Lou Wilson is the King of D&D Characters

Lou Wilson is a player on the D&D Actual Play Series Dimension 20. He is exceptionally good at creating dramatic, flawed characters who make questionable decisions.
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[@Z3DT]

"I _was_ faithful! I _am_ faithful! I would _have continued_ to be faithful!" There are very few deliveries in D&D actual plays of a line that I will never forget. This is one of them. Kingston Brown (and to a lesser but still large extent, Pete) is a big part of why TUC1 is still my favorite season of D20 so far.

[@compactdisk96]

It gives me chills everytime.

[@okami4675]

KINGSTON BROWN FROM UPPPTOWNNNN!!!

[@claire3614]

A true legendary quote

[@anonomys2014]

Lou is the good version of those player's who go "ThAtS WhAt mY cHaRaCtEr wOuLd dO" to justify being an jerk of a player

[@onnayoung7699]

I've always thought that was such a BS excuse, like you build and wrote the character. Like "that not what my character would do" (espestly to yourself) sure what fine, and usually appropriate, but "not what....." that is so wrong on so many levels. It like building a rube goldberg machine that ends in a gun pointed at something and then claiming you didn't pull the trigger I just pushed the bowling ball. I means at the very best the character is so fixed it will never grow and that is just shit writing. Bad player? Bad writer? Bad person? prob a bit of all three.

[@maxwell9211]

I think the difference is Lou does it even when it isn’t good for himself or the party on a meta level. He actually considers his characters’ weeknesses

[@Ruspanic]

@@onnayoung7699 it's a BS excuse if you're sabotaging other players and ruining their fun, starting unwanted PvP or constantly going off on your own like a "lone wolf" or whatever. However beyond that, you have to look at your and your party's goals for playing DnD. Is your main goal simply to reach the goal of the quest you're on - killing the dragon, saving the town, getting the gold or whatever? Then sure, doing stuff to undermine that goal can be a dick move. But if your main goal is actually roleplaying to tell a compelling story or create fun shenanigans, then having flawed characters that make bad choices can definitely serve that goal very well. Lou Wilson's Fabian singlehandedly trying to fight a mindflayer while away from the party members was a really dumb decision that also made for one of the most memorable, impactful moments and arcs in all of Dimension 20. Or for a more mundane example, one of the characters in my current campaign is a selfish, impulsive dick who casually bullies NPCs and starts fights unrelated to the goals of our quests. My character has had to clean up his messes more than once. At first I was annoyed by this, but eventually I realized he was an "instigator" who kept interesting things happening when other players were either too shy or too Lawful Good to color outside the lines. And eventually I came to trust him to be a reliable force of chaos whenever we needed one

[@claire3614]

But he grew into that, he evolved so much throughout all seasons of D20, and thank God he did because the way he played Fabian at the beginning was insufferable. He constantly talked over other PCs and dismissed their ideas as stupid or unnecessary, to the point of receiving silent treatment from the other players and DM when it was getting too uncomfortable. For example after the first battle (you know, the one against corn cuties) Fig was trying to do her own thing express sadness for the death of the woman on the cafeteria but in a funny way, as Emily would masterfully do, and Lou was non-stop interrupting just to say how stupid that was and that he couldn't believe he was just there witnessing that nonsense. I always thought that the way Brennan handled that by ignoring how annoying and out of place those coments were at the moment of recording and instead centering on running the scene with Emily and rolling for the fishnet was a good example of not encouraging toxic behaviour, and just addressed it 1 on 1 outside of game time and out of cameras. I don't fault him for that, he hadn't played dnd with them before and it's clear he didn't fully understand collaborative ttrpgs, but I always point out that he wasn't this amazing, awesome player from the get go, he just did a wonderful job learning how to be a good team player and now he's a role model, so there's always hope

[@oggser8050]

@@claire3614 nah

[@underthependulum3484]

One of my favorite moments with Lou is his unsleeping city character when Liz refers to his centaur friend as a "crazy horse person" and he yells "SHE IS A GODDAMN CENTAUR!" Which just hit me as such a powerful moment of defensive behavior.

