Matthew Mercer Reveals His Eight Greatest Critical Role Moments

Ask a Critter for their favorite moment in Critical Role, and you receive answers spanning numerous campaigns, miniseries, one-shots, and live shows. That remains the beauty of Critical Role: the vast scope ensures every fan holds beloved memories unique to their experience.

Consider the creators behind Critical Role. After many Dungeons & Dragons and Daggerheart adventures together, each person maintains personal favorites. Matthew Mercer, the internet director and Dungeon Master, counts among them.

Mercer shared eight memorable moments from the history of Critical Role on Beacon, the streaming platform, via a series titled Founders Favorites. He highlights moments that carry personal meaning as both a player and a Dungeon Master.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Critical Role Campaign 2: The Mighty Nein, Campaign 3: Bells Hells, The Search for Grog, and Exandria Unlimited: Divergence.

The Search for Grog live-show

While the group performed several live shows previously, notably at GenCon, “The Search for Grog” emerged as a one-shot following Vox Machina as they hunted Grog’s soul after it was stolen and trapped in the Plane of Pandemonium.

Hosted at the Ace Hotel Theatre in Los Angeles, the one-shot marked a monumental milestone for Mercer. The screaming crowd helped him realize the widespread affection for the show after years of live performances.

“It was insane,” Mercer says in his Founder Favorites interview, “but the sound that everyone in that theatre made, that was the moment I understood sports.”

Jester’s cupcake

Viewers of Campaign 2 remember when Jester, the tiefling cleric, tricked the hag Ishemai into believing she agreed to end Nott’s curse in episode 93 of the second campaign. The scene highlights Laura Bailey utilizing the tools provided by her Dungeon Master. Mercer admitted it stands as one of his favorite moments, showing the impact of Bailey’s decision.

“I’ve never been more proud/deflated by a character choice in the sense of what I had prepared for it,” Mercer says. “It’s such a great example of player ingenuity, dice, and me not realizing when I gave them an item that I was undoing my own plot point down the road, which is the truest Dungeon Master experience.”

Mollymauk’s death

Mollymauk Tealeaf won and broke hearts during his short time in Campaign 2. As one of Taliesin Jaffe’s characters, he carried an intriguing blank-slate background. Unfortunately, Mollymauk met an end at the hands of Lorenzo in episode 26 of Campaign 2, “Found & Lost.”

“It was a player’s death at a moment when the majority of the party that had access to resurrection-type magic was gone,” Mercer says, referring to the kidnapping of the party’s healer, Jester.

Caleb gives the beacon back to the Bright Queen

The Mighty Nein operated as morally ambiguous anti-heroes who prioritized self-preservation, separating them from the heroes of Vox Machina. That perception shifted when Caleb Widogast, played by Liam O’Brien, returned the beacon to the Bright Queen and the Kryn Dynasty in episode 56, “The Favor,” of Campaign 2, despite the Kryn Dynasty being viewed as an evil group.

“That maneuver completely shifted the direction and tone of the campaign,” Mercer says. “Another great example of how the tabletop collaborative experience is so unique.”

Bells Hells first fight with Otohan Thull

“I’m going to be a little selfish here from a DM standpoint,” Mercer teases about his next choice.

The fight between Otohan Thull and Bells Hells in Campaign 3, episode 33, “Blood and Dust,” stands as a bloody battle in the history of the show.

Despite fielding a full party, Bells Hells failed to defeat Otohan in Bassuras. The encounter left characters downed and led to the death of Laudna, played by Marisha Ray.

Otohan proved too strong to overcome, and Mercer admitted he enjoyed watching the fear in his players’ eyes.

“The realization that things were happening on a scope and scale beyond their momentary ability to tackle was delicious,” Mercer says with a grin.

Bringing Laudna back

Following Laudna’s death, Bells Hells sought to bring their friend back from the abyss. They traveled to Whitestone in episode 36, “A Desperate Call,” of Campaign 3 to ask Vox Machina for assistance in resurrecting Laudna. Because resurrection requires more than a simple spell, the group entered Laudna’s psyche.

Laudna’s backstory connects to Delilah Briarwood, a villain from Campaign 1, plunging the cast back into a familiar location altered by Laudna’s shattered psyche.

“The entire fight at the base of the Sun Tree in this space was a lot of fun to prepare,” Mercer says, “and a lot of fun to watch their reactions to.”

Bells Hells films a porno

During Campaign 3, a memorable scene occurred in episode 44, “Bawdy Basement Belligerence.”

While attempting to escape a fight with an air elemental, Bells Hells decided to strip down to their underwear and pretend to film a pornographic movie.

“That sort of escalation is a beautiful example of D&D, in my opinion,” Mercer says.

The episode generated humor as Mercer watched the players commit to the bit, forcing him to adapt on the spot.

The callback of a lifetime in Exandria Unlimited: Divergence

The Exandria Unlimited miniseries explores the origins of Exandria. By the end of Divergence, Dungeon Master Brennan Lee Mulligan and player Liam O’Brien deliver an emotional surprise for Mercer.

The final scenes of Divergence reveal that Mercer’s dwarven character, Garen, serves as the mortal incarnation of the All-Hammer, who shaped Exandria. O’Brien portrays Bahamut, who appears to Mercer’s character to provide a tour of the creation—a callback to Mercer building Exandria to play games with his friends.

“It’s a moment that will forever live carved in my heart,” Mercer confesses.

Source: Polygon