Adventuring Academy S07E02 Getting Thrown to the Wolves with Robbie Daymond DRPO H 264

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Transcript

00:00:07Hello and welcome to Adventuring Academy.

00:00:09I'm your humble Dungeon Master, Brennan Lee Mulligan.

00:00:11With me today, a man who needs no introduction,

00:00:13but he's gonna good and goddamn get one.

00:00:15You know him as a prolific voice actor

00:00:17who's appeared in numerous movies, shows, and games.

00:00:19You've heard his voice in Sailor Moon, Persona 5,

00:00:24Cyberpunk 2077, and many more.

00:00:26In, we believe that this will be airing in 2026.

00:00:29We hope and pray.

00:00:30We might say things on camera that means this cannot air,

00:00:33but if it airs, it will be in 2026,

00:00:36where a new season has just dropped with Robby

00:00:38as Megumi Fushiguro in Jujutsu Kaisen

00:00:41and Virgil in Netflix's Devil May Cry series.

00:00:44The co-founder of Sassy Chap Games,

00:00:47where he was kind enough to cast me

00:00:48in the hit video game Date Everything.

00:00:51Oh, what a hoot I had.

00:00:53And of course, a cast member at Critical Role

00:00:56known as Dorian Storm from EXU and Campaign 3,

00:00:59Howard Margrove from Canelo Obscura,

00:01:01and my own player in Campaign 4 as Cadigan Vale,

00:01:06my friend and yours, Mr. Robby Damon.

00:01:09Oh, we're here in the neon thunderdome

00:01:13I've dreamed of this day.

00:01:14It's good.

00:01:15I thought I was the king of dynamic vocal modulation,

00:01:18and you got me cooked.

00:01:19Your voice is so beautiful and sonorous,

00:01:23but it bounces around like a racket.

00:01:26Ball, ball.

00:01:27Ping, bang.

00:01:28Boom, boom.

00:01:29It comes from my training,

00:01:31my theatrical training as an actor.

00:01:34Oh, yeah.

00:01:35How to use the instrument was from getting kids

00:01:38to pay attention to instructions as an evil wizard.

00:01:42Okay.

00:01:43So, like, picture a villain at a LARP camp being like,

00:01:46you fools, tonight the kingdom of Jada falls.

00:01:50I will seize your castle,

00:01:53and when I do, remember,

00:01:56don't flee out the back of the castle.

00:01:59The hill is very steep and very slippery.

00:02:03I'm just picturing this not in any official capacity.

00:02:06You were just at a public park,

00:02:07and these kids are like,

00:02:08who is this guy?

00:02:10You fools!

00:02:11Do you not behold my billowing cape?

00:02:14Just kicking a soccer ball,

00:02:16really furrowed brows.

00:02:18Yeah, someone being like,

00:02:18you can't do that here!

00:02:20He's back again.

00:02:21He's back again.

00:02:21He's got a cloak of this guy.

00:02:22Call the Rangers!

00:02:25Yeah, I know a little bit of your backstory, too.

00:02:27Yeah, yeah.

00:02:28Well, but we're not here to discuss my backstory, Robbie.

00:02:31We're here to discuss,

00:02:33speaking of backstory,

00:02:35our first time getting to play with each other

00:02:38really seriously was

00:02:41that one-shoddy stuff,

00:02:42and then we did a charity game or something.

00:02:44During the COVID era,

00:02:45I think we did a charity game once.

00:02:47A little zoomy something or other.

00:02:48Yeah, but that's not,

00:02:49listen, it matters,

00:02:50and the charity's good,

00:02:51but it's not the same as this.

00:02:53I have been so delighted

00:02:55to get a chance to play with you.

00:02:57I've been so delighted,

00:02:59speaking of backstory,

00:03:00to not only get to play with Cadigan Vale,

00:03:03where I got such a delightful backstory

00:03:06from you for that character,

00:03:08and it was really funny

00:03:09because this is coming out

00:03:10after the campaign has come out,

00:03:12where, like Cadigan,

00:03:14a stoic, strong, silent type,

00:03:16and I think people in the BTS we did for it

00:03:19were surprised when I was like,

00:03:20oh, Robbie had a very textured,

00:03:21layered backstory for this character

00:03:23because people see this silent ranger,

00:03:26and I think it was very telling

00:03:28about the kind of theater kids

00:03:29that watch actual play

00:03:30where they're like,

00:03:31what do you mean a quiet person

00:03:33could have a complicated interior?

00:03:35Yeah, that's an interesting thing, right?

00:03:37Like, especially if you're in something

00:03:38for the long haul.

00:03:40I hint, I'm such a confession,

00:03:43I hate it.

00:03:44I'm a vague poster.

00:03:46I really do, like,

00:03:48I don't post a lot.

00:03:50You're a hinter.

00:03:50But I, yeah, I like to hint,

00:03:52I like to seed,

00:03:53and like six months ago,

00:03:55I was like,

00:03:56gee, it's gonna be tough

00:03:57to play a character

00:03:58that's not immediately likable,

00:04:00which is a specialty of mine.

00:04:03Maybe that's typecasting,

00:04:04I don't know.

00:04:04But like, I wanted someone

00:04:06that you could sink your teeth into

00:04:07that takes a little bit of time,

00:04:08a little bit of slow burn.

00:04:10We had to,

00:04:10we only had eight episodes

00:04:12to shoot EXU.

00:04:13So when we were creating

00:04:15these characters

00:04:16that we didn't know

00:04:17were gonna transition into C3,

00:04:19we felt like,

00:04:20God, we gotta come out

00:04:20of the gates just so hot.

00:04:23And I was like,

00:04:23well, I've earned a little bit

00:04:25of trust with the CR fandom,

00:04:27I feel like.

00:04:28And the people that really

00:04:29know the way I play

00:04:30and the way I've talked

00:04:31about this role,

00:04:32hopefully they understand

00:04:34that there's stuff coming,

00:04:36that still waters run deep,

00:04:37you know?

00:04:37And I feel like we're getting there.

00:04:39Yeah.

00:04:39It's really,

00:04:41I think that's absolutely

00:04:42the nail on the head.

00:04:44And I think what's really lovely

00:04:45is the creative choices

00:04:47that you make

00:04:47are made based

00:04:49on the parameters

00:04:49of the project.

00:04:50I mean, certainly,

00:04:51that's been my experience

00:04:51as a GM for Campaign 4

00:04:52is so much of the fun of it

00:04:55is when you have something

00:04:55with hard parameters

00:04:56where it's like,

00:04:57here's what we're trying to do,

00:04:59here's who we're trying

00:04:59to do it with,

00:05:00here's the format

00:05:01and the structure

00:05:01that's gonna work best

00:05:02for us as a show,

00:05:03a cast,

00:05:04and a company.

00:05:04And you go,

00:05:05oh, rad.

00:05:07These parameters now

00:05:08actually give shape

00:05:09and form to the creativity.

00:05:11Sure.

00:05:11Talk to me about the,

00:05:14well, I wanna talk about

00:05:15how you make characters,

00:05:17but I also wanna talk about

00:05:18why you make characters.

00:05:19Sure.

00:05:19Take me back through

00:05:20your creative origins.

00:05:22Oh, yeah.

00:05:22Was TTRPG always in the cards

00:05:25or is that something

00:05:26that you discovered

00:05:26on your journey

00:05:27as a creator and a performer?

00:05:29TTRPG was never on the cards.

00:05:30Yeah.

00:05:31It's, listen,

00:05:32I, it was brought to me

00:05:34and as an opportunity

00:05:36that I didn't expect.

00:05:37I know the people from CR

00:05:39that we work in the same,

00:05:40you know, field,

00:05:42but even though there were moments

00:05:44where it was hinted,

00:05:45they're like,

00:05:45oh, come and guest on the show

00:05:46and they're kind of playing with it

00:05:47in the early campaigns,

00:05:49I just,

00:05:50I know and love nerds

00:05:52because I have been one

00:05:53for a long time

00:05:54and I know they can smell a fake

00:05:55from a mile away, right?

00:05:57Yeah.

00:05:57So I guess,

00:05:58I wouldn't say it was fearful,

00:05:59but I was trepidatious

00:06:00because I would,

00:06:01if I went in there

00:06:02with these people

00:06:02that love this stuff so much,

00:06:04they're gonna know

00:06:05that I'm not an OG like that

00:06:07and that I'm learning

00:06:08to be a part

00:06:09of the storytelling process.

00:06:11But when the opportunity came along,

00:06:12when Marisha asked me

00:06:13to sign up the show,

00:06:14the timing was right

00:06:15and I felt like,

00:06:16well, I am a gamer.

00:06:17I do love games

00:06:17and I do love storytelling

00:06:19and I'm a theater kid

00:06:20through and through.

00:06:21This is the time.

00:06:22So then you learn,

00:06:24talk about parameters.

00:06:25You learn how to tell stories

00:06:26within a system

00:06:26and one you're unfamiliar with

00:06:28and for me,

00:06:29after 15 years

00:06:30of doing voiceover,

00:06:31it really sparked

00:06:32something creative in me

00:06:33that was new,

00:06:34which is really cool

00:06:35when you're in your late 30s

00:06:36and you get a chance

00:06:37at a new creative spark.

00:06:38That does not happen

00:06:39all that often.

00:06:40So for me,

00:06:42creating characters

00:06:43is a joy

00:06:44because I've mostly

00:06:46only embodied them

00:06:47through the majority

00:06:48of my career

00:06:48until later on in life.

00:06:50When I started making video games,

00:06:52when I started

00:06:52doing role-playing games,

00:06:54it gave me that chance

00:06:55to do that

00:06:57in a way

00:06:57that I didn't imagine

00:06:58myself having.

00:06:59I was content as a performer

00:07:00for the most part.

00:07:01Yeah.

00:07:02I mean,

00:07:02because we also,

00:07:03and this is very fun,

00:07:04we had,

00:07:05I'm going to say,

00:07:05I'm going to give

00:07:06a superlative here.

00:07:07Oh.

00:07:08Best airplane companion.

00:07:11I think,

00:07:12truly,

00:07:12honestly,

00:07:13coming back

00:07:15from Gen Con,

00:07:16I sat next to you

00:07:17and your brilliant

00:07:18and fascinating wife

00:07:19and had the time

00:07:20of my fucking life.

00:07:21Us too.

00:07:22Just cutting it up

00:07:23and sharing stories.

00:07:24It was really delightful.

00:07:26And the,

00:07:28but you have

00:07:30a extreme,

00:07:32I'll say this,

00:07:33you have an extremely

00:07:34lore-rich life.

00:07:37You have a storied life.

00:07:40And it's very cool

00:07:41because you come

00:07:41armed to the teeth

00:07:42for storytelling.

00:07:43Yeah,

00:07:43well,

00:07:44I have really

00:07:45low risk aversion.

00:07:48I've just always been like,

00:07:49not to say that

00:07:51I would ever

00:07:52endanger others.

00:07:53I'm a good dad.

00:07:54But as far as myself goes,

00:07:56I'm a very much,

00:07:57you know,

00:07:58as an improv guy,

00:07:59I'm a yes and to life.

00:08:00Yeah.

00:08:01And I,

00:08:02that has opened up

00:08:03so many opportunities

00:08:04for me

00:08:05and pathways

00:08:06that I feel like

00:08:07if I had any like

00:08:09boon stat

00:08:10that was given to me,

00:08:11it was,

00:08:12I'm not overly fearful.

00:08:13And I think it's because

00:08:14I had really good parents

00:08:16who taught me

00:08:16that my

00:08:18internal capabilities

00:08:19as a person

00:08:20would always outweigh

00:08:21any system

00:08:22that I was a part of,

00:08:23right?

00:08:23What a lesson.

00:08:24That's fucking rules.

00:08:25And then they're good parents

00:08:26who also lived

00:08:28a rich and storied life.

00:08:29So like,

00:08:30I was very fortunate

00:08:31to have a tumultuous

00:08:34childhood,

00:08:34but with a really good

00:08:35foundation of parents.

00:08:37So when it comes

00:08:37to storytelling,

00:08:38they gave me the opportunity

00:08:39to know that

00:08:40even though I had

00:08:41the capacity

00:08:42to do other things,

00:08:43I wanted to pursue

00:08:44the performing arts.

00:08:45Yeah.

00:08:45And I gotta be real.

00:08:47As someone who ended up

00:08:48teaching it

00:08:48at the university level,

00:08:50that's hard for a parent to do.

00:08:51Yeah.

00:08:51Because the likelihood

00:08:52of you and I

00:08:53being in this scenario

00:08:54is so low

00:08:55for anybody out there.

00:08:57But at the same time,

00:08:58anybody can do it.

00:09:00Yeah.

00:09:00It's an interesting thing.

00:09:03But yeah,

00:09:03when it comes

00:09:04to creating a character,

00:09:05I feel like I've

00:09:06lived a life

00:09:08that I can

00:09:10thematically tell stories

00:09:12without necessarily

00:09:12having to self-insert.

00:09:14I think that's one

00:09:15of the pitfalls

00:09:15of being a performer,

00:09:18but maybe a poorly

00:09:18trained performer

00:09:19from like a pedagogy

00:09:20standpoint,

00:09:21is if you're always

00:09:22trying to insert

00:09:22your own personal experiences

00:09:24into a performance,

00:09:25that's gonna come off of,

00:09:26it's just gonna be

00:09:27derivative of you.

