hunt?"

[@Shinomura25]

I love the attention to details, like the "Taldorei is for lovers" shirt and Imogen using Chetneys cap and also Chetney without it

[@foolslayer9416]

If it's any consolation, quokkas don't actually "throw" their babies at predators. They just happen to occasionally drop their babies when trying to run away from predators because the joey can fall out of the pouch.

[@Ghilannugs]

its also a pretty common tactic with animals. Better to let them eat your child and live. If you die your child dies anyways from starvation etc

[@foolslayer9416]

@@Ghilannugs Not super common. There are species of bird and deer that will use themselves as bait to lure predators away from their babies.

[@makaramuss]

@@foolslayer9416 I think most of the time that happens if baby is not a new born. like baby run properly etc... but yet most of the time animals more protective to babies some animals create a circle when there is a predator around. Ones with hooves at outside the circle and without/babies inside. anytime predator approaches from any angle they just impale it :D

[@Ghilannugs]

@@foolslayer9416 im not saying its like, the go to instinct first thing they do. But sacrificing their young to survive themself is very common when there is no other out.

[@samreid6010]

Well it’s not that they throw the babies at the predators, they simply ditch the baby in order to get away. It’s common practice for most marsupials.

[@rosenrot234]

I just love the trend that all Fearnes wildshapes are chonky

[@amberkaljumagi1243]

I love it when Fern was later promising to always be careful and made the quokka smile again

[@sceptileswordsman7152]

Dusk is looking nice in her Taste of Taldorai merch.

[@LackerofLacking]

as a Australian i can say quokkas are pure adorable and they fricking know it! Why else do you think they have that smile of their faces?

[@Darkness09ization]

Mike Hunt might be the best blunder Matt has ever made😆 Also I love you animate Matt as a thought bubble in your work. It gives me the impression that these characters across campaigns are slowly but surely building a monotheistic religion with Matt as their god😈😇

[@samreid6010]

Eh, I’d still say that goes to “shiver and queef” it derailed the show for a solid 15 minutes

[@aeddiefarmer]

I know right, who even says the surname of their mate/colleague when they call them over? It was so easily avoided! 😂

[@WiseSageBum]

@@aeddiefarmer best guess is that Matt was going for Micanz but everyone heard My Cunts

[@donb7519]

​@@aeddiefarmerhis name wasnt actually mike hunt it was probably mikun or some name along those lines

[@WolfieSilveira]

Right next to Purvon 😂

[@nickrussell8279]

1:44 I feel like I had just angered god or something by mocking a name he made. I suddenly have the urge to say "Mike Hunts" a hundred times.

[@stingerjohnny9951]

Strange, everyone i meet nowadays is named “David” for sim reason 🤔

[@Rivorse666]

When there's the fact of "Throwing the babies" in my head I just imagined Fearne throwing Mister as a self defense Quokka's reflex. God your animated series becomes better and better each time! Im2in love with them!

[@arturoreyescortez2476]

Ferane becomes more chaotic in every session and this was a very funny moment in the campaign.

[@justaghostinthesea]

"All NPCs are now named 'David'" - Matthew Mercer, 2023

[@Sootielove]

Ha! This is perfect. The giant Matt overseeing them all

[@kumonoameai]

And thus the running gag of Fearne getting stuck under doors as an animal continues ^.^

[@MadamFoogie]

To be fair, when I see something unbearably cute, I'll often also scream that. Ovaries simply can't stand that level of adorableness.

[@rosenrot234]

Heck I'm a grown man and I'd be reduced to absolute blabbering gibberish from the cute

[@davidparkes7741]

As a fellow man, big mood.

[@Grim_Sister]

“ALL NPC’S ARE FROM NOW ON CALLED DAVID!” I felt that in my DM soul

[@watchvids8214]

That transformation sequence was really good!

[@WolfysEyes]

Huge respect for animating that transformation. That could *not* have been easy.

[@FreinareUnimentra]

We all new that this would get navigated, WE ALL NEW.

[@TakeWalker]

I love how she just jumps and twirls and is suddenly an animal. :D

[@morbidnumbskull]

If you only knew how much work was put in 0:07 - 0:09

[@varrondy7810]

It always makes my day whenever you publish an animation. They're so high quality and only add to the hilarity of the situation

[@GAdmThrawn]

I was crying tears of sadness moments before as I watched Dalen's Closet for the first time...and now I'm crying tears of laughter because my favorite comedic interaction of the last episode got animated that brought out all the comedy.

