This is a really great resource for me as a rising DM, and a wonderful podcast for me as a crafter. I shall continue making references to this show that my friends and family will not understand, driving them slowly mad and forcing them to listen to it. :)

There was just a drop off every season campaign 1 was great but 3 was unlistenable.

I began playing in 1983 while I was in middle school actively until 2001. After watching Stranger Things I was struck with nostalgia of being a middle school boy in the early 80’s playing with my friends. This inspired me to start playing again. Two years back, 2023, I was recommended Critical Role and have listened obsessively ever since. It has inspired me to create two games as a DM. I have integrated pieces of the characters I grew to like from the show. Don’t listen to this show and expect to have the same story telling experience in your own games. Listen to this show for inspiration and the pure joy of it. You won’t be disappointed!

I’ll say up front, I do no like Sam Regal. He is my least favorite, and I’ve never liked any of his characters for more than a scene. So there’s some bias. I missed all of C1, so can’t say much. I missed some of C2 since it isn’t all on here, but I mostly enjoyed it. There were more than a few scenes I had to skip because of how cringey the dialogue got (Beau and Yasha scenes mainly, but some Nott and Jester ones, too. Though with Jester it was because I can’t stand the high pitched voice.) But over overall I enjoyed it, and the one shots involving the characters. C3 though… I have constantly felt so close to dropping the show. Skipping multiple episodes at once at one point. The only thing keeping me barely holding on is Matt and his world building. But all the problems I had with C2 are spread across 90% of the characters in C3 and I hate it so much. At multiple points it felt like the game would devolve into an ERP campaign. Why was it so gucking horning all the time. There were so many critical moments that were staggered because of one reason or another, ruining any build up to something cool. The players were so much worse in their decision paralysis, and despite playing for many years now, some of them still can’t remember their basic spells or class stuff. I’m at episode 98 of C3, and I’m ready to officially drop this. I love Matt Mercer and Liam and Travis, but the rest have started to seriously urk me.

While I can’t really speak to Critical Role, I know many people who listen to and love it. I listen to Wildemount Wildlings and can say that it’s fantastic!

It’s a great podcast but I still think tales from the stinky dragon is better.

Probably the best D&D podcast to listen to. They do curse a lot so not recommended for kids. The story’s are incredible and Mercer puts such detail into everything that it creates an immersive experience. When I watch the anime Vox Machina based on their first campaign everything looked exactly how I imagined it. I will say though that listening to it through pod cast has some moments where I go to YouTube to view it because I miss some visual things. Especially Mercers battle maps that are beautiful. I’ve been listening to Critical Role every time I get into the car for the past 8 years and I’ll never get tired of it.

Started this podcast at season 3 episode 1. Not one hour into it, the players weren’t on par with the DM. He was quite descriptive, if not a little verbose, but the players’ vocabulary quickly devolved to dropping far too many F-bombs aren’t children play acting at how they think an adult acts.

I’ve been a fan forever. Whether you start with Campaign 3, 2, or 1 you’ll love it!!

I love this show but after all these years why do I have to deal with the skips where it jumps back in time a few seconds. Please fix this.

The Mighty Nein campaign finally concluded… why’d you guys have to river dance on my feelings? I can’t wait to start with campaign 3, but I know I’m gonna miss having these misfits as the main cast. This is one of the best stories I’ve ever listened to, bar none. If you have the time, the interest, and the motivation, let these wonderful people take you on a journey.

So many silly moments. I’ve fallen in love with all the characters and their shinanigans. Amazing voice actors, world building, and opening bits from Sam Regal. My boyfriend turned me onto this and I can’t stop listening to it—highly suggest!

There is a beautiful interplay of levity & depth in these two that I should’ve realized was there, and I did - but I just didn’t fully appreciate it until Weird Kids. I’ve loved their storytelling and talents on Critical Role, but it’s a different kind of special to hear their personal stories and how it flows so naturally when speaking w/ someone you trust and love. Okay, Weird Kids, I see you. Thanks for… unloading on us?

I just started listening to this and I looove Matt's GMing style! It's helping me so much with being a GM myself. There's not much advice online that fits the problems I usually have, but listening to Matt almost always helps me. (Especially with improvisational stuff, which I really struggle with.) Gonna start my first homemade campaign soon, and listening to this just is really helping me prepare.

It’s basically just a really long ad break now. It’s unbearable to start listening to each time.

I’m writing this on a whim that you might see it someday you incredible story tellers… It’s your fault I still have an imagination… It’s your fault I can truly relax in the chaos… It’s your fault I still see the necessity of storytelling… It’s your fault that I can love fake characters so deeply… Your guys connection and the stories you tell have meant the world to me. I’ve been here since campaign one. Playing your podcast while I wired electrical panels on an assembly line over ten years ago. To now playing the final episode of c3 while working as an engineer for a hospital. As a young 32 year old man, father of two, dedicated husband, working a night shift, and still sometimes struggling to get by. I have enjoyed coming back to you all every Thursday (kind of a lie sometimes I wait so I can binge episodes) for most of my adult life... Thank you for showing me how meaningful it is to imagine and dream and create whole worlds with the ones you love. Starting a campaign for my babies now that they are of an age capable of understanding some of the “rules”. I will forever be thankful to you all. Thanks CR podcast. This is ALL your fault. PS: this goes for the production crew as well. I know how hard you guys work in the background keeping track of lore, creating art, etc. Truly one of the most symbiotic and beautiful crews to ever produce a creative medium for all of us needs to enjoy.