00:09:29But if you have lived a life

00:09:31and you can understand

00:09:32what those experiences were

00:09:33as you get older,

00:09:34you can craft a character

00:09:35that can tell those kind of stories

00:09:37without having to be about you.

00:09:38Right?

00:09:38I always felt that way

00:09:40of whenever I encountered

00:09:42performance styles

00:09:43or methodologies

00:09:44that tried to do

00:09:46an end run

00:09:48around imagination

00:09:49and the fact that people

00:09:50can just be very different

00:09:51from each other.

00:09:52You know,

00:09:53like there are certain people

00:09:54where it's like,

00:09:54oh, it can all come from something

00:09:55that you've experienced

00:09:56and you go,

00:09:58not quite though, right?

00:10:00Yeah.

00:10:00Yeah, no,

00:10:01there's this idea of like,

00:10:03how in the weeds

00:10:04are we getting here?

00:10:05By, for God's sake,

00:10:06into the weeds we must go.

00:10:08Sure,

00:10:08it was just a simple concept,

00:10:09but there's this idea

00:10:10of like a first and second function

00:10:11when it comes to like

00:10:12playing an action, right?

00:10:13Like I could say to you right now,

00:10:14go chase.

00:10:15And you would go chase something,

00:10:17right?

00:10:18And it would make sense

00:10:18and I would understand watching it

00:10:19that you were chasing.

00:10:20It was very simple,

00:10:21kindergarten stuff.

00:10:22But then if I said,

00:10:23go chase the bus

00:10:24because you're late

00:10:25to your grandfather's graduation.

00:10:28Yeah.

00:10:29It's bad.

00:10:30He's been putting in so much work,

00:10:32man.

00:10:32He's been held back.

00:10:33He's been held back for 70 years.

00:10:35I was going to say funeral,

00:10:36but I felt like it was too blue.

00:10:38But you're late, whatever.

00:10:40It's going to be different.

00:10:41It's going to have a richness of emotion

00:10:42and all of that stuff.

00:10:43So I think there is a way

00:10:45to sort of cook those things in.

00:10:47And if you're just crying

00:10:48because you're thinking

00:10:49about something sad,

00:10:51you're not crying the tears

00:10:53of that character

00:10:54in the right way.

00:10:55And I think people

00:10:56that are really trained

00:10:57actors and performers

00:10:58understand that those

00:11:00truly imaginary circumstances

00:11:01lead to a specificity

00:11:03in a performance

00:11:04that you cannot replicate

00:11:05by just generating an emotion.

00:11:07So it's interesting.

00:11:08You're absolutely right.

00:11:10The color and texture

00:11:10of that is so important

00:11:11and critical.

00:11:12And it's very funny

00:11:12because we're here

00:11:13to talk about TTRPGs,

00:11:14but there's no way

00:11:14to talk about TTRPGs

00:11:16in the way that we play them

00:11:18where they're, I feel,

00:11:19heavily informed

00:11:20by our performance background.

00:11:21Oh, sure.

00:11:22And for me,

00:11:23hearing you talk

00:11:24about the acting thing,

00:11:24I think about improv

00:11:26and the things I did

00:11:27in improv

00:11:28that I realized

00:11:29were created

00:11:30for this comedy form,

00:11:31but fundamentally

00:11:31were acting lessons.

00:11:32But you're talking about

00:11:33that I used to say

00:11:34the reason you have

00:11:36to find motivation

00:11:37and justification

00:11:37in a scene

00:11:38is if you don't pick it,

00:11:41if you don't have one,

00:11:43Sure.

00:11:43The motivation

00:11:45is going to bleed through

00:11:46from you,

00:11:47the performer,

00:11:48whose motivation

00:11:49is always,

00:11:50please God,

00:11:50let this scene be good.

00:11:52And that will fuck

00:11:53everything up.

00:11:55Again,

00:11:56low risk aversion

00:11:57is very helpful.

00:11:58Yeah.

00:11:59I want my audience

00:11:59to have a great time,

00:12:01but at a certain point,

00:12:02like,

00:12:02if what you're making,

00:12:03if you don't have

00:12:04the artistic integrity

00:12:05to divorce the audience

00:12:07from what you're doing,

00:12:08you're always going

00:12:09to make choices

00:12:09that are going to feel

00:12:10like sort of like

00:12:12you're trying to placate

00:12:13the audience

00:12:14instead of being yourself.

00:12:15You want it to be a banger,

00:12:16but you've got to trust

00:12:17in the art, right?

00:12:17What I love about

00:12:18the backstory you submitted,

00:12:19and again,

00:12:20backstory gets a weird,

00:12:21backstory's in a moment

00:12:22where it has a rap

00:12:23for some reason

00:12:24in TRPGs.

00:12:25You need a fucking backstory.

00:12:26You need a fucking backstory.

00:12:27You need a fucking backstory.

00:12:29But the,

00:12:30and the reason for that

00:12:31is like you're saying,

00:12:32you're talking about

00:12:33the idea of

00:12:34the circumstances

00:12:34of a character.

00:12:35I used to think about

00:12:36that in improv

00:12:37where a character

00:12:38is the most fabricated,

00:12:39you literally can't

00:12:40have written a backstory.

00:12:41Sure.

00:12:41I would talk about

00:12:42the thing that reminds me,

00:12:44like you're saying

00:12:44the texture added

00:12:46when you know

00:12:46you're catching the bus

00:12:47to go to a funeral

00:12:48or your grandfather's graduation

00:12:49that he's worked so hard for.

00:12:51He's worked so hard for.

00:12:52I used to talk about

00:12:53speech versus speech actions.

00:12:56Oh, interesting.

00:12:57And I would say

00:12:58in improv all the time,

00:13:00you will get

00:13:0110 times better at this

00:13:03when you stop focusing

00:13:05on what is being said

00:13:07and start focusing

00:13:09on why people are saying it.

00:13:11Oh, yeah, sure.

00:13:12Right?

00:13:12Just in that way,

00:13:13I would say all the time

00:13:14where I would say

00:13:15it's very rare

00:13:16for an article of speech

00:13:19to completely map

00:13:20to the action behind it.

00:13:22Oh, yeah.

00:13:23The examples I would give

00:13:23is maybe the most honest

00:13:25form of speech

00:13:25I regularly practice

00:13:27is can I get a bacon,

00:13:28egg, and cheese,

00:13:28and a cup of coffee

00:13:29because that's one-to-one

00:13:31with the action.

00:13:32Yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:13:32Like, you know,

00:13:32I'm going like,

00:13:33I am asking for bacon,

00:13:35egg, and cheese,

00:13:35with a cup of coffee

00:13:35because I want

00:13:36a bacon, egg, and cheese

00:13:37with a cup of coffee.

00:13:38Yeah.

00:13:38Right?

00:13:39But anything else,

00:13:40you're in an elevator,

00:13:41someone presses the wrong button,

00:13:43and you go like,

00:13:44oops, I guess we're taking

00:13:45the local and not the express,

00:13:46and you go,

00:13:47right, but what is that?

00:13:49Yeah, well,

00:13:49there's entire techniques

00:13:50built around, you know,

00:13:52understanding what that is

00:13:53because I fully believe

00:13:54if, you know,

00:13:54if I'm in a two-and-a-half-hour play

00:13:56and I have a script,

00:13:57everything I need

00:13:58is in the script

00:14:00in the words that are there,

00:14:01but it's in the words.

00:14:03Yes.

00:14:04It's not the words.

00:14:05It's there,

00:14:06and understanding

00:14:07the motivation and intent

00:14:09and super objective

00:14:10of the characters

00:14:10that you're involved with

00:14:11under these imaginary circumstances

00:14:13and then embodying them

00:14:14whichever way you can,

00:14:16I'm not one of those

00:14:17where you have to go

00:14:17into a play

00:14:18and you necessarily,

00:14:19it's all there for you.

00:14:21You can write some stuff

00:14:22that'll make you

00:14:23sink into the character,

00:14:24but understanding

00:14:25that there's language

00:14:27and intent

00:14:28and it's all different,

00:14:29and it's fun.

00:14:32Being truly connected

00:14:33in that moment

00:14:33I feel like

00:14:34is what makes us people

00:14:35because people,

00:14:35not lie,

00:14:36but we don't always,

00:14:38it would be a very weird world

00:14:39where everything

00:14:40that came out of our mouths

00:14:41is exactly what we meant.

00:14:43Yeah.

00:14:43Yeah, and again,

00:14:44to understand

00:14:45that when you say,

00:14:47it's okay to acknowledge

00:14:48that a lot of language

00:14:49is expressing something

00:14:51and therefore there's something

00:14:53you're trying to use language

00:14:54to do, right?

00:14:55If I go to someone

00:14:58and I go like,

00:15:00hey,

00:15:02it was rainy out there,

00:15:04the field was muddy,

00:15:05it was hard to,

00:15:06I'm trying to cheer you up.

00:15:07If I look at you and say,

00:15:08hey, can I talk to you

00:15:09for a second?

00:15:10I'm furious.

00:15:11Sure, sure, sure.

00:15:12There's things

00:15:12where you go like,

00:15:14there are these moments

00:15:17of looking at

00:15:18what someone is trying to say

00:15:19and what they're trying to do

00:15:21with what they're trying to say

00:15:22in that a lot of times

00:15:23language is trying

00:15:24to accomplish something.

00:15:25But we definitely also

00:15:26judge each other

00:15:27in those ways.

00:15:27In a positive way,

00:15:28I'm going to say something

00:15:29about you

00:15:31that I mean

00:15:32from the bottom of my heart.

00:15:33I knew I instantly liked you

00:15:35because of the way you speak.

00:15:36I could tell immediately

00:15:38you're an honest

00:15:39and forthright man.

00:15:40And I was just like,

00:15:42this guy

00:15:44is speaking from the heart

00:15:45and there's no artifice.

00:15:47So immediately,

00:15:48not only does that make you

00:15:49charismatic for good stuff

00:15:51like this,

00:15:51but as a person,

00:15:52it makes me trust you.

00:15:53And I can see

00:15:55bullshit a mile away.

00:15:57And there's just,

00:15:58you don't have

00:15:58a speck of it on you,

00:16:00my man.

00:16:00You're squeaky clean.

00:16:01I really appreciate that.

00:16:03I feel very,

00:16:04it's super funny.

00:16:05Well, man,

00:16:06what a kind of compliment.

00:16:07I fucked with you

00:16:08right away as well

00:16:09for a very similar reason.

00:16:11Well, because again,

00:16:12it's very cool.

00:16:13I think it's really lovely.

00:16:16We're in a space

00:16:17where we make believe

00:16:19for a living

00:16:20and make believe

00:16:20shares a big border

00:16:22with lying.

00:16:23So when you find,

00:16:25so,

00:16:26yeah,

00:16:28you know what I mean?

00:16:28I know what you're saying.

00:16:29I get it.

00:16:30We all know those people.

00:16:31But it's very nice

00:16:32when you find people

00:16:33that are like,

00:16:33oh,

00:16:34I'm using this made up bullshit

00:16:35to tell the truth.

00:16:36Yeah,

00:16:36let it fall away.

00:16:38And if it can fall away,

00:16:39then you know

00:16:39you're doing the art part right.

00:16:41Yes,

00:16:41that's exactly.

00:16:44When you came

00:16:45to TTRPGs,

00:16:49you're saying

00:16:50it's a gift,

00:16:51it's fun

00:16:51to find something

00:16:52late in life.

00:16:53It's very cool too

00:16:54because I think

00:16:55like you're saying,

00:16:56I vibe with

00:16:58how you think about games

00:17:00because there's a,

00:17:02I'm trying to think

00:17:02how to put this.

00:17:05You unabashedly love

00:17:06storytelling

00:17:06and love performance.

00:17:09And there is a assumption

00:17:14on the uninitiated

00:17:15that there is a pretension

00:17:19to throwing yourself

00:17:21into something

00:17:21and taking it very seriously.

00:17:23And I think those are

00:17:24the opposite things,

00:17:26right?

00:17:27Yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:17:27And what I love about your work

00:17:28is that it's very much like,

00:17:30oh,

00:17:30let's fucking throw our bodies

00:17:32into the grain thresher of this

00:17:34and fucking do it

00:17:35to the fullest it can be done.

00:17:36And that's to me

00:17:38the most humble,

00:17:40least pretentious,

00:17:42most like,

00:17:43yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:17:43I'm lucky to be able to do this.

00:17:44I want to put my whole heart into it.

00:17:46Yeah.

00:17:46And I think,

00:17:47I think it also makes

00:17:49the mistakes

00:17:51more palatable, right?

00:17:52Like it's a complicated game

00:17:54and there are ways to do it.

00:17:57And like everything from etiquette

00:18:00to metagaming

00:18:01to all that stuff.

00:18:02And I don't always get

00:18:03all of it right.

00:18:04But when I realize

00:18:06that maybe I'm off

00:18:07or that there's a different way

00:18:08to do it,

00:18:09there's always a,

00:18:11well, listen.

00:18:12Yeah.

00:18:13You, Matt, and Aabria

00:18:15are really my only three GMs

00:18:17that I've ever had

00:18:18for any long,

00:18:19that's a pretty good

00:18:20jumping off point, right?

00:18:22Like,

00:18:24let's be real.

00:18:25So like,

00:18:26I feel like I'm in a,

00:18:28I don't know,

00:18:29well, this term is a term,

00:18:30it's got a lot of means,

00:18:31but I feel like I'm

00:18:31in a safe space

00:18:32to explore and do

00:18:34fun stuff artistically

00:18:35and just play a game.

