Matthew Mercer trusts his D&D party to add to this Pax Unplugged Storytime PowerPoint!

Matthew Mercer have a an inspiring presentation as the Storytime Speaker at PAX Unplugged 2023. Watch the full talk on their twitch www.twitch.tv/pax/v/199223762...
As part of the presentation, he included blank slides, that the cast of Critical Role added to with hilarious effect!
As always this video is unofficial fan content and is not approved or endorsed in any way by Critical Role.
#CriticalRole #DnD #ttrpg #DM #MatthewMercer

[@MHLuttekes]

“I am a fool to trust them, yet trust them I must.” Love that quote.

[@birdscritters]

Which is especially hilarious when you consider it's his talk so I'm assuming this was his idea!

[@Ultimus31]

This quote easily applies to almost every D&D party, so it really is fitting.

[@jasonbarrylambeth]

As a high-school teacher, I feel like this is often my motto when it comes to setting expectations for my kids. They are guaranteed to betray my trust, they will make stupid decisions and mistakes that they should have seen coming (talking less about the curriculum and more about life choices), but without trusting them with the opportunity for failure, they don't have the opportunity for success.

[@IrisGlowingBlue]

+

[@LordOfGilneas]

@@jasonbarrylambeth Well said!

[@liamfaherty7211]

I just want to remind everyone that Travis is their boss and CEO

[@darcybhaiwala7057]

LMAO SOMEONE YELLED "ORLY"

[@seasnaill2589]

I don't know if he really counts as 'the boss', its just that *someone* had to run the company they created and Travis stepped up to the plate.

[@DaxRaider]

""boss" is the wrong term. they all own the same share of the company they just all took the position tehy are best suited for and travis is the CEO. but as they are all owners of the company he doesnt rly have more "Power" then like hte creative director and so on its just what work your best in

[@MayLina]

@@DaxRaider i've heard he is the CEO of the company only because when it came time to create a bank account nobody wanted to go to the bank so he had to haha

[@khronoskay2749]

travis is not their boss wtf

[@falcychead8198]

It depends on what Matt was trusting them with. If he trusted them to screw with him, then they're as reliable as the sun rising and setting.

[@Landis963]

This was a PAX Unplugged panel, not a TED Talk. A certain amount of screwing around was downright required.

[@marcusalm7350]

You can always trust a dishonest man to be dishonest. Honestly, it's the honest ones you have to look out for

[@solidswift3598]

Travis "CEO of a legitimate business" Willingham displaying his amazing business skills with that slide.

[@ZanderX10]

As CEO, he always has to be thinking 9-10 months out or perhaps longer to ensure his business thrives!

[@nnnik3595]

As a CEO he always knows the url of their website too

[@zealousdoggo]

He really businessed all over the presentation with his excellent skills in company

[@SkilesHasFun]

Further confirmation for my headcanon that Sam has a multi-terabyte hard drive in his house that exclusively contains embarrassing pictures of Matt.

[@Questfinder1]

Of every cast member. He knows their family and lobg time friends. He has 15 years of pictures. His wife is a professional photographer. He has a vault of pictures to troll them with for a lifetime

[@SkilesHasFun]

@@Questfinder1 You're right... God, being friends with Sam must truly be a blessing and a curse. 🤣

[@Dead25m]

@@Questfinder1 He's like the weird Batman of the group, prepared for anything!

[@Two-ToneMoonStone]

Yeah Sam's 345 terabyte HD is the only one the FBI knows they don't need to investigate.

[@amithabraham2224]

Matt: 😌 So in conclusion... *sees Sam's submission* Matt: 😑

[@er4din903]

Taleisin’s submission is a true blursed image and fits the best out of all of them to the given slide

[@gingerdude55]

Yessss 🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛

[@wolvo5441]

I was like yep, that fits Tal to an absolute T lol

[@hokutoulrik7345]

​@@wolvo5441 and yet is probably the most tame of all of them.

[@MetaKaios]

Of course it fits the slide. It's an image of a slide.

[@IrisGlowingBlue]

++

[@podor9756]

Most of the gang just tried to throw him off, but Liam tempted Matt to throw himself off because he knew he couldn’t resist making the “aaahhh!” sound

[@bruzsy]

Matt doing "Yes, AND..." for all images in this exercise is the testament of how crazy good he is at improv.

