Oh, nice. :D Wait, maybe I should have said "he's the best best man, man".... ugh, ok, maybe not. Anyways, I... don't... particularly like Matt Mercer as a GM all that much. He's good, if over the top, but I don't know, maybe I've unconsciously compared him to "my" Jeff whenever I watched any Critical Role episode. Or maybe it's because I don't find watching RPG streams that entertaining, I always get bored after a while. My interest in them is usually to see how the game plays. Playing an RPG myself with my friends is much, much more exciting than watching whoever else playing.
@@allluckyseven The really good streams are made for the camera by people who are experienced at being behind the camera so they'll always be kind of over the top. If the players are a bunch of actors, comedians, and such, it's literally playing with pros. I've played with someone who has a lot of theater experience. I really enjoy playing with him and wish he had more time to play, but there's just no question he's got skills like control over his voice and an ability to improv that other players, including me, don't have.
Yeah, I can see that. But it can still be pretty good playing with non-actors. If not for their acting skills, for their ideas and things that they can come up with that take the story to different directions. For GMs in particular, I love the surprises and sudden realizations when some of my past GMs tie story threads in (to me) unexpected ways. I haven't watched enough of Critical Role to see if that kind of thing happens there too. Do the actors that play RPGs on stream create well defined characters? Does it seem like they're a different person each time they play a new character? Because as I recall, and please correct me if I'm wrong... They seemed to play basically themselves. There was the occasional guy doing like a voice for his character, but that was about it. Mercer is the exception, despite, like I said, being over the top and exaggerating, his NPCs seem quite different from one another. (that's the way it should be, though, otherwise your players will mistake one npc for the other.)
What people dont realize is that matt is a pretty passive dm. Hes pretty good at rp because of his voice acting carreer, but most of the fun parts of the show come from the players. Just spend an entire episode watching matt sonetime, hes pretty quiet.
This is close to what I was going to say. Critical Role is a piece of entertainment by actors with a product in mind. It's a very different thing from normal TTRPG experiences.
I don't know if any of you have had this experience: I've been playing and running TRPGs for 40 years now and I consider myself a pretty good GM. However, when I'm running a game at a convention or a club and a prospective player comes up and says, "Hey, I hear your an amazing GM!", my heart sinks. I fear I wont be able to live up to his/her expectations. I have a trunk full of war stories. It's full of tales of amazing games I ran that everyone loved and terrible games that went sideways and left everyone (me included) wanting. Again, I'm a pretty good GM but I'm not alone at the table. What all the amazing games have in common is I was with a great group of players and together we made the game amazing.
I feel ya there. A good group is a machine, and good players are essential for it to work smoothly. A con game is intimidating as all hell, especially if the players have some high expectations or (my big paranoia) will try to "test" you to see how good you are. I don't want to be tested or meet some fantasy expectations, I just want to play, laugh, and have fun for a few hours.
@@SSkorkowsky I found this problem a few times. It was 15+ years since I had GM much of anything. I try to be a good player and help my GM/Ref/DM etc, but those same GMS were usually the worst kind of problem players. They want to be edgy with no cause. Split the party. Give GM "advice" but as you mentioned not noting any positives. Work against the party. Try to take center stage at all times. Build characters that didn't suit the game being run. Rules lawyers in home brews campaigns! The very behaviour they would complain to me about other players at our table when they were game running. One DM I had decided to play a guy with zero combat skills/magic in rolemaster. Sure I can help to make the game interesting for them, but yeah combat is going to happen. Don't complain about it when the system is fantasy and the mechanics are combat orientated. Esp because you are a 4E DM/Space marine guy thats entire schtick is combat. Anyway I get super self conscious and decide to can my games. I have played on and off over the years and can "play a character" but taking the reigns and Gming and not wanting to disappoint is daunting even if you have been doing it a lot. Esp when the critique comes from other GMs. They can also want to get back at other players in character form and that makes the party much harder to get together. I find a new group of interested, but not high experience players is a lot better to GM for. Esp when its been a long time. Even if you have trust in your group. Sure there are problems with this group as well, but at least it lets you make mistakes and try to correct them. I played a game of Hero Kids with my grandson and it went off really well. Simple rules. My grandson doesn't know the rules and has low expectations. Stepson was intrigued by some mechanics I made up on the fly to keep a simple game more interesting. I mean I know I can GM, but when you are out of practice just getting a flow back into your story telling can be hard. Thanks for your work, examples, and demos of rules that aren't being covered by the elephant in the room and its derivatives. Your GM work may not have been your original intent when you made your YT channel as a writer, but you have certainly given a lot of invaluable advice to those of us looking for some tips, tricks, and general entertainment. Thanks for doing that CoC (not corrosion of conformity) game with glass cannon. Hope the cross over helps pull you over 100K :D It is well deserved.
The thing that most people forget when it comes to shows like Critical Role, it's a table full of professional voice actors. These guys have been role playing for their careers; it's their literal profession to pretend to be different characters. People trying to get into D&D shouldn't expect that level of role play from either the DMs side or the players side. It's like expecting the props that were funded to Critical Role and expecting to match their Budget. Just have fun with your own group, sure you can borrow elements from the things you watch but put your own twist into things. Don't just be another carbon copy of someone else's character.
Agree... When we 1st started playing back in the mid to late 70's no one was 'voice acting'. It was more just a bunch of teenagers gearing up and exploring a spooky dungeon and trying to stay alive... and we had a blast doing it.
Amen, people really underestimate just how much the players determine the overall quality of a game. And Mercer's players not only do a tremendous amount to set the tone and style of their game, they're at the top of a field that's about as close to 'professional D&D performer' as you can get.
Truth. Critical Role, Adventure Zone, Dice Funk, and the like are all entertaining, and I definitely take mental notes whenever I'm listening to improve my abilities as both a DM and a player, but it's important to realize that actual play podcasts or streams are as much an audio drama as they are a game. The level to which character role play is prioritized varies from show to show, but there will always be moments where the players and DM choose to embellish, or to bend the rules, because it leads to moments which are more entertaining for their audience to listen to. Personally, I love roleplay heavy games and so I make efforts to emulate those behaviours while still staying within or close to Rules as Written, but there are groups, and even specific situations, where that approach just wouldn't be feasible.
another thing that baffles me, too... Mercer is a great DM. I think most people could agree with that... but there have been TONS of times he's made questionable rules calls, a good handful of times that it was obvious he was getting irritated and letting that irritation skew his actions, etc. It's almost as if he's just a person like the rest of us. I certainly take ideas and inspiration from a lot of what he does, but he's not a golden god. He's just a guy with a passion for the hobby. Why do so many fanbois/girls not see that?
natos4unlife because critical role fanatics hold him to a level so far up that he can do no wrong. And many of them aren’t as well versed with the rules. To be fair, if I was DMing the players, I would’ve rocks falled them at this point
Well, even he hates the fact that it exists My situation is the exact opposite; CR has given me ideas and motivation to make myself a better player and gm And, thankfully, everyone else who I know who watches it uses it the same way
Well, there is a huge upside to the "Effect", so it's not all that. A huge amount of players that would never have gotten into D&D otherwise play now because of Critical Role; whether their expectations are skewed or not, the game and by proxy Matt himself are responsible for showing them this new life.
@@Levyathyn Agreed. I have been with Critical Role from the beginning and saw many people say they wanted to start playing after watching the show. I told them to just not expect it to be like CR, and make it their own game instead.
I usually refer to Mercer as the Bob Ross of d&d. Sure his art looks perfect, but his true mark is encouragement of others to just play d&d in their own style and to make their own mark.
@@wellheckitall haha that's fair it's a much different game. I'm not a fan of critical role for a similar, if opposed, reason. I feel the game lacks cosequences if you can just keep bringing back your dead friends. Ressurection doesn't work in my games so believe me when the PCs get past level 10 they start babying thier characters. In my experience players don't get as attached when they know there's always a cleric to bring thier dumbasses back to life.
@@skillganon606 Your players baby their characters, and I'm here playing mine as though they've got a deathwish. It's a wonder how I've seen 4 other PC's die in the continued lifespan of my char, I think my DM just likes them too.
@@wellheckitall Well keep in mind that the Tomb of Horrors was not written to be a "normal" adventure but to challenge and even kill some high level PCs that backed by somewhat annoying players. Back then we viewed D&D as more of a challenge situation of semi competition between the DM and the party. The goal of creating an adventure was something that might well kill us all but good play (which usually meant figuring out puzzles or describing how we physically dealt with an obstacle as almost no characters had skills to roll against) and some luck would let us win. Figuring out when it was going to get too tough and kill us all and bailing to go back home to the village was part of the game as we expected it. That we would rarely clear an entire dungeon in one go. We would have to leave and then maybe go back when we were tougher and better equipped.