00:18:36And I love wondering

00:18:38what the boundaries

00:18:38of the game are.

00:18:40One of our very first combat

00:18:42in C3,

00:18:43I like lit a fire

00:18:45in the middle of the room

00:18:46in order to create like,

00:18:48and I use my action

00:18:49and my stuff to make,

00:18:50and it's a terrible gaming move.

00:18:52But I didn't know that

00:18:54because I'm new to the space,

00:18:54but it ended up being fun

00:18:56and it worked in a way

00:18:58and Matt helped me

00:18:58make it work.

00:19:00And it's a new player

00:19:00trying to test the boundaries

00:19:02of what you can do,

00:19:02but it's there.

00:19:04So yeah,

00:19:05it's really fun.

00:19:06Speaking of the adventuring

00:19:08of it all

00:19:08and coming to this new game,

00:19:10you come to this game

00:19:11with performance experience

00:19:14and a philosophy

00:19:15around performance

00:19:15and around storytelling

00:19:17to a new medium.

00:19:19When those two meet,

00:19:21right?

00:19:22In other words,

00:19:22it's not something

00:19:23you discover when you were a kid,

00:19:24nor is it something you like,

00:19:25that is your whole frame

00:19:27of reference.

00:19:28What are the tools

00:19:29that you had?

00:19:30What was the equipment

00:19:32you had in your pack

00:19:34coming from here

00:19:35that was useful?

00:19:36And did you find anything

00:19:38in the dungeon

00:19:39of this hobby

00:19:40to go,

00:19:41oh, that's going

00:19:41in the pack now?

00:19:43Yeah, sure.

00:19:45Well, I am a gamer.

00:19:47Like, I like games.

00:19:49I like card.

00:19:50I grew up playing card games,

00:19:51board games.

00:19:51I was huge into video games.

00:19:53I ended up making them now

00:19:55for a living.

00:19:56So the game aspect of it

00:19:57made sense to me.

00:19:59But I think being comfortable

00:20:01in the RP space of it,

00:20:03like the communal storytelling

00:20:04part of it,

00:20:05allowed me to learn slowly

00:20:09and do better.

00:20:11And also the players at the table.

00:20:12It's not just the GMs.

00:20:13Like, what an experience

00:20:15to be at that table

00:20:16and you know that

00:20:17every pitch you throw out,

00:20:19someone's going to hit

00:20:20and someone's always

00:20:21going to be like

00:20:21either lobbing you

00:20:22a softball or a fastball.

00:20:23You know what I mean?

00:20:24Like, those players

00:20:25are the best.

00:20:26So, yeah.

00:20:27You find those players,

00:20:28you find those other people

00:20:29that are going to help

00:20:29support you.

00:20:30When you,

00:20:31and obviously like you're saying,

00:20:32you have a facility

00:20:32with the RP.

00:20:33That's not unusual to you.

00:20:35But also there's something

00:20:36very fascinating.

00:20:37I think there is,

00:20:38did you have,

00:20:40coming from theater

00:20:42and voiceover,

00:20:43Yeah.

00:20:44Was the improvisational part

00:20:46or in fact even like

00:20:47the writing part,

00:20:49was that just like

00:20:50a duck to water

00:20:51or was there any part?

00:20:52No, I'm a reformed academic.

00:20:54So, you know,

00:20:55I got my master's grades

00:20:56to teach theater

00:20:57for all the undergrads,

00:20:58the BFA undergrads.

00:21:00And then I continued on

00:21:01to teach here in LA

00:21:02and beyond.

00:21:04But I've never,

00:21:05I never did,

00:21:05you know,

00:21:06the Second City

00:21:07or Groundlings

00:21:08or any of that.

00:21:09I never had any

00:21:09formal improv training,

00:21:10but it is part and parcel

00:21:13to what we do

00:21:14in that space.

00:21:16So I've,

00:21:17I always get nervous

00:21:18around improv people

00:21:20and like I'd be able to hang,

00:21:21but then I've been around it

00:21:23so much where I've,

00:21:24not to be whatever,

00:21:25like I've never not

00:21:25been able to hang.

00:21:26So I think there are

00:21:28methodologies to do a thing

00:21:29and if you understand it

00:21:30at a fundamental level,

00:21:31you're always going to be able

00:21:32to do it.

00:21:33There is just something

00:21:34to say for like,

00:21:35you know.

00:21:35Getting thrown to the wolves,

00:21:37right?

00:21:37And it's fun.

00:21:38It's fun.

00:21:38I love getting thrown

00:21:39to the wolves.

00:21:40Low risk aversion.

00:21:42No,

00:21:43I feel the same way.

00:21:44I feel very grateful

00:21:45for my family

00:21:46and my parents as well

00:21:47that I feel like

00:21:47what you call

00:21:48low risk aversion,

00:21:49I feel like for me

00:21:50was a,

00:21:52and in terms of also

00:21:53like what you prioritize,

00:21:55my entire life

00:21:56has always been like,

00:21:57I will accept

00:21:58any amount of discomfort

00:22:00for a better story.

00:22:01Oh yeah.

00:22:01And just that idea,

00:22:03which I think

00:22:03I look back at my life

00:22:04and all the times

00:22:05where I was like,

00:22:06there's a party tonight.

00:22:08I'm very tired.

00:22:10I'm very,

00:22:10I've been working my ass off,

00:22:12whatever else.

00:22:12And you go,

00:22:13but if I stay home,

00:22:14I know what will happen.

00:22:15If I go to the party,

00:22:16I don't know what will happen.

00:22:17I love it.

00:22:18And you go,

00:22:19put me in situations

00:22:20where I don't know

00:22:20what's going to happen.

00:22:22And I think

00:22:22to that point,

00:22:24like coming into this,

00:22:26but even you saying

00:22:27like coming from academia

00:22:28or coming from teaching theater,

00:22:30the cool part about TTRPG

00:22:31is there is no practice

00:22:35that leaves you prepared for it.

00:22:37Because even as an improviser,

00:22:38you come from improv

00:22:39and you go,

00:22:40yeah, yeah, yeah,

00:22:40I know how to make shit up fast,

00:22:42but I don't necessarily know

00:22:44how to feel

00:22:44a very genuine feeling

00:22:47just for the dramatic sake of it.

00:22:48Or even actors

00:22:49and improvisers going,

00:22:51right,

00:22:52so we're writing.

00:22:53We are going to be writing.

00:22:54Like no matter

00:22:56what discipline you come from,

00:22:57it's sort of the MMA

00:22:59of like,

00:23:00you know, like,

00:23:00yeah.

00:23:01Yeah, yeah,

00:23:01I'll say this.

00:23:02Well, the MMA

00:23:03is a really good reference

00:23:04because the specialists

00:23:05aren't always built for it,

00:23:07right?

00:23:08And not to let too much

00:23:09about how the sausage is made,

00:23:10but like I have played

00:23:11with some people

00:23:12who ended up,

00:23:13you know,

00:23:13maybe not being in the space.

00:23:15And when you're locked in like that,

00:23:17you go like,

00:23:17oh,

00:23:18they're missing this thing.

00:23:20Yeah.

00:23:20And not necessarily them as a person,

00:23:22but they're missing this thing

00:23:23about this experience

00:23:24that's not clicking in.

00:23:26So when we're talking about people,

00:23:28you know,

00:23:28doing a live play

00:23:29at a high level,

00:23:33it really is like

00:23:34catching lightning in a bottle.

00:23:36The chemistry between the players,

00:23:37the understanding of the medium,

00:23:39and I'm still so,

00:23:41I feel so new to it

00:23:42even though I've been playing

00:23:43for four years.

00:23:44Yeah.

00:23:44But I've been playing

00:23:44at a pretty high level.

00:23:46So it's the best.

00:23:48But I also say the same thing.

00:23:49My favorite thing

00:23:50is meeting someone

00:23:52who is just like,

00:23:54I love it so much.

00:23:55I'm playing my first home game.

00:23:56And I'm like,

00:23:57did you get your friends together

00:23:58to do that?

00:23:59And I was like,

00:23:59yeah.

00:23:59And I was like,

00:24:00when was the last time

00:24:01you all just sat down

00:24:02and did something together

00:24:03for two or four hours?

00:24:04Yeah.

00:24:05I can't think of the last time.

00:24:05I was like,

00:24:06this is the magic

00:24:07and the beauty

00:24:08of the game in that.

00:24:09And you don't have to be,

00:24:10you don't have to be doing it on TV

00:24:12to be doing it.

00:24:13That's why everybody vibes with it

00:24:14when they meet you.

00:24:15It's good.

00:24:15For the first six years

00:24:17of Dimension 20,

00:24:18I was still running my home game.

00:24:20Yeah.

00:24:20You know what I mean?

00:24:21Like,

00:24:21it was the best.

00:24:23I miss it.

00:24:24To everyone in my home game,

00:24:26if any of you guys

00:24:27wants to pick up and DM,

00:24:31we're ready.

00:24:33He needs you to paint

00:24:34his minis too.

00:24:35Yes,

00:24:36that I do.

00:24:39For me,

00:24:39I've exclusively worked

00:24:40with Rick Perry

00:24:40and now Matt Mercer

00:24:42and K.O.

00:24:43over at Critical Role

00:24:44who builds the sets.

00:24:45And I go,

00:24:45you're doing a really good job.

00:24:47I don't do this part.

00:24:49Folks,

00:24:50we're going to dive

00:24:51into our first segment here.

00:24:52That wasn't the first segment?

00:24:54That was the first segment.

00:24:55Oh, okay.

00:24:55Wait,

00:24:56but oh yes,

00:24:56but I said first segment.

00:24:58That one doesn't have a name.

00:25:00Get ready

00:25:00for the first segment

00:25:01here on the podcast.

00:25:02This is the one

00:25:03where we go head to head

00:25:04and we get spicy takes

00:25:06and we're going to

00:25:06drum up some discourse.

00:25:08We're going to drive engagement.

00:25:10We're going to make people comment

00:25:11and prompt the algorithm

00:25:13to share the video.

00:25:14It's contested role.

00:25:16Disregard everything I said

00:25:17about liking you earlier.

00:25:18I'm so mad about this.

00:25:19I'm fucked.

00:25:27Here in Contested Role,

00:25:29this is the segment

00:25:29where we dive deep

00:25:30into the discourse.

00:25:32That's right.

00:25:32We find the spiciest takes.

00:25:34We add some extra capsaicin

00:25:36just for flavor

00:25:37and then we get into it.

00:25:40Robbie,

00:25:40you have a scorcher of a take.

00:25:43I am honor bound

00:25:44to take the opposite position

00:25:47from whichever position

00:25:48you take,

00:25:48whether I believe it or not,

00:25:50just so we can keep it

00:25:51fucking toasty hot

00:25:53here in the dome.

00:25:54Robbie,

00:25:55what is your take?

00:25:56Oh,

00:25:56I'm so passionate about this.

00:26:00Here's what I think.

00:26:02Less group battles,

00:26:05more 1v1s.

00:26:06I want duels.

00:26:07I want mono and mono.

00:26:09I want a kung fu movie

00:26:11where everybody's in the background

00:26:12just waiting for their turn.

00:26:13That's what I want.

00:26:15What the fuck are you talking about?

00:26:18I don't know, man.

00:26:18I just started playing this shit.

00:26:20You told me to pick something up.

00:26:21I thought it'd be spicy.

00:26:22I don't know.

00:26:26You want more 1v1 combat.

00:26:30Okay,

00:26:31give me the pros.

00:26:33What happens

00:26:34as a result of more 1v1

00:26:35player versus enemy combat?

00:26:37Every round of combat

00:26:38is six seconds, right?

00:26:39Six seconds.

00:26:40Six seconds, right?

00:26:41If I send my rogue off

00:26:43on a...

00:26:44Why does he never

00:26:45just encounter one guy

00:26:46that wants to fuck him up

00:26:49and they can fight in an alley

00:26:51if I'm going to watch you RP

00:26:54the tragic loss

00:26:55of your favorite familiar

00:26:58for 15 minutes,

00:27:00I could watch a 1v1 scrap

00:27:02at a table.

00:27:03I feel like there's this moment

00:27:05that I love.

00:27:05Everybody loves it.

00:27:06This is all fake and real, right?

00:27:07I think, oh yeah,

00:27:08we're so hot and spicy.

00:27:09Yeah, sure.

00:27:09I put out this big map

00:27:10and everybody's in the scrum.

00:27:12Everybody loves it.

00:27:12You got to have a big group battle,

00:27:14but I think there should be

00:27:14more theater of the mind moments

00:27:17where this group,

00:27:18when they split off

00:27:19and encounter something,

00:27:20should encounter someone

00:27:21that there's a one-on-one fight

00:27:22where you test your mettle

00:27:23against an equally ferocious foe

00:27:26and you just fight.

00:27:271v1.

00:27:29You hate it.

00:27:30I'm required by law

00:27:32to hate this.

00:27:34Since the dawn of time

00:27:36has there been a compact

00:27:37between the game master

00:27:39and the players at the table.

00:27:42A moment will come

00:27:43where I utter an incantation.

00:27:46It will be two words.

00:27:48Roll initiative.

00:27:49Yeah.

00:27:49I will place a map

00:27:51upon the table

00:27:52and each of you

00:27:52will get a little guy.

00:27:54To break that promise

00:27:55is to break the spell

00:27:56at the heart of the hobby.

