Who are you

[@roombster]

Braius being introduced with a throat injury has a whole new meaning after learning what Sam has been going through these past few months. Glad he's back and is doing better!

[@trashotaku]

Wait, what happened to Sam?

[@JesusitsChuzy]

@@trashotaku Tonsil Cancer I believe

[@trashotaku]

@@JesusitsChuzy 😱😱😱

[@hfar_in_the_sky]

I love how as soon as Braius started fanboying over Teven, EVERYONE in chat was like "He's a paladin in service to Asmodeus, isn't he?" XD

[@zgreninja1]

Yep, even his characters name is an anagram lol

[@hfar_in_the_sky]

@@zgreninja1 Oh? I know that the letters for Asmodeus is in his name, but what's the rest of the anagram?

[@Cpt.Str4ng3]

@@zgreninja1 you made my day^^

[@distortedsoul27]

​@@hfar_in_the_sky Red boi Asmodeus.

[@NaotaXD13]

​@@distortedsoul27or Bride O' Asmodeus 😅

[@DaniSiegel700]

“I only rolled a 4 so…. 18” jaw DROPPED !!

[@korpsmaninfantry7238]

The power of expertise

[@someusername9591]

God that’s such a Scanlan call back

[@MH-dg6tw]

I find it so adorable that both Ashley and Laura were so happy to have Sam back at the table you can see them wiping tears from their eyes 🥹

[@stephencarmickle]

Even Sam’s voice sounded a bit emotional. What a great moment.

[@deathbykonami5487]

There's a more emotional reason for that, for those who saw CR's latest video they uploaded today.

[@MH-dg6tw]

@@deathbykonami5487 Oh wow, that really hits different now 😭

[@astra1627]

Why does his outfit look like something taliesin would have in his closet and sam borrowed it for this show😂😂😂😂

[@hfar_in_the_sky]

Well, Sam was on an interdimensional adventure after all. It's why he was away for so long

[@MsCunningLinguistic]

Liam: "I hope this doesn't awaken something in me." Taliesin: "A little later for that." I 100% believe that's what Tal meant by this, lmaooo, he was Awakened ages ago 😂

[@catandrobbyflores]

Because he probably did.

[@sandpiperr]

@@MsCunningLinguistic I think he was referring to how Liam and Sam flirting has been a long time off-screen bit!

[@deathbykonami5487]

Sam playing a pansexual minotaur paladin/bard who might try to steal Fearne's devil boyfriend is just perfect.

[@fardinshahriar1877]

I am being absolutely serious here but what is pansexual?? I am sorry i am not familiar with american sexual terms....sorry if i am being disrespectful here...i genuinely want to know

[@Cpt.Str4ng3]

@@fardinshahriar1877 Basically you dont care if its male female or a lamppost. whatever floats your boat :D

[@Lurklen]

@@fardinshahriar1877 "sexually or romantically attracted to people regardless of their sex or gender." according to oxford. But more simply, "Pan" meaning all/everything (but not in this case, literally everything), and well, you know the rest.

[@ForeverDegenerate]

So Sam is playing Minotaur Scanlan?

[@kitparsons6680]

​@@ForeverDegenerate with a dash of paladin, but yes

[@Raziel21]

I KNEW they were saving his new character for the live show, and I still screamed in joy when he came out.

[@user-jt1js5mr3f]

Yup, seemed like the likely outcome

[@MastaRhee]

Yep same here 😁

[@andreacallegari7137]

The end of the little PC era from Sam Riegel

[@synthellaart1587]

Well, Tary has been here, too, sooo...

[@andreacallegari7137]

@@synthellaart1587 Damn, forgot about mr Doty, write this down

[@Grizz757]

He is short for a minotaur, so the spirit is alive.

[@danielstephens1185]

He's got a Giantkin in Daggerheart too.

[@Aozora210]

All the little guys in the main campaigns seems to have been characters ideas that Liam suggests 🤔 Tary is something he came up with himself and many of Sam's characters in other games have actually been medium sized folks. None as big and handsome as Braius though 😂

[@mirtos39]

This is so different after seeing Sam's news today.

[@stonecoldku4161]

"What a f**king outfit?" That's actually what Sam calls it. "The f**king outfit."

[@ashdean3474]

Ashley and Laura's reaction has a whole new context, now. Glad he's back to playing with his friends.

[@AllisLust]

Living up to the "Hells" part of the Bell's Hells.

[@Cpt.Str4ng3]

Lets not forget about his weapon and i predict this now because its Sam Riegel. its a flail, it has two balls, its dripping black liquid, its called the Poison Pen. now shorten that. You're welcome....

[@shadowpsykie]

The Pen Is mightier…. Pen IS. PenIs….

