God imagine the pressure of being lore accurate with the guy who made the setting right there as a player. Plus the DM is not a regular on the show. I would be anxious as hell.
So true. I’ve been running a 2 year campaign with my friends and when someone said “hey I want to run a game” I was like yessssss I can finally play a character lol. Also, another player wants to continue running MY campaign that I ended so I get to make a character for my own world lol. That’s gonna be weird.
I know people have mentioned DM 20 Escape the Blood Keep (which is an awesome show) and I wanted to mention that Matt has also played in many one shots here as well, including my favorite the Christmas episode.
He actually was in two short campaigns on dimension 20 Escape from the blood keep and pirates of leviathan. Aabria iyengar was also a player in the second one But I think it‘s a dropout exclusive
And I think this is canon, which makes it really cool. It's amazing to see another DM get to explore Exandria with their own vision and have Matt be a part of it as a player.
Seeing Matt play is always a huge treat. And it still doesn't feel real that Ashley is back for good. Excited for the art, the compilations, the new take on Exandria, the new faces... Everything. And maybe by the time C3 starts, the cast might be able to start planning to go back to the table together. I miss nothing more than the hugs and method acting together and falling all over each other laughing. Safety first, obviously, but let's hope that distance won't be needed someday soon.
I'm was happy about Matt getting a chance to play, but super pumped that Ashley is also joining the cast for this. She missed so much dice rolling at the beginning of C2 and its nice to see her making up for it!
I hope so too! If not it will be quite the day when one day in campaign 3 they go from social distancing to back at the table. Whatever their decision is I'm fine with. I'm just excited!!!!
I'm super excited for it. I'll finally be able to watch them as they come out! I finished watching all of campaign 1 when campaign 2 only had 20-30 or so episodes, then took a loooooong break since it was literal months of only CR, and now I just finished E109 of C2. I listen to the podcast while I'm at work while rotating around 3-4 other podcasts to stretch it out. I only just found out that C2 ended a few days ago.
@@Hillgrov Yes it's obvious to act out or exaggerate emotions for advertising and hyping.... But Mercer has a brilliant track record for transparency and honesty with the community. There is no reason to believe that he is deceitful in any of these videos
This feels like the start of a critical role legacy - with people outside the original cast playing and helming games. I'm so excited for what the future brings for all of them!
I mean Matt's spoken about how at some point in the future he'll have to step down and hand over the reigns of Critical Role to a new generation because he'll burst into flames otherwise. This seems like a cool way to do it.
@@Toffeehammer My guess would be after campaign 3 or possibly 4. Each campaign is several years and even though it's constantly fresh that's a loooong time to have that much responsibility to constantly have an A+ game ready every week
I love this expansion of more GMs coming in and taking over a game in Exandria. Matt has always said there there are other parties in the world, other adventurers who have favor with the Gods or have a part to play in defeating the big bad villain. It would be great to see these parties help to expand the world as well or explore different planes of existence. This could lead to one shots and crossover episodes. Also, similar to undeadwood, there can be mini campaigns that happen within or outside of Exandria; using different gaming systems. I would love to see an undeadwood sequel or Critical Role: Weird West, could be a future campaign or it could be a whole new setting. BWF could come back to do an OK Corral edition of undeadwood too. So many things to explore!!!
Starting years ago (and more than once), I remember Matt saying how he wanted more and different people to play and participate and take the reins. And it's finally happening! I am so proud of these folks and happy to see them finally get to do these things they wanted to do since the beginning.
Can we just appreciate Matt we will finally get a large amount of Matt playing and hopefully get his own awesome story arch. And how he's letting someone else have such a large input on his massive and highly highly impressive brain child. We just need more Matt appreciation!
Matt's always been generous with letting others sit in the big chair while he both plays and just watches the game, as well as jumping in with gusto when the players take his game in a totally unexpected direction. It's a big part of what makes watching him so fun.
@@bubblegunsoldier7484 Escape From The Bloodkeep. Not gonna lie, I'm not a fan of Brennan's DM Style. But the players were great and the story was great. I will say, though, Brennan does a good job of describing his world and its characters. Also, his battlefield construction is very close to Matt Mercer levels of detailed and WTF.
If anyone is interested, based on the "Meet the Players" portion I'm 90% sure that Aimee is a paladin or cleric, Ashley is a druid, and Robbie is a bard based on which saving throws they are proficient in, spells they have prepped, and other clues in the video.
It’s interesting to see Critical Role and the cast be so professional, organized, and businesslike, yet they’re still as goofy and silly as they always were and still have that home game vibe.
They really caught lightning in a bottle. I feel their ability to do this so well is due to their lives being engrained in the business side of nerd culture long before CR ever started. They had the right skills, experience, education and professional insight into the nerd world at the right time. Always excited to see what new things they do with it. I just hope they don't go corporate like Rooster Teeth. They must keep it small to maintain the charm and heart.
@@Centuries_of_Nope I don't think they need to keep it small. They just need to do it right and stay true to themselves. And I have every faith that they will. As long as they follow Matt's mantra during the pitching of The Legend of Vox Machina, they'll be fine: "This isn't Mainstream! This is CRITICAL ROLE!"
I just hope the fans aren’t psychos with “tHaT iSnT hOw MaTt WOuLd Dm iT” for this new dm she seems passionate and excited so everyone just remember it isn’t matt and be prepared for it I’m sure she will be amazing (from someone who never saw her other content) because Matt chose her and believes in her
There have been plenty of other people DM for one shots and stuff and I don't think it has ever been a problem before. But yeah, here's hoping people stay chill.
@@Goomyx1492 the community as a whole is respectable usually but every community has “those people”. Would just like other dms to feel completely welcome so Matt can get more character play in as a forever dm myself I can understand the pain
@@lilbitsssss I mean, the community was pretty brutal to Ashly Burch. I hope the bad behavior is kept at a minimum, that's for sure. I am super looking forward to seeing someone else take the reins.
There will always be bitter trolls who only seek to tear others down. Who the hell watches a 4 hour episode just to talk shit? That's just pathetically sad. Don't engage them, any response is validation for these garbage humans. Just keep sending love in the comments and bury that negative shit at the bottom, where it belongs. We remember to love each other even if others can't.
Okay look, maybe I’m a nerd, but every time I watch a ‘Critical Role’ video I find myself having this goofyass smile on my face. Every time. That’s gotta be a sign of good content lads.
All you have to do is start a live streamed game that is so successful it becomes a multimedia powerhouse and then you can play. Should only take like 5 years or so.
My fellow forever dm if you did get to play what support caster would you play? Since no one else is gonna fill the hole what subclass cleric you picking? 🤣🤣
It’s gonna be weird not having Sam, Laura and Travis at the table for the new series, but I’m super excited to see Matt actually get to play! And Aabrea (I think I spelled that right?) is such a great choice as a DM
Definitely going to be a bit wierd having none of my top 3 favorites at the table but i am so excited regardless. Can't wait to see what new blood and matt playing can bring to thr table
Honestly? I hope aabria becomes a permanent cast member. Shes got great vibes with the group. And matt originally dmed for eight, so I'm sure he'd be able to do it again. Pumped for the new peoples!
Agree 100%! Aabria seems to have an awesome personality and I'm so excited to see what it's like for the crew with a new GM! Do we know what has the veteran players occupied this summer that they couldn't be in it? Like if they're doing special projects or voice acting jobs etc. :)
@@someone16234 exactly anyone can see how genuine their reactions are to certain things. They are very good actors but I don’t think anyone could pull off acting excited like how they get at times
@@JennyvdK Not jealous. Just pointing out the show isn't scripted like people joke it is, because it's super obvious when they are reading a script; like Travis was in the beginning.
What I would give to be a fly on the wall when Matt was telling Aabria all the juicy critical role secrets so she could adequately fuck with the players
I think ExU is a brilliant move, I hope it works out and we get to see new iterations 1-2 times a year because there are SO MANY awesome people out there to play with.
@@ForeverDegenerate Without going spoilers, one of the most recent episodes Taliesin had a very busy turn and was getting anxiety overload. Travis slid himself into the moment to let the tension ease and get everyone to slow down including Matt. IMO That's why ya get CEO status.