[@chastermief839]

I especially love this line because right before that scene with Liz, Kingston also has weird moment with Epona. He asks a rude question of her, asking if the sound of her hooves on the floor ever gets annoying. It plays out in a sort of funny scene where Kingston looks like a jerk, he's offended Epona simply for being a magical fey creature (and he has to backpedal very nervously so he doesn't sound like he's mocking her). But it ends on sort of a poignant note where Epona says "You know what, the sound actually does kind of bother me. Because it reminds me that this city isn't made for me." Kingston ends the interaction by offering to help, but Epona brushes him off. Epona is also the one who brings in Liz, so the scene sort of frames the two of them as embodiment of the legal justice system opposing Kingston, a citizen, together. It's also not clear if Epona was aware of Liz and Kingston's relationship beforehand, but she and Kingston appear to be old friends so she probably deliberately blindsided Kingston by not telling him the DA is his ex wife. (also we later learn that Epona doesn't really have Kingston's best interests at heart anyway). Re-watching the scene with the full context, it definitely feels like a scheme the two of them pulled to make Kingston sweat and give up more info than he normally would. So when Liz makes that offhand comment about Epona and Kingston immediately comes to her defense, it has the weight of so many layers. Kingston clearly understands where Liz is coming from, just earlier he was also cracking a joke about the centaur cop. And as the Vox Populi, he naturally repels and is repelled by the creatures and magic of the dream realm, instead being an embodiment of the practical and the foundational elements of the city. Later we see that he often confides in Liz about how ridiculous it all feels to him, even still. But he's not a hypocrite-- he's just someone who has sympathy for Liz's perspective, even if it's not one he holds. As the Vox Populi he is an intensely magical person. It's "civic magic", but it's still magic, and part of his role means understanding the other creatures of the Unsleeping City so he can better represent the mundane people of New York. Epona kinda fucked him over by putting him under pressure with Liz as the DA, but he still leaps to her defense anyway and that is probably because he still feels guilty for making her feel ridiculed earlier.

[@bertoandon9681]

​@@chastermief839hmmph thanks for that perspective, I always read that quote as her, an npc, giving in to a pcs opinion but I never really dwelled on the city not being built for her. Which is really interesting to think about

[@kobold_sushi_executive_chef]

Lou was initially going to be the Prince of D&D Characters, but he said "please let me win" and they just gave him the crown no questions asked

[@jrdeborja0000]

Honestly. He has natural charisma as a person. He EXTENDS it to his characters. If not wise or perceptive of his characters. HE creates an imaginable and, as you say relatable, character with a level of consistency. He enjoys them.

[@kaivdm04]

I feel we need to address Lou’s funniest character Lord Squak Airavis. Airy Pearry? The Green Hunter? Jeremy Renner?

[@hershelroswell]

"will it require movements... like this? 😏😏😏😏😏"

[@chastermief839]

"Hey... Theodore. Theodore! Ah! I was thrown! I need help from Theodore AND NO ONE ELSE, I'm GOOD. Hey, Theodore!"

[@britnicox3929]

This character was SO good I loved him

[@claire3614]

"Jeremy, Jeremy! Jeremy!" "Never forget to keep your steto, steco-op, step... " "To my dearest Dev Patel AND Michael B Jordan"

[@PDX-Red]

Cousin!

[@geode5224]

lou wilson went from asking to be a baker in his first dnd game to playing some of the most complex, flawed, wonderful characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing; what a king

[@mossman15]

I almost forgot the baker thing 😂 That’s still one of the cutest stories ive ever heard

[@joe.5103]

I never knew that! Would you mind sharing where I can read/hear about that story please?!

[@mossman15]

@@joe.5103 I believe it's in his first appearance on the Adventuring Acadamy podcast (which i believe is ep 1)

[@famweefood7073]

“I gotta get a job”

[@reginahinkley1673]

I revisit that scene between Liz and Kingston so many times, it’s crazy. The fact that they can make me forget I’m watching two thirty year old men arguing at a table is insane. It really feels like I’m watching two very heartbroken people. I love all of Lou’s characters. I can’t wait to see what he does with Pinocchio in Neverafter. That scene with Stephan made me cry laughing as Lou’s literally leaning over the table and yelling “I’m the Prince of Shoeberg, motherfucker!” Come to think of it, that’s another great example of embracing character flaws. Lou 100% knew that wasn’t gonna turn out great for him and he still did it.

[@chrisclark860]

and it's exactly something that Pinocchio, a known liar of legend, would try to get away with. love that scene!