I kinda think Jeff would've taken the time to paint that Hooked Horror for the finale of the video, just to show his motivational content was working, and he wasn't just blowing smoke. Ya know, just sayin'. (runs for cover)
Matt Mercer is very humble, and has talked in a documentary about having imposter syndrome. Ironically, even Matt Mercer himself suffers from the Matt Mercer Effect.
I can't really stand Critical Roll if i'm being honest but I got nothing bad to say about Matt. It kinda sucks CR fans get disillusioned because most of their experience is watching another DM instead of having their own experiences. Matt's a cool dude though.
@@Gaia_Gaistar I understand. I really love CR, but it's so completely different from all my ttrpg experience that I worry that many new players have unrealistic expectations of their DMs and games. There are lots of really good actual play channels out there I love too, that are much more like what I think people should expect and strive for. And playing the game yourself is honestly just as good as any CR episode I've ever seen, if not better.
@@MemphiStig Actually finally being able to play a TTRPG for the first time was one of the best experiences I've ever had and we all had fun. Glad no one made a big deal out of it but we were all pretty much newbs anyway and no one I know watches CR to color their expectations. It was the wild west for us.
As a man with imposter syndrome professionally, I feel that. Am also the DM for my friends and in a slump that has left all games in limbo. If they wanted to do something besides dnd online I might be able to break the slump
Your sketches are excellent. They are legitimately entertaining and do an excellent job of illustrating your point in practice. Having a visual in tandem with an explanation elevates your content above the professional DMs, at least for me. I’ve only just discovered your channel, but it has made a great work-time listen; keep up the good work
In Brazil I call this Cellbit Effect. This guy is a famous brazilian streamer and he made RPG something more mainstream. His campaign "Ordem Paranormal" (Paranormal Order) is a huge success. He's also developing a game in his world. Man... a lot of new players and masters wants to be like him or to play like him and his friends... I've seen a lot of people as "Tod" being entitled to what we should do as GM. It's so annoying. In the end we must find our own voices and not live in someone's else shadow! Thanks, Seth!!! Your job is really necessary for players and DM's
My first official game master was Gary, yes THE Gary! I've never played in a "con" game but have had tables at the local bookstore as regular as twice a week for 5 years and as big as 30+ players.. I've had plenty of these types of players and admittedly been this player myself. Well rounded video!
"No one's the same person they were Twenty years ago." Yeah back then I was just a One year old Loser, but now I'm an even cooler Twenty One year old loser.
Exactly, I find it absolutely insulting to be demanded to be someone else. This isnt a "why don't you clean up your room like your brother?" Where people criticize your traits or behaviors, this is a "why arent you Matt Mercer?". "Why arent you my favorite celebrity?" Can you imagine saying that to your friends? "I'd prefer it if you were my favorite celebrity man, just being honest, just... act like he does, think like he does, just... y'know, be them and not you, for me?"
Saying "D&D should look like Critical Roll" is like saying "Larping should look like the final battle in LoTR". It's not the same thing. The Critical Roll guys are professionals. They're literally paid actors. Chances are, you and your buddies aren't. Stop panicking... Unless you and your friends are professional actors. Then it's a free for all.
This is what i think as well. I watched an episode or 2 of critical role after a friend was telling me how great it is and he wants to play in a group like that. We're no professional actors and can't just compete with them. Also he decided to play a character with an attention span of less than a second... so much to that.
Yeah the issue is that they are being PAID to be overly entertaining. That's the key here, ENTERTAIN . Literally being paid and trained to find the most entertaining way to be. Now, this isnt to say you can't be entertaining without being paid to take classes in the art, but, naturally, if that's what you want...Then you should just do that. You don't want to do that? Well then you won't have that lol.
Theyve been actors for a while, voice actors at that. Not to mention there are 3 people who write the campaign with Matt and help him through it off camera. The other players have been his players for years.
@@jedbex7070 Stop lying. There are NO other people writing the campaign you nimrod. I'm guessing you mean the Exandria campaign booka, but that's not helping him writing the campaign. That's helping him get his material to a publishing quality state.
Me and my group are actors and playing in character makes the game great. That said we are different individuals than these critical role actors so it's still very different.
I thought this story sounded like a weird sense of Deja Vu as I was watching the video! When I met you at Gen Con you told me this story when we got into the prominence of the rise of popular streamed games. Glad you got a chance to share this gem with the rest of youtube!
I've never seen the Mercer-Effect in action, but I've seen someone, my favorite DM and a good friend, get anxious about it. She was 17 at the time, Matt Mercer is an adult man with decades of experience DMing.
@@thelastmotel No, he only started with that group. He had been into D&D for many years prior to that. Personally I suspect that no one has been "subject to the Mercer effect," because all we've seen is one Reddit post followed bt thousands of people commenting on it, one way or the other. But none of them saying "yes, that happened to me as well." It might all be based on something that isn't really a problem at all.
I’ve been playing this game since ‘79, with a LOT of bad experiences and s few good ones. What I can say is this: we colour our perceptions by the best we’ve seen. Massive Rose Coloured Glasses. I have Paul. He’s the most poker faced DM that I know. Unruffled by whatever and capable of the long term play. Great DM. I have Lorne. Passionate and able to adapt on the fly in his youth. I have Evan, a writer par excellance who loved this grand story and knew the players well. But I’ve seen great lives plays too. Chris Perkins, Matt Mercer, Matt Colville, Brendan from College Humour, Jerry Holkins... what it took me a long time to learn is this: Don’t strive to BE them. Strive to LEARN from them. I have a table now who love my style because I use history (Colville), proper Crits (Perkins), improvisation (Evan), character input (Jerry), passion (Lorne), background and relationships (Mercer), and I’m willing to be patient with reveals (Paul). I’m not them. But I have learned from them. And one day, one of my players will sit behind the screen and the greatest compliment they can pay me is to say they learned something from me. All the best Seth. Well met.
An interesting predicament. The "Mercer effect" is something I typically shrug off. Usually it's just a DM complaining about how they have players who want more world-building. However, comparing your DM to Matt Mercer-- that's a big ole kick in the teeth. NO ONE DMs like Matt Mercer. Just like no one DMs like Seth. No one DMs like Satine Phoenix. No one DMs like Chris Perkins. And just like how no one DMs like you or me. We all have our faults with narrative or RP or dungeon-building or narrative structure. We all have faults (Yes, even Matt Mercer) but the key to being a great DM is always doing more to be the best DM you can be. Always strive to be better. Run the game you want to run with players who want to play it! If they want stronger narrative, try focusing on that. If they're murder-hobos, then make a combat-heavy campaign! My players all love the Critical Role style, but we all know our game is different. I DM based on what my players want and based on who they are. You should too.
Also, is important for all the DMs/Game Masters out there to remember that we can suffer from "Mercer Effect" as well, except it'd be more like "Riegel Effect" or "Willingham Effect". Many Game Masters have this idealised version in their head of what a session would be like, and of course that picture includes the players' behavior. But then the players don't fit it for some reason or another. Maybe they're not as good at roleplaying as professional actors, or they're not that interested in it. In an ideal world, that'd be the end of it, but many Game Masters take out their frustration with how the players don't act on them. Maybe they'll show blatant favoritism to the ones that resemble their "favorite" player most, or will punish those that don't. It's fine to have a preferred playstyle, especially since the Game Master is in charge of setting the overall tone of the content. What is *not* fine is when the GM tries to force and mold his players into something they are not so they can be more like "Jeff, that one player he had who roleplayed a lot."
Yeah I no longer do planned out campaigns. I develop some npcs that have well fleshed out motivations and then I think about the actions they would all take if my players were "the perfect players" . then I sigh and get ready for all of the crazy things the real players will have their characters do. That being said the story ends up being a lot more fun and interesting by the end with their input.
It is very true. I also noticed it is much easier to play with newbies than some of the experienced players. And it is also heartwarming to watch them grow via not only better understanding of rules and tactics, but also empathy towards each other and characters they play.
Yuriy Chizhov I agree. I personally enjoy playing with newer players more often than not, it’s just more enjoyable to me personally. They take risk, their preferred style of play isn’t set in stone as they’re dynamic. Once a D&D player has kind of played enough games their brain sees and functions with the game in the way only they know to take it. Usually close minded, they just aren’t fun to play with to me most of the time.
I kinda found myself getting into the habit of slotting my players into their niches based on the player they most represented. But I would always say "You're like my Liam or my Travis - maybe a little bit of both" because while those guys are great and bring what they bring to their tables, sometimes we can all be amalgamations of the people we look up to, so if I've got someone at my table to equally could serve as a secondary DM based on his or her rules knowledge and that's the same person who gets really really excited for other people's successes or equally terrified of their downfalls or failures, then there's a hybrid there that I think is even better to have than 2 different people bringing 1 trait each to the table.