@@cryam6428 he's such an amazing player this way, taking attention off of players who are overwhelmed, hypes them up and supports them, and also he keeps track of enemy legendary actions, reactions, and resources.
For everyone who is excited to see Matt finally play in a short campaign instead of a one-shot, he is actually in two short campaigns from dimension 20, escape from the bloodkeep and pirates of leviathan. Aabria iyengar was also a player in the the second one (and marisha as well) I think that’s where they met but I‘m not sure
That's amazing I'm so glad CR took example from Dimension 20 and are doing an anthology that will be canon in Exandria! Super excited to see Matt and Liam play together, and Aabria is amazing, as I've seen her in pirates of leviathan. Oh man I'm excited to see what Matt will cook for us in the meantime, since he'll get to play he will create amazing things for us during the summer!!!
I'm also weirded out that Matt isn't gonna DM for a while but I swear to god I'm gonna straight murder people if someone hates on Aabria simply because she's not Matt. She looks really excited and by what I've seen in other one shots, she's a really fun person
I mean the bar is incredibly high for her and there will for sure be some people who won't like it, no matter what Personally I don't know if I am going to like it if her style is too different. However, disliking her DMing and hating on her are some very different things & I really hope that people are going to stay civil.
she's definetly not matt, but she's really good and like she said here she totally feels some preassure but also is very excited about it. Also honestly Matt needs a break XD i get worried about him
I mean, with all new things, we all get a little skeptical at the beginning. I know I was. But then she introduced herself and I went “never mind, we’re fine.”
Honestly I don't care at all that she is going to be a dm. Im just put off because there are new players. Im so used to the seven of them, and having half of them be replaced by new people... not something im looking forward to. And now, 5 episodes into eXu, totally not digging it. My favorite moments are all from Liam, Ashley and Matt. The new folks arent bad, they just aren't who I subscribed to. If that makes sense.
I was expecting a total hiatus until C3 so I am so pumped to have this to hold us over until then! Amazing! Going to have to get used to Matt not in the DM seat because I honestly can't see anyone topping that brilliant man. But god knows he needs a good long break. So excited for this and all the content coming out! You guys spoil us
Matt's still not getting that long break. If anything, he's going to be as busy as he ever has, juggling being a player, designing Campaign 3, and the ongoing production of Legend of Vox Machina. Oh and his Day Job (Voice Acting). Yeah... no break for Matt Mercer. Sadly, I think Matt Mercer is the poster boy for the classic axiom, "I'll sleep when I'm dead."
@@ForeverDegenerate Fair fair haha, I hope even having one thing off his shoulders must be some relief though. What he does is inspiring regardless and I'm just glad he enjoys doing it all, can't stress enough how spoiled we are by the Crit Role team.
@@SophieInSeattle Indeed. That's the thing a lot of people don't realize: how spoiled we are and have been by Critical Role. If anyone deserves a nice, long vacation, it's Matt Mercer.
This must be so exciting (and scary!) for Matt! I can’t imagine having poured thousands of hours into a world of your own and handing it over to someone new. So thrilled to see him get to REST a bit
As a fellow workdbuilder who goes into way too much detail, I can't imagine how much it must have taken to give your world over to someone else - Matt just keeps getting better and better
I feel like a peace was made about it a little bit when making the first 2 published campaign books in a smaller way of sorts. Softened the anxiety a bit hopefully.
This decision makes a lot of sense, three years is a good length for an authentic campaign but might create some challenges on a business side, lots of little things and short campaigns work really well. Low level, high level, specific scenarios, all sorts of possibilities
Out of everything I appreciate from this video, I think the most important thing is this: Despite now being a full-fledged media-creating studio with all the bells and whistles that the industry implies, this really is still just three really good friends talking about their games that they're super excited to play. I hope Crit Role never loses that spark, because that vibe of a group of close friends sitting down at a table together to share an experience with the audience as flies on the wall is exactly what keeps me coming back. Keep up the good work, guys.
Business Travis is kind of scary. You can tell the jokes are only surface level when he has the CEO hat on. But when something serious happens, he becomes all business. Image the anger of Grog with the intelligence and charm of Fjord. You could see some of it when Orion during c1 was being mean to fans and travis stepped in to fix everything.
@@tylerrushford7609 yeah there were a few moments at the end of the campaign too where people were getting flustered and anxious about their turns and he turned into CEO mode and had Sam do an ad and got everyone to calm down a bit and slow things down. Definitely a great leader!
@@Pingviinimursu Yeah regardless of his work at the table as Grog of Fjord which is also great, he seems to be one of the best player's I've ever seen for keeping everyone motivated and excited and having their back when needed. Any time anyone in the group does a cool thing he's being the number 1 cheerleader as excited as they are!
I really hope they never give up the long form campaigns. I love the kind of character growth you can get in a 100 episode format. On the other hand I'm stoked to get to see more of Aabria! and Matt as a player! They've grown so much in the last couple of years!
I don’t think they will, this just expands their brand and reaches more people (especially as that 100+ episode format scares some people away) and it gives Matt more time to write and develop a new story without pressure or too heavy time constraints.
@@jamescalder5115 Absolutely, I love that this bring in the option to have multiple "Exandria Unlimited" mini series. They can bring in lots of different DM's and more players for fun stories and still keep the core of their company those long form stories.
Seeing Aabria on narrative telephone really made me want to see more of her so I'm really happy to find out that she's involved! Of course I'm also really happy to get to see more of Matt playing a character, he's been so fun to watch on all the one shots he's been a player in (and of course the many characters he's brought to life as a DM) so getting that opportunity to see him just play a character for a bunch of episodes is really exciting Cheers to the crew for allowing everything so continue so well whilst everyone had to stay safe!
For anyone wanting to see more of her before the ExU starts, this was posted in the discord; (Aabria can you give us a quick blurb on what other livestreamed TTRPGs you've been on for those who don't remember?) "Currently: - Fess on Failed Save - Koseh on Into the Motherlands - Carina on The Gaxx Pack Highlights: - Myrtle on Dimension 20 - Laura on KOllOK 1991 - GM of The Unleashed - GM of Pirates of Salt Bay - GM of Heliotrope (podcast)"
So pumped, Matt getting to play is BOMB, the new people all seem really enthusiastic, and with Liam being my favorite cast member I am of course ecstatic he’ll be there! A wonderful little mini campaign while awaiting news for C3, allowing Matt to not burnout (hopefully). Can’t wait!
That last part tho....I can't imagine how hard these guys work! I only know on a surface level what's involved with what Matt specifically does but MAN I'd be done.
yes! this in particular i am excited about, as a long time gm i know very much how real gm-burnout is and i already find it superhuman how long he is able to deliver consistently, week-in and week-out. Looking forward to seeing matt stretch his legs as a player, to recharge batteries for campaign 3!
So many of them are my favorites lol so I'll definitely miss Tal, Laura and Sam (they're not doing exu right?). Do we know why they're not on it? Like obviously everyone's busy I was just curious if there's word on what jobs or projects have them busy this summer. :)
Do you know what figurine that is? It looks so... huge XD I have a relatively good Overview of the Monsters in the Monster Manual, but other than that not so much.
@@sciencex-wissenschaftundte2587 it's one of the creatures from explorers guide to wildemount, the Udaak. Matt probably loves that ones of his monsters has an official miniature (though it only ever appeared in the show as a corpse I believe).
@@sciencex-wissenschaftundte2587 hugr is an understatement, i would guess it is a 50×50×50 ft cube of hitpoints. It also has a human right hand Reptilian face/mouth Possibly thick fur on its back It is definitely a nope the F out of here monster. (Like false hydras)
Everyone's excited (and for good reason) at having a new GM and Matt being a player, but I'm just as excited that the other two new additions to the table are Goro Akechi and She-Ra! Robby and Aimee are going to be great!