[@apolloniakageaki1711]

Pinocchio: fucks up Ylfa: tries to protect Pinocchio Guards: attack Ylfa to get to Pinnochio Also Pinoccio: yes! Get her! XDD

[@edwardlwittlif]

The first time I saw Lou Wilson roleplay was watching Fantasy High on KZbin, and he embodies his characters so well that I mistakenly assumed he was just playing himself as a character. And then I watched The Unsleeping City and *my brain exploded*

[@SM-cs2my]

he's so good at living into his characters! i wasn't sure i had "met" lou wilson until after freshman year, because i swear he was in character the whole time

[@null9546]

Came back to this video to add Lou's incredible acting as Pinocchio in Neverafter, especially in episode 12 where he willing gave up a Nat 20 perception just to stay in character!

[@jdman2210]

Watching Lou throw away a nat 20 and Brennan playing into it was hilarious

[@Sowono]

Nothin like a fresh glizzy ✨✨

[@snailflowers]

his understanding of his own characters and all of their influences and motivations is so impressive. he’s got to be hands down one of the most intelligent role players i’ve ever seen, like the total opposite of a meta gamer. he just loses himself in the character and accomplishes amazing storytelling. also he’s hysterically funny which doesn’t hurt

[@Makiotio]

I truly think that's what makes his reaction to Fabian's decision in Sophomore Year so good. He was so in character making the decision to rush in, that was Fabian speaking, that was Fabian's decision. We're watching Lou's brain split between Fabian the foolish teenager and Lou the adult knowing this is probably the WORST choice of all time. Also they were streaming live and no one could stop him from making this choice.

[@weeklyfont]

His Pinocchio is non stop hilarious and I can't wait to see where it goes and how dark it gets.

[@DarlingMissDarling]

"yeah, Stephan... idiot." My god, I was crying at that interaction. Brilliantly done 😂👌

[@darrienjones8917]

Well boy do I have news for you. It got Dark Fast!

[@frimi8593]

Welp, here we are in episode 4. I have to imagine it will only get darker from here

[@nootdraws]

Throwing away a nat 20 for some “technically donkey meat” hotdogs is just prime Lou committing to the characters.

[@thefollowingisatest4579]

Kingston Brown's lack of fatal flaws makes a lot of sense. He probably wouldn't still be the voice of the city if he wasn't a more or less stable man. But cleverly, this allows his counterpart, Pete, to be a total mess, and creates a beautiful story of Kingston becoming Pete's mentor, and for Pete to see what Kingston has sacrificed and what it means to be responsible to a community (the museum of memory segment is not only an incredible bit of on the spot roleplaying with Brennan and Lou, but also one of the most beautiful and sad scenes in D20 history). Also the scene you highlighted contains what is likely Lou's heartbreaking pinnacle right at the end of their conversation: Right before she leaves, the heartbreaking, quiet, "Please don't call me Mr. Brown" (honorable mention though to him holding the body of Sir Morris Brie in Port Syrup). His instincts for both comedy and drama, and allowing each to have its time are simply incredible. Kingston Brown is also a great example for all role-players of a sort of character they can play: an earnest and good one. Sometimes we play kooky or deep flawed people, but sometimes its okay to play an aspirational character as well, which is what Lou has said of Kingston. ALSO HE NAMED HIS DOG AFTER KUGRASH AND THAT MADE ME CRY

[@glassy_rose]

Kingston wasn't that perfect though. He was altruistic to a fault, never allowing himself to have personal time for his own interests or a family.

[@katsaidthat]

@@glassy_rose meanwhile pete (for a while) was selfish and struggled to accept his responsibility as vox phantasma for a while, so it kinda forms another cool parallel between them

[@Sashakawaiicat]

Lou commits so hard to his Nat ones that it's genuinely scary to watch. Like you can tell he knows what hes doing is more than likely going to lead to his characters death and he does it anyway. That's why he loses it so hard because he knows what he's doing is insane but it's like he's determined to let it play out anyway. Also he's just a genuinely good actor, truly the best player I've ever seen.

[@ThePoisonMary]

The immediate descent into "I fucked up" laughter is just amazing

[@Vamper946]

As soon as I saw the title of this video, I knew you were going to include that scene from Sophomore Year. One of the funniest and scariest moments ever in D20 and made all the better by Lou howling with laughter. Thanks for showcasing such an amazing show and offering more insight into it.

[@DoctorMcHerp]

Fabian leading his crew to death against Mindflayer Davy Jones will never get old.