The absolute irony of the mercer effect is that Matt is imperfect, he makes bad calls. But people don't notice because he's their idol. A great example is when he GM'd Divinity Original Sin 2 with Strippin and co, he was struggling to keep up because they were strangers. Matt has the benefit of knowing all those people. Just like my group has the benefit of most of us being both players and GMs all having different skills and strengths and knowing that about each other so we try to improve but don't pressure each other. Matt Mercer is a good GM. But so is my sister, and my girlfriend, and apparently they say me too, I'm not sure I agree but that's a different topic. Matt has a production team, experience, help, and you know what the man STILL has to check the books to make sure he's making a good call and sometimes has to skip that process for brevity, for better or worse. Just like anyone else. Treat your GMs with respect folks, they'll improve if you encourage them, but not even Matt Mercer is as good as you think Matt Mercer is.
This video just sealed the deal. I’m officially a fan. It started with me watching the pulp Cthulhu series “the Double Headed Serpent” to compare our experience to yours. Then I stumbled across White Plume Mountain, a favorite of mine as a kid. You’ve hooked me. Must watch more...
I’m new to GMing CoC, so I want to provide a good experience for my players. I’m hoping to get better at it even through bad calls, so thanks for making all these great videos to help us all out. Update: I played through The Haunting with my friends. Made some mistakes, but they enjoyed it. One of them actually stayed in the house overnight (twice) and they actually lassoed the bedframe and dragged it out of the house.
The dating analogy...too true. I was once engaged to a guy who was obsessed with this girl he used to know. Everything about her was perfect...and I was just the opposite. I was young and stupid. But now life is complete...I’m married to my DM. :)
And heard conversations over how one star trek show is not like the other and how "Next Generation" should be more like when Kirk was around and how "Discovery" should be more like...blahblah...I just shrugged my shoulders. They are differend and I have my favorits but there is absolutly no need to see one as the holy grail and wish everything else to be exactly like that.
When I first truly got into D&D in the early 2000s, I idolized my DM Luke. He was so smart, so creative, and his games amazed me with how immersive and sophisticated they were. Months passed. I learned the game much better and starting running D&D campaigns myself. Eventually I began to notice Luke's flaws, and I realized that I didn't think his house rules were quite the best ideas. Then he slowly stopped showing up for sessions. Years went by, I kept DM'ing, twice per week, sometimes more. I progressed along the massive, slow path of improvement. Then one evening, in the midst of a session, I realized that my campaign seemed better to me than how Luke's campaign had seemed those years ago. What I took from this realization was: 1. Luke was just a human, like everyone else, with flaws and limitations. 2. If you dedicate yourself to developing a skill, you can reach levels you never thought possible AND at the same time, you develop your own style which suits you better than anyone else's.
At my gaming table, we have sort of a loosely defined agreement that everyone takes turns running games. The two other regulars are the best GMs I've had by an unreasonably wide margin, and I greatly appreciate them both - but apparently I haven't done as good a job of conveying that to them (or at least to one of them) as I should. Remember, players, tell your GMs you appreciate them!
I expected to know what the video was gonna be about, but I really enjoyed the personal story a lot. A different and interesting take on the Mercer effect.
I've never played D&D but I've experience in a few other TTRPG's, (in fact, i've never played, I've always GM/DM'd), but i haven't been involved for 15-20 years until recently discovering Critical Role. After being so impressed with the show, and feeling inspired, I manage to persuade a few of my more nerdy friends to start a Dark Heresy campaign with me, even got my wife involved. It's fairly light on RP from the players at the moment, but we are all having a blast, and i've been told numerous times I'm doing a good job and I'm the best DM/GM any of them have ever played with (one of the players is a former DM). That's great to hear, but now I live in fear that one of them will start watching Critical Role and begin comparing me to Matt Mercer. I might have to grow my hair again...
I've always said that if I can't make my videos helpful I can at least make them entertaining. Glad to hear you're enjoying them. (Though, Jeff's video would have probably been more fun.)
All well said Seth. Great vid. I’m lucky, my players are all mature (old gits) as am I, and understand how the world works. They’re also too polite - they won’t criticise when I ask for feedback (the British way), but I can’t get better unless they tell me what they don’t like. It seems to me there’s a simple answer to the player who has unreasonable expectations - suggest they run the next session, then sit back and watch them run. We see plenty of vids about how to keep players happy, how we (GMs) should cater to their needs, how we should be ‘entertaining’ them, but I think this can lead to player entitlement. Us GMs are there to have fun too, and we all have our preferences. We need players who entertain us too and who inspire us to put together good sessions for them. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy GMing and accept all that goes with it, but I feel sometimes there’s a lack of appreciation for what goes into it. Players who’ve been GMs are a lot more forgiving and, frankly, much more useful at the table. If I was Evil World Dictator I’d make all players GM a few games, then we would see attitudes change for the better. I jest, of course, but critique is easy, true understanding and insight comes from doing.
Fun fact: my first DM was named Jeff, and he grew up in the area Seth currently lives. I listen to this, and I wonder if Seth is talking about *my* DM. R.I.P. to my former DM.
I've been game-mastering for literally 40 years, in dozens of systems and formats, and there will always be more to learn, and ways to grow, by listening to and watching my fellow GMs, and sharing experiences and ideas with them. Having so many terrific game masters now making videos and live-streaming games is an incredible resource, and learning opportunity for any GM who hasn't already decided that they are "The GREATEST DUNGEON MASTER ALIVE!!!!!"
Everything about this video deserves a like. The message was on point. That college photo was gold. Todd's closing remarks about how Jeff's video would have been better...
My first brush with the “Matt Mercer effect was somewhere in the 90s. I’d decided to take up soccer. I was a goalkeeper. At the time, my country had a pretty solid national team, and we were all pretty stoked about it. We’d talk about the team in the locker room after practice and the topic invariably went to “Ravelli would have stopped that goal” or Brolin would have scored that shot” it’s the exact same thing, we were judging each other’s best against the best of these highly trained professionals.
I got into playing D&D because of channels like yours and Critical Roll, jumping head first into the world of TTRPGs right into DMing after having studied the game for months, in the form of books and videos online. I now run two weekly sessions on Discord and while I have had some players who just didn't seem to enjoy my style of running the game I now have eight regular players who think I do a good job, their words not mine. But I think that is because I talk with my players and ask them what it is they want from the game, and then I try to work something in for each player an each character. Not every one will get to feel special every session but I do try as best I can to give every one some time in the spotlight at least every other session.
I agree with all of it, but at the same time I'll always have my favorite dm. My dad. Never before have I worked with an army of drows and black dragons, fought massive stone snakes with a sceptre of earth, or explored ancient ruins fulls of deranged humans. But never one would I put someone down over it. I'm there for the adventure, no matter what. My friend does something small like goblins and an orc boss? I'm loving it and will always compliment them. Take care. ☺.
Can’t like your videos enough. They have this enjoyable education to them in a relaxed casual conversation one on one feel that is just awesome. This was an excellent piece for the community and should be considered a staple video or written piece that makes itself as known reading material to all RpGers over time. Bravo sir! Modern editorial Genius.
I'll be honest, for the first couple of minutes that I was watching this video I felt like there was a lot of better D&D youtube channels that I could be watching instead, but once I got a little over 5 minutes in I decided that you are *The Greatest D&D TH-camr Alive!*
It Gary and Dave. And now all I can here is Gary say" Man don't nobody care about how Dave DMs" followed by a snorting noise and a beholder and pseudopod showing up
I have to say, I love your channel Seth, you provide some many great topics, I've checked others and they where immature or just boring but compared to yours it's a pure gold of Role playing community. You joggle with jokes in time and with good sense of humor, keep it up, thanks for everything.
Thanks Seth, this video really helped me. Recently a player joined my game who plays with the GM who I used to watch and listen to, that ideal goal I was always working towards, so naturally felt daunted by the challenge and been trying to remove myself from my own head but it still problematic for me cause he never bring up by you always think "Was I as good as him or would he of had more fun in his game" So yeah, thanks stuff like this was just what I needed. Another thing to tell me stop trying to mimic and just enjoy GMing :)
You know, I remember the best game I've ever DMed, full of political intrigue and amazing fights. With a detailed and trilling story that put my players on the edge of their seats. All ending with them saving the universe from an army of eldritch godlings plunging reality into insanity. But Jeff, man... He would have done it better.
I experience something that might be an inverse. My players really like me as a DM (love those guys), but I have at least two at my table who feel inadequate for not living up to CR player standards. Similar but different. They're getting better though, I believe.
Gosh, this is a great video at the right time. I'm about to start my first campaign for my group, following up what several players have called "the best D&D game ever." I'm so scared of not being as good or good enough. This just kind of helps me get into a better mindset heading into the game. Great video as usual Seth.