This is actually a really cool idea, well done :o Is also good for giving Mr.Mercer a dm break ...i imagine doing this years on end, while fun, can get exhausting
YEEEEES im so happy they're bringing in new dms, its the perfect way to go, matt gets a break from dming all the time. We get to shake up content and explore his world in different setting for shorter runs that can have way more consequences for actions as they dint have to last years
As another DM, it's fun and interesting getting to play every now and then, but it's so much more fun, and super rewarding to be in the DM's seat for me. With how well Matt does it, and how phenomenal a story teller he is, I imagine it's very similar for him as well. I've been on a 3 year break with my group while my BIL DMs for us, and have a new nautical campaign ready to go when our current game ends, and I'm very excited for it. Put in tons of work with maps and lore for the new setting to get it ready to start playing.
@@Xeonort I'm actually running Ghosts of Saltmarsh (about 50% homebrewed)! Shoot me a PM if you want any ideas. There is a good murder mystery called "murder of the primewater pleasure" that you could hijack on Dms Guild.
@@Xeonort I also find in between writing my own campaigns, I also run a few modules. My current in between campaign writing, and I’m running Curse of Strahd in the interim ‘n’ holly hell is it a good time! + with all the new stuff released in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, makes adding a few home spun elements into your game that much easier!
@@Xeonort I imagine you are correct about Matt. He just seems way to much in his element as a DM to not enjoy it! :D Personally I treasure being a player just a tad more than DMing, simply because I like to nosedive into one specific character and explore every thought and motivation like that. But being a DM is also super rewarding, if for no other reason because you get to facilitate what you yourself love for a group of friends :) I think some of my fondest moments in the hobby though, has been to help/introduce friends to the DM chair and be their co-DM for the first few sessions. Whether or not they've continued DMing afterwards, those weeks actively working together about worldbuilding and plot direction is just an entirely unique process ^^
Great concept and a high quality teaser trailer! I like that they're shakin' it up a little between campaigns, trying out ideas and inviting new people to join them at the table. Familiar but fresh, you know? I was really hoping for them to feature a different Dungeon Master, at least for a while, and this "limited campaign" format seems to be a great way of doing it! I'm looking very much forward to EXU!
I love falling in love with characters we get to spend time with, but fresh starts are... well... fresh and exciting. This shows promise, specially since all the new faces are so into it and look as if they’re genuinely enjoying themselves, that’s one definitive way to guarantee something is going to be great, when the people involved genuinely have their hearts in it.
I'm so excited for Exandria Unlimited. It feels like Aabria's episode of Telephone was a teaser now, and I can't wait to see her unleashed on Matt's world.
Since we're getting this awesome-looking new short campaign, then HOW ABOUT ANOTHER UNDEADWOOD? Seriously, BWF was brilliant enough for a second time around in the Chair.
I have to think the only reason they don't have another undeadwood is because it cost SO much to make especially with labour hours (and maybe using deadwood so much has legal issues) because I think it may be the best thing they've made simply because every episode was a 9 or 10/10 episode whereas CR has dips. Because there's definitely fan demand for it
after C2 was done, I thought "oh man, there's gonna be a hole in my week now...sad, but well, they deserver a break!" but WELL HELL NOOO!!! they keep on giving! I AM IN LOVE WITH IT!!
To be fair, playing _is_ a break for Mercer. If that dude ever had _nothing_ to do for 3+ weeks in a row the entire eastern seaboard would be endangered... ;^)
The joke at the end of "Who's gonna be the big bad?" when they were talking about campaign 3, just makes me want a one shot game where hte cast has to fight themselves as in game npcs, and we get to watch Matt do his best impressions of them
With that intro stained glass cinematic, and a big name like “Exandria Unlimited” I was expecting a video game or something, but a mini campaign between the main campaigns with a new DM and half new cast?? This might be better. So excited to see this for myself!!!
While I absolutely love Matt as DM, and almost feel he set such a high bar that it is almost impossible to match, I am happy for a chance to see him as a PC. I wish Aabria well as the summer time GM. She got her work cut out for her both trying to fill Matt's shoes and trying to battle him at the same time. Pretty epic if you ask me. Hyped and looking forward to it.
DM’s don’t have to be like Matt, they can be just as great while doing their own thing. Aabria doesn’t have to fill Matt’s shoes, she will make new footprints.
Inevitably, there will be comparisons between her and maty, but I hope that it wouldn't extend to the more ~problematic~ nonsense that the internet is known for.
@@KRDD-KMHR That is like switching a super star quarterback on a super bowl winning team and then saying, "she just needs to make her own story." It's a nice sentiment. But the vast majority of DnD channels are not very popular. CR is popular because of how good Matt is. Period. The GM/DM makes the game. So yeah....like it or not....She is going to be filling big shoes by taking the helm of the "Is it Thursday" CR stream. So yes, it will be crucial that she puts on a great game and show, or I can see viewership dropping.
@@josh___something Let me guess. If she struggles and doesnt do very well and YOU think its true, then its not problematic, but if you like her performance and others do not, well then its "problematic?" Sounds like you setting a path for excuses already. Why dont people like you stop injecting divisive politics into everything and every conversation.
@@FNG_Star wut? i just don't want people to rag on her just because they aren't the familiar DM people are used to. This happens literally every time, people irrationally hate the new guy/girl.
Between that and what she brought to the ES:O one-shot, I was ready for her to replace anyone from CR who might be needing to step back. Her joining as GM in a new story is even better than I'd considered possible.
I first saw her as the DM on a recent The Guild mini campaign and have seen more and more of her since then. Very excited. Edit: Actually, it may have been a one-shot. The miniest of campaigns.
@@abydosianchulac2 Yeah, I really do hope that the current cast won't need replacing anytime soon. But I can imagine the company building a foundation for the future in the coming years with a potential campaign 4 being (partly) different people. and/or diversifying.
I'm loving this, always nice to bring in more friends to the table. Semi-torch passing while at the same time, remaining on the show. Expanding that CR family.
Matt playing with that figure is perfect. I can't wait to see what kind of shenanigans he'll get up to as a longer-term player, without the DM-hat legally obligating him to maintain poker face 51% of the time.
Watch her on Dimension 20's Pirates of Leviathan. She was a lot of fun to watch and has great chemistry with Matt and Marisha (who are also players in the mini campaign) too.
To everyone saying you're excited to see matt play: of you're interested in seeing him playing he has been in two Dimension 20 campaigns before with Brennan Lee Mulligan as the DM. They games are called Escape from the Bloodkeep and Pirates of Laviethan. Marisha and Abria also play in the last one, and this is actually how i was introduced to them. I knew Matt as a sad pirate rat before I knew him as a DM 😅
Such fun campaigns! Have to say, Matt might be one of my favourites to watch as a player. He really knows how to get into character and the way he balances comedy and drama is honestly something to marvel at.
So awesome to be getting more stories in Exandria. Aabria is going to be amazing, looking forward to seeing the story she tells. Aimee and Robbie seem like a great fit as well. I hope this is the first of many Exandria Unlimited arcs!
Its so rare to see a community where the overall reaction to new thigs is this positive. Watching the video felt like Ashley Matt and Liam were trying to convince us that the new faces are cool, and the critters are pretty much: Duh, obviously, when can I watch?
Think Gilmore's adventuring days may be past. It was easy to miss, but they said this will be 30 years after vox machina ended. That would put him in his late 60s.
I adore this, but it is also a bitter sweet moment. We're beginning to see CR really become much more than just the campaign, and this decision will make the eventual departure of the OG squad easier to bare down the line. Very much looking forward to this series & C3. Much love.
Omg I'm so excited for Aabria to GM!!! I didn't know her until she guest starred on Narrative Telephone and I just instantly fell in love with how she tells a story. Her narrative telephone episode was so captivating. I can't wait to see how she presents Exandria.
I'm always happy to see Matt getting a break inbetween campaigns. Granted, because he's doing so much work for other CR projects AND prepping C3, it's never quite enough of a break, but still. Personally, I wouldn't mind a full-on year of oneshots and minicampaigns before C3 starts. More stuff like Undeadwood - it had the perfect length and amazing production (and apparently was their toughest project yet).