[@IrisGlowingBlue]

He is a professional! /j

[@JAF30]

Taliesin's was , "you know what your in for with the ones coming right? Better hang on" Liam's is what I thought Ashley's would be. Travis's is what I thought Sam's would be. But Sam's is what we should all expect it to be.

[@yuugur666]

Liams is DEFINITELY what I thought Ashley's would be lmao

[@FoxGamer39618]

We agree on the Liam choice.

[@feitocomfruta]

But like, this is literally what they do on their game sessions: Matt writes an overarching narrative that finds meaning and storyline, and they use their slapdickery to make it more entertaining and more meaningful in their own unique way.

[@WolfLover21213]

Slapdickery 🤣🤣🤣 new phrase

[@shinykitsunelive]

i love the term slapdickery so much

[@andreabosio6452]

"adaptability" Sees the image Processes what it is Start laughing. Gotta love them all

[@Spark_Chaser]

The fact that Sam's was the one that got the least reaction is great.

[@SentiNel090]

In becoming the greatest prankster, Sam has become predictable.

[@G.F.SF55]

​@@SentiNel090the worst fear of every entertainer

[@2009mouser]

Matt's just used to it at this point

[@Blue_Lunacy]

I feel that's because Sam already use that photo at the table. So this was the second time for Matt, that we know of.

[@floressikristine]

Sam replied in the chat that his first photo was deemed inappropriate.... LOL

[@egnato1165]

The funniest part is trying to imagine each CR member quietly seraching for the most random image they can think of. Like I assume they took it with full seriousness

[@BigSlimyBlob]

These weren't too mean! Most went for amusing randomness. Sam of course went for the usual trolling. Laura's was the best, and forced him to tiptoe around the image very carefully to avoid mentioning the incestuous elephant in the room.

[@Hrodebertgaming]

I feel like this is a reference I'm missing.

[@BigSlimyBlob]

@@Hrodebertgaming I... don't think so? Unless you don't know that the two people kissing in that image are brother and sister. Puts a new spin on the title for that portion (which was "Community").

[@andrewdowns3673]

​@@BigSlimyBlob​​Is there something Liam and Laura aren't telling us... or Travis?

[@derrevolutor6347]

@@BigSlimyBlob Erm. Han Solo and Leia are not siblings.

[@AlyssMa7rin]

@@derrevolutor6347wait a minute

[@tntguardian6455]

Taliesin's might arguably be the funniest: unlike the other slides that have immaturity or awkwardness to make Matt question his life choices, Taliesin's is the one that takes a few seconds to realise why it's funny and it's so clever 😂

[@Asgardian30]

it doesn't surprise me when Taliesin is a being thousands of years old. You get pretty damn clever over the years.

[@perrycarters3113]

@@Asgardian30 Pyramids are like that.

[@isaacgleeth3609]

And it's kinda dark, which is fitting for Tal.

[@RvEijndhoven]

I mostly agree, but I feel that people absolutely do not appreciate Marisha's enough. Probably because most people who weren't fans of Matt before he even went into voice acting, let alone Critical Role, will respond to the explanation of that image with 'What the fuck is There Will Be Brawl?'

[@SpidersFace]

Taliesin's image almost killed me xD

[@BrandonVout]

Probably almost killed a few kids too.

[@JnEricsonx]

I am so happy I met him.

[@WolfLover21213]

Gotta say that one was my favorite

[@ravenhalliwlel]

Same. Absolute gold

[@rithrius5384]

Definitely inspired by Mollymauk.

[@GRIMHOOD99]

Adaptability with Taliesin's contribution of Darwin's bouncing castle is literal gold.

[@AlexQuill63]

I love that he looks down at the image Sam gave him on whatever he's seeing them on and you can tell his brain is going "FUCKING SAM!"

[@thundercrash4775]

Feels more like "..... Eh, could've been worse."

[@Redfire085]

@@thundercrash4775 My first thought was how tame it was, with my expectations for Sam

[@twbillionare9568]

I know this was 2 months ago but apparently the original was vetoed for being too inappropriate

[@crypto66]

So these were all sent to Marisha Ray, and she put them in... which means she decided the order, and saved the best for last.