[@RobearRich]

He is so good at leaning in to character flaws that make his characters relatable, engaging, and funny. It is clear that he is very interested in the character arch above everything else. Something that I definitely tip my hat to Brennan for is that he used this opportunity to help Lou change Fabian's class. He goes from being a champion (a pretty boring class overall) to a battle master/sword bard. This is a pretty powerful multiclass with a lot more crunch for Lou to sink his teeth into. I could see Lou getting bored with champion fighter and talking to Brennan about it. Because Lou was willing to lean into a weakness, this allowed Brennan to help him overcome it and become more powerful. Great example of a DM and a player working together to make the story better.

[@loganfields159]

I know it's not d20, but Lou's character Jammer deserves attention. Jocks get a bad rap in this nerdy space. Jammer is the bro we all need. Edit* seems to have created confusion. For sure a d20 show. Not the familiar 5e d20 vs DC rule system. That's all.

[@AAngel1]

It is still d20, just a "side quest" or whatever they call it

[@loganfields159]

@@AAngel1 you right. I was referring to the game system, since the channel has mostly focused on d20 system games like d&d and Jammer was from misfits and magic, or whatever it was called. Used the kids on brooms system, which is quite different.

[@Hey-Its-Dingo]

@@loganfields159 Kids on Brooms is still kind of a d20 system, it's just used very differently from D&D. (Kids on Brooms, just like Kids on Bikes which it's a spin-off of, uses a bigger die for whatever you are better at, d4 being your worst skill, d20 being your best skill)

[@loganfields159]

@@Hey-Its-Dingo they do use a d20. You right. But it's not the classic d20+ modifier vs DC structure so many games use. That's what I'm referring to as "d20 system".

[@mac_sour]

what difference does the system make when it comes to characters? also both systems use d20s so you're just wrong lol.

[@kidtruck9157]

All of his characters have been my favorite or second favorite of the group. Amathar, and kingston are deep and emotional, fabian and Pinocchio are hilarious

[@DarlingMissDarling]

Oh man, his Pinocchio is just aces. His interaction with the guard Stephan when trying to get back into the shoe carriage?! 🤣 "Yeah, Stephan... idiot." My gawd, he's been cracking. me. UP. 🤣 So so good!

[@kidtruck9157]

@@DarlingMissDarling Ikr? Perfect mix of troublesome, threatening, with mysterious origins.

[@scyythe403]

If you're going to do videos on the rest of the d20 cast, I'd love to see one on how Ally played Margaret Encino as the ultimate support character

[@braydenswinhart]

I think Margaret is a prime example of understanding your world. If Margaret was in an actual Starwars 5e game, she wouldn’t do as well, and that’s due to the nature of the corporate ruled world they live in. The fact that most of her combat moves were non-combative and the MOST effective actions shows that Ally fully bought into that aspect of the world and used that part of the world against Brennen. Chefs kiss. Granted if they were playing actual SW Margaret wouldn’t have been thought up, but a similar build wouldn’t have worked as well or it would’ve worked but in totally different aspects. Ally created her for Starstruck and she fully embodies those overarching ideals

[@ari-mh6dw]

Lou is one of my favorite players! He has a way of drawing you in even if you don't like his characters at first.

[@DMingThoughts]

I'm giving this comment as a sacrifice to your eldrich patron. It was so fun watching Lou in ExU Calamity! It makes me want to watch D20 so hard, but absence of subtitles kinda stops me. :D

[@coconewt]

There are subtitles on dropout

[@DarlingMissDarling]

Juliet is correct, there's absolutely subtitles on the app! They're consistent in accuracy as well. 😉👍

[@chuckfinn89]

@@DarlingMissDarling and occasionally hilarious (Emily laughing at Ally Featherbeardsley)

[@DarlingMissDarling]

@@chuckfinn89 haha YES!

[@samminicksm]

Lou really inspired me to play flawed characters. My Gnome Life Cleric, Yeongli Fei, follows a goddess of peace and pacifism, but Yeongli was a combat medic in the army before she began following her. She’s a woman that is incredibly comfortable with violence and has a deep issues with monotony. None of that easily matches with peace and pacifism, especially not running around an upgraded version of Ravenloft. My half-orc/half-elf Circle of Dreams Druid, Vanomi Blake, is aggressively the mom friend. She has a superiority complex and tends to judge the other characters personal life decisions (my party is cool with this, we’ve talked about it) like not eating vegetables, drinking enough water, skipping meals, not getting enough sleep, dilly-dallying, tormenting/teasing reoccurring NPCs, etc.😊

[@communismenjoyer1858]

I cannot watch that clip without chuckling to myself, fabians ark in sophomore year is so fucking good those early moments make laugh so much

[@mcinnisboy]

For Lou Wilson character consideration I'd offer Jabari the Safari from his time on NADDPod. Short story arc, but another classic, eccentric Lou Wilson character (with a great accent).