Matt has crafted such a phenomenal, intertwining, magical experience with both Campaign 1 and 2, it's honestly amazing to see him being able to relax and just play for once ! As much as i am excited for Campaign 3 and to see what he has in store for all of us including everyone at the table, this series is going to be thoroughly enjoyable, can't wait ! Thank You CR, and everyone involved for doing what you all do, specially during these times
Aabria is such a good storyteller! Robbie is a hottie, and it's nice to see Matt play in the world he created! Very exciting. I love having new cast members. I must make mention that Robbie also has MAJOR Will Friedle energy.
This is going to be fun, 8 episodes is like the perfect length for a mini-campaign. It worked well for shows for like Dimension 20 and Knights of Everflame so I think it will be awesome for Exandria Unlimited.
Now it’s Matt’s turn to say “DO YOU KNOW WHO’S ON THE TAL’DOREI COUNCIL?”
Gonna be laughing my ass off if his character takes keen mind or lucky
WHO'S IN TAL'DOREI COUNCIL?!
They made EXU specifically to tell us, lol
God imagine the pressure of being lore accurate with the guy who made the setting right there as a player. Plus the DM is not a regular on the show. I would be anxious as hell.
@@cheezeofages As a Dm, I’ve never restricted myself with that pressure, it’s dnd, you’re never wrong, you’re just adding to the lore, XD
"Oh, God, I need to start working on that."
Mood of every DM everywhere.
Too real man too real
I have to prep right now xD Damn.
I feel so called out💔😔
@@enxman7697 same!
Also prepping...
Matt Mercer: "I get to play a character!" Every DM felt that.
I honestly like dming more than playing xD. I am always happy when one of my players tries their hands at dming but i really wanna do it myself.
Yes.... so much.
So true. I’ve been running a 2 year campaign with my friends and when someone said “hey I want to run a game” I was like yessssss I can finally play a character lol. Also, another player wants to continue running MY campaign that I ended so I get to make a character for my own world lol. That’s gonna be weird.
@@MichaelNNY You're living the dream, fren. At what level did your previous campaign end?
If Mats character dies.
"Jokes on you I have 912 alternative characters."
... half of whom have already been mentioned in one of the prior campaigns.
Me
Matt: *describes phase 2 of their character's grotesque transformation into a horrible monster, but just continues acting like a normal PC after*
I told you I have ALTERNATIVES.
@@NoirReservoir YOU’LL NEVER KNOW MY MAIN
Predicting -
Matt: a human bard called Ram Siegel
Liam: a human bard called Mas Legeir
Ashley: a human bard called Sim Riegaol
this would be a legitimately amazing troll one shot. Talk sam into dming a oneshot and then pull this
I laughed too hard at this
This needs to happen. Everyone upvote 00jelwes comment.
What about a human bard called Cream Bagle?
A nice team.
I am SO excited to see Matt finally playing, with the possibility of having an Arc with a character, rather than just the occasional one shots!
If you didn't know he was a player in a dimension 20 campaign and its been uploaded on TH-cam
He was great during that one Stream of Many Eyes as, the space hamster.
I know people have mentioned DM 20 Escape the Blood Keep (which is an awesome show) and I wanted to mention that Matt has also played in many one shots here as well, including my favorite the Christmas episode.
He actually was in two short campaigns on dimension 20
Escape from the blood keep and pirates of leviathan. Aabria iyengar was also a player in the second one
But I think it‘s a dropout exclusive
The questions is: Will his character survive?
Matt gets to play a character? IN HIS OWN WORLD? I cannot wait for this!!
And I think this is canon, which makes it really cool. It's amazing to see another DM get to explore Exandria with their own vision and have Matt be a part of it as a player.
I would wager he should play a bard then all the lore checks he would already have.
@@gmhchaos That would be clever. 😄👍
Would that basically make his character Jesus of Exandria
GMs are often the worst players. This could be very interesting. ;)
Seeing Matt play is always a huge treat. And it still doesn't feel real that Ashley is back for good. Excited for the art, the compilations, the new take on Exandria, the new faces... Everything. And maybe by the time C3 starts, the cast might be able to start planning to go back to the table together. I miss nothing more than the hugs and method acting together and falling all over each other laughing. Safety first, obviously, but let's hope that distance won't be needed someday soon.
Or Marisha hitting someone.
@@gilbertosilva1304 or falling from her chair while having the piramide book hat.
I'm was happy about Matt getting a chance to play, but super pumped that Ashley is also joining the cast for this. She missed so much dice rolling at the beginning of C2 and its nice to see her making up for it!
California is in reopening mode starting June 15th so by the time campaign 3 starts the crew can be back at one table
I hope so too! If not it will be quite the day when one day in campaign 3 they go from social distancing to back at the table. Whatever their decision is I'm fine with. I'm just excited!!!!
"Life needs things to live." - The one quote by Talesin that refuses its creators wishes to die.
Well, quotes need things to die...
It was that or "YOUR SOUL IS FORFEIT!!"
th-cam.com/video/-RAglyw6ySk/w-d-xo.html
I love that was the quote they chose.
Matt Mercer: Brings up Campaign 3
Also Matt Mercer: Almost has a panic attack about writing it
I'm super excited for it. I'll finally be able to watch them as they come out! I finished watching all of campaign 1 when campaign 2 only had 20-30 or so episodes, then took a loooooong break since it was literal months of only CR, and now I just finished E109 of C2. I listen to the podcast while I'm at work while rotating around 3-4 other podcasts to stretch it out. I only just found out that C2 ended a few days ago.
@@Hillgrov Yes it's obvious to act out or exaggerate emotions for advertising and hyping.... But Mercer has a brilliant track record for transparency and honesty with the community. There is no reason to believe that he is deceitful in any of these videos
@@Xeonort I do something similar. Let the episodes pile up and then bingen them while reading something.
As a fellow DM, this is a mood.
This feels like the start of a critical role legacy - with people outside the original cast playing and helming games. I'm so excited for what the future brings for all of them!
I think it's only a matter of time before we see a secondary campaign that airs on a different night with a different cast.
I mean Matt's spoken about how at some point in the future he'll have to step down and hand over the reigns of Critical Role to a new generation because he'll burst into flames otherwise. This seems like a cool way to do it.
@@Toffeehammer I agree, taking some workload of of Matt and making him enjoy the player perspective for a while seems like a great idea
@@Toffeehammer My guess would be after campaign 3 or possibly 4. Each campaign is several years and even though it's constantly fresh that's a loooong time to have that much responsibility to constantly have an A+ game ready every week
I love this expansion of more GMs coming in and taking over a game in Exandria. Matt has always said there there are other parties in the world, other adventurers who have favor with the Gods or have a part to play in defeating the big bad villain. It would be great to see these parties help to expand the world as well or explore different planes of existence. This could lead to one shots and crossover episodes. Also, similar to undeadwood, there can be mini campaigns that happen within or outside of Exandria; using different gaming systems. I would love to see an undeadwood sequel or Critical Role: Weird West, could be a future campaign or it could be a whole new setting. BWF could come back to do an OK Corral edition of undeadwood too. So many things to explore!!!
Matt having the classic DM “oh god I need to prep a campaign” panic attack is such a mood.
The stained glass with all the voiceovers of key moments of the show was epic dear gods
I'm in love
I got chills sooo bad!!
Robbie Daymond is excactly what Gilmore looks like in my head.
Yas!
Yeah, I'd flirt with that, and I've been happily married for 30 years.
Starting years ago (and more than once), I remember Matt saying how he wanted more and different people to play and participate and take the reins. And it's finally happening! I am so proud of these folks and happy to see them finally get to do these things they wanted to do since the beginning.
Can we just appreciate Matt we will finally get a large amount of Matt playing and hopefully get his own awesome story arch. And how he's letting someone else have such a large input on his massive and highly highly impressive brain child. We just need more Matt appreciation!
To be realistic, there's not nearly enough space for an actual, decent personal story arc. But I'd still happy to see whatever it is.
@@borofreak Agreed. 8 episodes is pretty hard to do for a big personal story. Also happy to see it regardless.
Yeah I agree with the borofreak and if you want a short story with matt as a player you should check out "escape the bloodkeep" by dimension 20.