00:27:58I'll be dead

00:27:58in the cold fucking dirt

00:28:00before I produce a map

00:28:02and I don't let everybody there

00:28:04get a piece of the action.

00:28:06Sure.

00:28:07I'm going to have a wizard

00:28:08see a perfectly clustered

00:28:10group of enemies

00:28:10and they're not in the combat.

00:28:12No.

00:28:13I'm going to see a monk

00:28:14see a 20-foot vertical drop

00:28:16for their slow fall ability

00:28:17and they're not in the combat.

00:28:19Baby,

00:28:19you better fucking

00:28:20wake up and apologize

00:28:21because you are dreaming.

00:28:22But guess what?

00:28:22It already happens

00:28:23because you can only move

00:28:24those little guys 30 feet.

00:28:25So they're already engaged

00:28:27in mono-a-mono combat

00:28:28regularly enough.

00:28:30Why do I have to keep up

00:28:31with the cacophonous battle

00:28:32that occurs

00:28:33where a perfectly balanced

00:28:34set of enemies

00:28:35jumps directly across

00:28:37from my perfectly positioned group?

00:28:38Why can't I get mobbed?

00:28:41I like battles

00:28:43that take three hours.

00:28:45Ooh, you are so passionate

00:28:47about this.

00:28:48Yeah.

00:28:49I have to break the campaign

00:28:50because I think

00:28:51that fucking rules.

00:28:52I think you're totally correct.

00:28:53I like more combat.

00:28:54I like more theater

00:28:55of the mind combat.

00:28:56I like more combat

00:28:57that just goes,

00:28:58hey, this is you

00:28:59and another dude

00:29:00in a dark hallway.

00:29:01We don't need a battle set here.

00:29:02This is going to resolve

00:29:03in this hallway

00:29:03in two rounds, right?

00:29:05I like also,

00:29:07I would like it more

00:29:08if more combat involved

00:29:10low stakes,

00:29:12meaning I think

00:29:13if a map lands,

00:29:14it's got to be life or death.

00:29:16But can we have something

00:29:17where, like you're saying,

00:29:18in the same way

00:29:19that a skill check

00:29:20is sometimes trivial

00:29:22to make the PC

00:29:23feel like a badass,

00:29:24maybe a combat

00:29:25should be trivial

00:29:26to make the PC

00:29:27feel like a badass.

00:29:28Having your level 10 fighter

00:29:29walk up behind the caravan

00:29:32and there's two

00:29:33challenge-rating

00:29:33one-eighth guards,

00:29:34bam, bam,

00:29:35you're dead,

00:29:35you don't even get a turn.

00:29:36Yeah.

00:29:37That feels really cool.

00:29:38I love that.

00:29:40I agree.

00:29:41I win this segment.

00:29:43I win this segment.

00:29:44That was so easy.

00:29:46No, no, I mean,

00:29:46listen.

00:29:47So easy,

00:29:47almost like

00:29:48a one-on-one player

00:29:49versus enemy battle.

00:29:50One, two, three, four,

00:29:51I declare it.

00:29:52I fucking lose.

00:29:54I lose.

00:29:56I love this.

00:29:56I also would be

00:29:57a huge hypocrite

00:29:58if I disagree with you

00:29:58because one of my favorite

00:29:59things from Calamity

00:30:00over on Critical Role

00:30:01was Aabria and Marisha

00:30:04just stomping

00:30:05a dude's ass.

00:30:06The first initiative roll,

00:30:08four of six PCs

00:30:09were not present for.

00:30:10Yeah.

00:30:11It just was like,

00:30:12no, this is the game.

00:30:13We roll initiative.

00:30:13You're starting a combat.

00:30:14And I think it does happen sometimes,

00:30:16but I really like the idea

00:30:17of, for some reason,

00:30:19a 1v1 just as,

00:30:21it just spices me up.

00:30:23Like, 2v1, 2v1,

00:30:25whatever,

00:30:26smaller group combat is good,

00:30:27but just two people going at it,

00:30:29and if you've got a really,

00:30:31if you, like,

00:30:31let's say you build

00:30:32a really fucking cool PC

00:30:34that you really,

00:30:35or NPC that you love.

00:30:37Yeah.

00:30:37I would think

00:30:38that is a fun moment

00:30:39for the GM

00:30:40to, for a second,

00:30:42step into the player's shoes

00:30:43and say,

00:30:44oh, you want a PvP?

00:30:45Yeah.

00:30:46Let's fucking go

00:30:47and see how this cooks out,

00:30:48and I think that could be

00:30:49a spicy moment for a GM, too.

00:30:51I fucking love that.

00:30:52In your,

00:30:53in your,

00:30:54it's very interesting.

00:30:55I wonder,

00:30:57I think,

00:30:58number one,

00:30:59we are very used to

00:31:01providing spotlight

00:31:03asymmetrically.

00:31:03Over a many-year campaign,

00:31:05not only are there

00:31:06going to be scenes

00:31:08where everybody supports

00:31:09one PC stepping

00:31:10into the spotlight,

00:31:11there are going to be

00:31:12entire arcs

00:31:13where you go,

00:31:14hey, we're killing your dad.

00:31:16We're going after,

00:31:17you know, like,

00:31:18we're, like,

00:31:18literally, like,

00:31:19no, this arc,

00:31:20like, yeah,

00:31:20I'm here,

00:31:21I'm having development,

00:31:22I'm having a great adventure,

00:31:23but the beautiful part of this

00:31:25is we have gotten to a point

00:31:26as a party

00:31:27that part of my character development

00:31:29is helping you achieve your dream.

00:31:32I want to be here.

00:31:33There will come a time

00:31:34where I step back

00:31:35into the spotlight.

00:31:36For right now,

00:31:36this is your solo,

00:31:37Shred, right?

00:31:38Yeah.

00:31:39And I fucking love that.

00:31:40I love that as a player.

00:31:41I love it as a GM.

00:31:43And all that we're saying is

00:31:44we already do that for RP.

00:31:47Does it make sense

00:31:47to do that for combat?

00:31:48I think absolutely.

00:31:49And there's an interesting question

00:31:51about game balance

00:31:52and action economy there.

00:31:54In terms of,

00:31:57typically speaking,

00:31:59monsters tend

00:32:00to be very high hit point

00:32:02totals lower damage output

00:32:05than a PC.

00:32:06Yeah.

00:32:06And I think there's

00:32:07something interesting

00:32:07to think about

00:32:08how you would balance

00:32:09a 1v1

00:32:11to be really exciting

00:32:14for a single PC

00:32:18versus a single monster.

00:32:19Well, let me ask you,

00:32:20when you're building

00:32:21your non-monster characters

00:32:24in a stat sheet,

00:32:25like if you have an NPC

00:32:26that maybe you're going to combat,

00:32:27obviously you're scaling that

00:32:28for group combat

00:32:29because that feels better,

00:32:30but is there a reality

00:32:32where you could just build

00:32:33a character sheet

00:32:34for an NPC that's balanced

00:32:35and it would be like a PvP?

00:32:38I think so.

00:32:39Well, I think what's interesting

00:32:40is it comes up so rarely.

00:32:42And when it does come up,

00:32:43it tends to be,

00:32:44oh, like you're saying,

00:32:46rogue infiltrating the castle,

00:32:48bop, bop, you're dead, right?

00:32:50Versus something

00:32:51that is a little bit more

00:32:52like an actual

00:32:53to the death duel.

00:32:55Sure.

00:32:55I think I would pick

00:32:57my monsters very carefully

00:32:58for a duel

00:32:59and I maybe would think

00:33:00a little bit about

00:33:01action economy for a duel.

00:33:03One of the biggest things

00:33:04that I think made,

00:33:06there was a huge advantage

00:33:08in 5th edition

00:33:09was the addition

00:33:09of legendary actions,

00:33:11which makes a single monster

00:33:13able to take on

00:33:14a party at all, right?

00:33:16But thinking about

00:33:17the action economy

00:33:19of you go, I go,

00:33:20you go, I go,

00:33:21you go, I go,

00:33:22I almost wonder

00:33:23if there's a way to,

00:33:25maybe I would want

00:33:26some interesting action economy

00:33:28for a duel

00:33:29to help speed it along.

00:33:31There was a little moment

00:33:34in C3,

00:33:35and this is fuzzy,

00:33:36it's a while ago,

00:33:36where I think Ashton

00:33:39was in a slap fight

00:33:42of some kind,

00:33:43like a fist of cuffs

00:33:44with an important character

00:33:45and Matt,

00:33:46and we were kind of

00:33:47all watching Incapacitated

00:33:49and Matt had cooked up,

00:33:51it felt like there was

00:33:52some sort of altered rules

00:33:53to this engagement

00:33:54that we were in,

00:33:55but it was,

00:33:55for me,

00:33:56it was one of my favorite moments,

00:33:57but also,

00:33:59from a set piece standpoint,

00:34:01I think it kind of

00:34:01flew under the radar.

00:34:02So maybe it's more

00:34:05entertaining,

00:34:05the idea for a home game

00:34:08than the potential

00:34:09of doing it

00:34:11at a live stream

00:34:11or something like that,

00:34:12but I don't know,

00:34:12it was fun for me.

00:34:14I really love,

00:34:15I think I would just want

00:34:16to look at the stat blocks

00:34:18carefully and make sure

00:34:20if this guy's gonna,

00:34:21because there are many monsters

00:34:22that are assumed

00:34:24to be part of a group.

00:34:25If I can't have every single

00:34:28fucking zombie on here

00:34:30have a different set

00:34:31of abilities,

00:34:31but if a single opponent

00:34:34is supposed to be

00:34:35formidable on their own,

00:34:36not only is there

00:34:37the whole legendary

00:34:38action economy,

00:34:39but it's also thinking about

00:34:40can they do

00:34:41a multiplicity

00:34:43of interesting things.

00:34:45Yeah.

00:34:45Right?

00:34:45That's a good point.

00:34:46Yeah.

00:34:46But I love that.

00:34:47I fully agree with this point.

00:34:49I lose.

00:34:50Robbie wins.

00:34:51That's contested role.

00:34:57Well, let's celebrate

00:34:59your victory

00:34:59with nothing less

00:35:00than a feast.

00:35:02What?

00:35:02Prepare for Constitution Save.

00:35:12Welcome to Constitution Save.

00:35:13There's rice cakes

00:35:14and milk on the board

00:35:15and that means trouble.

00:35:16Folks, this is the segment

00:35:18where we talk about

00:35:22snacking at your game table.

00:35:24Robbie, you a big snacker?

00:35:26Honestly, no.

00:35:27I'm a meal guy.

00:35:28I'm not a big snacker.

00:35:30The Critical Role gang.

00:35:32It's you, Abrea, Matt.

00:35:35It's these elevated beings.

00:35:36You take umbrage at this.

00:35:38I can feel it.

00:35:39I be snacking.

00:35:41And I make no bones about it.

00:35:43Folks, this is Constitution Save.

00:35:44This season,

00:35:45I get surprised by the segments.

00:35:46I don't know

00:35:46what the fuck is happening.

00:35:48Oh, Christ.

00:35:50Dimension 20's

00:35:51spicing new season.

00:35:52It's time to put on

00:35:54our dropout

00:35:55development executive hats.

00:35:56Using the roll table,

00:35:58please come up

00:35:59with a pitch

00:35:59for the next season

00:36:01of Dimension 20.

00:36:02Oh, yeah.

00:36:02While you do,

00:36:03make sure to try

00:36:03some Carolina Reaper popcorn.

00:36:05Oh, fuck.

00:36:07Come on.

00:36:08It helps with brainstorming.

00:36:12Okay.

00:36:13Oh, man.

00:36:14Whose idea was this?

00:36:15Robby.

00:36:17Here's what's gonna happen.

00:36:20We are gonna randomly generate

00:36:22new seasons of Dimension 20.

00:36:24Okay.

00:36:25As the guest,

00:36:25you get to decide

00:36:26if I'm gonna go first

00:36:27or if you're gonna go first.

00:36:28Okay, sure.

00:36:30You will roll.

00:36:32After you roll,

00:36:34I will consult the table

00:36:35to tell you

00:36:36what your pitch is gonna be

00:36:37and you will eat

00:36:37a big old handful

00:36:38of Carolina Reaper popcorn.

00:36:40Okay.

00:36:41I will then ask you

00:36:42for the name of the season,

00:36:43what are some ally

00:36:44and enemy factions

00:36:45the PCs might meet this season,

00:36:47who or what is the season's

00:36:48big bad,

00:36:49can we see a scene

00:36:50from that season,

00:36:51what does the season's

00:36:51climactic final battle look like?

00:36:53Okay?

00:36:53Okay, sure.

00:36:54Should I go first

00:36:55or should you go first?

00:36:56What would you prefer?

00:36:57You're the host.

00:36:58You're the guest.

00:36:58Oh, goddammit.

00:36:59I'll go first.

00:37:00Great.

00:37:01Oh, yeah.

00:37:02Go ahead

00:37:04and you're gonna roll

00:37:05one D8.

00:37:06A D8?

00:37:07And two D4.

00:37:09Two D4.

00:37:10I've only got one,

00:37:11so I'll roll them

00:37:12back to back.

00:37:12I'll give you my D4

00:37:13from the Dimension 20 set.

00:37:14Ooh.

00:37:15Available in the merch store.

00:37:16All at the same time?

00:37:17You're gonna roll

00:37:18a D8 and two D4.