This video really makes me appreciate the game group that I have, we all recognize that playing the game is meant to be fun for everyone, and even though a few players are big fans of some game shows like Adventure Zone they've never let it get in the way of them and everyone else having fun. As a result even I've GM'd a few games and learned a lot about how to run AND play better. Your videos have also been enjoyable and informative, I feel they've helped me be better as well
This is true. I'm not a fan of him personally, but not because of anything in the vid. The man tries to tell people "hey we're professionals, we've done this a long time, your experience won't be the same as depicted here".
Actually he kinda did start this cult but he is entirely without control of said cult and has no direct ties to said cult and also largely disagrees with said cult but is regardless god of said cult. It's kinda like Mob Psycho 100 were Mob becomes the god of a cult that he's almost entirely unaware of and doesn't want to be the god of said cult.
@@matthewcoyle4131 the issue is that this cult actively goes against the things he says to do in their games, and literally does the things he says not to do. I see your point, but these people are actively ignoring things he has said on multiple occasions
So nice you address this. Several of my players have told me multiple times to watch Critical Role for inspiration and "to see how the pros do it" (paraphrasing here and I know they mean it in a good way). But frankly, I've never done it. Because, to put it like that, I'd likely get myself a Jeff complex. And I don't want to take that risk, I don't want to measure myself by other peoples' standards. Fact aside that they are professional actors in CR, there is just no need to summon ones own overhead cloud. While the chance for improvement might be there by learning some tricks, odds are it will suck out the fun, and that would kill the game for everyone. Own experience is, in my opinion, the safest way. Maybe not the fastest, but with less risk involved. If ever the day comes when I will be a player more foten than a GM, maybe I'll watch it. But only then.
Storytelling isn't a science, it's an art. And people only see the results, never the years of testing and practice. Always remember this when you get a Todd at the table.
New to the channel, watched your newest Cyberpunk reviews and then saw this and had to watch. I self criticize all the time. I love being the DM/GM as I love story and being the guide along a great every changing narrative. I always try to learn from the greats like Matt Mercer and Chris Perkins and sometimes feel if I do not do as well as them that I have failed my players. I tend to ask my players often what they thought of a session or what they think of the story. This has helped me some, but I still look for ways to be a better DM/GM and storyteller. Thank you for your videos. Been learning a lot and finding new games that I need to try (like cyberpunk 2020, just ordered it off amazon).
Wise advice for anyone running a game. Wonderfully and succinctly said. I try hold on to the beautiful moment that have happened in a game to keep me going. The things I have really done right and have created great game war stories. This helps me to get through when things don’t go so well. One thing that I do in my game after we finish a session and before everyone leaves is “Stars and Wishes” Everyone gives “Stars” one to each of the other players and the DM for something they really loved the person did that game. Example: “Carrie, I really loved that interaction you had with the shopkeeper. You wove in your character’s backstory and I didn’t think that was possible. John, you ran that combat so great. It was interesting and moved quickly. I didn’t want to look at my phone once.” Each person says one thing about everyone else. I think it really helps the players to appreciate the game, gives everyone an ego boost, and gives the DM ideas of what the players like to see that is updated each session. The “Wishes” part is one thing the player and/or their character wants to see happen “I can’t wait until we confront Fordo!” or “My character wants to become strong enough to defeat her father.” I think this has really helped with what you are describing here in the video. At least for me anyway. It may not work for everyone, but for me it helps everyone at my table appreciate the game and manage expectations.
Excellent video. It also strikes me that Matt Mercer is enabled by professional voice actors that are invested in the game and cooperating with the GM and each other. It is amazing how GMs are help up to this super high bar but players do not simultaneously demand their own standards rise. A lot of players do sit and wait for entertainment to be dropped in their laps.
Good video Matt is good but he’s also a professional Who has time to be like that if you have a regular job with family and such Go out have fun and game Have a good game
Firstly, your commenters are freaking hilarious, and your channel is great. Yay, new sub. But to be randomly more serious, thank you for this...not just as a reflection of a phenomenon that happens at the D&D table, but for its pertinence to daily life and relationship expectations. I actually sent this to a friend who keeps lamenting in front of me (her friend) that she’ll never have a friendships as close as other people, and with the introduction of critical role in her life, like Liam and Sam have. This is a really great thing for people on both sides of that fence to hear.
Excellent as usual and I am so glad that no-one in any my games has pulled that one on me. I have worries enough because some of my players make notes at the table of everything that I say.
"Be a first-rate version of yourself, not a second-rate version of someone else." - A fortune cookie I got once.
This was a very wise fortune cookie.
...in bed!(Is this still a thing or is my age showing?)
@John Willis my family does that all the time
@@JacksonOwex Didn't that come from XKCD?
@@JacksonOwex ...in the zombie apocolypse. Well that's my go to.
I mean, that Mercer guy is alright, but Jeff, man... He's the best.
He really is. Also, he gave the best damned Best Man Toast I've ever heard.
Oh, nice. :D
Wait, maybe I should have said "he's the best best man, man".... ugh, ok, maybe not.
Anyways, I... don't... particularly like Matt Mercer as a GM all that much. He's good, if over the top, but I don't know, maybe I've unconsciously compared him to "my" Jeff whenever I watched any Critical Role episode. Or maybe it's because I don't find watching RPG streams that entertaining, I always get bored after a while. My interest in them is usually to see how the game plays. Playing an RPG myself with my friends is much, much more exciting than watching whoever else playing.
@@allluckyseven The really good streams are made for the camera by people who are experienced at being behind the camera so they'll always be kind of over the top. If the players are a bunch of actors, comedians, and such, it's literally playing with pros.
I've played with someone who has a lot of theater experience. I really enjoy playing with him and wish he had more time to play, but there's just no question he's got skills like control over his voice and an ability to improv that other players, including me, don't have.
Yeah, I can see that.
But it can still be pretty good playing with non-actors. If not for their acting skills, for their ideas and things that they can come up with that take the story to different directions. For GMs in particular, I love the surprises and sudden realizations when some of my past GMs tie story threads in (to me) unexpected ways. I haven't watched enough of Critical Role to see if that kind of thing happens there too.
Do the actors that play RPGs on stream create well defined characters? Does it seem like they're a different person each time they play a new character? Because as I recall, and please correct me if I'm wrong... They seemed to play basically themselves. There was the occasional guy doing like a voice for his character, but that was about it.
Mercer is the exception, despite, like I said, being over the top and exaggerating, his NPCs seem quite different from one another. (that's the way it should be, though, otherwise your players will mistake one npc for the other.)
Some might say he's "THE GREATEST DUNGEON MASTER ALIVE"
I once told somebody "I'll DM like Matt Mercer when you play like Sam Riegel."
SNAP!
I'm stealing this.
I dunno if I'd wanna get Me Too'd doing that. 😄
Ok, I’m taking a dump in a jar.
Sounds reasonable.
First example of the Mercer effect:
Gary Gygax: Well?
Robert J. Kuntz: That just wasn't the same as when Arneson did it.
Gary Gygax: Yeah...
Exactly what I thought when he said "since the second person decided to try running a game." That's basically what happened.
@@carsonm7292 Yeah, you can actually see Kuntz describe that moment in the documentary, Secrets of Blackmoor.
The Arneson Way is hard to achieve, but when you've provided that particular Hot Sauce to your players, they never forget it.
"That hook horror miniature is still unpainted." That statement speaks to me on a very personal level.
Sounds like my ENTIRE ORK ARMY. -sighs-
#foreveralone
I felt personally attacked.
Do we all have that one unpainted model on our shelves?
I was going to say the same thing about how Seth was holding the cup at the wedding.
What people dont realize is that matt is a pretty passive dm. Hes pretty good at rp because of his voice acting carreer, but most of the fun parts of the show come from the players. Just spend an entire episode watching matt sonetime, hes pretty quiet.
This is close to what I was going to say. Critical Role is a piece of entertainment by actors with a product in mind. It's a very different thing from normal TTRPG experiences.
Hey Chroma Rush never thought I would see a Destiny Weapon account on a Seth Skorkowsky video.
I don't know if any of you have had this experience: I've been playing and running TRPGs for 40 years now and I consider myself a pretty good GM. However, when I'm running a game at a convention or a club and a prospective player comes up and says, "Hey, I hear your an amazing GM!", my heart sinks. I fear I wont be able to live up to his/her expectations. I have a trunk full of war stories. It's full of tales of amazing games I ran that everyone loved and terrible games that went sideways and left everyone (me included) wanting. Again, I'm a pretty good GM but I'm not alone at the table. What all the amazing games have in common is I was with a great group of players and together we made the game amazing.
I feel ya there. A good group is a machine, and good players are essential for it to work smoothly.
A con game is intimidating as all hell, especially if the players have some high expectations or (my big paranoia) will try to "test" you to see how good you are. I don't want to be tested or meet some fantasy expectations, I just want to play, laugh, and have fun for a few hours.
@El-ahrairah The short answer is no. Lot's of rules and definitions have changed. However there are many groups that like to play older version rules.
@@jamesward9499 I would say yes, but then, I am used to converting D&D stuff to Rolemaster.