Matt's always been generous with letting others sit in the big chair while he both plays and just watches the game, as well as jumping in with gusto when the players take his game in a totally unexpected direction. It's a big part of what makes watching him so fun.
@@bubblegunsoldier7484 Escape From The Bloodkeep. Not gonna lie, I'm not a fan of Brennan's DM Style. But the players were great and the story was great. I will say, though, Brennan does a good job of describing his world and its characters. Also, his battlefield construction is very close to Matt Mercer levels of detailed and WTF.
Can't wait for this and for C3. So happy to see how much success Critical Role has had in the last couple of years.
I’m so glad that this will be in addition to critical role and not replacing it
@@cheezy5077 Me too!
If anyone is interested, based on the "Meet the Players" portion I'm 90% sure that Aimee is a paladin or cleric, Ashley is a druid, and Robbie is a bard based on which saving throws they are proficient in, spells they have prepped, and other clues in the video.
@@Kate_the_VIII At 7:54 Robby seems like he's playing a flute, so yeah, definitely a bard.
@@bluemanjr1152 Yea! Also his saves are dex & cha, and he has a ton of bard spells prepped like sleep, hideous laughter, etc.
I can't wait to see the time when Matt, as a player, will have his first "How do you wanna do this ?"
well, he DID have a "how do I want to do this?", but I want to see that as well!
@@JT_Lich Yeah but he was the DM at that time (which made it even more funnier) ^^
Exhausted Matt hdywtdt: "um... I hit them, and they are now dead" : I win dnd?
That is gonna be amazing
I would laugh if he didn't get a herdeederdeederdis until the last episode! 😂
Critical Role really said "We're gonna make sure everyone knows how HOT our friends are"
Maybe it is a reference to less male pattern baldness
+
I can't wait for him to be told "You can certainly try" in his own campaign world
It’s interesting to see Critical Role and the cast be so professional, organized, and businesslike, yet they’re still as goofy and silly as they always were and still have that home game vibe.
They really caught lightning in a bottle. I feel their ability to do this so well is due to their lives being engrained in the business side of nerd culture long before CR ever started. They had the right skills, experience, education and professional insight into the nerd world at the right time.
Always excited to see what new things they do with it. I just hope they don't go corporate like Rooster Teeth. They must keep it small to maintain the charm and heart.
Entertainment is really part of their lifeblood.
@@Centuries_of_Nope I don't think they need to keep it small. They just need to do it right and stay true to themselves. And I have every faith that they will. As long as they follow Matt's mantra during the pitching of The Legend of Vox Machina, they'll be fine: "This isn't Mainstream! This is CRITICAL ROLE!"
I see that keeping up with the tradition, the GM has an amazing hair XD
Just one?
Been fallowing her since she started on Happy Jacks, and it's gone threw a lot to get here!
YES! And I see they kept the good looking crew standards lol
At this point, "amazing hair" is basically a prerequisite for the job
I just hope the fans aren’t psychos with “tHaT iSnT hOw MaTt WOuLd Dm iT” for this new dm she seems passionate and excited so everyone just remember it isn’t matt and be prepared for it I’m sure she will be amazing (from someone who never saw her other content) because Matt chose her and believes in her
There have been plenty of other people DM for one shots and stuff and I don't think it has ever been a problem before. But yeah, here's hoping people stay chill.
@@Goomyx1492 the community as a whole is respectable usually but every community has “those people”. Would just like other dms to feel completely welcome so Matt can get more character play in as a forever dm myself I can understand the pain
@@lilbitsssss I mean, the community was pretty brutal to Ashly Burch. I hope the bad behavior is kept at a minimum, that's for sure. I am super looking forward to seeing someone else take the reins.
There will always be bitter trolls who only seek to tear others down. Who the hell watches a 4 hour episode just to talk shit? That's just pathetically sad. Don't engage them, any response is validation for these garbage humans. Just keep sending love in the comments and bury that negative shit at the bottom, where it belongs. We remember to love each other even if others can't.
They will be
Okay look, maybe I’m a nerd, but every time I watch a ‘Critical Role’ video I find myself having this goofyass smile on my face. Every time. That’s gotta be a sign of good content lads.
What do Mexican men love more than a bee love honey? A white woman!!!😘
Yikes.
ME TOO
Don't blame you.
Pretty much everything that Critical Role does just leaks pure molten happiness.
all the quotes at the beginning fricking wrecks me. each has such a weight and so many memories attached. powerful to say the least
the whiplash from hearing "life needs things to live" immediately followed by "but I am no friend to the empire" lmao
Considering that Vox Machina has Greyskul in Emon, it sort of makes sense for She-Ra to show up.
wat. no wait seriously?
@@tynorstrom2761 Their base was called Greyskull keep in the first campaign.
@@tynorstrom2761 And it was, quite literally, Castle Greyskull from He-Man.
THEY HAVE THE POOWWWAAAAAAA!!!
th-cam.com/video/-RAglyw6ySk/w-d-xo.html
As the forever DM of my group... I am so vicariously happy for him. Maybe one day.... one day I too will get to be a player...
All you have to do is start a live streamed game that is so successful it becomes a multimedia powerhouse and then you can play. Should only take like 5 years or so.
Preach, brother.
Feel ya bruh. Right there with you.
Just do it!!!
My fellow forever dm if you did get to play what support caster would you play? Since no one else is gonna fill the hole what subclass cleric you picking? 🤣🤣
It’s gonna be weird not having Sam, Laura and Travis at the table for the new series, but I’m super excited to see Matt actually get to play! And Aabrea (I think I spelled that right?) is such a great choice as a DM
And Taliesin and Marisha. To be honest, all of my favorite cast members won't be there, but I do love all of em, so it's fine.
Definitely going to be a bit wierd having none of my top 3 favorites at the table but i am so excited regardless. Can't wait to see what new blood and matt playing can bring to thr table
Honestly? I hope aabria becomes a permanent cast member. Shes got great vibes with the group. And matt originally dmed for eight, so I'm sure he'd be able to do it again. Pumped for the new peoples!
Agree 100%! Aabria seems to have an awesome personality and I'm so excited to see what it's like for the crew with a new GM! Do we know what has the veteran players occupied this summer that they couldn't be in it? Like if they're doing special projects or voice acting jobs etc. :)
@@Variocom I agree! Her narrative telephone time with them was great! She fits really well with the cast!
People: "Critical role is scripted"
Also travis reading a script:
They’re very good voice actors…. But maybe not so good a pretending to be themselves lol
@@someone16234 exactly anyone can see how genuine their reactions are to certain things. They are very good actors but I don’t think anyone could pull off acting excited like how they get at times
Jealous much??? Come back when you have 1.2mil youtube followers. And who knows how many paying followers on Twitch, Patreon, etc
@@JennyvdK Not jealous. Just pointing out the show isn't scripted like people joke it is, because it's super obvious when they are reading a script; like Travis was in the beginning.
th-cam.com/video/-RAglyw6ySk/w-d-xo.html
What I would give to be a fly on the wall when Matt was telling Aabria all the juicy critical role secrets so she could adequately fuck with the players
I think ExU is a brilliant move, I hope it works out and we get to see new iterations 1-2 times a year because there are SO MANY awesome people out there to play with.
It's also a brilliant way to spend the Campaign break while they come up with new Characters and Matt starts to craft the new Campaign.
Plus it would be a great way to get guest characters like Keg and Calianna arcs
@@keganbancroft3617 That would be amazing, I would love to see their arcs
I'm just putting this out there, it's fucking *weird* hearing Travis talk like a professional
Oh yes finaly a comment i can agree with
Well he IS the CEO. ;)
@@ForeverDegenerate Without going spoilers, one of the most recent episodes Taliesin had a very busy turn and was getting anxiety overload. Travis slid himself into the moment to let the tension ease and get everyone to slow down including Matt. IMO That's why ya get CEO status.
@@cryam6428 he's such an amazing player this way, taking attention off of players who are overwhelmed, hypes them up and supports them, and also he keeps track of enemy legendary actions, reactions, and resources.
Iirc he also records initiative order sometimes
I loved that little segment of Liam just gushing over Robbie just so wholesome.