[@Cpt.Str4ng3]

@@shadowpsykie You cant tell me that this wasnt intentional and i will die on this hill :D For the glory of the Poison Pen

[@zgreninja1]

He’s done a similar thing with his name: Braius Doomseed = Red Boi Asmodeus

[@hfar_in_the_sky]

Alternitivately the PP. XD

[@Cpt.Str4ng3]

@@zgreninja1 Yip, you cant tell me with this name and that weapon that Sam wasnt playing :D

[@YawnBlue]

Sam walking in like some eccentric cult leader to his adoring followers! :O

[@RedMageNeko]

I mean …… that’s a PRETTY apt description of Sam and the Critters.

[@Blasted2Oblivion]

I love that the one time they beat his persuasion/deception was on "Are you Dominox?". The one question that was purely RP and not actually revealing any useful info.

[@OctopusOwl]

Love how absolutely I’m awe Taliesin is of Sam’s look.

[@anonymouspotato3453]

"When did get sneak into my closet..?"

[@y813lnJack]

Sam of course had to introduce his character here. Otherwise he'd miss the chance to dress up for a live show.

[@blairbird8022]

Sam flexing that he does, in fact, pay attention to the lore.

[@suteiisan]

This just hits different after watching Sam's announcement video today

[@sage264]

Laura and Ashley crying and hyping Sam up is so heartwarming

[@MarcusHCrawford]

So glad that Sam is doing okay and won the battle against his health problems.

[@tiagocosta9159]

Is there a Mrs. Doomseed...?

[@choco1101]

Everyone is Mrs Doomseed

[@damadijie8514]

That Divine sense was desperately needed xd

[@candace2022]

what a fantastic character introduction :D

[@michaelmartin5623]

Sam Riegel in his very best Rick James cosplay! 😂 I loved it!!

[@sathdk79]

I thought he was Prince

[@BookwyrmEDS]

I was thinking more KISS Army

[@Noct31]

What Sam Does in the Shadows

[@beaniemanmg9134]

This must be the tallest PC Sam ever made. Tarion was stout so he probably was the tsllest before this hot minotaur thing came out.

[@KeyMasterX]

Okay, so the Bard part of Sam's new character is definitely from the College of Eloquence because his Persuasion and Deception rolls are stupid high and as an Eloquence Bard you can never roll lower than a 10 with Persuasion and Deception.

[@tiagocosta9159]

He's College of Tragedy, it's a subclass created by Matt and it's in the Taldorei Campaign Setting. He says that rolling a 4 he gets an 18 deception, this is just expertise (+4 charisma, +10 double proficiency at level 14). An eloquence bard wouldn't be able to roll under 24 with these stats.

[@waltercosta2067]

@@tiagocosta9159 but he's not a level 14 bard, he is at least level 6 paladin

[@darkhorsemcgreger3461]

​@@waltercosta2067Bard/Paladin levels doesn't effect proficiency bonus, expertise as a 14th lvl character would do it

[@waltercosta2067]

@@darkhorsemcgreger3461 oh, I see what he meant

[@impofstpete727]

​@@tiagocosta9159 If you watch Brennan's character from the Ravining War(spelling?) that was Eloquence I believe because he couldn't get below a 20.

[@ArtWithSR]

Judging by Laura's reaction to Sam saying he's a Minotaur, I'm guessing that when Imogen responded to Braius asking if she was single, it was Laura taking over for a moment hahahaha

[@AVeryTiredChild]

Laura saying "Good thing I rolled a 20" was kinda hot honestly

[@akawater]

😂😂😂 “Evil? Good? In between?” Even Matt needed a moment to think of how to describe the group. 😂😂😂

[@nothingleft08]

This moment here I why I started watching C3. And I love all of them so much.

[@dracowolf3212]

4:25 That's probably my favourite description of Bell's Hells so far

[@onyxcrescent9364]

I remember when I first heard Matt say that, my immediate response was "With a lot of greens and purples"

[@Zeigabibblez]

Well this his all sorts of different today.

[@caseysays20]

Sam made the most hottest character ever ❤😂

[@Cpt.Str4ng3]

he is basically the horniest now *Badummtssss*

[@hfar_in_the_sky]

@@Cpt.Str4ng3 Both literally and metaphorically a horny paladin

[@synthellaart1587]

The artist who made his incredible character art said, he told her to out-sexy Dorian 😂

[@MarioMan2010]

Somewhere, Veth is blushing

[@WandersNowherre]

I gotta say. Been playing D&D since the 90's...the rise of D&D-as-live-theatre-show in pop culture is not just totally unimaginably bizarre to Kid Me but also absolutely perfect. It's always been in the family of performance arts, it makes total sense as an evolution. I"m glad as hell I lived to see it.

[@CazzyBlack]

I have even more respect for Sam now, if that was even possible

[@michaelbarney4060]

“In the history of Exandria, there have been many hot minotaurs…” What a sentence to come back with.