00:37:19I'm ready.

00:37:20Right in here.

00:37:21Here we go.

00:37:22Bing bong.

00:37:22Box of doom.

00:37:23Not great.

00:37:23There's a two and a six.

00:37:25Okay.

00:37:27Go ahead,

00:37:28start munching.

00:37:29Just,

00:37:30I'm gonna eat,

00:37:30why did you make

00:37:31a spicy thing

00:37:31also the thing

00:37:32that can choke you?

00:37:34This seems like hell.

00:37:36This seems like a mistake.

00:37:36That's a natural color.

00:37:38Does this count as a handful?

00:37:39Great.

00:37:40That's a lot.

00:37:40Here we go.

00:37:41Okay, this sucks.

00:37:42Mash up for this

00:37:42Dimension 20 season.

00:37:44Okay,

00:37:44this is a classic

00:37:46Jackie Chan action movie

00:37:48meets the Flintstones.

00:37:49Start pitching now.

00:37:50What's the name of the season?

00:37:51Oh, Rumble and Bedrock.

00:37:53What are some ally

00:37:54and enemy factions

00:37:54the PCs might meet this season?

00:37:56Oh, Barney's

00:37:56evil twin brother.

00:37:59Who or what

00:38:00is this season's...

00:38:02Barney,

00:38:02he works at a circus.

00:38:03Barney,

00:38:04a Barney who works

00:38:05at the circus

00:38:06in the Jackie Chan

00:38:07Flintstones season?

00:38:08Don't worry about it.

00:38:08I'm going back in.

00:38:10What's a scene

00:38:11we would see

00:38:11in this season?

00:38:13I'm pretty sure,

00:38:16I'm pretty sure

00:38:16this is actually,

00:38:17unlike the show,

00:38:19satire and parody,

00:38:20it's going to be

00:38:20a deeply gritty reboot,

00:38:23Zack Snyder style.

00:38:24It's dark.

00:38:25It's heavy.

00:38:26Oh, yeah.

00:38:27Yeah, Fred's

00:38:28alcoholic, fuck.

00:38:29I think that's

00:38:30always been canon,

00:38:31actually.

00:38:32Where am I?

00:38:34That five o'clock shadow,

00:38:35he is not shaving regularly.

00:38:37Yeah, he doesn't.

00:38:37Look, this is actually

00:38:38getting better

00:38:38the more I have.

00:38:39Ooh, delightful.

00:38:40Okay, I'm locking in.

00:38:41And what does the season's

00:38:42climactic final battle

00:38:43look like?

00:38:43Yeah, it's definitely

00:38:44in the back

00:38:44of a brontosaurus.

00:38:46I think as evil

00:38:48Barney's brother,

00:38:49Carney,

00:38:49slides down the tail

00:38:51as Fred does

00:38:51when he goes,

00:38:52double backflip,

00:38:53you think it's game over,

00:38:54and then,

00:38:57I would like,

00:39:01I would,

00:39:03odds, it's worse.

00:39:04I thought it was better

00:39:05and then it's worse.

00:39:06it's a sine wave.

00:39:08Let's do,

00:39:08let's do like,

00:39:09a reverse Sephiroth,

00:39:12and Fred pulls out

00:39:14a sharpened brontosaurus bone

00:39:16and Carney impales himself.

00:39:18Jackie Chan Flintstone season

00:39:19references both

00:39:20Zack Snyder and Sephiroth.

00:39:21I love it.

00:39:22Good, good, good.

00:39:23Good, good, good.

00:39:23It's so derivative.

00:39:24Okay, your turn.

00:39:27Oh, it's not that bad.

00:39:29D8 in the first column

00:39:30and then 2D4 in the next.

00:39:34Here we go.

00:39:34I'm not sure,

00:39:342D4 in the next.

00:39:36And I'll re-roll

00:39:36if we get the same numbers.

00:39:37Okay.

00:39:40That's gonna be

00:39:41seven in the first column

00:39:42and two in the next column

00:39:43I'm gonna start munching.

00:39:44Okay, it's

00:39:45Mary Shelley meets

00:39:47fast food mascots.

00:39:52No!

00:39:53It's not great.

00:39:54Mary Shelley meets

00:39:55fast food mascots.

00:39:56Quick, what's the name

00:39:57of the season?

00:39:58Jack in the Box,

00:39:59Frankenstein.

00:40:02What are some friendly...

00:40:04Hell!

00:40:05Ow, ow!

00:40:06What are some friendly NPCs

00:40:08and factions they might meet

00:40:09in the season?

00:40:10Jack in the Box,

00:40:11Frankenstein!

00:40:12Mm-hmm.

00:40:14You already said that.

00:40:15Huh?

00:40:15It's the name of the season.

00:40:17It really hurts!

00:40:18Come on,

00:40:18give me somebody else.

00:40:19Give me another character.

00:40:21The Burger King werewolf!

00:40:24That's pretty good.

00:40:26Okay, now,

00:40:26who's the big bad?

00:40:27Who's the big bad?

00:40:29Dracula Ronald McDonald.

00:40:31Good, good, good.

00:40:33I'm going back in.

00:40:35Yeah, it gets better, right?

00:40:36And then worse.

00:40:37Now, what's the final...

00:40:38What's the climactic

00:40:39final battle scene?

00:40:40Where does it take place?

00:40:42Play Palace, Transylvania.

00:40:45Good.

00:40:46Did I do it?

00:40:48You win.

00:40:50Sounds like good.

00:40:51Milk.

00:40:53Oh, that's good.

00:40:55That's good and spicy.

00:40:56Mm.

00:40:58Woo!

00:41:00Are we done?

00:41:01Are we doing more?

00:41:01I need new milk.

00:41:03You can have mine.

00:41:04Okay, switch.

00:41:07Well, this cup just looks like

00:41:08it says nuts.

00:41:10All right, switchies,

00:41:10let's go.

00:41:11Why did the...

00:41:12I, like...

00:41:13I'm good.

00:41:14Oy!

00:41:15It's coming back.

00:41:16The milk only paused

00:41:18for a moment.

00:41:18Somehow Palpatine returned.

00:41:21Three and four.

00:41:24Okay.

00:41:25I'm going hard on this one.

00:41:26Let's go.

00:41:26It's Jane Austen

00:41:28meets Spaghetti Westerns.

00:41:35The pride,

00:41:37the bad,

00:41:38and the...

00:41:40The pride, the bad,

00:41:42and the...

00:41:42The pride, the bad,

00:41:44and the seven samurai.

00:41:44I'm going to make

00:41:45a good following now.

00:41:46What are some ally

00:41:47and enemy factions

00:41:48that PCs might meet

00:41:51this season?

00:41:52I think the enemies

00:41:53are Melancholy and Miasma.

00:41:55I think the...

00:41:58That's the name.

00:41:59Good.

00:41:59And I think the...

00:42:01On your team is...

00:42:02Who else was I meeting?

00:42:03Jane Austen and who?

00:42:05Jane Austen,

00:42:05Spaghetti Western.

00:42:06Oh, um...

00:42:07I think your ally

00:42:08is going to be, um...

00:42:12Clint Eastwood,

00:42:12but specifically

00:42:1390 years and over

00:42:14Clint Eastwood.

00:42:15Great.

00:42:16Not a character

00:42:16of the actor himself.

00:42:18He's...

00:42:18We break the fourth wall.

00:42:19He's in there somehow.

00:42:21Who or what

00:42:21is this season's big bad?

00:42:23Jane Austen

00:42:23meets Spaghetti Western.

00:42:24I'm going to think

00:42:25it's...

00:42:27Cultural appropriation

00:42:28from Akira Kurosawa.

00:42:30You all know

00:42:31what the Magnet in Seven is.

00:42:32Don't lie.

00:42:33You stole it.

00:42:34Incredible.

00:42:34Mm-hmm.

00:42:35Um, can we see a scene

00:42:36from that season?

00:42:37Yeah, sure.

00:42:40Oh, my mustache

00:42:42is sweating.

00:42:44Oh, my.

00:42:45Things are so boring

00:42:47at the manor.

00:42:47Oh, no, it's a group

00:42:49of bandits.

00:42:50Who's going to save us?

00:42:52Good thing

00:42:53it's 90-year-old

00:42:54Clint Eastwood

00:42:55armed with

00:42:57a mustard and

00:42:59racism.

00:42:59I don't know.

00:43:00Truly,

00:43:01he's talking to an empty chair

00:43:02at the Republican

00:43:02National Convention.

00:43:03Mm-hmm, yep.

00:43:03What does the season's

00:43:04climactic final battle

00:43:05look like?

00:43:05Oh, man.

00:43:09He gets his body

00:43:12implanted into...

00:43:13He gets his brain

00:43:13implanted into...

00:43:16I can't do this anymore.

00:43:17This was a mistake.

00:43:18Okay.

00:43:19Why did you invite me

00:43:19on this show?

00:43:21This is impossible.

00:43:22They hurt us here.

00:43:23This is an impossible problem.

00:43:23And then the conclusion

00:43:26are young heroine tricks.

00:43:28You're crying.

00:43:29I am.

00:43:30Tricks.

00:43:31I'm crying

00:43:32because I have my

00:43:33master's degree

00:43:33and I can't think

00:43:34of what happens.

00:43:35It's Jane Austen.

00:43:37Yeah.

00:43:37It's Spaghetti Western.

00:43:38At the end of the movie,

00:43:39what happens?

00:43:39At the end of the movie,

00:43:40Clint Eastwood's brain

00:43:41gets implanted

00:43:44into...

00:43:45I don't know.

00:43:45Are you saying

00:43:46Frankenstein

00:43:46for my prompt?

00:43:47Yes, Frankenstein.

00:43:49Then he learns

00:43:49how to love, finally.

00:43:51Okay.

00:43:52I'm going to do

00:43:53one last one

00:43:53and then it's over.

00:43:54Okay.

00:43:54I'm enjoying this.

00:43:55It's a really fun idea.

00:43:57You guys are cool.

00:43:58Here we go.

00:43:58I'm going to roll.

00:43:59Get this away from me.

00:44:01I'm going to give this away

00:44:01to you.

00:44:02Mm-hmm.

00:44:03And if I roll

00:44:04any of the other ones,

00:44:05we don't do them.

00:44:06Okay.

00:44:08Oh, God.

00:44:09Help.

00:44:10Nope.

00:44:12Four, five.

00:44:13Have you done four already?

00:44:14No.

00:44:15No, I'm good.

00:44:15Four and five.

00:44:16Okay, hold on.

00:44:17That's pretty good.

00:44:19I wish I would have

00:44:19got this one.

00:44:20Stephen King

00:44:21meets

00:44:2290s TGIF

00:44:26by what you're

00:44:27specifically doing

00:44:28under his pseudonym

00:44:28Richard Bachman.

00:44:29It's a Bachman book.

00:44:33Saved by the bell,

00:44:34it's it.

00:44:35An evil clown

00:44:37whose streets

00:44:38is replaced

00:44:39by an evil clown.

00:44:40Is that TGIF

00:44:41or was it different?

00:44:42No, it's not TGIF.

00:44:43TGIF?

00:44:43What was that?

00:44:44Family Matters?

00:44:44Family Matters.

00:44:45Okay.

00:44:46Urkel is Pennywise.

00:44:48Good.

00:44:49Strong start.

00:44:50Ow!

00:44:51Who are some of the

00:44:53NPCs and bad guys?

00:44:54Waterman.

00:44:55Fucking Pennywise.

00:44:59How many other guys

00:45:00are in that one?

00:45:02Do, do, do.

00:45:03I don't know.

00:45:04Carl, the police officer,

00:45:06dad,

00:45:06kills Cujo

00:45:07in the first episode.

00:45:09That's pretty good.

00:45:10That's a pretty strong

00:45:11character entrance.

00:45:12Who's being mad?

00:45:13Who's being mad?

00:45:14Stephen King meets TGIF.

00:45:15Stephen King meets

00:45:16Family Matters.

00:45:17Fucking

00:45:19Carrie.

00:45:20Fucking Carrie.

00:45:21Carrie is the big bad?

00:45:22Urkel,

00:45:23Urkel pours pig's blood

00:45:25on Carrie

00:45:25and says,

00:45:26did I do that?

00:45:29Fantastic.

00:45:30It's a great genus

00:45:31in the catchphrase.

00:45:32And what is good?

00:45:33Give me a scene from it.

00:45:34Give me a scene from it.

00:45:35But Urkel cannot be Urkel.

00:45:37He has to be Stefan,

00:45:38his sexy alter ego.

00:45:40Stefan Urkel

00:45:42is in the one.

00:45:46Stefan Urkel releases

00:45:48the disease

00:45:49that does the stand.

00:45:50Yes!

00:45:51Stefan Urkel.

00:45:53You're drooling.

00:45:57And he goes,

00:45:58did I do that?

00:45:59Again.

00:46:00Good.

00:46:01Phytoclimactic battle.

00:46:03Post-apocalyptic world.

00:46:06Oh wait.

00:46:08You have to include

00:46:09when the show jumped the shark

00:46:11and Urkel made

00:46:12a robot version of himself.

00:46:19Is this over yet?

00:46:21Carl Malone killed Urkel

00:46:22and killed Urkel robot.

00:46:24Urkel robot.

00:46:32Urkel robot said,

00:46:34did I do that?

00:46:35Sorry.

00:46:36I'll do it for real.

00:46:38Urkel robot goes,

00:46:40did I do that?