@@SSkorkowsky I found this problem a few times. It was 15+ years since I had GM much of anything. I try to be a good player and help my GM/Ref/DM etc, but those same GMS were usually the worst kind of problem players. They want to be edgy with no cause. Split the party. Give GM "advice" but as you mentioned not noting any positives. Work against the party. Try to take center stage at all times. Build characters that didn't suit the game being run. Rules lawyers in home brews campaigns! The very behaviour they would complain to me about other players at our table when they were game running.
One DM I had decided to play a guy with zero combat skills/magic in rolemaster. Sure I can help to make the game interesting for them, but yeah combat is going to happen. Don't complain about it when the system is fantasy and the mechanics are combat orientated. Esp because you are a 4E DM/Space marine guy thats entire schtick is combat.
Anyway I get super self conscious and decide to can my games. I have played on and off over the years and can "play a character" but taking the reigns and Gming and not wanting to disappoint is daunting even if you have been doing it a lot. Esp when the critique comes from other GMs. They can also want to get back at other players in character form and that makes the party much harder to get together.
I find a new group of interested, but not high experience players is a lot better to GM for. Esp when its been a long time. Even if you have trust in your group. Sure there are problems with this group as well, but at least it lets you make mistakes and try to correct them. I played a game of Hero Kids with my grandson and it went off really well. Simple rules. My grandson doesn't know the rules and has low expectations. Stepson was intrigued by some mechanics I made up on the fly to keep a simple game more interesting. I mean I know I can GM, but when you are out of practice just getting a flow back into your story telling can be hard.
Thanks for your work, examples, and demos of rules that aren't being covered by the elephant in the room and its derivatives. Your GM work may not have been your original intent when you made your YT channel as a writer, but you have certainly given a lot of invaluable advice to those of us looking for some tips, tricks, and general entertainment.
Thanks for doing that CoC (not corrosion of conformity) game with glass cannon. Hope the cross over helps pull you over 100K :D It is well deserved.
The thing that most people forget when it comes to shows like Critical Role, it's a table full of professional voice actors.
These guys have been role playing for their careers; it's their literal profession to pretend to be different characters. People trying to get into D&D shouldn't expect that level of role play from either the DMs side or the players side.
It's like expecting the props that were funded to Critical Role and expecting to match their Budget. Just have fun with your own group, sure you can borrow elements from the things you watch but put your own twist into things. Don't just be another carbon copy of someone else's character.
Agree... When we 1st started playing back in the mid to late 70's no one was 'voice acting'. It was more just a bunch of teenagers gearing up and exploring a spooky dungeon and trying to stay alive... and we had a blast doing it.
Amen, people really underestimate just how much the players determine the overall quality of a game. And Mercer's players not only do a tremendous amount to set the tone and style of their game, they're at the top of a field that's about as close to 'professional D&D performer' as you can get.
Truth. Critical Role, Adventure Zone, Dice Funk, and the like are all entertaining, and I definitely take mental notes whenever I'm listening to improve my abilities as both a DM and a player, but it's important to realize that actual play podcasts or streams are as much an audio drama as they are a game. The level to which character role play is prioritized varies from show to show, but there will always be moments where the players and DM choose to embellish, or to bend the rules, because it leads to moments which are more entertaining for their audience to listen to. Personally, I love roleplay heavy games and so I make efforts to emulate those behaviours while still staying within or close to Rules as Written, but there are groups, and even specific situations, where that approach just wouldn't be feasible.
another thing that baffles me, too... Mercer is a great DM. I think most people could agree with that... but there have been TONS of times he's made questionable rules calls, a good handful of times that it was obvious he was getting irritated and letting that irritation skew his actions, etc. It's almost as if he's just a person like the rest of us. I certainly take ideas and inspiration from a lot of what he does, but he's not a golden god. He's just a guy with a passion for the hobby. Why do so many fanbois/girls not see that?
natos4unlife because critical role fanatics hold him to a level so far up that he can do no wrong. And many of them aren’t as well versed with the rules.
To be fair, if I was DMing the players, I would’ve rocks falled them at this point
It is life’s cruel irony that this effect is to be called the Mercer effect given how positive and empathetic Matt is.
Well, even he hates the fact that it exists
My situation is the exact opposite; CR has given me ideas and motivation to make myself a better player and gm
And, thankfully, everyone else who I know who watches it uses it the same way
@@jtosety I like that, let's use it that way :D
Well, there is a huge upside to the "Effect", so it's not all that. A huge amount of players that would never have gotten into D&D otherwise play now because of Critical Role; whether their expectations are skewed or not, the game and by proxy Matt himself are responsible for showing them this new life.
As someone who has played more hours of Prototype than watched Critical Role, I keep thinking in terms of symptoms of the Mercer Virus...
@@Levyathyn Agreed. I have been with Critical Role from the beginning and saw many people say they wanted to start playing after watching the show. I told them to just not expect it to be like CR, and make it their own game instead.
I usually refer to Mercer as the Bob Ross of d&d. Sure his art looks perfect, but his true mark is encouragement of others to just play d&d in their own style and to make their own mark.
Also, there is no t much to learn by copying their technique.
"That Gary Gygax... he's an ok GM I guess, but he's no Dave Arneson!"
Gygax sounds cool, but he is no Matt Mercer.
After reading through Tomb of Horrors, I wouldn't want a Gygax DM...
@@wellheckitall haha that's fair it's a much different game. I'm not a fan of critical role for a similar, if opposed, reason. I feel the game lacks cosequences if you can just keep bringing back your dead friends. Ressurection doesn't work in my games so believe me when the PCs get past level 10 they start babying thier characters. In my experience players don't get as attached when they know there's always a cleric to bring thier dumbasses back to life.
@@skillganon606 Your players baby their characters, and I'm here playing mine as though they've got a deathwish. It's a wonder how I've seen 4 other PC's die in the continued lifespan of my char, I think my DM just likes them too.
@@wellheckitall Well keep in mind that the Tomb of Horrors was not written to be a "normal" adventure but to challenge and even kill some high level PCs that backed by somewhat annoying players. Back then we viewed D&D as more of a challenge situation of semi competition between the DM and the party. The goal of creating an adventure was something that might well kill us all but good play (which usually meant figuring out puzzles or describing how we physically dealt with an obstacle as almost no characters had skills to roll against) and some luck would let us win. Figuring out when it was going to get too tough and kill us all and bailing to go back home to the village was part of the game as we expected it. That we would rarely clear an entire dungeon in one go. We would have to leave and then maybe go back when we were tougher and better equipped.
Now I kind a want to meet Jeff.
Great video. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Nerdarchist Dave
I kinda think Jeff would've taken the time to paint that Hooked Horror for the finale of the video, just to show his motivational content was working, and he wasn't just blowing smoke. Ya know, just sayin'. (runs for cover)
CC auto fixed "game master" to "dank master" and I loved it every single time!
As the greatest dungeon master alive, I feel personally attacked.
Jeff?
You were saying?
All of you-
Roll init.
😂
The comments under Jeff’s video are so much better.
Matt Mercer is very humble, and has talked in a documentary about having imposter syndrome. Ironically, even Matt Mercer himself suffers from the Matt Mercer Effect.
I can't really stand Critical Roll if i'm being honest but I got nothing bad to say about Matt. It kinda sucks CR fans get disillusioned because most of their experience is watching another DM instead of having their own experiences.
Matt's a cool dude though.
@@Gaia_Gaistar I understand. I really love CR, but it's so completely different from all my ttrpg experience that I worry that many new players have unrealistic expectations of their DMs and games. There are lots of really good actual play channels out there I love too, that are much more like what I think people should expect and strive for. And playing the game yourself is honestly just as good as any CR episode I've ever seen, if not better.
@@MemphiStig Actually finally being able to play a TTRPG for the first time was one of the best experiences I've ever had and we all had fun. Glad no one made a big deal out of it but we were all pretty much newbs anyway and no one I know watches CR to color their expectations. It was the wild west for us.
As a man with imposter syndrome professionally, I feel that. Am also the DM for my friends and in a slump that has left all games in limbo. If they wanted to do something besides dnd online I might be able to break the slump
Try Forbidden Lands, it’s brilliant. I think Matt Mercer is great but I get bored watching CR.
Seth: "yeah, that hook horror mini is STILL not painted."
Me: *looks at my large collection of primed, unpainted minis*
The nice thing about unpainted metal models is that you can't damage them when you throw them at someone.
@@RecklessFables that's exactly what my now-out-of-commission half-dragon sorceress metal mini is for!
I don’t know if I should be ashamed that I have unpainted figures from the 80s.
Don’t look at it! It will only haunt your soul!
I feel this, especially since part of that collection are the sets of Vox Machina and Mighty Nien minis that they did on Kickstarter.
Your sketches are excellent. They are legitimately entertaining and do an excellent job of illustrating your point in practice. Having a visual in tandem with an explanation elevates your content above the professional DMs, at least for me.
