I’m planning to write a weekly observation of each Critical Role episode where I highlight some important improv techniques, practices, and explain why certain moments work so that you can then try to incorporate these skills into your games and role paying. This isn’t meant to be a complete recap of each episode or even a thorough examination of every great part — it’s simply me talking about moments that jumped out at me and what I think we can learn from them.

Take Note of — Molly’s Character Description

I’ve been waiting a lot for this episode because I really wanted to see what these players have chosen and what choices they’ve made regarding their characters.

All the characters are absolutely amazing, but I want to point to the description of Molly. Character description is really important: as a DM, if you’re making up a character, one little detail — dark green eyes, a red ribbon in the hair, a limp, or a special heirloom — can inspire an entire character.

When I heard Taliesin describe Molly, I honestly could not have expected any other way to play him. The description matches so specifically to this fantastical and wonderfully fabulous character. Your character’s personality can be inspired by a lot of things, but a character’s appearance is a very underutilized tool for inspiration. Use it.

Concept — Saying, “Yes!”

Saying, “Yes!” is one of the pillars of improv. What it does is encourage a buildup and forward momentum of a see or a relationship. Doing this early on and often with new relationships helps set up interesting moments and interactions among characters.

I’ll just note two moments with Jester — Sam didn’t have to gamble with Jester, but he said, “Yes!” (And Liam gave him money when he thought of backing out — to help, while everyone still being in character — to say, “Yes!”) We got to see this really hilarious game that started off a bond that I am positive will develop into a really intimate friendship over the course of the campaign.

Then we have Molly and Jester’s tarot card reading. Jester’s absolute enthusiasm kind of gave Taliesin something to play with — you can see the machinations of Taliesin’s mind as he choose which cards to show off and what story he is trying to tell Jester. This would not have happened if Jester didn’t want a reading, but now there is an arc here for these characters to explore. (And down the line, potentially the DM to exploit!)

Take Note Of — Laura’s Active Listening

All the player’s do this, but I really feel like Laura is the most obvious. She is always engaged. She makes as much eye contact as possible. You can mute the stream and just by watching Laura, you can tell who is talking. This is important!

When you’re talking, if you feel people aren’t paying attention, it is easy to lose interest or stop or feel that you’re doing something wrong. During the circus performance, you can see Laura getting emotional. As a DM and another player, seeing this further engrosses you into the story and setting. The more people that are listening and engaging, the more comfortable everyone at the table will be contributing to the narrative.

Concept — Step Up, Step Down

If you’re in a game, and see that nobody is talking — talk. Do something. If you’re in a game and feel like you’re talking too much or there’s too much going on — tone it down.

The first episode had eight people trying to convey this new setting and new characters. It’s a lot to digest, and it’s okay to take your time divulging that information.

Laura’s was probably the most comfortable with her character, and so she was very active. She was engaging with other players, she was stepping up!

Travis was an example of stepping down. It’s going to take a couple of episodes for everyone to find their character, motivation, and all that other stuff. Travis saw that he could step back and let other players do those things while he observes and takes the time to become more comfortable with his character. This is a good thing. With a group this large, you’re not going to always be in the spotlight, so you have to be comfortable stepping back either for your own sake or to let somebody else step in.

Take Note Of — Different Seating Order

This won’t mean much for people that are just joining our Critical Role world, but for that have watched last season, you should be able to notice a huge dynamic among the players and how that affects their relationships.

The cast purposefully changed seats to give players a different dynamic, as they talked about in this week’s Talks Machina. And it’s something a lot of players might not be aware of. Heck, the set of Critical Role, now that all the players are at one table, has greatly impacted the closeness and intimacy of the game!

Tapletop RPGs can be a very intimate form of gaming, and who you are sitting next to is going to impact your game, mood, and vibe more than people across the table.

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This was small, but I hope it showcased a thing or two that you might help you appreciate what our cast is doing.

See you next week! Thanks for reading

Alpha portraits by @ornerine on Twitter

Edited for grammar, spelling, and clarity.