00:46:43Is that greenlit?

00:46:44TGIF.

00:46:51He needs some milk.

00:46:58It's a pretty good show

00:46:59you invited me on.

00:47:07You guys,

00:47:08you guys want some?

00:47:10It's pretty good.

00:47:12And that's Constitution Save.

00:47:19Our next segment's called

00:47:20Reaction Time.

00:47:21There's more?

00:47:30It's many minutes

00:47:32after the last segment

00:47:33ended in real life.

00:47:35We got to recuperate.

00:47:36It was nice.

00:47:37We got to recuperate.

00:47:37It was really nice,

00:47:38but we'll have no time

00:47:39to recuperate in this section

00:47:40because it's time to think fast

00:47:42with Reaction Time.

00:47:44This is the segment

00:47:45where I am going to propose

00:47:47pairs of prompts to you.

00:47:50Each of the pairs,

00:47:52you will have to decide

00:47:53which of the pair you prefer.

00:47:55Ooh.

00:47:56So, you will have to do so

00:47:59instantaneously.

00:48:00You will have no time at all

00:48:01to think,

00:48:02and you must go from the gut.

00:48:03Are you ready?

00:48:04Oh, my gut is,

00:48:04my gut is ready.

00:48:06Let's go.

00:48:07My gut is not.

00:48:08Nope.

00:48:09This is reaction time.

00:48:11Dubs or subs?

00:48:12Oh!

00:48:13Dubs.

00:48:14Subs or panini?

00:48:15Mmm, panini.

00:48:16High fantasy or low fantasy?

00:48:18Ooh, low fantasy.

00:48:19I knew that.

00:48:20The Hanks or Johnny Splash?

00:48:22Ah, the Hanks!

00:48:23Pennywise or Cujo?

00:48:24Oh, Pennywise.

00:48:26Plastic dice or metal dice?

00:48:27Mmm, plastic dice.

00:48:29Yes, that's my answer.

00:48:31That's so metal or that's so raven?

00:48:32That is so metal.

00:48:34Breakfast for dinner

00:48:35or dinner for breakfast?

00:48:36Oh, dinner for breakfast.

00:48:37Box Machina or the Mighty Nein?

00:48:39Ooh, Box Machina.

00:48:40Hikari or Yuta?

00:48:41Ooh, Yuta.

00:48:43Dante or Virgil?

00:48:43Ooh, Virgil, it's me!

00:48:45Am I a man or am I a Muppet?

00:48:47You're a Muppet?

00:48:48That's correct.

00:48:49Free Willy or Free Will?

00:48:52Free Willy?

00:48:54And that's reaction time!

00:49:00Coming up next, our ultimate, our final segment.

00:49:05Oh, no.

00:49:05How sad, but a thoughtful one

00:49:07and one where we get to slow down

00:49:08and take some questions from you, the audience.

00:49:10This is Insight Check.

00:49:20Welcome to Insight Check.

00:49:21This is the segment on the show

00:49:22where we take questions submitted by you,

00:49:24our awesome viewers,

00:49:25and give them to our illustrious guests.

00:49:28These questions have been submitted

00:49:29from Mr. Robbie Damon.

00:49:30We want to thank you for doing so.

00:49:31Robbie, this first question comes from,

00:49:34this first question comes from Brennan Smith.

00:49:37Oh, Brennan, thank you for the question.

00:49:40Appreciate it.

00:49:40What are the differences and similarities

00:49:42between prepping a voice and performance

00:49:45for actual play versus prepping

00:49:47for scripted voice acting?

00:49:49Ooh, night and day.

00:49:51Couldn't be, couldn't be more different.

00:49:53Yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:49:54There's not much prep you can do.

00:49:56Sometimes I go in,

00:49:57boots on the ground voiceover stuff,

00:49:58and I don't even know what I'm doing

00:49:59until I get there.

00:50:01And it could be a substantial character.

00:50:03Like there's just this certain level

00:50:05of being able to need to do immediate text analysis

00:50:08and understanding the world that you're in

00:50:10that makes it such a specialized skill.

00:50:12Took me a year and a half to write Kat again.

00:50:14Sometimes I'll walk in and do something

00:50:16that I'll be more well-known for

00:50:18that I have no background on.

00:50:20And I'll rely on the staff

00:50:22to let me know what we're doing.

00:50:24Yeah, it's super important.

00:50:25That is what a director is ultimately, right?

00:50:27Correct.

00:50:28Someone who has the court vision

00:50:29so that you don't need to.

00:50:30It's very much a three-person team

00:50:34could get it done.

00:50:34An engineer, a producer, and a director

00:50:37to translate from the producer

00:50:38and the producer to give you context.

00:50:40And with that team, you can get it done.

00:50:42Usually there's a lot more cooks in the kitchen.

00:50:45Yeah.

00:50:45So if you know what I'm saying.

00:50:46Oh.

00:50:47You don't always need nine people in the room.

00:50:52Yeah, TTRPGs, yeah.

00:50:53I mean, it depends.

00:50:53I guess I could also just roll up to a game too,

00:50:55couldn't I?

00:50:55That would be fun.

00:50:56Roll into a game and have someone hand me

00:50:58a character sheet.

00:50:59Has that ever happened?

00:51:00Does anybody do that for their home games?

00:51:01Do you guys do that?

00:51:02Take that.

00:51:02Fire the question right back at you.

00:51:04There was a game I played one time

00:51:06where there were people that were hired

00:51:07as entertainers at a party while a game was...

00:51:10I was running a professional game for people.

00:51:12Some kind of eyes wide shut weirdness

00:51:13going on here.

00:51:14Yeah, I don't know.

00:51:15Yes.

00:51:15Actually, yes.

00:51:16You kind of smelled it immediately.

00:51:18It was the way you said entertainers.

00:51:20There were entertainers.

00:51:22There were dancers.

00:51:23Sure.

00:51:23But the funny thing was,

00:51:24as the game started,

00:51:25it was this thing where it was someone

00:51:27with way too much money,

00:51:28and they hired me as like a fresh out of college.

00:51:31Actually, no, I was in college.

00:51:32It was my senior year.

00:51:33Wow.

00:51:33And I came and did this.

00:51:35It was the first time I ever got paid

00:51:36to Dungeon Master.

00:51:38Wow.

00:51:38And I came in and did this stuff.

00:51:39But the person was just throwing money around.

00:51:41There was a lavish feast.

00:51:42One of the dudes there was a chef,

00:51:45a famous chef,

00:51:46who was one of the players

00:51:47who had also prepared food for it.

00:51:48And there were these sort of chain mail

00:51:53lingerie dancers.

00:51:55But the issue was,

00:51:56I was like,

00:51:56the game takes three hours to play.

00:51:59Sure, sure, sure.

00:52:00But you can't,

00:52:01like, you know,

00:52:01eventually these ladies

00:52:03are going to want to sit down.

00:52:04But to the credit,

00:52:06it was this thing where

00:52:07I think it was,

00:52:09like,

00:52:10eventually they just came

00:52:11and joined the game.

00:52:12Yeah.

00:52:12And the characters

00:52:13they ended up playing

00:52:14were a druid's wolf animal companion

00:52:15and a wizard's bat familiar.

00:52:17Oh, how fun.

00:52:18And they were kind of

00:52:19my favorite player.

00:52:21They were kind of

00:52:22my favorite characters, honestly.

00:52:23If you're watching this,

00:52:24rich guys, sorry.

00:52:25Sorry, dude.

00:52:26Sorry.

00:52:26You were...

00:52:28Okay.

00:52:29You were okay, yeah.

00:52:32I think that that's really...

00:52:34Handing out characters

00:52:35as people play

00:52:35is really interesting.

00:52:37But there's a...

00:52:40The voiceover thing,

00:52:42do you do...

00:52:44Hmm.

00:52:44Here's a fascinating thing.

00:52:47The whole point

00:52:48of the player character

00:52:50and the player relationship

00:52:51at the table

00:52:51is that you must not prep.

00:52:53You must be in the moment.

00:52:54You must be ready

00:52:55for whatever may come.

00:52:56And yet,

00:52:57do you find

00:52:58that there are any preparations

00:52:59that you do as a player?

00:53:00Like you said,

00:53:01for Cadigan,

00:53:02there was a year and a half

00:53:03of thinking about the character.

00:53:04Do you find yourself

00:53:05doing any session prep

00:53:07as a player

00:53:08or no?

00:53:10Do you review notes

00:53:11or other things like that?

00:53:13Oh, oh.

00:53:14My notes are so bad.

00:53:15Yeah, yeah.

00:53:16I really try.

00:53:17I try.

00:53:17I try so hard.

00:53:19Yeah, but we have people

00:53:20helping us with that.

00:53:21Yeah, I think so.

00:53:22Especially in C4.

00:53:23There's so much going on.

00:53:24You made a big, big world.

00:53:25Big, big world.

00:53:26Yeah, got to know

00:53:27what's going on.

00:53:28Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:53:29And it makes sense.

00:53:30Yeah.

00:53:32I've said this before

00:53:33on the show,

00:53:33but I really enjoy

00:53:34the PC note-taking.

00:53:38And we provide journals

00:53:39to our players here

00:53:40at Dimension 20.

00:53:41And I really like that.

00:53:42I would like to institute

00:53:42that over at Critical Role

00:53:44because we put the journals

00:53:45away in bins

00:53:46and then I can sneak

00:53:47into the bin room

00:53:47and read people's journals.

00:53:49Now, hold on a second.

00:53:51No, I won't hold on.

00:53:52It's an incredible system

00:53:53because not only

00:53:55are there some incredible

00:53:56note-taking in there,

00:53:57it also lets me know

00:53:58a PC note does two things.

00:54:00It's not only

00:54:01the review of the session,

00:54:02it's the review

00:54:02of what they thought

00:54:03was important.

00:54:04Oh, sure.

00:54:05That is worth more

00:54:07than gold, my friends.

00:54:09That's not just metagaming.

00:54:11That's omni-gaming.

00:54:12You are, I love it.

00:54:14I love it.

00:54:15Galaxy Brain.

00:54:16Some things are happening

00:54:17in my stomach

00:54:18and in my GI tract

00:54:20that I downed

00:54:22so much milk

00:54:23while I was

00:54:24in so much pain.

00:54:27I'm about to pop off

00:54:28this chair.

00:54:29Let me tell you

00:54:29that for free.

00:54:30I know.

00:54:32Hey, man, I know.

00:54:33I know.

00:54:35Sygne from Sweden,

00:54:37thank you, Sygne,

00:54:38writes,

00:54:38your backstory

00:54:39for Cadigan Vale

00:54:40was so deep.

00:54:42How do you balance

00:54:43having such

00:54:44a thoroughly prepared

00:54:45character

00:54:46with the desire

00:54:47to develop

00:54:48at the table?

00:54:50Oh, yeah.

00:54:51Wait, aren't we all

00:54:51doing that all the time?

00:54:53Right, backstory

00:54:54is behind.

00:54:55Yeah, I think

00:54:57you write a backstory

00:54:58so you find out

00:54:59how capable

00:54:59of change

00:55:00your character

00:55:00could be, right?

00:55:02And obviously,

00:55:03if you're there

00:55:03to go on an adventure,

00:55:05if you're signing up

00:55:06for an adventure,

00:55:06you've already

00:55:07got to be in a place

00:55:08where you're okay

00:55:09to change.

00:55:11So, yeah,

00:55:12I think you were talking

00:55:14to, I don't know

00:55:15if we can reference that,

00:55:16but you've said

00:55:17in the past

00:55:17that there's maybe

00:55:18a bad rap

00:55:19for backstories

00:55:19going around

00:55:20in the TTRPG space.

00:55:21Well, yeah,

00:55:22but only if you're

00:55:24pigeonholed to it.

00:55:25Only if that's

00:55:25what you're most

00:55:28certain that you want

00:55:28to get out

00:55:29into the world.

00:55:29I just wrote a backstory

00:55:30so I could live

00:55:31in your world

00:55:32honestly.

00:55:33And then when you

00:55:34came to us

00:55:34and you look

00:55:36like you are sweating.

00:55:37Are you good?

00:55:38You look like

00:55:39you're on the struggle

00:55:39bus, my friend.

00:55:40I have rolled

00:55:41a knot one

00:55:41on my constitution set.

00:55:43I can feel it,

00:55:44but you're still locked in.

00:55:45You're such a pro.

00:55:46I'm locked in.

00:55:47There's so much milk in me.

00:55:49I know.

00:55:50And there's so much

00:55:50spicy popcorn.

00:55:52You made me spit.

00:55:54You are milky boy.

00:55:55It's true.

00:55:56I just,

00:55:58I have a runny nose.

00:56:00Me too.

00:56:00From what happened to me.

00:56:02Yeah, thank you

00:56:02for putting my camera

00:56:03for all this.

00:56:04This has been great.

00:56:05Hey,

00:56:05I think it's incredibly important

00:56:07to have a Richard Veri backstory,

00:56:09but don't let it

00:56:10chain you to choices

00:56:10that you don't want

00:56:11to make in the story.

00:56:12Immediately,

00:56:12you told us

00:56:13we should have

00:56:14our relationships.

00:56:15So I went ahead

00:56:15and wrote another

00:56:16nine page short story

00:56:18for me and Teor

00:56:19and Azne and Thimble.

00:56:21Yeah.

00:56:21So,

00:56:21so why not?

