Brennan Lee Mulligan has built a reputation for defying tabletop conventions. Since taking the reins as Dungeon Master for Critical Role Campaign 4, Mulligan has revitalized the series with innovative house rules that keep the gameplay unpredictable. His latest creative pivot reimagines one of the most fundamental aspects of Dungeons & Dragons: the level-up process.
In a behind-the-scenes YouTube feature released this Wednesday, Mulligan sat down with the “Soldiers Table”—Travis Willingham, Sam Riegel, Laura Bailey, Robbie Daymond, and Whitney Moore—to facilitate their transition from level 3 to 4. For any D&D player, reaching level 4 is a pivotal milestone, as it grants the choice between a specialized Feat or a core Ability Score Improvement. While an ASI offers reliable statistical growth, Feats often provide the flavor and utility that define a character’s combat style.
However, Mulligan added a cinematic twist to the mechanics. Instead of the characters instantly gaining their new powers, he granted the players the agency to trigger their level-up during a “narratively satisfying” moment in a future episode. This means a hero could potentially gain a surge of health and new abilities in the heat of battle, effectively turning a mechanical upgrade into a dramatic story beat. “You have earned your level-up,” Mulligan explained to the cast, “it’s just you taking a narratively satisfying moment to do it.”
This approach diverges sharply from standard play, where leveling usually occurs between sessions to avoid stalling the game with math and decision-making. By allowing the “ping” of a level-up to happen live, Mulligan is leaning into the tropes of heroic fantasy, where protagonists find a “second wind” or a hidden reservoir of strength just as the stakes reach their peak.
To prepare for these spontaneous evolutions, players pre-rolled their new hit points and shortlisted their choices for spells and feats. The tension for the audience lies in the uncertainty; the final selection will be driven by the immediate needs of the story rather than pre-planned optimization. If a character is failing to hit their marks, they might take an ASI; if the party is desperate for crowd control, they might manifest a new spell.
Image: Cooldown/Critical Role
Travis Willingham provided a perfect example of this dilemma, weighing the combat utility of Bless against the investigative power of Detect Magic for his character, Teor. As Mulligan noted, the choice between protecting allies or seeing the unseen will signal a definitive path for Teor’s personal growth. By tying these mechanical choices to live narrative moments, the DM effectively turns character advancement into a performative art form.
The next chapter of the adventure airs on December 18 at 7 p.m. PT on Twitch and YouTube. Subscribers can also catch the full VOD via the Beacon streaming platform.
Source: Polygon
