Critical Role Models

Ryan McLaughlin from D&D for the Deconstructed is back for part 2 in our series on Religion and Deities. This episode we are going to talk about Matt's view of the Gods in Exandria and we'll also focus on three different characters from Campaign 2, examining their relationships to divinity. This is a longer episode. We hope you enjoy the rich, theological discussion and connections to...

Ryan McLaughlin from the D&D for the Deconstructed podcast joins us for a three-part series on religion & deities. In this episode, we set the tone for the series by talking about how D&D can be a cathartic experience and used as therapy. Ryan provides an overview of D&D and religion, and shares his own experience using D&D to address religious trauma. This episode is light on...

In Homebrew Pt 2, we discuss monsters, magic items and classes, how to create your own and how Critical Role creates theirs. We talk about the aeorian baby abomination, Grog's cursed sword and our favorite classes from Critical Role. Which one would you play?!

Scott Mayfield is back as our guest star, and we're talking about homebrew! In Part 1, we focus on campaign settings and house rules, using loads of examples from Critical Role. In Part 2 we'll then focus on classes, monstahs, and magic items.  The clip we use of Matt Mercer is from the Adventuring Academy episode on Campaign Settings with Brennan Lee Mulligan.  Follow Scott on Instagram a...

Love is in the air! This week we discuss how you can bring romance to your table like the cast of Critical Role. We use one example from each campaign to demonstrate how the cast establishes healthy communication and boundaries when embarking on a romance. We'll also talk about what happens when a romance doesn't work out and how to prevent character bleed. Romance is a daunting step to ta...

We finish up our discussion on Worldbuilding by talking about collaboration using examples of the three Critical Role DMs (Brennan, Aabria and Matt). Then we talk about map making, the advantages and disadvantages, and how you can get started. You can follow Scott on Insta: @skawtsalot.studio

This week's episode is extra special: it's the first time we have a guest join us; which leads to it being our longest episode to date; and worldbuilding is such a big topic we split it into two parts! Writer and cartographer, Scott Mayfield, joins us to discuss the many different aspects of worldbuilding, from balancing story view and worldview to not getting overwhelmed by the logistics...

We are starting off the year with an intense topic. Character death doesn't always mean the end, sometimes there is a rebirth. We talk about how Critical Role makes death a gift to the story and how you can do the same. This episode covers planned and unplanned deaths in Campaign 2 and early Campaign 3, and the significant experience it holds for the players at the table.

Prepare to get inspired this episode as we go over the many approaches to character creation, and we get inspiration from our favorite bards, the cast of Critical Role. We take a dive into how the cast of Critical Role has created their iconic characters and share a few ways we've done it in the past. We hope to get the sparks flying for you! Our next episode will release on January 11th, Happ...

Critical Role has a number of communication strategies to keep each other safe, and we call those Safety Tools! They are ways that the cast make sure they are all having a good time no matter how dramatic or intense the role-play gets. From lines & veils to check-ins, there are a handful of key tools that we go over in our podcast that you can bring back to your own table. Get ready to get vul...

**Released early so you can listen while you travel to Thanksgiving** Can't think on your feet?! You don't need to be an actor to be able to do improv! We go over some common improv practices that Critical Role does and how you can incorporate them in your own game. We especially highlight Laura Baily's Jester LaVorre, because she is the master of improv. Also cause Dev loves Laura &lt...

What makes a compelling character arc? Josh and Dev highlight the development of some of Critical Role's greatest characters and discuss the components so you can adapt them at your table. This whole podcast is a spoiler, but this episode will specifically spoil the arcs of Scanlan, Fjord, and Caleb.

Who says you need to be a voice actor to be able to do a character voice? Josh and Dev talk about different techniques you can try, all while not needing to be a trained actor. We discuss topics like sustainable voices, how to practice and get comfortable doing voices, and creating NPCs on the fly. Using examples from Critical Role, we unpack the talents of the imitable Matt Mercer and the rest of...

In our debut episode, what better place to start than at the beginning. Our beginnings and also Critical Role's beginnings. We discuss how it's okay to be new at something and share our first impressions of Critical Role. We hope our episode gives you the courage to try something new! Art by Amy's Art Animations @pastripink on Instagram Music by Sarah Vinci

Where two nerdy ass podcasters talk about how to play Dungeons & Dragons, by learning from the greats... Critical Role! Meet Josh and Dev who will discuss various topics in their bi-weekly episodes from Character Voices to World Building, this show covers a range of topics to help you level up your storytelling and role playing. These episodes will be released on Thursdays and are 30-45 minute...