I cannot wait for this
You and me both! This is so exciting!
Bien
Bien
Same pinch
*Sees Aimee Carrero*
Me: "Hey Adora"
Jokes a side tho really excited to see this new series and to see all the new faces in action.
so excited! loved SPOP and loved her as Adora! i love her voice!!
Reminded me of this episode where Adora and co played DnD, one of my favourite episodes
I'm glad I'm not the only one that thought of that.
GET OUT CATRA
@George Washington lololololololol you guys make the best jokes.
For everyone who is excited to see Matt finally play in a short campaign instead of a one-shot, he is actually in two short campaigns from dimension 20, escape from the bloodkeep and pirates of leviathan. Aabria iyengar was also a player in the the second one (and marisha as well)
I think that’s where they met but I‘m not sure
He was also a player in Undeadwood mini campaign
@@hannahpierson6352 which needs a season 2 in my mind
@@hannahpierson6352 And he was AMAZING
@@treyatkinson7564 I couldn’t agree more
@@treyatkinson7564 I wouldn't mind, as long as Foster isn't the DM.
That's amazing I'm so glad CR took example from Dimension 20 and are doing an anthology that will be canon in Exandria! Super excited to see Matt and Liam play together, and Aabria is amazing, as I've seen her in pirates of leviathan. Oh man I'm excited to see what Matt will cook for us in the meantime, since he'll get to play he will create amazing things for us during the summer!!!
I was saying a long time ago that CR should do Side-Quests like D20 so I am stoked to see this happen. It keeps everything fresh and the channel going
Something shorter between campaign 2 and 3 sounds like the perfect idea.
And Matt gets to be a player!
Hell yes!
kinda going NUTS for robbie in d&d
Same!
Grizzly is here!
Needed some Akechi
Behold the majesty of Pancake Boy! XD
th-cam.com/video/-RAglyw6ySk/w-d-xo.html
I'm also weirded out that Matt isn't gonna DM for a while but I swear to god I'm gonna straight murder people if someone hates on Aabria simply because she's not Matt. She looks really excited and by what I've seen in other one shots, she's a really fun person
I mean the bar is incredibly high for her and there will for sure be some people who won't like it, no matter what
Personally I don't know if I am going to like it if her style is too different. However, disliking her DMing and hating on her are some very different things & I really hope that people are going to stay civil.
she's definetly not matt, but she's really good and like she said here she totally feels some preassure but also is very excited about it. Also honestly Matt needs a break XD i get worried about him
I mean, with all new things, we all get a little skeptical at the beginning. I know I was. But then she introduced herself and I went “never mind, we’re fine.”
Honestly I don't care at all that she is going to be a dm. Im just put off because there are new players. Im so used to the seven of them, and having half of them be replaced by new people... not something im looking forward to. And now, 5 episodes into eXu, totally not digging it. My favorite moments are all from Liam, Ashley and Matt. The new folks arent bad, they just aren't who I subscribed to. If that makes sense.
A month later, and Aabria grew on me quickly...I'll miss them when it's over next week...❤🤣💔
I was expecting a total hiatus until C3 so I am so pumped to have this to hold us over until then! Amazing! Going to have to get used to Matt not in the DM seat because I honestly can't see anyone topping that brilliant man. But god knows he needs a good long break.
So excited for this and all the content coming out! You guys spoil us
Matt's still not getting that long break. If anything, he's going to be as busy as he ever has, juggling being a player, designing Campaign 3, and the ongoing production of Legend of Vox Machina. Oh and his Day Job (Voice Acting). Yeah... no break for Matt Mercer.
Sadly, I think Matt Mercer is the poster boy for the classic axiom, "I'll sleep when I'm dead."
@@ForeverDegenerate Fair fair haha, I hope even having one thing off his shoulders must be some relief though. What he does is inspiring regardless and I'm just glad he enjoys doing it all, can't stress enough how spoiled we are by the Crit Role team.
@@SophieInSeattle Indeed. That's the thing a lot of people don't realize: how spoiled we are and have been by Critical Role. If anyone deserves a nice, long vacation, it's Matt Mercer.
EU takes place 30 years after Vox Machina
For those curious, that's 10 years after The Mighty Nein
Does that mean someone could play as Luc?
I thought M9 was 40 years after VM?
@@L0wkey72 Doubt it he’ll still be a teenager plus Exandria unlimited is taking place on Tal’dorei not wildmount
@@joshuadixon6026 20 years because Keyleth's mom went missing 5 years before VM and she had been on Rumblecusp for 25 years
according to the timeline, ExU is 6 years after M9.
This must be so exciting (and scary!) for Matt! I can’t imagine having poured thousands of hours into a world of your own and handing it over to someone new. So thrilled to see him get to REST a bit
As a fellow workdbuilder who goes into way too much detail, I can't imagine how much it must have taken to give your world over to someone else - Matt just keeps getting better and better
I feel like a peace was made about it a little bit when making the first 2 published campaign books in a smaller way of sorts. Softened the anxiety a bit hopefully.
Yes, I could never imagine handing over any of my worlds to someone else, no matter how much I trust them.
Matt playing with the figurine that crushes his finger because its too strong. Adorable!
YES!
That got me too. -I had coffe coming out of my nostrils- It made me chuckle
This decision makes a lot of sense, three years is a good length for an authentic campaign but might create some challenges on a business side, lots of little things and short campaigns work really well. Low level, high level, specific scenarios, all sorts of possibilities
I mean, also I suspect matt just wants some time as a player over a DM.
Out of everything I appreciate from this video, I think the most important thing is this: Despite now being a full-fledged media-creating studio with all the bells and whistles that the industry implies, this really is still just three really good friends talking about their games that they're super excited to play. I hope Crit Role never loses that spark, because that vibe of a group of close friends sitting down at a table together to share an experience with the audience as flies on the wall is exactly what keeps me coming back.
Keep up the good work, guys.
Ah yes, CEO Travis Willingham. Always love getting to see business Travis.
Business Travis is kind of scary. You can tell the jokes are only surface level when he has the CEO hat on. But when something serious happens, he becomes all business. Image the anger of Grog with the intelligence and charm of Fjord. You could see some of it when Orion during c1 was being mean to fans and travis stepped in to fix everything.
@@tylerrushford7609 yeah there were a few moments at the end of the campaign too where people were getting flustered and anxious about their turns and he turned into CEO mode and had Sam do an ad and got everyone to calm down a bit and slow things down. Definitely a great leader!
@@tadious9415 always warmed my heart to see him empathize with and calm Ashley down when she got nervous, such a great man! :)
@@Pingviinimursu Yeah regardless of his work at the table as Grog of Fjord which is also great, he seems to be one of the best player's I've ever seen for keeping everyone motivated and excited and having their back when needed. Any time anyone in the group does a cool thing he's being the number 1 cheerleader as excited as they are!
You can really tell that Travis is just a fantastic leader when he needs to be.
Are they the council of Tal'Dorei?
Intriguing thought.
Top ten anime plot twists of 2021 right there
Ima need a guest spot for a villain played by Catra's voice actress who just comes in long enough to say "Hey Adora."
The enthusiasm of _every single person_ involved with Critical Role makes me grin every time.
10:45 I cannot believe... after almost 3 years...
Let’s have a free for all where Caleb annihilates them all
IT’S YOU! 😲😂
lmao. I thought of you the second he said that.
This is your critter legacy
You will never live this down
I really hope they never give up the long form campaigns. I love the kind of character growth you can get in a 100 episode format. On the other hand I'm stoked to get to see more of Aabria! and Matt as a player! They've grown so much in the last couple of years!
I don’t think they will, this just expands their brand and reaches more people (especially as that 100+ episode format scares some people away) and it gives Matt more time to write and develop a new story without pressure or too heavy time constraints.
@@jamescalder5115 Absolutely, I love that this bring in the option to have multiple "Exandria Unlimited" mini series. They can bring in lots of different DM's and more players for fun stories and still keep the core of their company those long form stories.
Can we talk about how Marisha just breathing out "They're so attractive" is just such a mood?