[@yuugur666]

She may have told them themes and assigned them. Organizing the herd kind of is her job in the company after all lmao

[@TheSkulleh]

Even if I had never watched a thing of CR, had zero idea who Matt Mercer was, I'd immediately like him after we wheezed in unison when Taliesins image of a bouncy castle slide straight into a motorway popped up.

[@jonathannash8471]

Um actually that's not a motorway 🤓☝️ Fr though I love that image

[@Ultimus31]

It is really wonderful how each slide really displays each person's sense of humour. Travis: hee hoo turtles banging Marisha: making the best of painfully awkward situations Laura: human equivalent of an animated smear frame Talesin: The Implication (tm) of misery Liam: what the *fuck* is that? Sam: constant deep cut razzing

[@emilyaw3831]

For Liam, it looks like a mummy going through either a CAT scan or MRI machine

[@jameshancock1528]

Liam's was from a few years back when scientists scanned a mummy to recreate its voice box (top left corner) and see how the mummified person's voice sounded. One news story about it became a meme where people would replace the part with the sound bite of the voice box with whatever they wanted

[@hotfrenchbread7059]

@@jameshancock1528 Also there was an episode of cr from campaign 2 where that "scientists have recreated-" news story accidentally played through Ashley's ipad while they were playing. So its a deep cut ref too.

[@blacksilketchings]

a lot of people thought Ashley would've used the AAAHH sound, but Liam is the biggest meme lord of the bunch

[@HoneydenBirb]

This is truly real life talking points from jackbox haha

[@synthellaart1587]

My thoughts, too xD

[@rellaenthia]

I love these nerds so much

[@JnEricsonx]

So glad I've met most of them.

[@NinjaWLOG]

The guy who shouted 'Orly' at the first image!!!

[@UltimaKeyMaster]

Matt managing to have a quick wit knowing damn well how badly he was gonna be tripped up is noble. Sneaking in a "gotta go fast" bit with Sonic, noting how one tortoise was more into it than the other, it's quite incredible. In fact, I would say sometimes his genius is...almost frightening.

[@alexotero7105]

Oh, a man of culture I see. Matt must’ve been thinking “let’s not get bogged down with how stupid my friends and I are”

[@AflacMan13]

This is one of the reasons Matthew Mercer is THE DM. His ability to thinl on the fly and just Wing It is truly remarkable! A True Genius!!!

[@nightninji5849]

I love that when he said "trust exercise", the whole crowd started to laugh. Everyone knew what was going to happen.

[@PhantomDark221]

That reaction to Sam's picture. That resigned "Of course he found that photo."

[@chad8767]

Watching this just after they had their Trust session hits just SO much better! Maybe that was Matt's payback!

[@CupUhhJo]

Sam is CLEARLY best friends with Matts family. He continually finds the best pics 😂

[@yuugur666]

It's hilarious how the mummy voice just KEEPS COMING UP

[@rebeccatrishel]

Liam's entry really is the hardest to use as a segue

[@GhostWriter520]

Of course Sam was going to go hunt down an old Mercer photo 😂😂😂

[@Grim_Sister]

Matt showing off his DM skills of chaos control This is what that was 🤣

[@IceMetalPunk]

"In conclusion, I'm a huge nerd." Whaaaaattttt? Nooooo! I never would have guessed that to be true! It can't be, it shan't be.... but it is! 😂

[@phoebica]

Thank you, I couldn't find the link to the full talk. It is great. And your compilation of his reaction to the pictures is 🤣

[@birdscritters]

It's a great talk - you can find it on the PAX Twitch under videos www.twitch.tv/pax?sr=a

[@justjust5580]

I just wanted to shoutout anyone who got the mummy reference for being an absolute legend!

[@JesusitsChuzy]

That’s awesome I love that Sam’s photo is Matt dressed as Vincent from ff7 just after we get the announcement that Matt is voicing Vincent in ff7 Rebirth. True showing of where gaming has brought Matt! edit: He's Magus from Chrono Trigger I've brought shame to the JRPG community haha

[@lilphoenix]

He was dressed as Magus from Chrono Trigger in that photo. He has cosplayed several FF7 characters though, so it's still great that he got that role.

[@JesusitsChuzy]

@@lilphoenix oh shit mb haha Thanks!