[@spencerhotchkiss3928]

😢 The Mighty Riegel has returned!!!!

[@Nicodemus616]

I was there, standing ovation

[@Onedepressedgamer]

Now i have two favorite paladin bards

[@Dumpstermuffin1]

Sam looks like a goth david bowie LOL i love it

[@spo0pti304]

sam suits the long hair so fucking much omg

[@BeezoPeena]

He looks like Dave Grohl 😂😂

[@spo0pti304]

@@BeezoPeena he's a good person to look like let's be honest

[@BeezoPeena]

@@spo0pti304 heck yeah

[@smithsonian2464]

I had just gotten out the shower, haven’t even dried off, I heard Matt say “if we could have-“ and then just loud cheering, I ran to my desk with my hair still dripping water. Welcome back Sam!!

[@outbreakperfected5704]

Ashley looks so pretty here

[@BookwyrmEDS]

Ashley always looks pretty

[@Blue_Lunacy]

One of Braius' clutch move during the big fight gave away his bard subclass. And it was a special one.

[@dustinmiron4298]

Ohhhhhhh HES BAAAACCCCCKKKKKJ

[@StephieOmbre]

the fact Ashley has a picture of sam makes me so happy and how much they missed him

[@TheRRP88]

The prodigal son has returned

[@impofstpete727]

Sam's outfit looks like it's out of the video for Space Lord by Monster Magnet.

[@tayo_95]

leave it to sam to find humour and humanity in every character he creates

[@lilyschaff2112]

A legend is back!

[@Spider-Man_234]

He looks like rob zombie 💀

[@danielstephens1185]

Ok so he has a large character now. Given his Giantkin in Daggerheart, how small is his new drinking vessel going to be, I wonder?

[@babserella2778]

I KNEW Sam would wait until the live show to introduce his new character. I just KNEW IT. Such a triumphant return needed to be communally shared in-person with a crowd of rabid Critters.

[@yasch3696]

Did Sam get bracelets or something similar? He seemed to speek with a slight lisp or maybe I`m just not used to him speaking after such a long time gone.

[@Sp0lby]

I noticed it too, throughout the show he would spray something in his mouth and wipe his nose so I assumed he had a sore throat or was just unwell, hopefully he recovers soon.

[@kei2kei]

He has a clippable nose and lip ring I think. Plus we never had a Sam PC that talks this slow.... That might be why you think he has a lisp, but when he said Teven's name, there was no hint

[@yasch3696]

@@Sp0lby It just seemed there was something in his mouth. Or maybe he had a medical operation. But it also doesnt really matter just wanted to know if i was the only one noticing.

[@MeerkatADV]

He definitely sounds like he has a sore throat.

[@Kragar01]

Could be a sore throat, the perils of being a voice actor.

[@joshuafortune4420]

I'm going to miss fresh cut grass

[@wcthesecret]

What is the giant container going to look like for this character though?

[@Wezt334]

When you’ve spent 15 years watching Supernatural and suddenly Sam reappears you can’t help but say “Sammy!”

[@teecee7475]

Old Gregg?? Is that you?

[@miafiolekova5817]

I love that we have Sam back but I am confused. Shouldnt minotaurs have bull heads? Like the one they met in C2 that Nott had the hots for had a bull head.

[@anjelica948]

Most of the time they do, but Matt usually allows for a lot of flexible creativity at the table as long as it doesn’t overpower a PC. It also may have been to prevent potential terms of service violations and entanglements bc the CR fandom is intense, and a lot of Rule 34 fanart gets made, and with Sam characterizing his character as very interested in hooking up…. there could be some potential bestiality issues if he had an actual bull’s head.

[@miafiolekova5817]

@@anjelica948 Huh, makes sence. Thank you for the explanation.

[@ErasMcras]

sam played a character of above average height? i never thought id see the day

[@steveswan6343]

Isn’t he bleeding out?

[@Cpt.Str4ng3]

whut?

[@jadencore]

I mean yeah he walked out with a bleeding throat, then they all instantly forgot about that

[@GarredHATES]

I’m not crying you’re crying

[@danielmauricio4138]

Not gonna lie... i thought for a moment that it was the guitar player for Korn, Monkey.😂

[@clarinetangel99]

"You pick up...hah..."

[@Lalla897]

Nandor?!

[@Mortyrian]

Did Sam eventually come out of that closet?

[@trapjohnson]

Sam gets to play Tall!

[@Pavel-wj7gy]

It's amazing that snippets like this one are published before the episode is uploaded to the official channel of critical role. I guess this is what one can expect in response to gatekeeping practices and weird schedule.