[@jasontriplett1041]

YEEEESSSSSAH! Jabari the Safari will take you for a ride! My favorite of the Hexbuds.

[@mageSjoy]

Lou embodies his characters so much that the stress of the Crown of Candy story-line made him start smoking again. I love him and the way that cast challenges one another and builds on each other is beautiful and I feel unparalleled.

[@mkklassicmk3895]

That's what 1d6 laughter damage looks like.

[@Jack_OLanterns]

Damn you Dark Patron! He’s doing so well spreading your word!

[@joe.5103]

Lou is my favorite DnD player! He is often the first to hype situations and make a move to role play the impact of it. While everyone has their strengths, Lou’s role playing/acting is the most natural.

[@abracabadass]

I have a new favourite intrepid hero every day and today is Lou Day

[@ernestlandrito2950]

Pinocchio spilling the beans to Cinderella is by far my favorite moment where Lou embodies his character. It is perfect.

[@mariaclaravieirafernandes6176]

lou just makes everything better! him on naddpod was just PERFECT

[@tysondennis1016]

“YOU LIED!” is probably the best line in my opinion that Lou Wilson said in character. He’s fighting back laughter while saying that, and wins the fight to shout in pure, unadulterated rage. Just two words, and they carry so much power.

[@kaelalist9656]

YESSSS LOU IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES! He honestly embodies his characters so well that I almost didn't like him that much at first when I first watched fantasy high because he was so into Fabian's character (to be clear I love Fabian as a character but Lou just acted so well I thought that he was like that in real life). But then I kept watching all this d20 stuff and more and he always blows my mind and breaks my heart

[@siobhannicolson5566]

the unsleeping city was my first season of dimension 20, and i loved the character of kingston brown. to go from that character to gunnie in aso was incredibly jarring, but lou wilson made it work! i also love amethar rocks, especially with his backstory -- he's an incredibly flawed character who makes decisions to try to be a good person, and is clearly immature and unfit for leadership due to only being the 5th in line fo the throne. tbh lou is my fave player of d20, and i enjoy all his characters! especially pinochio, i hope he survives neverafter with this character so i can see what questionable in character decisions he can make!

[@gameslayers2594]

One of my favourite Lou characters in terms of flaws is definitely Gunthrie Miggles-Rashbax, part of Gunnie just wants a normal and danger free life but he can't help to be compulsively obsessed with unnecessary risk and literal gambling, be it in a casino or with actions in the world. Both Lou and Gunnie know that his choices are the stupidest shit he could do, but Lou acts Gunnie in a way that Gunnie just doesn't know any better options to do. Lou and Murph made 'A Starstruck Odyssey' so wonderful to me personally, it was a fantastic season of D20 to introduce me as my first one. And then I watched 'A Crown of Candy' and I was just even more hooked.

[@mrfox0876]

I've been rewatching fantasy high and his reaction to the sexy rat stuff is funny as all hell

[@ProducedByMERC]

I did not want this video to end! Lou is the best, gonna have a chopped cheese one day because of Kingston

[@young0ctober441]

No time to watch it yet but yes you are right lou Wilson is one of the best roleplayers on and table that he is on and i love the chemestry between him and brennan

[@roanfarnum]

In the same way that triple threats in musical theater are good at acting, dancing, and singing, I see Lou Wilson as being the triple threat of roleplaying: incredible at acting, writing, and improvising. All of the D20 cast have their strengths, but I think Lou is the best "roleplayer".

[@triple_cheese]

One of my favourite Lou moments is his commitment to the sus crate as Pinocchio in Neverafter (despite his Nat 20 roll). It was silly but impossibly accurate to his character.

[@nikoblack1272]

Lou is amazing ; he hasn't played a single character i didn't love and his laugh is one of the best things in life -

[@BertFromOhio]

Love the video! Just want to add quick that a large reason why their relationship didn't work in Unsleeping City is because she wanted to leave New York City and build a life together with Kingston, but he wasn't willing to leave the city.