I’ve only just discovered your channel, but it has made a great work-time listen; keep up the good work
Agreed. The fact that they are funny as all hell doesn't hurt, either.
This vid got a sub from me for sure.
In Brazil I call this Cellbit Effect. This guy is a famous brazilian streamer and he made RPG something more mainstream. His campaign "Ordem Paranormal" (Paranormal Order) is a huge success. He's also developing a game in his world. Man... a lot of new players and masters wants to be like him or to play like him and his friends... I've seen a lot of people as "Tod" being entitled to what we should do as GM. It's so annoying. In the end we must find our own voices and not live in someone's else shadow! Thanks, Seth!!! Your job is really necessary for players and DM's
My first official game master was Gary, yes THE Gary! I've never played in a "con" game but have had tables at the local bookstore as regular as twice a week for 5 years and as big as 30+ players..
I've had plenty of these types of players and admittedly been this player myself.
Well rounded video!
Aww that poor hook horror... Seth, he’s been waiting so long for the paint you’ve promised him.
He is killing me with that one. AD&D figs from Ral Partha are so hard to come by these days.
I bet Jeff would have painted it perfectly :P
At this point, the oxidation layer is as artistically a choice as any paint job.
Does Jeff have a youtube channel I can sub to? His videos are probably better.
Nice.
@@raswartz - Niice
I need that profile picture of yours. Lol
Goddammit Todd!
@@jonb4155 I think you mean... TODDDAMNIT!?
"No one's the same person they were Twenty years ago."
Yeah back then I was just a One year old Loser, but now I'm an even cooler Twenty One year old loser.
What a time to ne alive!
Ah dude you made me lol
21 years ago I was healthy
Yeah we dedicate in our diapers slightly less.
Yea and now we don't cry in public. We have our own semi private corners to cry in
Do those players want to be compared to the Critical Roll players? Because they might be found wanting...
That's similar to something I've had to say to other players. Great DMs can only shine with hreat players. The great stories will occur organically.
Exactly, I find it absolutely insulting to be demanded to be someone else. This isnt a "why don't you clean up your room like your brother?" Where people criticize your traits or behaviors, this is a "why arent you Matt Mercer?". "Why arent you my favorite celebrity?" Can you imagine saying that to your friends? "I'd prefer it if you were my favorite celebrity man, just being honest, just... act like he does, think like he does, just... y'know, be them and not you, for me?"
User Say “Yeah , and I’d enjoy sitting across from you a lot more if you looked like Laura Bailey.”
@@falcon989 I'm more partial Ashley but Laura works too! Also, Brian scares me less than Travis does!!!
John Willis yeah Travis legit looks like he’s going to punch someone sometimes LOL
The "Best-Dungeon-Master-Alive" trademarked is the guy you are playing with at your table at the moment and are having fun with
Saying "D&D should look like Critical Roll" is like saying "Larping should look like the final battle in LoTR". It's not the same thing. The Critical Roll guys are professionals. They're literally paid actors. Chances are, you and your buddies aren't.
Stop panicking... Unless you and your friends are professional actors. Then it's a free for all.
This is what i think as well. I watched an episode or 2 of critical role after a friend was telling me how great it is and he wants to play in a group like that. We're no professional actors and can't just compete with them. Also he decided to play a character with an attention span of less than a second... so much to that.
Yeah the issue is that they are being PAID to be overly entertaining. That's the key here, ENTERTAIN . Literally being paid and trained to find the most entertaining way to be. Now, this isnt to say you can't be entertaining without being paid to take classes in the art, but, naturally, if that's what you want...Then you should just do that. You don't want to do that? Well then you won't have that lol.
Theyve been actors for a while, voice actors at that. Not to mention there are 3 people who write the campaign with Matt and help him through it off camera. The other players have been his players for years.
@@jedbex7070 Stop lying. There are NO other people writing the campaign you nimrod. I'm guessing you mean the Exandria campaign booka, but that's not helping him writing the campaign. That's helping him get his material to a publishing quality state.
Me and my group are actors and playing in character makes the game great. That said we are different individuals than these critical role actors so it's still very different.
I thought this story sounded like a weird sense of Deja Vu as I was watching the video! When I met you at Gen Con you told me this story when we got into the prominence of the rise of popular streamed games. Glad you got a chance to share this gem with the rest of youtube!
Jeff?
I've never seen the Mercer-Effect in action, but I've seen someone, my favorite DM and a good friend, get anxious about it. She was 17 at the time, Matt Mercer is an adult man with decades of experience DMing.
Mercer only started roleplaying a year or two BEFORE critical role started lol
@@thelastmotel No, he only started with that group. He had been into D&D for many years prior to that.
Personally I suspect that no one has been "subject to the Mercer effect," because all we've seen is one Reddit post followed bt thousands of people commenting on it, one way or the other. But none of them saying "yes, that happened to me as well." It might all be based on something that isn't really a problem at all.
I’ve been playing this game since ‘79, with a LOT of bad experiences and s few good ones. What I can say is this: we colour our perceptions by the best we’ve seen. Massive Rose Coloured Glasses.
I have Paul. He’s the most poker faced DM that I know. Unruffled by whatever and capable of the long term play. Great DM.
I have Lorne. Passionate and able to adapt on the fly in his youth.
I have Evan, a writer par excellance who loved this grand story and knew the players well.
But I’ve seen great lives plays too. Chris Perkins, Matt Mercer, Matt Colville, Brendan from College Humour, Jerry Holkins... what it took me a long time to learn is this:
Don’t strive to BE them. Strive to LEARN from them.
I have a table now who love my style because I use history (Colville), proper Crits (Perkins), improvisation (Evan), character input (Jerry), passion (Lorne), background and relationships (Mercer), and I’m willing to be patient with reveals (Paul).
I’m not them. But I have learned from them.
And one day, one of my players will sit behind the screen and the greatest compliment they can pay me is to say they learned something from me.
All the best Seth. Well met.
An interesting predicament. The "Mercer effect" is something I typically shrug off. Usually it's just a DM complaining about how they have players who want more world-building. However, comparing your DM to Matt Mercer-- that's a big ole kick in the teeth. NO ONE DMs like Matt Mercer. Just like no one DMs like Seth. No one DMs like Satine Phoenix. No one DMs like Chris Perkins. And just like how no one DMs like you or me.
We all have our faults with narrative or RP or dungeon-building or narrative structure. We all have faults (Yes, even Matt Mercer) but the key to being a great DM is always doing more to be the best DM you can be. Always strive to be better. Run the game you want to run with players who want to play it! If they want stronger narrative, try focusing on that. If they're murder-hobos, then make a combat-heavy campaign! My players all love the Critical Role style, but we all know our game is different. I DM based on what my players want and based on who they are. You should too.
Also, is important for all the DMs/Game Masters out there to remember that we can suffer from "Mercer Effect" as well, except it'd be more like "Riegel Effect" or "Willingham Effect".
Many Game Masters have this idealised version in their head of what a session would be like, and of course that picture includes the players' behavior. But then the players don't fit it for some reason or another. Maybe they're not as good at roleplaying as professional actors, or they're not that interested in it.
In an ideal world, that'd be the end of it, but many Game Masters take out their frustration with how the players don't act on them. Maybe they'll show blatant favoritism to the ones that resemble their "favorite" player most, or will punish those that don't.
It's fine to have a preferred playstyle, especially since the Game Master is in charge of setting the overall tone of the content. What is *not* fine is when the GM tries to force and mold his players into something they are not so they can be more like "Jeff, that one player he had who roleplayed a lot."
Yeah I no longer do planned out campaigns. I develop some npcs that have well fleshed out motivations and then I think about the actions they would all take if my players were "the perfect players" . then I sigh and get ready for all of the crazy things the real players will have their characters do.
That being said the story ends up being a lot more fun and interesting by the end with their input.
It is very true. I also noticed it is much easier to play with newbies than some of the experienced players. And it is also heartwarming to watch them grow via not only better understanding of rules and tactics, but also empathy towards each other and characters they play.
Yuriy Chizhov I agree. I personally enjoy playing with newer players more often than not, it’s just more enjoyable to me personally. They take risk, their preferred style of play isn’t set in stone as they’re dynamic. Once a D&D player has kind of played enough games their brain sees and functions with the game in the way only they know to take it. Usually close minded, they just aren’t fun to play with to me most of the time.
I kinda found myself getting into the habit of slotting my players into their niches based on the player they most represented. But I would always say "You're like my Liam or my Travis - maybe a little bit of both" because while those guys are great and bring what they bring to their tables, sometimes we can all be amalgamations of the people we look up to, so if I've got someone at my table to equally could serve as a secondary DM based on his or her rules knowledge and that's the same person who gets really really excited for other people's successes or equally terrified of their downfalls or failures, then there's a hybrid there that I think is even better to have than 2 different people bringing 1 trait each to the table.