00:56:23I didn't know

00:56:23that was never part

00:56:24of my story,

00:56:25but you wanted

00:56:25to be part of ours.

00:56:26So I'm going to try

00:56:27to flesh it out

00:56:27for everybody

00:56:28and everybody signed off

00:56:29and said,

00:56:29that sounds good

00:56:30for our relationship.

00:56:31So it's good.

00:56:32The,

00:56:33the,

00:56:33I've tried to parse

00:56:35the reaction

00:56:36to backstory

00:56:38from what it is.

00:56:39And it's sort of like

00:56:40you could like

00:56:41the,

00:56:42if you go read

00:56:43like D&D Nightmares

00:56:44online and stuff

00:56:44like that,

00:56:45are you okay?

00:56:46I've got a burp

00:56:47that is in there.

00:56:48It's in there.

00:56:49We just need production

00:56:49to make sure

00:56:50the bathrooms are clear.

00:56:52Go ahead.

00:56:53Tell me your story.

00:56:55Tell me your story.

00:56:56It's good.

00:56:57Storytelling

00:56:57is what makes us human.

00:57:00It's what makes us

00:57:03have to shit.

00:57:04It's what makes us.

00:57:07It's what.

00:57:08We're discovering

00:57:08what makes us human

00:57:09right now

00:57:10in this exact way.

00:57:11I've never felt

00:57:12more human.

00:57:13I have never

00:57:14in my life

00:57:14felt more human.

00:57:15You're doing great.

00:57:16I am a member

00:57:17of the animal kingdom.

00:57:18You understand?

00:57:19What were we talking about?

00:57:21Yeah.

00:57:23Backstory

00:57:24is

00:57:25an important,

00:57:28um,

00:57:29my daughter

00:57:30who's two

00:57:30keeps throwing up

00:57:31this.

00:57:32I don't think

00:57:32she knows

00:57:33but she's not,

00:57:33but she looks like

00:57:34she's constantly

00:57:34doing Hove.

00:57:35She's constantly.

00:57:38She's not in

00:57:38the Illuminati

00:57:39yet, right?

00:57:41I keep asking her

00:57:42and she keeps going.

00:57:43She wouldn't tell you

00:57:44if she was.

00:57:45No, no, no.

00:57:46Maybe she's part of some,

00:57:47maybe she's like a Freemason

00:57:47or something.

00:57:48I don't know.

00:57:49The important

00:57:51thing is this.

00:57:53I try to look

00:57:54at the bad rap

00:57:54that backstory gets

00:57:55and I think

00:57:56that, like,

00:57:57it's one of those things

00:57:58where the thing

00:57:58that's being criticized

00:57:59is a thing

00:58:00past the thing

00:58:01being criticized.

00:58:01Oh, yeah.

00:58:02Where it's like

00:58:03people are talking about

00:58:03like, oh,

00:58:04like,

00:58:05they'll describe

00:58:06someone who

00:58:08isn't listening

00:58:09to any other players,

00:58:10is constantly

00:58:11inserting

00:58:12their backstory

00:58:13narrative

00:58:13into scenes

00:58:14that are present

00:58:16and people

00:58:17look at that

00:58:17and they go,

00:58:17well,

00:58:18it's that backstory

00:58:19that's the problem.

00:58:20Conflating the symptoms

00:58:21in the cause,

00:58:22the real cause.

00:58:23It might be part of it.

00:58:24Right, exactly.

00:58:25Where you go like,

00:58:27where it's like,

00:58:28this person

00:58:29keeps, like,

00:58:30railroading us

00:58:31into stuff

00:58:31having to do with them.

00:58:32It's because of

00:58:33that dang backstory,

00:58:34not because they're

00:58:34rude as hell,

00:58:35right?

00:58:36Right.

00:58:36Or saying like,

00:58:38or being like,

00:58:39and the reason

00:58:39I never do that

00:58:41is because

00:58:41I don't know

00:58:42a single fucking

00:58:43thing about me,

00:58:44right?

00:58:45Like,

00:58:46I couldn't steer us

00:58:47in a direction

00:58:48if I wanted to

00:58:49because I'm

00:58:49absolutely clueless.

00:58:50Are you saying

00:58:51people exalt themselves

00:58:52to justify

00:58:53their laziness

00:58:53on occasion?

00:58:56Anyway,

00:58:57listen.

00:58:58Is this the spicy

00:58:59part of the conversation?

00:59:00I forgot it.

00:59:00No.

00:59:00That's a real hot take.

00:59:01That's a real hot take.

00:59:02Yeah.

00:59:02Well,

00:59:03I do think

00:59:03that there's a,

00:59:04the,

00:59:07there's a certain

00:59:09absence of backstory

00:59:11that I,

00:59:13I mean,

00:59:13it just goes back

00:59:14to your metaphor

00:59:14of the person

00:59:15who's about to miss

00:59:16their dear grandfather's

00:59:17graduation.

00:59:19You know,

00:59:20like,

00:59:20I'm never going to

00:59:20live that one.

00:59:21Never going to live

00:59:21that one down.

00:59:23Grandpa's graduating

00:59:24today.

00:59:24We have to be there.

00:59:27I fully,

00:59:29I just had this

00:59:29strong memory

00:59:30of me and my dad

00:59:32being late

00:59:32to a family funeral

00:59:33because I didn't

00:59:34have dress socks

00:59:36and my dad was,

00:59:38and we had to go

00:59:39buy dress socks

00:59:39and the only dress socks

00:59:41that we could,

00:59:41we had were,

00:59:42there was in the store.

00:59:43He's just like,

00:59:44he's like,

00:59:44your ankles can't be bare

00:59:45at a funeral.

00:59:46You have to have socks

00:59:46that go up the,

00:59:48which I think

00:59:48is something he may be doing.

00:59:49Yeah,

00:59:49you'd want your,

00:59:50you'd want your dead relative

00:59:51to know you're cool.

00:59:51In any case,

00:59:52I had,

00:59:53I wore leopard print socks

00:59:54to the funeral.

00:59:55Oh, great.

00:59:56And all my aunts

00:59:57pointed them out.

00:59:58The point being,

01:00:03without backstory,

01:00:05I think people make,

01:00:07make less tonally

01:00:09consistent choices.

01:00:11Sure.

01:00:11Like,

01:00:11if you don't know

01:00:12that you're catching

01:00:12the bus to go

01:00:13to the funeral,

01:00:13you're going to run different.

01:00:14Yeah.

01:00:15And I think that backstory

01:00:17gets a bad rap.

01:00:18It's also like,

01:00:19you'll never have

01:00:20as much backstory

01:00:21as your character

01:00:23would actually have.

01:00:25No.

01:00:25Right?

01:00:26Like,

01:00:26so you're always looking for.

01:00:28That is such,

01:00:29yeah,

01:00:29that is such a good point too.

01:00:31Also,

01:00:31this is a thing

01:00:32that I would like,

01:00:33teach my theater students,

01:00:35right?

01:00:36Like,

01:00:36because sometimes these kids

01:00:37will get lost in the sauce,

01:00:38right?

01:00:38You're like,

01:00:38okay,

01:00:38I want you to work

01:00:39on a backstory

01:00:39because that is a thing to do.

01:00:41Yeah.

01:00:41And then I would look

01:00:42at their backstory

01:00:42and it'd be 40 pages

01:00:44and it'd be all this stuff

01:00:45and I'm like,

01:00:46great.

01:00:46Now go back through this

01:00:47and circle anything

01:00:49that is apropos

01:00:50to what's actually

01:00:51happening in this play

01:00:52right now.

01:00:53And you would often find

01:00:54it's,

01:00:54you know,

01:00:56minuscule compared

01:00:56to what they wrote.

01:00:57And as long as they understand

01:00:58their character more,

01:01:00that's fine.

01:01:00But like,

01:01:01it needs to inform

01:01:03what you're doing

01:01:04in the moment

01:01:05or it's useless.

01:01:06Yes.

01:01:06So as long as

01:01:07those two things

01:01:08go together,

01:01:09I think it's fine.

01:01:11It's a powerful tool.

01:01:13I really agree with that.

01:01:16Jenna E. sent in,

01:01:18this is a hysterical question.

01:01:20Jenna E. sent in,

01:01:21how do you make

01:01:22your characters hot

01:01:23without being cringe?

01:01:26How do I be hot

01:01:27not cringe?

01:01:29Jenna E.,

01:01:30free yourself

01:01:31from this person.

01:01:33Yeah,

01:01:33it's fine.

01:01:34How do you be hot

01:01:35without being cringe?

01:01:35Oh, man.

01:01:36It's such a challenge.

01:01:39That was so funny

01:01:41to cop that attitude

01:01:42and be like,

01:01:43I find it really hard.

01:01:48I love,

01:01:49I can't,

01:01:50I can't draw

01:01:51to save my life.

01:01:52I can't,

01:01:53I can't draw

01:01:53stick figures.

01:01:54I was not,

01:01:55I can play music,

01:01:56I can perform,

01:01:56I can't do that.

01:01:58But I do have like

01:01:59a really,

01:02:01I can top level

01:02:02look at a design

01:02:03and describe it,

01:02:04right?

01:02:05And I really love

01:02:06working with artists.

01:02:07It is such a talent

01:02:08that I'm so envious of.

01:02:10So when we work

01:02:11with artists

01:02:12on these character designs,

01:02:14we talk about

01:02:15like what form

01:02:17and structure,

01:02:17like what kind of hot

01:02:18do you want to be?

01:02:20Yeah.

01:02:20And you don't always

01:02:21have to be hot,

01:02:22but you can be,

01:02:23you can be hot

01:02:23if you want to

01:02:24as long as it's honest hot.

01:02:25There's a 45-year-old guy hot.

01:02:27Honest hot.

01:02:28Honest hot.

01:02:29Honest hot.

01:02:29That's the alignment chart

01:02:30I want to see.

01:02:31Yeah?

01:02:32The honest hot

01:02:32to liar hot.

01:02:34Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

01:02:36There was a moment

01:02:37where I got,

01:02:39some of the worst advice

01:02:40I ever got

01:02:41when I was trying

01:02:42to get a job

01:02:43bartending

01:02:43was I was working

01:02:44as a waiter

01:02:45at another restaurant

01:02:45and there was a person

01:02:46there who was like,

01:02:47these bars will hire you

01:02:48on the spot

01:02:49if you're from Ireland.

01:02:51You do a good Irish accent.

01:02:52You should apply.

01:02:53This is like only a thing

01:02:54like that a 19-year-old

01:02:55would think is like.

01:02:56Yeah, yeah, yeah.

01:02:57So I went.

01:02:57I can keep this up

01:02:58for my entire term

01:02:59of employment.

01:02:59But that's the thing

01:03:00is I went there

01:03:01and talked in an Irish accent

01:03:03at one of these bars

01:03:03and I got a call back

01:03:05and they're like,

01:03:05you're hired.

01:03:06So it worked

01:03:07and then I went,

01:03:07am I Irish

01:03:08for the rest of my life now?

01:03:11But the funny thing

01:03:12about it was

01:03:13and I didn't end up

01:03:14working that,

01:03:15I literally didn't call them back

01:03:16because I was like,

01:03:16oh, I'm fucked.

01:03:17I can't,

01:03:18I don't want to do that.

01:03:19Yeah.

01:03:19So the way that relates

01:03:21to this is

01:03:23don't do the false version

01:03:25of hot

01:03:25because you'll have

01:03:26to spend the rest

01:03:27of your life,

01:03:29there is no universal

01:03:32attractive quality.

01:03:33There is only things

01:03:34that are attractive

01:03:35to people

01:03:36who find those things

01:03:37attractive.

01:03:37That's true.

01:03:38So in other words,

01:03:39it's all,

01:03:41it might be rooted

01:03:42in something real

01:03:43but it might not be arbitrary

01:03:45but it is subjective.

01:03:47Oh yeah, 100%.

01:03:47So in that subjectivity,

01:03:51you will,

01:03:52I think that like

01:03:53in terms of making those,

01:03:54whatever the,

01:03:55how do you make your characters

01:03:55hot without being cringe,

01:03:56sure.

01:03:57Being afraid of cringe

01:03:58will kill every part

01:03:59of your soul

01:04:00and I also think

01:04:01that hotness is relative

01:04:02and it being,

01:04:04you know.

01:04:04I think I've got it.

01:04:05Yeah.

01:04:06I think I have a real answer

01:04:06to this question.

01:04:07Let's hear it.

01:04:07I think a lot of times

01:04:09when people create

01:04:09a hot or like

01:04:12overly attractive version

01:04:13of whatever

01:04:13they're attracted to,

01:04:15I think they tend

01:04:16to overemphasize

01:04:17the things

01:04:18that they're attracted to.

01:04:19I really do think

01:04:20that's a common thing

01:04:21where it's like,

01:04:22oh, I love this feature.

01:04:24I'm going to make this feature

01:04:25the most prominent feature.

01:04:27It's like,

01:04:27that's not really how,

01:04:28that's not really

01:04:29how things are made.

01:04:30It's all of those things

01:04:31coming together

01:04:32that give you

01:04:33that subjective thing,

01:04:34right?

01:04:34Yeah.

01:04:35So you see,

01:04:35it's like,

01:04:36it's like when you see a,

01:04:37when you see a kid

01:04:39in junior high

01:04:39drawing a picture

01:04:40of a hot girl

01:04:42and it's like big boobies,

01:04:44big butt

01:04:45and you're like,

01:04:45but that,

01:04:45that does go away sometimes.