"My horniness is so distracting." - Beauregard Lionett, ep 97
"People are hot."
-Marisha Ray
and travis just happens to be see beautiful people daily no difference for him eitherway his and the new cast ❤️
And it is the most truest statement I have heard
She was just spilling facts man
Seeing Aabria on narrative telephone really made me want to see more of her so I'm really happy to find out that she's involved!
Of course I'm also really happy to get to see more of Matt playing a character, he's been so fun to watch on all the one shots he's been a player in (and of course the many characters he's brought to life as a DM) so getting that opportunity to see him just play a character for a bunch of episodes is really exciting
Cheers to the crew for allowing everything so continue so well whilst everyone had to stay safe!
For anyone wanting to see more of her before the ExU starts, this was posted in the discord;
(Aabria can you give us a quick blurb on what other livestreamed TTRPGs you've been on for those who don't remember?)
"Currently:
- Fess on Failed Save
- Koseh on Into the Motherlands
- Carina on The Gaxx Pack
Highlights:
- Myrtle on Dimension 20
- Laura on KOllOK 1991
- GM of The Unleashed
- GM of Pirates of Salt Bay
- GM of Heliotrope (podcast)"
Friggin Matt, just playing with his toys the whole time XD
So pumped, Matt getting to play is BOMB, the new people all seem really enthusiastic, and with Liam being my favorite cast member I am of course ecstatic he’ll be there! A wonderful little mini campaign while awaiting news for C3, allowing Matt to not burnout (hopefully). Can’t wait!
That last part tho....I can't imagine how hard these guys work! I only know on a surface level what's involved with what Matt specifically does but MAN I'd be done.
yes! this in particular i am excited about, as a long time gm i know very much how real gm-burnout is and i already find it superhuman how long he is able to deliver consistently, week-in and week-out. Looking forward to seeing matt stretch his legs as a player, to recharge batteries for campaign 3!
I love them all but Tal is my favorite :c
I hope they have guest appearances!
So many of them are my favorites lol so I'll definitely miss Tal, Laura and Sam (they're not doing exu right?). Do we know why they're not on it? Like obviously everyone's busy I was just curious if there's word on what jobs or projects have them busy this summer. :)
@@Lilacs4 my guess is Laura and Travis are going to spend time with their child
ok i love this annoucnement but also, matt playing with the figurine
Do you know what figurine that is? It looks so... huge XD I have a relatively good Overview of the Monsters in the Monster Manual, but other than that not so much.
@@sciencex-wissenschaftundte2587 it's one of the creatures from explorers guide to wildemount, the Udaak. Matt probably loves that ones of his monsters has an official miniature (though it only ever appeared in the show as a corpse I believe).
@@sciencex-wissenschaftundte2587 hugr is an understatement, i would guess it is a 50×50×50 ft cube of hitpoints.
It also has a human right hand
Reptilian face/mouth
Possibly thick fur on its back
It is definitely a nope the F out of here monster. (Like false hydras)
@@archie4president330 Thank you so much, thats Awesome!
@@sciencex-wissenschaftundte2587 no worries :)
Everyone's excited (and for good reason) at having a new GM and Matt being a player, but I'm just as excited that the other two new additions to the table are Goro Akechi and She-Ra! Robby and Aimee are going to be great!
Akechi,Akihiko Yusuke at the same table
I LITERALLY LET OUT A LITTLE SCREAM OF EXCITEMENT
Also Chrollo Lucilfer and Leorio Paladiknight at the same table.
@@messiahnyx971 We never saw it comiiiiiiiin...!
This is actually a really cool idea, well done :o Is also good for giving Mr.Mercer a dm break ...i imagine doing this years on end, while fun, can get exhausting
10:26 Matt. You goof. He gets his finger stuck in the figure 😂
YEEEEES im so happy they're bringing in new dms, its the perfect way to go, matt gets a break from dming all the time. We get to shake up content and explore his world in different setting for shorter runs that can have way more consequences for actions as they dint have to last years
So glad that Matt has a break. As a DM I can only imagine how exhausting it must be to have to DM at the highest level for years on end!
As another DM, it's fun and interesting getting to play every now and then, but it's so much more fun, and super rewarding to be in the DM's seat for me. With how well Matt does it, and how phenomenal a story teller he is, I imagine it's very similar for him as well.
I've been on a 3 year break with my group while my BIL DMs for us, and have a new nautical campaign ready to go when our current game ends, and I'm very excited for it. Put in tons of work with maps and lore for the new setting to get it ready to start playing.
@@Xeonort I'm actually running Ghosts of Saltmarsh (about 50% homebrewed)! Shoot me a PM if you want any ideas. There is a good murder mystery called "murder of the primewater pleasure" that you could hijack on Dms Guild.
@@Xeonort I also find in between writing my own campaigns, I also run a few modules. My current in between campaign writing, and I’m running Curse of Strahd in the interim ‘n’ holly hell is it a good time! +
with all the new stuff released in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, makes adding a few home spun elements into your game that much easier!
@@Xeonort I imagine you are correct about Matt. He just seems way to much in his element as a DM to not enjoy it! :D
Personally I treasure being a player just a tad more than DMing, simply because I like to nosedive into one specific character and explore every thought and motivation like that. But being a DM is also super rewarding, if for no other reason because you get to facilitate what you yourself love for a group of friends :)
I think some of my fondest moments in the hobby though, has been to help/introduce friends to the DM chair and be their co-DM for the first few sessions. Whether or not they've continued DMing afterwards, those weeks actively working together about worldbuilding and plot direction is just an entirely unique process ^^
Great concept and a high quality teaser trailer! I like that they're shakin' it up a little between campaigns, trying out ideas and inviting new people to join them at the table.
Familiar but fresh, you know? I was really hoping for them to feature a different Dungeon Master, at least for a while, and this "limited campaign" format seems to be a great way of doing it! I'm looking very much forward to EXU!
Fellow forever GM just congratulating matt on that rare pleasure of being a player again. Playing in a world you created too is super exciting
I love falling in love with characters we get to spend time with, but fresh starts are... well... fresh and exciting. This shows promise, specially since all the new faces are so into it and look as if they’re genuinely enjoying themselves, that’s one definitive way to guarantee something is going to be great, when the people involved genuinely have their hearts in it.
Let's Go! Always keen for more stories in Tal'Dorei and the cast is incredible! Super excited to watch Matt as a player for an extended run as well!
It's in Exandria, but they didn't say anything about Tal'Dorei, I don't think...
@@HenriqueErzinger Marisha said it was set in Tal'Dorei at 3:19
Can’t believe that they have the voice actress for She Ra! It’s one of my favorite shows!
I can't wait!! Do you think you and Nico might to some What the Sheet episodes about EXU?
@@1SophieDEF1 100%
I'm so excited for Exandria Unlimited. It feels like Aabria's episode of Telephone was a teaser now, and I can't wait to see her unleashed on Matt's world.
She's gonna slay it. She has great energy and a good imagination. Plus, she has the resource known as Dani Carr
I need a least one tabaxi saiyng "Hey, (insert name)" for Aimee Character.
It should be said in the same way catra says it too
Hey, Adora~
Heh, AJ drops by for a five minute cameo in a bar…. She’d love to go with the party but she’s waiting for a blonde ;-)
Since we're getting this awesome-looking new short campaign, then HOW ABOUT ANOTHER UNDEADWOOD?
Seriously, BWF was brilliant enough for a second time around in the Chair.
I have to think the only reason they don't have another undeadwood is because it cost SO much to make especially with labour hours (and maybe using deadwood so much has legal issues) because I think it may be the best thing they've made simply because every episode was a 9 or 10/10 episode whereas CR has dips. Because there's definitely fan demand for it
2:29 “life needs things to live”. 😂 YEEESSSS!!!
I guess Sam needed more time to create another short character with a secret child 🤔
ooh, or maybe he could play the secret child looking for his parents, constantly asking people "are you my dad?"
@@NotCthulhu lol
Who has a burning hatred for goblins
@@NotCthulhu Gorgug?