There is no way that 1999 was 20 years ago. Not possible.
I was 29 back then.... Sigh....
Steve Cartwright As someone born in ‘98 i still feel uncomfortable at being considered a fully fledged adult in society
@@Pintroll300 I am almost 50 now... I still don't feel like an adult.
Can confirm, born in 99 and celebrated my 20th birthday in February
1990 was 10 years ago, and Always Will Be.
The absolute irony of the mercer effect is that Matt is imperfect, he makes bad calls. But people don't notice because he's their idol. A great example is when he GM'd Divinity Original Sin 2 with Strippin and co, he was struggling to keep up because they were strangers. Matt has the benefit of knowing all those people. Just like my group has the benefit of most of us being both players and GMs all having different skills and strengths and knowing that about each other so we try to improve but don't pressure each other.
Matt Mercer is a good GM. But so is my sister, and my girlfriend, and apparently they say me too, I'm not sure I agree but that's a different topic. Matt has a production team, experience, help, and you know what the man STILL has to check the books to make sure he's making a good call and sometimes has to skip that process for brevity, for better or worse. Just like anyone else. Treat your GMs with respect folks, they'll improve if you encourage them, but not even Matt Mercer is as good as you think Matt Mercer is.
He has also ran games for decades. That kinda helps
Since I started watching this channel I’ve been trying to come up with a character as fun as Grimshard. I call this The Skorkowsky Effect
literally choked laughing on my drink at "the greatest dm alive" 😂 excellent tale + advice on criticism seth.
I see your Matt Mercer & raise you a Seth Skorkowsky 😊
I always see you Seths comments...
jac of harts that’s because I like his videos 💜
Boom!
Seth any day for CoC, Mercer is just a DM, a lesser species of GM...
@@KuyVonBraun I see your bluff I'm reporting you to the SCP foundation.
Seth got me to buy a coc 7th book with my own money. Which is rare
This video just sealed the deal. I’m officially a fan. It started with me watching the pulp Cthulhu series “the Double Headed Serpent” to compare our experience to yours. Then I stumbled across White Plume Mountain, a favorite of mine as a kid. You’ve hooked me. Must watch more...
You're kind of my hero, Seth. Just wanted you to know.
i mean seth is alright but jeff, hes the real deal
That hook horror still being unpainted made me happy, it’s not just me with a decades old to do list!
I’m new to GMing CoC, so I want to provide a good experience for my players. I’m hoping to get better at it even through bad calls, so thanks for making all these great videos to help us all out.
Update: I played through The Haunting with my friends. Made some mistakes, but they enjoyed it. One of them actually stayed in the house overnight (twice) and they actually lassoed the bedframe and dragged it out of the house.
Bloody hell that sounds like a fun game.
The dating analogy...too true. I was once engaged to a guy who was obsessed with this girl he used to know. Everything about her was perfect...and I was just the opposite. I was young and stupid. But now life is complete...I’m married to my DM. :)
Well, yeah, because they're THE GREATEST DUNGEON MASTER ALIVE
Preach it brother. Every game is like every meal: meant to be enjoyed at the moment it is experienced and not compared to past fares.
I see you there tonio trendy!
"It was pretty good, but Jeff would have used more salt."
@@thebolas000 Well Jeff is an asshat.
And heard conversations over how one star trek show is not like the other and how "Next Generation" should be more like when Kirk was around and how "Discovery" should be more like...blahblah...I just shrugged my shoulders. They are differend and I have my favorits but there is absolutly no need to see one as the holy grail and wish everything else to be exactly like that.
I bet Jeff paints his hook horror miniatures
I love that Dweebles reaction, where he looks left and then right and puckers his lips. It's used so often but never gets old.
When I first truly got into D&D in the early 2000s, I idolized my DM Luke. He was so smart, so creative, and his games amazed me with how immersive and sophisticated they were. Months passed. I learned the game much better and starting running D&D campaigns myself. Eventually I began to notice Luke's flaws, and I realized that I didn't think his house rules were quite the best ideas. Then he slowly stopped showing up for sessions. Years went by, I kept DM'ing, twice per week, sometimes more. I progressed along the massive, slow path of improvement. Then one evening, in the midst of a session, I realized that my campaign seemed better to me than how Luke's campaign had seemed those years ago.
What I took from this realization was:
1. Luke was just a human, like everyone else, with flaws and limitations.
2. If you dedicate yourself to developing a skill, you can reach levels you never thought possible AND at the same time, you develop your own style which suits you better than anyone else's.
Everyone needs a Jeff, the man who pushes you to be *The greatest Dungeon Master Alive*
Seth 1999: everything you'd expect.
At my gaming table, we have sort of a loosely defined agreement that everyone takes turns running games. The two other regulars are the best GMs I've had by an unreasonably wide margin, and I greatly appreciate them both - but apparently I haven't done as good a job of conveying that to them (or at least to one of them) as I should. Remember, players, tell your GMs you appreciate them!
That 30 years old unpainted hook horror "gonna get to it one day", right in the feels man
Send it to ebay miniature rescues
I expected to know what the video was gonna be about, but I really enjoyed the personal story a lot. A different and interesting take on the Mercer effect.
1:55 thats the hardest image ive ever seen, pretty cool
I love your reviews, but as a game master, this was awesome. Thank you so much.
I've never played D&D but I've experience in a few other TTRPG's, (in fact, i've never played, I've always GM/DM'd), but i haven't been involved for 15-20 years until recently discovering Critical Role. After being so impressed with the show, and feeling inspired, I manage to persuade a few of my more nerdy friends to start a Dark Heresy campaign with me, even got my wife involved. It's fairly light on RP from the players at the moment, but we are all having a blast, and i've been told numerous times I'm doing a good job and I'm the best DM/GM any of them have ever played with (one of the players is a former DM). That's great to hear, but now I live in fear that one of them will start watching Critical Role and begin comparing me to Matt Mercer. I might have to grow my hair again...
That photo is epic. Sounds like Todd was manipulating both of you. Well done, as always.
Seth- I’m not a tabletop gamer, but i love watching your videos- they are entertaining, informative and just plain awesome. You’re awesome!
I've always said that if I can't make my videos helpful I can at least make them entertaining. Glad to hear you're enjoying them.
(Though, Jeff's video would have probably been more fun.)
All well said Seth. Great vid. I’m lucky, my players are all mature (old gits) as am I, and understand how the world works. They’re also too polite - they won’t criticise when I ask for feedback (the British way), but I can’t get better unless they tell me what they don’t like. It seems to me there’s a simple answer to the player who has unreasonable expectations - suggest they run the next session, then sit back and watch them run. We see plenty of vids about how to keep players happy, how we (GMs) should cater to their needs, how we should be ‘entertaining’ them, but I think this can lead to player entitlement. Us GMs are there to have fun too, and we all have our preferences. We need players who entertain us too and who inspire us to put together good sessions for them.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy GMing and accept all that goes with it, but I feel sometimes there’s a lack of appreciation for what goes into it. Players who’ve been GMs are a lot more forgiving and, frankly, much more useful at the table. If I was Evil World Dictator I’d make all players GM a few games, then we would see attitudes change for the better. I jest, of course, but critique is easy, true understanding and insight comes from doing.
Fun fact: my first DM was named Jeff, and he grew up in the area Seth currently lives.
I listen to this, and I wonder if Seth is talking about *my* DM.
R.I.P. to my former DM.
Hes the greatest DM in heaven now. Rip Jeff
"Experience isn't always pretty..." Truer words have not been said
I've been game-mastering for literally 40 years, in dozens of systems and formats, and there will always be more to learn, and ways to grow, by listening to and watching my fellow GMs, and sharing experiences and ideas with them. Having so many terrific game masters now making videos and live-streaming games is an incredible resource, and learning opportunity for any GM who hasn't already decided that they are "The GREATEST DUNGEON MASTER ALIVE!!!!!"
More Traveller please Seth!
Edit: Jeff is clearly shadow Seth great story!
love your little metaphors and personal stories they are so sweet!
such a good vid seth💪
Is that Kugo the Mighty?
Everything about this video deserves a like. The message was on point. That college photo was gold. Todd's closing remarks about how Jeff's video would have been better...
My first brush with the “Matt Mercer effect was somewhere in the 90s. I’d decided to take up soccer. I was a goalkeeper. At the time, my country had a pretty solid national team, and we were all pretty stoked about it. We’d talk about the team in the locker room after practice and the topic invariably went to “Ravelli would have stopped that goal” or Brolin would have scored that shot” it’s the exact same thing, we were judging each other’s best against the best of these highly trained professionals.