01:04:48You know what I mean?

01:04:49And it's very,

01:04:49well,

01:04:49it's an embellishment

01:04:50on something that is like

01:04:52a point of focus

01:04:53or perseveration.

01:04:54I think what's interesting

01:04:54is also that Jenna E

01:04:56sent us in,

01:04:57how you make her hot

01:04:58without being cringe.

01:04:59It does conjure an image,

01:05:00Jenna,

01:05:01thank you for the question,

01:05:02of someone,

01:05:03Jack Skellington,

01:05:04crumpled paper,

01:05:06you're probably like,

01:05:06I've made 40 characters

01:05:08and none of them

01:05:09are hot enough.

01:05:11Why don't we,

01:05:12like,

01:05:13what's interesting is

01:05:14I think any quality

01:05:15you make in a character

01:05:16is for serving a purpose

01:05:18in a story

01:05:18and the interesting,

01:05:20I think there's an interesting

01:05:20question of like,

01:05:21why make a character

01:05:22hot at all?

01:05:23We,

01:05:24wow,

01:05:25why make a character

01:05:25hot at all?

01:05:26I don't know.

01:05:27Maybe it's just fun

01:05:28to think about hot people.

01:05:29It is fun.

01:05:30I did,

01:05:31we did make a video game

01:05:33where there's 100 of them

01:05:34and our discovery

01:05:36in making this dating sim

01:05:37was that you really

01:05:39can find something

01:05:40for everyone

01:05:41and we're,

01:05:42you know,

01:05:42thinking about the idea

01:05:43of a sequel

01:05:44way down the road

01:05:45and it's like,

01:05:45wow,

01:05:45what do we have to do

01:05:46another 100 characters

01:05:47or 200 characters?

01:05:48And they're like,

01:05:49yeah,

01:05:50and they're all gonna be hot

01:05:51in their own way

01:05:52because there's something

01:05:53for everybody, baby.

01:05:54That's what I think.

01:05:55Yeah.

01:05:55I agree with that.

01:05:56I think there's something,

01:05:57it's very funny

01:05:58because I,

01:05:59this,

01:06:00I love this question

01:06:00but I am also,

01:06:02all I can do

01:06:03is attack the premise

01:06:04within it.

01:06:05How do you make your characters

01:06:06hot without being cringe?

01:06:07Stop worrying about being cringe.

01:06:09Why do you want to be hot?

01:06:10Good point.

01:06:11It's a good point.

01:06:13But it's very,

01:06:14I think there is something

01:06:15to the,

01:06:17the like,

01:06:19I also really loved it

01:06:20in Campaign 4 specifically

01:06:21because we had,

01:06:22I've said this before,

01:06:23but I love that we had

01:06:23some really hot men

01:06:25and some truly weird women.

01:06:28It made me really happy.

01:06:30All of the women

01:06:30were like,

01:06:31I want to be a demon

01:06:31with fucking goat eyes.

01:06:33I want to be a pixie

01:06:33with dragonfly wings.

01:06:34I want to be an elf

01:06:35with scars

01:06:36and a metal jaw.

01:06:38It was with a veil

01:06:39and a censor whip.

01:06:40And all the men were like,

01:06:41I want to be beautiful,

01:06:43beautiful,

01:06:43beautiful boy.

01:06:45Big, beautiful boy.

01:06:47And yet,

01:06:48and yet,

01:06:49the volume of fan art,

01:06:52of thirsty fan art

01:06:53for the weird people,

01:06:55however you want to say it.

01:06:56Yeah.

01:06:57Through the roof.

01:06:58Through the roof.

01:06:58Something for everyone.

01:06:59Something for everyone.

01:07:00Hey,

01:07:00there's a lot of people.

01:07:01I think that,

01:07:03you know,

01:07:03that's the thing.

01:07:04There's something for everyone.

01:07:04I don't even know

01:07:05what hot is

01:07:05on an objective level.

01:07:07I think it's just

01:07:08make something

01:07:09that expresses

01:07:11a vision you have

01:07:12in your heart

01:07:13of the kind of person

01:07:13you want to pretend to be.

01:07:15Wow.

01:07:17Our final question

01:07:18for you today.

01:07:19A final one.

01:07:20I'm ready.

01:07:20I'm so ready.

01:07:22Whatafruit asks,

01:07:24thank you,

01:07:24Whatafruit.

01:07:26As someone who integrated

01:07:27so naturally

01:07:28into Critical Role,

01:07:29do you have any advice

01:07:30for people?

01:07:31This is actually

01:07:31the first time I've ever

01:07:32seen this question,

01:07:33and it's a really practical one.

01:07:35This comes up a lot.

01:07:35Okay.

01:07:36Do you have any advice

01:07:37for people who are joining

01:07:38a pre-established group

01:07:39as a new player?

01:07:41Oh.

01:07:42Wow.

01:07:43Well,

01:07:44I guess I can speak to that.

01:07:47Shit.

01:07:47It's rough.

01:07:48It's rough, Justin.

01:07:50That's hot.

01:07:51Glad I did that on camera.

01:07:53Hey,

01:07:55popcorn and milk.

01:07:56Popcorn and milk.

01:07:57Oh, boy.

01:07:59All you have to do

01:08:00is be yourself.

01:08:01I think

01:08:04there are natural

01:08:05levels of comfort

01:08:06when it comes to

01:08:07joining a new group.

01:08:08Whatever yours may be,

01:08:10and everybody

01:08:11gets caught up

01:08:11in this idea of

01:08:12they're not going to like me.

01:08:14I'm not going to fit in here.

01:08:16I've got to be

01:08:16this certain way

01:08:17to integrate

01:08:18into those people.

01:08:19And the truth about life

01:08:21is you can't do that.

01:08:23I think people

01:08:24are so connected

01:08:25and so perceptive

01:08:27to a fake

01:08:28in their midst

01:08:29that regardless

01:08:31of whether or not

01:08:31your intentions are good

01:08:33and you just want to

01:08:33make everyone around you

01:08:34comfortable,

01:08:35if you're doing something

01:08:35that's disingenuous,

01:08:36that is not you,

01:08:37you will not fit in.

01:08:39And that's

01:08:40a tough pill to swallow.

01:08:42But the cool part

01:08:43about it also is

01:08:44it doesn't matter

01:08:46if you don't.

01:08:47You're going to feel

01:08:47way better

01:08:48if you're yourself

01:08:49and you play

01:08:51the way that you want

01:08:51to play

01:08:52and you'll find out

01:08:53really quick

01:08:54if there's anything

01:08:55you do need

01:08:56to work on personally

01:08:58if you don't integrate

01:08:59with a group of people

01:09:00that you perceive

01:09:01to be good

01:09:02or that you want

01:09:03to be with.

01:09:04You have to go to,

01:09:05it takes a certain level

01:09:05of self-awareness

01:09:06of like,

01:09:07why am I not vibing

01:09:08with these people

01:09:09and it's true.

01:09:12So that's basic

01:09:13but you just have

01:09:13to be yourself.

01:09:14I relate to that so much.

01:09:17To Waterfruit

01:09:18for asking this question,

01:09:19I relate to this so much

01:09:21because I think

01:09:22I have tremendous,

01:09:24to this day,

01:09:25tremendous trepidation

01:09:26about making an entree

01:09:27to a new community.

01:09:28Oh yeah.

01:09:28I just have the feeling

01:09:30of what can I do

01:09:32to make it okay

01:09:33for me to be here

01:09:34and I think

01:09:36that there's a,

01:09:37it never really goes away.

01:09:38No matter how comfortable

01:09:39you end up

01:09:39in other spheres

01:09:40of your life,

01:09:41there's always

01:09:41that weird feeling,

01:09:42at least for me.

01:09:43But what's fascinating

01:09:45about it is

01:09:45you do have to develop,

01:09:48there's always

01:09:49this assumption

01:09:49that comes from

01:09:50a really frightened place

01:09:51where you're like,

01:09:52well,

01:09:53there's a peg

01:09:55and there's a hole

01:09:56and the hole

01:09:57is some shape

01:09:58and maybe I'll just

01:09:59squeeze myself

01:10:00into some other shape

01:10:02to be able to fit here

01:10:03and it's such a fun fantasy

01:10:05to think of

01:10:06that it is a fantasy

01:10:07because A,

01:10:09I think sometimes

01:10:10it's like,

01:10:11well,

01:10:11I can't really change my shape

01:10:13and a lot of people can't

01:10:14and then B,

01:10:16I think there's also

01:10:17this thing of like,

01:10:18so what?

01:10:18So success looks like

01:10:20having an Irish accent

01:10:21at work forever?

01:10:22Sure.

01:10:23What does success look like

01:10:24if you modify yourself

01:10:25for this table

01:10:26or you modify yourself

01:10:27for this experience,

01:10:28in a weird way,

01:10:29you're inviting people

01:10:30to have a certain level

01:10:31of bravery

01:10:32in that you want

01:10:35to discover

01:10:36if that table

01:10:38would reject

01:10:39your true self

01:10:40because that's important

01:10:41information for you.

01:10:42Yeah.

01:10:43I love that you used

01:10:44the word bravery.

01:10:45That's honestly

01:10:46one of my favorite

01:10:48human qualities

01:10:49and I think

01:10:49if you have

01:10:51a little bit of that

01:10:52in you,

01:10:52whatever you feel

01:10:53that would make you

01:10:55hesitant to join a group

01:10:56because there are people,

01:10:57let's just be real.

01:10:58There are people

01:10:58that are just like,

01:10:59bam,

01:10:59I'll be everywhere.

01:11:00I'll do everything.

01:11:01That's not the majority

01:11:02of us.

01:11:04We're comforted

01:11:04in the communities

01:11:05that we have

01:11:07but if you're brave enough

01:11:09to step outside of that

01:11:10but anybody who's brave,

01:11:11you got a seat

01:11:12at my table, right?

01:11:13Yeah.

01:11:13Like that for me,

01:11:15if you're doing something

01:11:15outside of your comfort zone

01:11:17and you're at least

01:11:17trying it,

01:11:19fine.

01:11:20And I really do,

01:11:22I really,

01:11:22again,

01:11:23this goes back to

01:11:23I don't think

01:11:25the stakes are that high.

01:11:26Yeah.

01:11:27They really are

01:11:28in almost everything in life

01:11:30and this,

01:11:30go back to what we talked

01:11:31about at the very beginning,

01:11:32if you believe in yourself

01:11:34and you feel like

01:11:35you've got a good moral compass

01:11:36and you're a capable person,

01:11:38you could wipe it all out

01:11:39to zero tomorrow

01:11:40and then go on

01:11:42and do anything else

01:11:43and it might be sad

01:11:43and it might hurt

01:11:44and that transitional period

01:11:45might be whatever

01:11:46and maybe you don't fit

01:11:47at this table

01:11:48but you will find another one.

01:11:49You will find your people

01:11:51but only if you go

01:11:53and get out in the world

01:11:53and be brave

01:11:54and I'm not assigning

01:11:56that much lofty goals

01:11:59to playing TTRPGs

01:12:01but it is a lesson for life

01:12:04where you just got to

01:12:05be yourself and do it

01:12:07and that's,

01:12:08it's tough and scary

01:12:10for a lot of people

01:12:11but you'll live a,

01:12:14more storied

01:12:15and lore-filled life

01:12:18should you make those choices

01:12:20when you can.

01:12:20The victory will be sweeter

01:12:22because you'll know

01:12:23that they accepted you

01:12:24for who you,

01:12:25if you went in as yourself

01:12:26and you were brave

01:12:26and you said,

01:12:27I'm going to this,

01:12:28like, as I'm joining this table,

01:12:30I'm, you know,

01:12:31and I think there's like,

01:12:32looking at this too,

01:12:34there's a,

01:12:35you know,

01:12:36if you're joining

01:12:37a pre-established group,

01:12:38they wouldn't have invited you

01:12:39if there wasn't something

01:12:40they liked about you.

01:12:41Correct.

01:12:41So, rather than getting

01:12:43worked up about it,

01:12:45just try to do this

01:12:45to be yourself

01:12:46and like you're saying,

01:12:48if,

01:12:49rather than contorting yourself,

01:12:51being yourself means

01:12:52that if you are accepted,

01:12:53they accepted the true you

01:12:54and if they don't accept

01:12:55the true you,

01:12:56then you dodged

01:12:56a fucking bullet.

01:12:57Yeah,

01:12:58and it's really tough

01:12:59for people to accept

01:13:00what they think of,

01:13:01what they think of

01:13:02or perceive to be failure,

01:13:04right?

01:13:04It's really a hard thing

01:13:06for people to get over

01:13:07but there is no such thing.

01:13:09It's not real.

01:13:11Like, objectively,

01:13:12it's real.

01:13:13When you're talking about

01:13:13like, you know,

01:13:14small goals or whatever,

01:13:15like, yeah, sure,

01:13:16you can fail at something

01:13:17but I don't know.

01:13:19I don't know if I believe in it.

01:13:20A failure is only a failure

01:13:22if this is the end.

01:13:23Yeah.

01:13:23And it only is ever the end

01:13:25one time.

01:13:29Folks,

01:13:29this has been Robbie Damon.

01:13:31Thank you so much

01:13:31for being here, Robbie.

01:13:32I'm so glad to be here.

01:13:34This has been

01:13:35Adventuring Academy.

01:13:36Thank you so much

01:13:36and we'll see you next time.

01:13:38Farewell.

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