[@hershelroswell]

yeah!! the thing that makes him a great vox populi - his selflessness and devotion to the city - is the same thing that fractured his relationship with liz, and it's fucking hearbreaking

[@BertFromOhio]

@@hershelroswell to be fair, I feel like it was Liz that sabotaged their relationship in the beginning. She felt like she wasn't as important and wasn't able to see the truth for a while

[@hershelroswell]

@@BertFromOhio that's true! the saddest thing about it is that they both cared about each other so much, but because of a complex mix of factors it just didn't work. it makes it a lot more "real"-feeling

[@renefisel7661]

Love to see more people giving love to Lou and seeing his amazing talent!

[@creativeuserneim]

I'm glad he's beginning to get some more love since early on I felt he was ignored by the fanbase in comparison to his fellow cast members, which is what fandom usually does when it comes to Black people and characters in media.

[@nathie1750]

The scene where he kills Seacaster is one of the best character developemnts I've seen

[@SethGammon]

Came across your channel once or twice before I watched the video. Absolutely love them. Keep it up, I want to see more!

[@SongWitch]

You: I want to talk about Kingston Brown from… Me: Uptown You: …the Unsleeping City

[@sagethemage3979]

I love your content, thanks for what you do

[@mentalrebllion1270]

Lol one of the things I try to do is remember, even when I’m be tactical, is who my character is. Now, to be able to do this I always start with a character and story I feel I can play over the long term. So if I’m nervous as heck because it’s my first ever dnd campaign, I might (ok I did) give my character a social anxiety that allows him to the leeway to slowly come out of his shell. He can be highly competent in battle, but social stuff is going to make him nervous, even when he does WELL at it (and he did, even stepping up to the plate when the Paladin didn’t feel comfortable lying, and doing so on the behalf of the party). In another I have shown my character’s struggle with trying to be a better person and genuinely letting his fury get the better of him by telling the party I was torn between two versions of my turn and then flipping a coin to decide which side my, their angel or devil, they gave into. In another I legitimately let my character live out his flaw to pursue his research (archeologist) despite the possible danger it might lead to. Was he careful? To a degree. But he also didn’t wish to budge and had to be persuaded to do so by the party. Even so, I play in a very tactical manner, especially on the battlefield. It’s just how my mind thinks. So I tend to build this into my characters, having them be the kind to takes in all the terrain, has a decent knowledge of what they have on them, what they can do, and what they have seen their allies and enemies able to do. And then using that knowledge to dominate the battlefield as best and as creatively as they know how and can fathom at the moment. As one of my dms put it “what I love about your character is that he is like a normal person but is trying their best and just really good at what he does. He reacts like you expect someone doing so in that situation but doesn’t back down based on that.” And I felt quite flattered by that commentary on my character. I try to give that same feel to all my characters. I like them to feel sincere in what they do but also not out of the realm of possibility. That means tailoring each character to something I can use and continually come back to over and over again and it feel right each time, even a week, or a month, or a year, later. And I have done many a thing regarding this. One of my favorite characters is deeply flawed in a variety of ways. For one, he puts a lot of his self worth into being able to protect those he cares about, namely the party. And his greatest fear is to not feel like he is enough or to “fail” and fulfilling what he feels is his role in life. Another few flaws he has is that he is an enabler and codependent. He has a great deal of self awareness though so some of this is tempered by that. However he needs to reassurance sometimes, especially if something bad happened recently. One of the traits I gave him is that he won’t drink after a fight. If pressured, he will pretend to drink only. When asked to explain out of character, I told the group that fights make him feel shitty and he learned a long time ago that he shouldn’t drink if he feels shitty. Which is also why I had my character drink after a good shopping trip where the party had some fun quality time. So he will drink when happy or content but if he becomes stressed or unhappy, or any negative feeling, he will stop drinking. I make the implication that he used to an alcoholic (which considering his very traumatic backstory, is understandable that he went through such a period and coping mechanism) so this is how I show him having a specific relationship with alcohol that may not be the social norm.

[@joe.5103]

These videos are fantastic! Hope to see more on the other D20 cast - possibly one highlighting how good Zac Oysma is at “physical/Spatial” comedy and quick one-liners.

[@madelynj1505]

Just subscribed! Love the D20 takes!