I miss c1… 😭😭😭

Amazing podcast!! I listen to it all the time. I would highly recommend to any one looking for a good laugh and a great story.

Talented voice actors some of whom are very funny. Mercer is unique and often carries the show. Kind of feels like hanging out with the theatre kids from high school if that’s your thing. Has lost some of its organic feel and become much more corporate as they scale for influence and $$$$ but good for them; I’m sure voice acting is a hard gig.

I have recently gotten into dnd and I really wanted to see what actual gameplay looks like. I watched the very first episode of Campaign 3 and oh my gosh…the storytelling and characters are all so amazing!!! If you’re looking for a podcast that has deep storytelling, fantasy, and the dumbest jokes that will make you laugh every single time, give it a shot! Gave this podcast a test run, and now i’m never leaving <3

Been a fan of this crazy crew since 2017. I love the cast as they deep dive into the characters and attempt to experience what they are experiencing whether it be emotional, spiritual, or psychological. The best part is that game flow is organic rather than forced (or scripted), which makes following the storyline very pleasurable and even more amazing since it is improved. I love DnD, and this show displays the game as very pleasurable and playable! Consider it a very in-depth TV show that you use your imagination to display. It’s a beautiful mix of creativity and practicality. Love. This. Show.

This show is so much fun and I am very behind but it’s still so cool and fun. They should fix the upload problem it is anticlimactic to here the same sentence twice.

wasted so much time listening to kill everyone. Not super fun, just bad storytelling. Won’t be listening to more. Why bother investing in more characters when they’ll likely be dead in another thirty episodes. And it’s not even the first character killed? The best episodes of this were when Aabria GM’d. Had super high hopes but why bother with more. The players talk over each other so much it’s actually hard to hear anything.

I don’t really know what to say. The cast of Critical Role are a bunch of beautiful humans, and i’m very happy that we can all listen to the journeys they go on. Thanks Matt Mercer…

I love CR and it was literally years before I knew what the faces behind the voices sounded like. Lately they added ads. And it make me sad. The add breaks happen right after the into song and really is discordant. It knocks me out of the show and makes it unpleasant to listen to. The second break just cuts into the show at a random point in time mid sentence. CR you have a break. Please put your ads there rather than right in the middle of a sentence. Listen, enjoy, it’s wonderful, but if they had an ad free podcast like the twitch stream for the same cost I’d be on that like Scanlan would be on Cheney!

My daughter convinced me to listen to Calamity- and after that limited series I was hooked. Immediately invested in the characters and the actors. Ya’ll are fantastic- can’t recommend the show highly enough! ❤️ Even the ads are fun to listen to! My only regret is that because they’re on the west coast, I can’t watch live on Twitch and still be able to get up for work in the am!

I’m completely new to the world of role playing games, but this podcast is so much fun. The characters are interesting, and the people playing them are even more fun. Best of all, you really feel like you’re part of this tight-knit group that gets to play together every week.

I LOVE critical role. I’ve been listening since literally C1E11 aired. But it’s gotten unbearable to listen to as a podcast. So much eating into the mics, crackling of bags, etc. it sounds trivial to people who don’t struggle with Hispanic, but it’s truly intolerable. Such a bummer.

My husband tried to get me to watch CR at the beginning of C3. I was like “why would I watch people sit around and play DnD?” Then later we listened the podcast while the car, and for whatever reason I got hooked. I went back (bc I had been a half a year behind) and rewatched and listened to every C3 episode that was out and am now on time with the new ones. Plus I have ventured to the other campaigns and LOVE them. We’ve watch the animated show together and can’t wait for the new season of that. It has also piqued my interest in playing DnD myself-though I never had before. I am even developing a story to GM. This group of people seem so genuine and fun, I wish I could be their friends in real life! lol it would rock! Thank you for sharing your story and please keep doing it!

Let me start by saying I love this show! The storytelling aspects, the characters, and the quality voices all make this the best dnd podcast out there. Unfortunately the cast being surrounded by high gain microphones make all the other sounds amplified in a very big way. I can hear Ashley open the bag of chips and start munching and crunching away. I can hear Sam unscrew the the top of his flask and take a drink. I can hear liquid being poured into a cup. When I hear these sounds, it takes me completely out of the moment and makes me instantly turn the podcast off. I can only come back when I’m prepared to endure the sounds that I know will make me want to actually scream. Edit: Just turned off C2E42 due to them coming back from the break to Talison talking with a mouth full of food and just chewing directly into the mic. I got past that, but then the candy/snack wrapper sounds started and I just couldn’t take it. It’s literally all I hear.

Started playing D&D in 82 while stationed in Germany. Loved the game, I’ve been playing off and on since then. Found critical Role when I was looking for a pod cast to listen too. I’ve listen to all the sessions for both campaigns watched a few live shows. On my second time through second campaign, already went through campaign 1 again.