I got into playing D&D because of channels like yours and Critical Roll, jumping head first into the world of TTRPGs right into DMing after having studied the game for months, in the form of books and videos online. I now run two weekly sessions on Discord and while I have had some players who just didn't seem to enjoy my style of running the game I now have eight regular players who think I do a good job, their words not mine. But I think that is because I talk with my players and ask them what it is they want from the game, and then I try to work something in for each player an each character. Not every one will get to feel special every session but I do try as best I can to give every one some time in the spotlight at least every other session.
Yeah, we are gonna need a duel.
Seth Vs Jeff.
Dices at Dawn!
I agree with all of it, but at the same time I'll always have my favorite dm. My dad. Never before have I worked with an army of drows and black dragons, fought massive stone snakes with a sceptre of earth, or explored ancient ruins fulls of deranged humans. But never one would I put someone down over it. I'm there for the adventure, no matter what. My friend does something small like goblins and an orc boss? I'm loving it and will always compliment them. Take care. ☺.
I would just saying to the player “I’m not Matt Mercer and you are definitely not Sam Rigel”
Can’t like your videos enough. They have this enjoyable education to them in a relaxed casual conversation one on one feel that is just awesome.
This was an excellent piece for the community and should be considered a staple video or written piece that makes itself as known reading material to all RpGers over time. Bravo sir! Modern editorial Genius.
Awesome! A video on my birthday again! (A video was uploaded last year on my birthday as well)!!
(It was the "COC: Idol of Thoth" review)!
Happy Birthday, fellow gamer!
@@swaghauler8334 Thanks friend!!
I'm feeling this weird pressure to do a birthday video again next year. Hopefully I'll pull it off.
Happy birthday.
@@SSkorkowsky Thanks! No pressure.......
(But I'm totally gonna check my notifications next year).
I'll be honest, for the first couple of minutes that I was watching this video I felt like there was a lot of better D&D youtube channels that I could be watching instead, but once I got a little over 5 minutes in I decided that you are
*The Greatest D&D TH-camr Alive!*
One thumbs down?!?! Must be Todd!
Great vid, Seth!
Todd is the greatest DM alive, and he has THREE thumbs just to one up lesser DMs.
It Gary and Dave. And now all I can here is Gary say" Man don't nobody care about how Dave DMs" followed by a snorting noise and a beholder and pseudopod showing up
As a Geoff, I want to play just the audio of this for my players.
I have to say, I love your channel Seth, you provide some many great topics, I've checked others and they where immature or just boring but compared to yours it's a pure gold of Role playing community. You joggle with jokes in time and with good sense of humor, keep it up, thanks for everything.
The Seth Gods have bestowed us another artifact.
That video is an interesting one. I didn't even know a "mercer-effect" was a thing.
Thanks Seth, this video really helped me. Recently a player joined my game who plays with the GM who I used to watch and listen to, that ideal goal I was always working towards, so naturally felt daunted by the challenge and been trying to remove myself from my own head but it still problematic for me cause he never bring up by you always think "Was I as good as him or would he of had more fun in his game"
So yeah, thanks stuff like this was just what I needed. Another thing to tell me stop trying to mimic and just enjoy GMing :)
You know, I remember the best game I've ever DMed, full of political intrigue and amazing fights. With a detailed and trilling story that put my players on the edge of their seats. All ending with them saving the universe from an army of eldritch godlings plunging reality into insanity. But Jeff, man... He would have done it better.
As a watcher of HarmonQuest, I still keep expecting my games to burst into full-on animation randomly.
It reminds me of the CSI effect that happens in courtrooms.
That is a great Hook Horror mini from 1999!! I’m also happy you discovered sunlight since then.
I experience something that might be an inverse. My players really like me as a DM (love those guys), but I have at least two at my table who feel inadequate for not living up to CR player standards. Similar but different. They're getting better though, I believe.
Gosh, this is a great video at the right time. I'm about to start my first campaign for my group, following up what several players have called "the best D&D game ever." I'm so scared of not being as good or good enough. This just kind of helps me get into a better mindset heading into the game. Great video as usual Seth.
1:55 I see Citadel paint pots.
The Rabbit Hole is deeper than I thought.
This video really makes me appreciate the game group that I have, we all recognize that playing the game is meant to be fun for everyone, and even though a few players are big fans of some game shows like Adventure Zone they've never let it get in the way of them and everyone else having fun. As a result even I've GM'd a few games and learned a lot about how to run AND play better. Your videos have also been enjoyable and informative, I feel they've helped me be better as well
Don't hate on Mercer tho, he didn't start this cult
He also actively tries to dissuade people from said cult.
This is true. I'm not a fan of him personally, but not because of anything in the vid. The man tries to tell people "hey we're professionals, we've done this a long time, your experience won't be the same as depicted here".
@@ChromeXk And he gives great advice for new dungeon masters. Like good advice for how to do it your own way.
Actually he kinda did start this cult but he is entirely without control of said cult and has no direct ties to said cult and also largely disagrees with said cult but is regardless god of said cult.
It's kinda like Mob Psycho 100 were Mob becomes the god of a cult that he's almost entirely unaware of and doesn't want to be the god of said cult.
@@matthewcoyle4131 the issue is that this cult actively goes against the things he says to do in their games, and literally does the things he says not to do. I see your point, but these people are actively ignoring things he has said on multiple occasions
So nice you address this. Several of my players have told me multiple times to watch Critical Role for inspiration and "to see how the pros do it" (paraphrasing here and I know they mean it in a good way). But frankly, I've never done it. Because, to put it like that, I'd likely get myself a Jeff complex. And I don't want to take that risk, I don't want to measure myself by other peoples' standards. Fact aside that they are professional actors in CR, there is just no need to summon ones own overhead cloud. While the chance for improvement might be there by learning some tricks, odds are it will suck out the fun, and that would kill the game for everyone. Own experience is, in my opinion, the safest way. Maybe not the fastest, but with less risk involved.
If ever the day comes when I will be a player more foten than a GM, maybe I'll watch it. But only then.
Storytelling isn't a science, it's an art. And people only see the results, never the years of testing and practice.
Always remember this when you get a Todd at the table.
New to the channel, watched your newest Cyberpunk reviews and then saw this and had to watch. I self criticize all the time. I love being the DM/GM as I love story and being the guide along a great every changing narrative. I always try to learn from the greats like Matt Mercer and Chris Perkins and sometimes feel if I do not do as well as them that I have failed my players. I tend to ask my players often what they thought of a session or what they think of the story. This has helped me some, but I still look for ways to be a better DM/GM and storyteller. Thank you for your videos. Been learning a lot and finding new games that I need to try (like cyberpunk 2020, just ordered it off amazon).
"You're held up against David Tennant..."
Small world. I didn't realize you've met my ex. :-D Good video though!
Wise advice for anyone running a game. Wonderfully and succinctly said. I try hold on to the beautiful moment that have happened in a game to keep me going. The things I have really done right and have created great game war stories. This helps me to get through when things don’t go so well.
One thing that I do in my game after we finish a session and before everyone leaves is “Stars and Wishes” Everyone gives “Stars” one to each of the other players and the DM for something they really loved the person did that game. Example: “Carrie, I really loved that interaction you had with the shopkeeper. You wove in your character’s backstory and I didn’t think that was possible. John, you ran that combat so great. It was interesting and moved quickly. I didn’t want to look at my phone once.” Each person says one thing about everyone else. I think it really helps the players to appreciate the game, gives everyone an ego boost, and gives the DM ideas of what the players like to see that is updated each session. The “Wishes” part is one thing the player and/or their character wants to see happen “I can’t wait until we confront Fordo!” or “My character wants to become strong enough to defeat her father.” I think this has really helped with what you are describing here in the video. At least for me anyway. It may not work for everyone, but for me it helps everyone at my table appreciate the game and manage expectations.
My friend let's call him Todd
"Sup?" - that got me for some reason.
Vanderbilt: “Jeff would never have dropped any shotguns. *snooty laughter*”
*_shakes fist_* VANDERBILT!!!!
What a twist ending!
Excellent video. It also strikes me that Matt Mercer is enabled by professional voice actors that are invested in the game and cooperating with the GM and each other. It is amazing how GMs are help up to this super high bar but players do not simultaneously demand their own standards rise. A lot of players do sit and wait for entertainment to be dropped in their laps.
Good video
Matt is good but he’s also a professional
Who has time to be like that if you have a regular job with family and such
Go out have fun and game
Have a good game
Firstly, your commenters are freaking hilarious, and your channel is great. Yay, new sub. But to be randomly more serious, thank you for this...not just as a reflection of a phenomenon that happens at the D&D table, but for its pertinence to daily life and relationship expectations. I actually sent this to a friend who keeps lamenting in front of me (her friend) that she’ll never have a friendships as close as other people, and with the introduction of critical role in her life, like Liam and Sam have. This is a really great thing for people on both sides of that fence to hear.
Incidentally, David Tennant is, in fact, perfect.
Excellent as usual and I am so glad that no-one in any my games has pulled that one on me. I have worries enough because some of my players make notes at the table of everything that I say.