[@meghanlarson3807]

most recently watching Ravening War this video hits harder the episode of the ambush was wild!

[@leachofsouls]

Nydas of exu calamity is one of my favorite Lou Charecters flat out . That show was so fucking good

[@JadeyChi]

My favorite version of him sticking to the character was him rolling a nat 20 as Pinocchio and knowing full well he was going to get caught in a trap going after some hot dogs on that whatever that treat island was... But Pinocchio was going to take the bait anyway, so he fell for the trap even though he got a nat 20

[@Kitmerlin]

Lou's character in exu calamity and how he plays the line between i see it but i dont want to acknowledge the issue and finally fully embracing it in the end is beautifully tragic

[@GazpachoTabletop]

Thanks for the spoiler avoiding time skips!

[@crystalshard1349]

When i rolled up a barbarian with a personality trait from the PHB which was just that they like to fiddel with things impulsively and then I told my DM he kind of just went 'oh no'. In that moment I knew I had to do the unoptimal thing. Basically there was a thing that controlled what time period the room was in, so when the rogue tried to steal it and passed me, I used an attack of opportunity to deck him and he dropped to 0 before we had our paladin lay on hands for 1 hp. It's my shiny and you ain't having it

[@mARTYR2010]

and the follow up to fabian's really bad day of stripping him of all feats and classes etc, is just such a damn beautiful story telling choice.

[@bnashee]

he truly is so talented at creating these characters. kingston brown is absolutely one of my favorite characters in any media because hes so well rounded. he is a grounded charismatic man who knows what hes about, hes a genuinely good person and hes dedicated to his duty. He also isn't perfect and has a lot of flaws that impact his relationships and his life. He feels like such a real person and that is because Lou is so incredibly good at creating and embodying characters like this. These characters wouldn't hit the same way if they were played by anyone else. but he exudes charisma in such a natural way and he truly embodies the characters he creates

[@thedigitaldemon8010]

Lou Wilson is a treasure and must be protected at all costs.

[@LuizCesarFariaLC]

I. LOVE. LOU!

[@britnicox3929]

Lou Wilson is one of the players that I aspire to be in my campaigns with how well he plays flawed realistic characters who are still fundamentally good people

[@beanie2571]

i love lou sm

[@tinofaygo]

How did I know that moment aboard the Leviathan was gonna come up?

[@notjohnbruno1522]

A feel like a lot of times when players say “it’s what my character would do,” it’s a shitty excuse for something like actively working against the party or some sort of metagaming that makes things less fun for everyone else. Lou is one of the only players I’ve seen who uses “it’s what my character would do” as an excuse for genuinely the funniest shit I’ve ever seen that only makes things more entertaining. The Chungledown Bim Fiasco will go down in history as one of the best Dimension 20 moments and it’s thanks to Lou’s diehard commitment to the bit

[@penguinloki1380]

My grandpa was in a roofing accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down for the rest of his life. I don't like stories about people falling from great heights or neck injuries. I've also watched Crown of Candy all the way through multiple times. Amathar being pushed off the roof of his castle and ending the scene by standing up left me a mess the first time I watched it. More importantly, Lou's incredible performance when confronting Calroy will live with me forever. "What's the last part of my title. Say it." was such a phenomenal delivery that he deserves awards for it. In an interview Mandy Patinkin said that the "you killed my father, prepare to die" speech only works because at some point it stops being a joke, which is why "I want my father back, you son of a bitch" hits so hard. Amathar's long ass titles being a bit until he kills a man after forcing him to call him the unfallen was a kind of catharsis I didn't know I needed but I will love Lou Wilson forever for giving me that.

[@jmonumber3]

great video! i would however argue that fabian absolutely starts in a good and happy relationship with his parents. i’m not just trying to be pedantic but i think the love and support he has from his parents mean that he has to search for validation from other people which shapes his journey over both season of FH

[@lieutenantkettch]

Jabari is pleased.

[@gemsngold]

YYYYEEESSSSS-AAAAHHHHHH!!

[@marygroeneveld5756]

Thanks for shoutout...you're amazing ;)

[@mimipeahes5848]

I always leave your videos wanting more. They’re enjoyable, but sometimes it feels like certain ideas aren’t explored as fully as they could be.

[@ADL21]

Whitney Jammer is probably Lou's best character. He's so good with the other misfits, especially Evan.