[@noahneault6987]

I am convinced by this that they just needed anybody to be CEO and they decided to pick names out of a hat and ended up with Travis

[@kohakuaiko]

I doubt it. There could have been far worse choices: Laura or Sam 😂😂😂

[@stormrider7235]

Apparently he was the only one available to open the bank account at the time. I read that in another comment, not sure how true it is, but it's funny af.

[@kaymcka2138]

@@stormrider7235Travis said as much on the WIRED autocomplete interview they did a while back.

[@duckduckgooseberry7051]

Y'all are sleeping on Marisha's pic. You could practically see the KZbin buffering symbol in Matt's brain.

[@milesparker846]

Slide photo contributions Travis Willingham- 0:38 Laura Bailey- 1:14 Marisha Ray- 1:41 Taliesin Jaffe- 2:21 Ashley Johnson- 2:51 Liam O’Brien- 3:28 Sam Riegel- 4:23

[@TheFiddleFaddle]

Leave it to Sam to dredge up old photos his friends wish the world would forget 😂

[@lwinton60]

1) taliesin's image is the only one where if you asked me who did which one I am certain i could reliably pick out 2) Sam doing the coup de grace there the only way the fucker knows how, perfection

[@whitestoneandy797]

0:48 someone from the crowd screams "Orly" 🤣🤣 Orly is a "turtle" character made by the fans from Campaign 2 of Critical Role

[@JnEricsonx]

Im on 47 right now.

[@savingpyro]

Sam's shirt bit is evolving!!!

[@MastaRhee]

🤣🤣🤣 of course Sam ends it with a Matt photo 😂

[@Blue_Lunacy]

This is almost like rorschach tests that showed the casts' their sense of humour.

[@GreyAcumen]

I had a feeling the mummy one was going to break him

[@TheBlank124]

I love that one of them was from "There Will Be Brawl" one of Matt's earliest projects I haven't thought about that series for years

[@magnificent409]

We must protect Matt at all cost. ❤

[@HailHydra27]

Liam refusing to let that joke die

[@johnymey4034]

I don't even remember the reference

[@HailHydra27]

@johnymey4034 at some point in C2 Ashley had her phone opened and accidentally played the reconstructed mummy yell

[@darcy2087]

this is the ted talk i can get behind

[@MambaRanger]

the pause and expression for Sam's photo...200% he was yelling his bud's name in his head for that photo lol

[@VonSnootingham]

Oh my god, that Sonic picture is from There Will Be Brawl, a web series from the late 2000s in which Matt played Ganondorf.

[@JnEricsonx]

So art eventually has imitated life?

[@RvEijndhoven]

Matt also co-wrote it and it's where he first met Kyle Hebert. It's part of what paved the way for his career in Voice Acting and that means that it's not just a funny image to mess with Matt, it's also actually a good image for 'preparation'.

[@FluffyJackie]

He really won the friends jackpot😹

[@itaihen7708]

They basically made him play Talking point (from jackbox 7) Edit: thanks to maxwellpauric00 for pointing out I had the wrong jackbox mimigame name

[@OctopusOwl]

Ah! You’re right,😂

[@maxwellpauric00]

The game is called talking points

[@essaVan_]

Loved it 😂❤

[@markturner1220]

In conclusion sam regal must have access to every childhood picture ever taken of Matt.

[@natashawylie7555]

The mummy reference had me on the floor 😂

[@TrashPanda57]

I love all their silliness, them being goofballs, regardless if Travis is the CEO, they all deal wjrh different part lf the company. If my CEO was like travis or any of the cast i would be happy.

[@FoxGamer39618]

Way to power through all of that Matt. And thank you critical role for giving me reasons to smile.

[@Mr.Brothybear]

This Reminds me of that Jackbox Game called "Talking Points"

[@LadyMiir]

Marisha's made me snort my drink out my nose. But my favorite probably has to be Taliesin's, for it being both remarkably on topic and also hilarious at the same time.

[@HateNeverLasts]

They just had to get with this, they are some great friends💯

[@Caramelletje]

Taliesins picture is so taliesin😭🤣

[@iceveinz8730]

This really just highlights matta improvisational skils

[@xenosaga8436]

Those weren't anywhere near as bad as I thought they'd be.