@@NotCthulhu This is what I want
after C2 was done, I thought "oh man, there's gonna be a hole in my week now...sad, but well, they deserver a break!" but WELL HELL NOOO!!! they keep on giving! I AM IN LOVE WITH IT!!
To be fair, playing _is_ a break for Mercer. If that dude ever had _nothing_ to do for 3+ weeks in a row the entire eastern seaboard would be endangered... ;^)
Is it funny that I recognized Ashley's weird dice before I saw her?
At this point...no
Did anyone else get really confused when the harp played and Laura Bailey didn't appear?
The joke at the end of "Who's gonna be the big bad?" when they were talking about campaign 3, just makes me want a one shot game where hte cast has to fight themselves as in game npcs, and we get to watch Matt do his best impressions of them
With that intro stained glass cinematic, and a big name like “Exandria Unlimited” I was expecting a video game or something, but a mini campaign between the main campaigns with a new DM and half new cast?? This might be better. So excited to see this for myself!!!
It also sounds like this will not just be a one-time thing, which is great.
To the people who wished for this and predicted this: thank you for your wonderful foresight and this looks amazing.
That’s a beautiful Caracal
@@setlerking thanks it me
While I absolutely love Matt as DM, and almost feel he set such a high bar that it is almost impossible to match, I am happy for a chance to see him as a PC. I wish Aabria well as the summer time GM. She got her work cut out for her both trying to fill Matt's shoes and trying to battle him at the same time. Pretty epic if you ask me. Hyped and looking forward to it.
DM’s don’t have to be like Matt, they can be just as great while doing their own thing. Aabria doesn’t have to fill Matt’s shoes, she will make new footprints.
Inevitably, there will be comparisons between her and maty, but I hope that it wouldn't extend to the more ~problematic~ nonsense that the internet is known for.
@@KRDD-KMHR
That is like switching a super star quarterback on a super bowl winning team and then saying, "she just needs to make her own story." It's a nice sentiment. But the vast majority of DnD channels are not very popular. CR is popular because of how good Matt is. Period. The GM/DM makes the game. So yeah....like it or not....She is going to be filling big shoes by taking the helm of the "Is it Thursday" CR stream. So yes, it will be crucial that she puts on a great game and show, or I can see viewership dropping.
@@josh___something
Let me guess. If she struggles and doesnt do very well and YOU think its true, then its not problematic, but if you like her performance and others do not, well then its "problematic?" Sounds like you setting a path for excuses already.
Why dont people like you stop injecting divisive politics into everything and every conversation.
@@FNG_Star wut? i just don't want people to rag on her just because they aren't the familiar DM people are used to. This happens literally every time, people irrationally hate the new guy/girl.
Fuck yes. Ever since that Narrative Telephone, I have desperately wanted to get more Aabria Iyengar!! Much love and excitement! Is it Thursday yet?
Between that and what she brought to the ES:O one-shot, I was ready for her to replace anyone from CR who might be needing to step back. Her joining as GM in a new story is even better than I'd considered possible.
I first saw her as the DM on a recent The Guild mini campaign and have seen more and more of her since then. Very excited.
Edit: Actually, it may have been a one-shot. The miniest of campaigns.
Yes! Same here. I loved her so much on Narrative Telephone and I hope she will be a regular in the future as well!
@@abydosianchulac2 Yeah, I really do hope that the current cast won't need replacing anytime soon. But I can imagine the company building a foundation for the future in the coming years with a potential campaign 4 being (partly) different people. and/or diversifying.
I'm loving this, always nice to bring in more friends to the table. Semi-torch passing while at the same time, remaining on the show. Expanding that CR family.
Matt playing with that figure is perfect. I can't wait to see what kind of shenanigans he'll get up to as a longer-term player, without the DM-hat legally obligating him to maintain poker face 51% of the time.
Aabria is such a perfect fit, and Matt as a player aside from one-shots? I'm super hyped
Im pumped for Robbie he has such energy
Robbie is awesome and Im so excited!
Robbie is such a joy to watch! I loved watching his LAVA streams on twitch 😁
I was kinda weirded out a bit with Matt not being GM, but then Aabria introduced herself and then I thought "Never mind, we're in good hands"
Right? I’ve never heard of her before. But the moment she started talking i was like, yeah okay this is gonna be great
Watch her on Dimension 20's Pirates of Leviathan. She was a lot of fun to watch and has great chemistry with Matt and Marisha (who are also players in the mini campaign) too.
@@sophiemoconnell
cool, thanks! i'll be sure to check that out
To everyone saying you're excited to see matt play: of you're interested in seeing him playing he has been in two Dimension 20 campaigns before with Brennan Lee Mulligan as the DM. They games are called Escape from the Bloodkeep and Pirates of Laviethan. Marisha and Abria also play in the last one, and this is actually how i was introduced to them. I knew Matt as a sad pirate rat before I knew him as a DM 😅
Such fun campaigns! Have to say, Matt might be one of my favourites to watch as a player. He really knows how to get into character and the way he balances comedy and drama is honestly something to marvel at.
So awesome to be getting more stories in Exandria. Aabria is going to be amazing, looking forward to seeing the story she tells. Aimee and Robbie seem like a great fit as well. I hope this is the first of many Exandria Unlimited arcs!
I think campaign 3 will be there to
10:26 that chaotic beauty that lies within Matthew Mercer is so ready to pull focus. Love it.
Its so rare to see a community where the overall reaction to new thigs is this positive. Watching the video felt like Ashley Matt and Liam were trying to convince us that the new faces are cool, and the critters are pretty much: Duh, obviously, when can I watch?
It helps that it isn't a replacement. If this were C3, there'd have been a shit show.
10:09 Matt Playing with his Udaak figure is a story in it's own right!
I cant wait. Usually Matt's charecters have the best unintentional arcs!
Kills Gilmore to establish dominance. Jk really excited for this.
I laughed then cried at this statement
Ultimate power move
Don't they dare!
Think Gilmore's adventuring days may be past. It was easy to miss, but they said this will be 30 years after vox machina ended. That would put him in his late 60s.
@@fireball1897 And yet, I bet he is still every bit as Glorious.
I adore this, but it is also a bitter sweet moment. We're beginning to see CR really become much more than just the campaign, and this decision will make the eventual departure of the OG squad easier to bare down the line. Very much looking forward to this series & C3. Much love.
I hope it's not like what happened to Studio C when the OG went to JK Studios. It's great to start introducing new people slowly
Cannot wait to see this show. It looks fantastic, a great set of players and DM, plus we're finally going to learn who's on the Tal'Dorei Council
Omg I'm so excited for Aabria to GM!!! I didn't know her until she guest starred on Narrative Telephone and I just instantly fell in love with how she tells a story. Her narrative telephone episode was so captivating. I can't wait to see how she presents Exandria.
I'm always happy to see Matt getting a break inbetween campaigns. Granted, because he's doing so much work for other CR projects AND prepping C3, it's never quite enough of a break, but still. Personally, I wouldn't mind a full-on year of oneshots and minicampaigns before C3 starts. More stuff like Undeadwood - it had the perfect length and amazing production (and apparently was their toughest project yet).
Matt has crafted such a phenomenal, intertwining, magical experience with both Campaign 1 and 2, it's honestly amazing to see him being able to relax and just play for once ! As much as i am excited for Campaign 3 and to see what he has in store for all of us including everyone at the table, this series is going to be thoroughly enjoyable, can't wait !
Thank You CR, and everyone involved for doing what you all do, specially during these times
Aabria is such a good storyteller! Robbie is a hottie, and it's nice to see Matt play in the world he created! Very exciting. I love having new cast members.
I must make mention that Robbie also has MAJOR Will Friedle energy.
HE DOES HAVE WILL ENERGY!!
I was thinking the same thing!
This is going to be fun, 8 episodes is like the perfect length for a mini-campaign. It worked well for shows for like Dimension 20 and Knights of Everflame so I think it will be awesome for Exandria Unlimited.
"Life needs things to live" I'm so happy they included that one in the intro 😂
8:58 I almost spit out my water oml I was not expecting that xD
Yeah I was a bit surprised, not that her analogy was wrong but that my kids watch her show and hearing that voice say that made me laugh so hard...