[@TheSaphireKatana]

I dont know why But i somehow knew sam wpuld come back as a paladin of a betrayer god Paladin because all the way back near the start of campaign 3 travis saw that one FCG paladin spell and said they should really have a paladin at some point and that thought always seemed to stick Betrayer god? Cause sam fucking would when the moral argument between saving and slaying the gods was all over the place

[@robertcollier2626]

sam riegel in alice cooper make up, it's a win win

[@JeremyGlenn-pz4bo]

I needed him to walk up to the stage through the crowd for extra vibe.

[@Saint43x]

Thanks for putting spoilers in the image for your video. Real class move.

[@tombpunk]

Did the voice change while gone? :o

[@Rodark_GR]

yeah and there is a reason for it :( check the latest critical role post

[@tombpunk]

@@Rodark_GR thanks! I just did after your suggestion.

[@Tymenv]

Sam is such a Diva

[@teenybopper2352]

for joyfully walking on stage?

[@Tymenv]

@teenybopper2352 Not in a Bad Way, but he's joyfully playing it up. I Like it. Divas can be awesome.

[@kriddius]

Liam: "I hope this doesn't awaken something inside me" Please. Bro. You've been openly gay at that table for years

[@BeezoPeena]

Does Sam have Invisalign? Anyone else hear it? Anywho I LOVE this character 😭 hot, metal af, british, deceptive, dark hair… I think I’ve met him before 😅

[@k-nick97]

Sam Riegel? Brother, that's Old Gregg.

[@Ezepasch]

Dude why would you upload this before the episode is even uploaded to their channel, with that thumbnail

[@willfancher9775]

Great moment but putting a major spoiler in the thumbnail is pretty crappy

[@jinetedelfenix]

This thumbnail is a spoiler, guys. It was there before even the Monday replay. Not good.

[@vbhoyt]

Has anyone else watched this?

[@questforchips]

why does the cast act surprised? lol they clearly know he is there

[@Jach93]

?????

[@rubychan2288]

I assume they knew Sam was at the venue, but maybe thought he was there to watch or come out to talk to the audience as a surprise at the end or something. That he was fully back with a new PC was possibly something they didn't know until Matt called him to the table in the same manner he called over Travis when he returned with Chetney.

[@questforchips]

@@rubychan2288 they acted surprised for his gas can but it was already filmed in the intro. They are actors lol of course they know everything for who is going to be there

[@JayElJay]

check the most recent upload on critical role. that might explain why they were more exited to see him than usual.

[@samtro]

Thanks for the spoiler

[@tokendedguy]

If Marilyn Manson was in KISS

[@zacharynyberg7007]

Why do these guy do this EVERY TIME. Pretending to be surprised. Like they don’t know if they’re not in the back waiting…..

[@carlotta4th]

Sometimes they do, sometimes it's genuinely a secret. But if you're asking why voice actors act, well...

[@iceman3317]

They have said it before, actually not long ago, that they try to keep things secret but sometimes it is just near impossible. Some of them probably knew he was coming while others probably didn't. Besides, they are actors. That is what they do for a living. It is entertainment.

[@VegetaLF7]

@@iceman3317 Exactly. They knew he was there, they didn't know this was his character or that this was when he was coming in.

[@RedRam_Menhtrol]

The hair does not suit him at all. But the outfit... Good god is he rocking it. 😆🔥

[@SophG.]

So uncool to post this omfg

[@Cpt.Str4ng3]

you need a cupcake

[@sandeman1776]

Is it your first day on the internet?

[@rachelamber4ever]

why???

[@iceman3317]

They literally showed it as the episode on Thursday. We have known for a week already. How is it 'uncool' exactly?

[@jackdog06]

@@iceman3317 People who saw the live show saw it a week ago. Beacon subscribers saw it yesterday. Everyone else will not see it until Monday.

[@songofrest]

Who would've guessed, another alphabet character. How much queer pandering do you really need?

[@anjelica948]

Who would have thought that people who are often outcasts bc they’re different (LGBTQ+ and nerds) would run together in the same group. Your statement runs counterintuitive to nearly everything CR stands for. If you can’t be accepting, you really don’t belong here.

[@JayElJay]

you arent welcome here, bigot.

[@deathbykonami5487]

@@anjelica948 If they don't like that, then my bisexual human monk and pansexual lagomere druid, who I modeled after Astolfo from Fate/Apocrypha, will really piss them off.

[@Direwolf181]

Critical Role has ALWAYS been unapologetically mega gay from the beginning so not sure what you are on about? I mean look at Gilmore whose utterly badass and utterly FABULOUS in equal measure and was belovrd the moment he showed up

[@filipferencak2717]

Ever considered the fact that they just play what they like playing?

[@ashwhite3810]

Ugh was kinda hoping Sam was leaving crit role. Bleh.

[@teenybopper2352]

mans doesnt know what a glorious king is