[@ASquared544]

There’s a reason it was a trust exercise

[@xenosaga8436]

@@ASquared544 Right and with all the things Sam and Laura have done in the past. It seemed pretty clear that he shouldn't trust them with that kind of power. 🤣

[@viktorstagnetti7491]

@@xenosaga8436 Sam said his first image wasn't allowed because it was too inappropriate lol

[@xenosaga8436]

@@viktorstagnetti7491 Ok. That's more what I'd expect. 😂

[@RPGtourguide]

Matt’s legendary Magus cosplay to wrap things up, wouldn’t expect any less. 😂💚

[@ASquared544]

That Magus cosplay is really good tho, glad Matt likes Chrono Trigger

[@madzn5865]

I didn’t expect Marisha to pull that cursed image of sonic lol

[@amberliraven4198]

I was there for this, it was amazing XD

[@birdscritters]

Unfortunately I'm on the other side of the world, but really loved watching iit on twitch! Hopefully there are other similar appearances in the future!

[@pustysrodeczek8102]

Taliesin’s slide is the most Taliesin picture that he could have chosen

[@thatguythere6161]

Ah. Another sequel to the presentation game that I always wanted.

[@sadserah]

love them

[@eldesconocidosenork5981]

I love them all when they just do these dumb stuff to eachother (and specially to Matt). Also, Mummy and creation: Sometimes previous glories can´t be directly translated to the world we know now, but with the right tools and taking exactly what you are looking for you can find what made something special and make it your own, which who knows? Might inspire future creators to do the same! (Basically his most common explanation that every DM just steals from eachother and that´s how they innovate)

[@LaydiNite]

I am wheeze-laughing in the middle of the night, these were incredible!

[@rutabrivlauka4911]

Amazing. God bless.

[@josephbeaulieu1569]

The one dude in the crowd shouting Orly!😂

[@ronanh.9261]

Oh this is wonderful

[@rogueshadow2226]

we can only be so lucky to have friends like matthew's friends. our lives would be more interesting. matthews life is certainly better. so many laughs and love

[@FondlesHandles]

"in conclusion" __thinking to himself: sam im gonna kill you, where'd you even _*_find_*_ that picture?!__ "in conclusion, i'm a huge nerd."

[@ix.of.swords4360]

Liam doing excellent, understated work as always

[@phoenixtyphoon5463]

You know they were told this and all maniacally laughed

[@tristshep1623]

I swear that Sam has Matt's mother on speed dial so he can get any and all embarrassing photos of Matt.

[@mainscape6619]

Creation. Whether its ancient or modern necromancy, there is always a way to reanimate things.

[@MrSibirskiyParen]

Some times i think: "Matt should block Sam on his parents phones and e-mails" 🤣

[@olliemoffat4025]

Taliesin with the win. Just utter absurdity and i'm here for it

[@oakenshadow6763]

I serprised it was Liam that that dod the "Ahh!" thing rather than Ashley.

[@Hawkeyes31196]

0:46 revenge for the turtles!!!

[@Sovereign_Raven_]

i love that i can hear them laughing as well

[@OptionZero]

Sam Riegel might have more photos of Matt than anyone on the planet.

[@hawkshot867]

This is just a reallife game of Jack-in-the-box's Talking Points and I'm incredible impressed

[@TheMetaKaiser]

Alt title: "The Cast Play Talking Points with YOU as the Audience!"

[@tlesser-aase7394]

His improvisation is phenomenal

[@MattHunX]

I expected Sam's picture will be of Mercer. Either that or himself almost completely naked.

[@filthycasual8187]

I mean... the rest of the gang clearly love him. :)

[@tinyrogue1320]

3:28 God DAMMIT Liam! xD I think my neighbours heard that ONE SOUND the scientists had allowed me to make lmaooo That cursed video. Absolutely incredible that it should make such a return xD

[@kristywestaway]

This is more unhinged than unplugged!

[@christopherjorissen5582]

“Wait, does that say creation or cremation? One is magnets and science, and the other is fire and ash, but all journeys start somewhere… for the cavemen, it was the fire, for myself, in the current day and age, i am playing a medieval fantasy game online with friends for people all over the world to see…” 🤣🤣🤣