I started listening at beginning of campaign 2, and campaign 3 is still great. Also enjoy the other content like Candella Obscura, and the animated series on Netflix.

I’ve seen many clips and things of this podcast and would love to watch, but I can’t catch the streams always and don’t want to listen to 5 hour episodes

I do not like the Slayer’s Retake Episode 1. The heavily edited show sounds like a bad indie video game. I will not be listening to The Slayer’s Retake podcast.

I love this podcast but I think they are really strict around the rules of DnD and that prevents them from having and giving as much fun as they could.

I don’t often give 5 stars because there always room for improvement. This group and podcast really being you into the worlds and scenes they build. The story telling. The voices and characters they build. It is an amazing experience for me.

I have not been able to play since my GM passed away when we were in high school. Listening to the good times, inside jokes, and friendships in this podcast takes me back.

Rating: ★★★★★ In a world often overwhelmed by uncertainty and stress, "Critical Role" has become my perfect mental sanctuary. As an emergency department registered nurse, my days are fraught with the weight of trauma and life-altering decisions. The pressure is unimaginable, and the need for an escape, vital. That's where this podcast has become not just a show for me, but a lifeline. "Critical Role" is a unique blend of storytelling, humor, and camaraderie, masterfully woven together by a group of incredibly talented voice actors. What sets it apart for me is how Matt Mercer's creative genius, Sam Riegel's unending humor, and Travis Willingham's infectious enthusiasm come together to create an experience that's as calming as it is captivating. It's a rare find: a podcast that can truly transport you to another world, offering a brief respite from our often harsh reality. Listening on my commute, I find myself not just a listener but a participant, imagining myself at the table with them, dice in hand, embarking on epic adventures. It's here, in these moments, that the stresses of my job begin to fade, giving way to laughter and a sense of belonging. On my days off, the show becomes the perfect companion for hiking, allowing me to unwind amidst nature while being engrossed in the magical realms of D&D. "Critical Role" is much more than just entertainment; it serves as a reminder of the beauty of storytelling and the power of imagination. It's a podcast that consistently manages to brighten even my darkest days, bringing smiles when they are needed the most. Despite having never met them, I feel a deep sense of gratitude towards the entire cast for their authenticity and the joy they've brought into my life. To those out there who find themselves fascinated by the allure of D&D or simply in search of a storytelling experience that can carry you away from the trials of everyday life, "Critical Role" is the podcast for you. Forget the internet trolls; this show is a gem, capable of offering both a laugh and a moment's peace in the midst of chaos. I am proud to be a listener and will continue to be one as long as the show runs, which, hopefully, will be indefinitely.

Sam. I can see him as a “fun friend”. But he disrupts the group and game. If I FF, it’s usually his segments

NB: The audio skipping problem goes away if you download the entire episode before starting to play it. I think this is an Apple problem, not a CR problem, due to the length of the shoes. I used to enjoy listening to the podcast during my commute, and I’d let the ads at the beginning and the breaks play to support the show. Sadly, the ads are now inserted at random in the stream and are much louder than the actual scenes… you’ll be listening to a touching moment being whispered among the cast and A REALLY LOUD AD WITH DRIVING MUSIC CUTS IN MID-WORD BLASTING YOUR EARS AND RUINING THE MOMENT. This happens many times per episode. It’s ruined the experience so much I’m stopping listening to the podcast. Sadly, since i don’t have time to watch a video stream, CR will lose a listener. Hope those ads make up for my leaving, as the team seems like good people.

Great Podcast but why is season 2 so incomplete

This cast, these friends, they are consistent in their high quality performances and storytelling. The characters are lovable and complex and the plots are fully immersive. The best of the best.

Discovered Critical Role via a random post from a stranger on social media, reacting to a big plot point—barely knew anything about D&D. Got interested, watched the first episode of campaign 2 to see what it was about. It’s now hundreds of hours later and I’m still watching/listening. Dig in, you won’t regret it.

Just perfect I hate tribble2 he left a one star

It’s critrole. It’s the best.

I came to this party late and have been delighting in the storytelling, and humor in this show. The highlight is that the cast obviously and truly enjoy each other. Their friendship and fun are what keeps me coming back.

I’ve been a long time listener and this show is me of the most amazing works of art I’ve ever had the pleasure of following.

What started as a group a talented friends telling elevated stories about friendship and its conquest over difficulty has steadily declined into that group of friends navel gazing and goofing off. There’s nothing wrong with that kind of “story,” but I for one miss the CR of the first two seasons. What once was a drama that touched the heights and depths of human emotion is now a 4-hour slapsticky joke-off. If you’re looking for epic fantasy, look elsewhere.

The ads are getting a little ridiculous, 15 minute from when i hit play to when the show actually starts is a bit much. And for the love of god please fix the upload problem. It’s annoying to hear the same 30 seconds over again.

Iphone may be the worst, clunky, convoluted, and archaic garbage ever to have existed. Thankfully, crit roll is here to make it just that little bit less truly horrendous