Last week, DM Matt Mercer skillfully handled Campaign 3's character introductions with an approach new to Critical Role.
With a new adventuring party and a new continent to explore, Critical Role's Campaign 3 started off with a bang. Half the cast brought new personalities to the table, while the other half brought some familiar faces from Exandria Unlimited.
As a part of this first episode, each character had the opportunity to live in a lengthy scene for their introduction to the game. Led by DM Matt Mercer, this style entirely departs from the introductions of Campaign 2.
Though different, this approach is a real masterclass in DMing the first session of a long-term campaign. Let's look at what exactly made these introductions so successful.
THE SUCCESS OF CAMPAIGN 3's INTRODUCTIONS
At the start of the episode, Mercer asks everyone at the table except for Laura Bailey and Marisha Ray to leave. Already, this is an unconventional start. By asking some players to leave, Mercer brings focus to the individuals rather than the whole party.
On top of that, separating the characters in this way creates an uneven balance of information. Some characters, like Bailey's Imogen and Ray's Laudna, will have access to info that others coming later may not. This is wildly different from the start of Campaign 2, where the characters had simultaneously jumbled together without initially knowing much of each other.
Critical Role Campaign 3 Character Introductions
This approach, though, let each character introduce themselves in memorable ways. With the focus drawn to just Imogen and Laudna, the two could highlight their personalities and drop lore without getting lost in group chatter.
Following that, the uneven balance of information sets the stage for exciting roleplay dialogue amongst the party. Players get to orchestrate their own reveals, taking control of their narrative. This approach perfectly balances Mercer's responsibilities for setting up the world while also giving his players agency to move around it.
Mercer continues to devote significant scenes to each cluster of characters in the party. Freshly Cut Grass and Ashton interact with a number of the city Jrusar's underground folks, and the Exandria Unlimited trio burst onto the scene tasked with their own search-and-find mission.
Overall, each player was able to showcase their personal motivations outside of the chaotic 8-person group dynamic. It firmly established the characters in the setting, making them feel fleshed out right from the start. It's an impressive feat of DMing, especially considering the pressure from Critical Role's massive audience.
CRITICAL ROLE AND THEIR AUDIENCE
Following that, this approach also helped endear the new group of characters to the audience much more effectively. The challenge of introducing characters to an expecting audience is daunting, especially coupled with the introduction of a potential permanent new player.
Additionally, some members of the cast, particularly Marisha Ray, had faced harassment online for their characters in the past. Mercer's method of introductions helped the players establish how and why their characters behave the way they do, giving the audience a stronger understanding of - and love for - the new characters.
All in all, anyone interested in taking up the DM's mantle can look to Mercer for some skilled approaches. The stage has been set for an exciting introductory arc, and I can't wait for the next episode. For those who want to jump on the Critical Role train, they stream live episodes on their Twitch and YouTube channels on Thursdays.