[@Barnicalsify]

Lou gives me Adam Driver/Kylo Ren vibes and I love it. That said I've only seen him on EXU Calamity.

[@dunnejos8423]

I wouldn't always say grounded... Literally for the case of Squak Airavis 😂

[@daphneglasurus7886]

The dissocated look on Lou’s face as he’s trying to remove his metagaming perspective from the events of the game is staggering bordering on heartbreaking. He knows he needs to walk with Cal alone because he trusts his friends with all his heart. He knows he needs to kill a character who was his mother in a different campaign. He knows he needs to walk into an impossible fight because his character would. He astonishes me every single campaign.

[@PLAYSTATIONLOU]

It's one thing to say "It's what my character would do" as an excuse to mess around and do things for the LOLS. It's quite another when you say "its what my character would do" when it's to your detriment.

[@Froggeh92]

Lou playing fabian is godlike. By that i mean perfection

[@emmabartnick6191]

If you are going through the d20 cast, I would love to see a video on Ally! Their character has a little oomph that I feel is unique to Ally, and the way they play a support character is amazing!

[@castlecaster]

They'll be the topic of my next D20 video!

[@emmabartnick6191]

@@castlecaster Yay! I can't wait :)

[@ordinarytree4678]

sacrifice~

[@GazpachoTabletop]

I could not get through Exandria, or even Critical Role. They were such a big drag. The fight episodes of Dimension 20 were as well, but I could just about get through them

[@temporaryname8905]

On combat being beneficial.. when you play Tempest cleric as long as there's not more than 8 mobs for every party member it's always beneficial to combat. Why? Because Tempest cleric is awesome fun! : D

[@HenriqueErzinger]

Amathar's flaw is not that "he's a good guy who's also a king", it's that he never took seriously his position, be it as fifth in line or as the current king. One of his first scenes is him getting scolded by his wife about how she's the one actually ruling while he fantasizes about his war glories and laments his sister's deaths, and the main theme of the season is him coming to terms about being appointed the emperor of the concord and having to accept that responsibility. If anything, his flaw is being irresponsible. But I think the most interesting character flaw of one of Lou's characters is the inflexibility of Kingstown Brown in Unsleeping City, especially when it conflicts with the existence of Pete's power, and how it's highlighted in season 2 right from the start with his flashbacks.

[@TK_Brainslug]

Lou is the best.

[@christiandidonna8808]

1:02 my clown died cause curiosity killed them and walking towards the cursed mountain for the obisuslt cursed treasure inside

[@TheChosenFailure]

is that dutch in the background "Inspireren" or am I just tripping.

[@castlecaster]

It is Dutch! My grandparents are all from The Netherlands

[@ladybugkiller123]

i am new to this whole DnD world and d20 can someone suggest a campaign i should start with???

[@castlecaster]

Depends on your interests! i usually recommend starting with Escape from the Bloodkeep as its short and captures the spirit of the show, but if you're willing to jump in to one of the longer campaigns, Fantasy High is a great place to start

[@katnilli5784]

One of my favorites is crown of candy :D

[@Peytonthefeyton]

7:59

[@douglasphillips5870]

This works for Lou Wilson because he knows what he's doing. The average player doing this just creates a burden for the other players.

[@Makiotio]

Brennan says it works because Lou and Brennan trust each other. Lou has discussed his characters and their potential arcs and wants and needs. If you're going to roleplay like they do you need to have those conversations otherwise, yeah, it's really annoying.

[@snazzyfeathers]

That scene with Fabian is like a perfect example of cognitive dissonance. You know that its a terrible thing you're doing, but you do it anyways. Like smoking for example. Except its being applied to playing a character in a ttrpg that you've grown to love even in their flaws. What's the best part about that though is that Brennan expected Lou to have Fabian try to sneak and scout out what the bad guy was doing. He said that either in an adventuring party or in one of the one on one sessions with Lou, and it's fantastic because looking back at it? That wouldn't have made sense for Fabian to try to sleuth and spy on someone who was actively besmirching his father's name publicly. The character transformation arc was beautiful - and it also did wonders for Fabian's damage in combat.

[@FerroMancer]

Chungle. Down. Bim.

[@jjcandelabra6164]

wats up with the camera?

[@castlecaster]

It was a potato

[@cyberhonk2999]

amogus

[@airborngaming2250]

Satire?

[@Chilliconkanye]

Nope. I am.