[@brendanhart517]

This is just amazing, the quokka animations, the burrowing, the looming dm matt being cranky at mike hunt coming out wrong the baby throwingit's all just majestic

[@Leytier]

I WAS WAITING FOR AN ANIMATIC OF THIS SCENE AND YOU DELIVERED 😍

[@katchupmachined1914]

Probably one of my favorite moments of C3, Mike Hunt, Fearne being a chaotic fuzz ball, and Marisha loosing it over Quokkas throwing their babies at predators for self defense.

[@goldosprey]

There was a noticible spike in Quokka search the day after this aired

[@TheSpectator7]

Matt: "All NPC's are called David from now on" Me: 👁️ 👄 👁️

[@roosajarvinen5698]

The way I feel bad for that NPC cause imagine her heartbreak when her pet dissapears 😭😭🥺🥺

[@The_King_of_Chefs]

1:43 The walls turning into Matt's DM screen is so cool. Great touch

[@adriannaranjo4397]

1:11 _Step bro I'm stuck!_

[@TheSpectator7]

Step Bro: Don't worry I know someone who can help, *MIKE HUNT!*

[@Floraclaw]

I just got caught up and finished listening to that one, and was dying. I'm so happy to see that moment in an Animatic.

[@genuineBenFan]

As someone who grew up nearby to where you find Quokkas, it rhymes with lockers 🥲

[@lettuce674]

Quocker

[@MrFiendFyre]

TIL a little bit of Australian pronunciation

[@bencebotye3904]

I love how fluid your animation can be. It's an amazing piece of art! PS: don't imagine someone able to capture Erika's cartoonishness. I love this! :D

[@dharmeshmistry342]

I forgot that this episode Imogen was wearing Chetney’s beanie since she got turned bald. 🤣

[@bromega2477]

How hurt are you, Mike Hunt?

[@Doombot221]

Would love to see the rest of the quokka saga animated 🤣 so good, and your style is great at bringing it to life

[@oftenmild]

as someone who lives a half hour boat ride from rottnest island (the place quokkas are mostly) i can confirm they are the cutest (also they DONT throw their babies lmfao)

[@rocketguardian2001]

My goal is to visit your fine land that I may see a live quokka. Just tell me where the best restaurant is.

[@coma2726]

Theoretical now they have the greatest improvised weapon since quokka's have really durable butts and can demo cars when hit from behind

[@TheBlarggle]

Thank you for including as little Dusk as possible.

[@beardlessdragon]

I feel so, so sorry for Matt that this exploded as much as it did, but also SO, SO happy this exploded as much as it did XD seeing the whole scene animated is glorious

[@k.m.2629]

Fearne's little Wonder Woman transformation sequence is so good! That was really impressive.

[@mkvenner2]

Matt has no one to blame but himself.

[@lonewolf-4lfe399]

"Paging Mike Hunt"

[@Alexacz2]

I keep rewatching the transformation. It's so well done!

[@liamerolduffy7738]

Great, now we need the buff softie lady to get more screen time and become an ensemble dark horse.

[@Deelusi]

The is beautifully done 🥲👌✨

[@bionicdragon5]

That Wildshape animation was smooth af!

[@Starhartdeer]

that Fearne quokka is so so super cute! jesus!

[@dungeonguy88]

"Alright...I curl up and take a nap."

[@Ubermensch9240]

"All these NPCs are called David from here on out." -Matthew Mercer

[@dragonicdoom3772]

It sounds so messed up, but the whole "throwing babies as a means of self defence" thing is a lot more common than you'd think. A lot of animals do this so that they're more likely to get away from predators, after all if you had to save one or the other you'd save the baby maker instead of the actual baby. Though "throwing" is dramatic, they just relax the pouch the baby sits in so that it falls out, and even then its rarely intentional. So its less "throwing the baby as a projectile" and more "littering your child and not going back to pick it up".

[@catandrobbyflores]

My co worker was telling me about this and here it is in my feed! I have no context but this is hilarious.

[@corvidkhaos]

the way they pronounce quokka hurts my soul

[@cuileth3369]

Wow, I‘m blown away by all the awesome design choices you made here, amazing 0.0

[@chadbrochill19]

In my headcannon Fern's quokka is named "Rhubarb". 8 -3

[@J.R-M]

Love you animations!

[@stevejackson3815]

This is amazing!! Thank you for sharing this!

