A few quick thoughts on Critical Role Campaign 3

[owlmoose]

It's not possible to talk about this without spoilers, so I won't even try. I know not everyone is on board with this, but I love love love that Liam and Ashley are playing their Exandria Unlimited characters, and that they've brought Robbie/Dorian along for the ride. I never did share my thoughts about EXU here, but the short version is that I enjoyed it quite a lot. Aabria is a brilliant DM, it was really exciting to watch Matt play a character for more than a one-shot, and I thought it was a great group with great dynamics, although it took me awhile to warm to Opal and I still don't love her as much as the others. But Orym and Fearne are both wonderful, and Dorian is hands down my favorite character from that arc. When Matt asked Liam, Ashley, and Robbie to come to the table and started talking about the charge they'd been given by the Voice of the Tempest, my jaw dropped, and I gasped in glee, and I think I went into a fugue state from joy for several minutes. In short, I think this was an excellent choice, and I'm so excited to get to know these characters better. (And now maybe we know why Aabria started everyone at L1 and only brought them up to L3?) Although I don't imagine that Robbie will be a regular long-term cast member, I dearly hope he sticks around for at least a few episodes, and then comes back from time to time. I imagine that the lack of guest players in the second half of Campaign 2 was largely a feature of the pandemic, but I still felt the absence of returning characters like Zhara and Kash. How great would it have been to have Keg come back, or Khallie, or Shokasta more than once?

I am less excited about Travis as Bertrand Bell, but that's less because he's a returning character and more because I just can't imagine Bell being very entertaining to watch over the long term. There's a reason that Gilderoy Lockhart isn't the hero of the story. Given that he's a couple of levels higher than the rest of the group, I wonder if he's just there as a short term character to introduce the rest of the crew to Eshteross, and we'll meet his main character later? Or maybe not -- maybe Bertrand really is what Travis decided to go with. I suppose I trust him and Matt to make almost anything work. But I am a bit nervous.

It's too soon to say much about the other four, although it will be fun to see Taliesin especially playing a very different sort of character than before. I'm sure I'll have more to say later.

Comments

[schneefink]

I only managed to catch the first hour on rebroadcast but I read spoilers and I am excited about all characters :)

[owlmoose]

There is a ton of potential for this group! Can't wait to learn more about them.

[singedsun]

I only watched the first two eps of EXU - I just couldn't get into it the same way (I also was watching Aabria's Dimension 20 and that immediately had my whole attention, so I think I had a hard time watching both since they started airing about the same time). I do want to go back and catch up though, especially since they've brought in Orym, Fearne & Dorian. I really enjoyed Fearne in the first two eps of EXU I did watch and I'm definitely excited to see more from all three of those characters.

I saw some speculation that Travis playing Bertrand again means he might not be around as much for some part of C3 (a little Ashley-esque). I hope that's not the case. But I also do really like that character, especially as this sort of bumbling old man who thinks of himself as an adventurer but really isn't. If it's only to get the characters into an arrangement and then dip into someone brand new? I'd be okay with that too though. I do think it's odd that they brought him in at level 5 and I don't think they'd leave him two levels above everyone for the whole game. So either they're planning for him to be in and out and just eventually the party will eclipse him in level, or there's something else afoot. I'm kind of okay with either.

[owlmoose]

It's definitely worth watching. Aabria has a different GM style from Matt in many ways, but especially for a short-term story I thought it worked really well. I'm wondering if they'll bring her in as a guest DM for some shorter arcs? They've never had a guest DM on main campaign before, but it's a really interesting idea.

I hadn't heard the theory about Travis not being around as much, and although the thought makes me sad, it also makes sense as a reason for playing Bertrand. He's a neat idea for a character, I'm just not sure how long it will work. As I said, I do trust this group to make almost anything entertaining though, so I'm not deeply concerned.