[@kosmos007]

After seeing this episode it reinforced how stupidly lucky I am to have grown only a 1 hour ferry ride from Rottnest Island to have come face to face with these gorgeous critters as a kid 😍

[@kaizen5023]

"Paging Mike Hunt!"

[@UltramanStrikerV2]

That animation where Fearne spins!! Nice!!

[@xinahliaofthefeywild8985]

Quokkas throw their babys as defence.... well that aged well with Fearns "Yeet"

[@VivaLaDnDLogs]

Holy smokes you work fast & furiously! Incredible work!

[@mooselee3053]

This is amazing! Great work!

[@rkbkirin5975]

Great perspective on the angry DM :)

[@Micaerys]

Fearne has too much power as a quokka 😂💙😂💙😂💙

[@mikelv1]

That pet comment has a whole different meaning if Fearne wasn’t in a beast shape.

[@LordAaronus]

Mike Hunt should have been wearing a big saggy hoodie with fur around the top

[@rimurutempest4945]

Ashley makes a goddamn accurate Quokka face.

[@davidcurry5240]

Wow! I feel like you’ve added so many frames over the years! Visible improvement!

[@SomeYouTubeTraveler]

As a DM, can guarantee it was totally supposed to be "Mikund" with an accent, not "Mike Hunt." :-P He's never randomly added a surname before, so he probably had it spelled out in his head as one word. DM's commonly bullsh*t names by taking a real one and adding gibberish syllables or pronunciations to the end. Matt just chose unluckily!

[@ainsleywilcox8032]

Idk, but I heard "My Cunt" instead of Mike Hunt.

[@peteralexandergraae2830]

"All NPCs are now named David" Great... i am sure that we will never make fun of that, the next time we meet a Goliath. David, the Goliath.

[@benjaminoechsli1941]

I _love_ the Looming Mercer of Disapproval. "All NPCs are named David from now on." Oh come on, Matt, I know this group is immature at times, but you basically said "Hey! Hugh Jass!". This one's on you. xDDD

[@snorpenbass4196]

I suspect there's going to be a lot of "David"s on the show just because Matt wants to poke right back at the gang.

[@brylegopela5601]

I forgot Imogen was bald this entire episode with her wearing Chetney's beanie

[@Estarfigam]

It is always a sucess when the druid is kept as a pet.

[@alexknj1]

This is so good!

[@erichiller21]

LOL sec 7 had me dying!

[@StrakanDocrusReakal]

Oh my gosh, the way they quokka is adorable, it's closer to kw-or-kka then kw-oh-kka, but it's not exactly Kw-or-kka, but still the way they say it is adorable.

[@N0ugamiNeur0]

I now want them to sell a shirt that says "Whitestone Is For Lovers" on the website

[@sp1derg1rl117]

The Whitestone is for lovers shirt 🤣🤣🤣👏👏👏

[@violeth2255]

Quokka don't "throw" their children at predators so much as they just kinda loosen their pouch and drop their children when they run from a predator. Not the nicest thing to do from our perspective, but the idea seems to be evolution favoring the continued existence of a quokka that has already proven itself reproductively capable over the relative long shot of the baby making it to adulthood and also reproducing.

[@ajogden1940]

SO FREAKING GOOD OMGGGGGGG. You’re incredible, how do you draw so much and with such perfect expressiveness?? I died at that image of the quokka chucking the baby.

[@ephemispriest8069]

Hmmm, never thought of this aspect to druid.

[@Clone6385]

And then the poor mercenary lost their new pet forever. To wonder what happened to Mr.Fuzzbottom

[@rocketguardian2001]

To be fair, Quokkas can't throw their babies, the pouch just loosens and dumps the joey out. But on the plus side, Quokka moms usually have 2 fertilized embryos during pregnancy, so if they have to dump one kid, they've got a spare. Nature is cruel sometimes. But also cute.

[@ludwigvannormayenn8657]

great scenes :D

[@danielcunningham4339]

I thought the adorable lil dudes didn't have any predators

[@ΓιάννηςΜεταξάς-ρ5φ]

Travis be like: *SOURCE?*

[@HuginnHufflepuff]

“Hello, Matt’s Tavern; birthday place of the E.L.D.E.R.M.A.N.C.Y.” “Yeah, is Mic there?” “Who?” “Mic? Also goes by Mike. His last name is Huntz.” “Just a sec. Mike Huntz? Mike Huntz? Hey, you guys know where Mike Huntz’ at?”

[@totallyjacksfilms69]

Mike hunt is my new drag name