As one of the world's premier table-top Role Playing Games, Dungeons & Dragons understandably requires at least a bit of acting in order to progress winding, detailed narratives. While it's completely up to the players' comfort level how much or how immersive the game becomes, a major draw of D&D is seeing a story come to life.
D&D powerhouse Critical Role has been gracing fans with highly-immersive gameplay since 2015. As trained actors, embodying characters and acting out new narratives come easily to the cast, making for some truly memorable experiences. From navigating tense situations to expressing complicated emotions, the Critical Role cast includes many masters at the art of narrative roleplay.
10 Jester Breaks Nott's Curse With A Cupcake
Art by @Matthew Johnson
Morale is low when The Nein members find themselves face-to-face with Isharnai, a witch who trades misery for granted wishes. The entire encounter is a masterclass in role-playing as each party member bargains with the witch, contemplating the weight of what's worth sacrificing to help a friend. While Yasha ponders betraying her friends and Nott suggests kickstarting a war, Jester is left to ponder life as an artist without hands. Luckily, she pulls off one of the most legendary moves in Critical Role history, using a cupcake to trick Isharnai into believing that the two are old friends, easily convincing her to remove Nott's curse without bloodshed. The scene combines high-level gameplay and fateful dice rolls to create a moment for the history books.
9 Caleb Reads The Cat Prince To Jester
Art by @undeadempress
In another incredibly touching scene authored by Liam O'Brien, Caleb reads one of his childhood books, Der Katzinprinz, to Jester. After finding a book written in Caleb's native language, Zemnian, Jester asks if he can cast tongues on her so that she can read it. In a move no one, but Liam, could have predicted, Caleb suggests he instead read the book to Jester and live-reads the story at the table. O'Brien goes above and beyond by writing the short story on the off-chance that someone would ask to read a Zemnian fairytale. The Cat Prince follows a sickly young boy who meets a magical cat who changes his life for the better. The scene is as heartwarming as it was unexpected.
8 Fjord Destroys His Falchion
Art by @Zephyri
Over the course of the campaign, it's become clear that, despite many of the party's tragic backstories, Fjord is one of the most elusive members of the party. Unlike many of his companions, he doesn't seem to be motivated by repairing damage caused by events in his past making his motivations hard to pinpoint.
One of Fjord's few constants is his mysterious and dangerous connection to the eldritch sea-god Ukatoa that gives him access to magic. That makes it even more surprising when Fjord forsakes his bond with Ukatoa, relinquishing his impressive warlock abilities. In a move that shocked both fans and his party members, Fjord throws his beloved falchion, the Sword of Fathoms, into a pool of lava, severing his mystical connection to the ancient deity.
7 Fjord & Jester's First Real Kiss
Art by @Stephanie Brown
Everyone loves a "will they, won't they" relationship to spice up their favorite show, and, for the Mighty Nein, "Fjorester" is one of the longest-running ships in the campaign. The chemistry between outgoing Jester and reserved Fjord is undeniable since the characters are played by real-life married couple, Travis Willingham and Laura Bailey. Life imitated art when Laura challenged herself to coax her husband into exploring romantic RP. Fans were ecstatic when her years of in-game friendship and flirting finally paid off when Fjord confessed his feelings for Jester and the two shared a passionate kiss.
6 Jester Convinces Her Mother To Leave Nicadronis
Art by @BlackSalander
The Mighty Nein are good at making friends and better at making enemies. Unfortunately, their brushes with powerful entities have finally caught up to them after they rob Caleb's former teacher and tormentor, Trent Ikithon, landing themselves within the crosshairs of the powerful and corrupt Cerberus Assembly. After realizing that their loved ones are now in danger, Veth and Jester rush to relocate their families. Where Veth's family is more used to travel, Jester's mother, famed courtesan The Ruby of the Sea, suffers from agoraphobia and rarely leaves her home. It broke fans' hearts to see the real tears brought about by the anxiety caused by Jester needing to uproot her mother's carefully curated life.
5 Beau Realizes How Much She Cares For The Nein
Art by @porzio
Beau Lionette is one tough cookie. Surrounded by thick emotional barriers, the superhuman monk prefers to hide behind sarcasm and bluntness, rarely showing the depths of the pain she carries from a lifetime of feeling abandoned and unwanted. So, when The Nein find themselves which of them will offer a sacrifice to Isharnai, the Prism Sage, to help break Nott's curse, it's shocking to see her brought to tears.
Beau suggests leaving The Nein, her found-family, and giving up the greatest source of joy she'll ever hope to find. Marisha Ray masterfully conveys Beau's struggle to quantify what her friends mean to her and how changed she'd be to lose them, revealing a previously untapped depth of emotion wholly different from her usual posturing.
4 Caduceus Serves Trent After Dinner
Art by @galacticjonah
When The Nein finally come face-to-face with the notorious Trent Ikithon, the ensuing dinner party brims with tense pleasantries, low-grade hostility, and an ever-present undercurrent of terror. Known as one of the country's most powerful wizards, a protected member of the Cerberus Assembly, and the source of Caleb's trauma, The Nein are rightfully apprehensive about being summoned to dine with him. The meal is a veritable volley of wills between the cast and DM Matt Mercer as each party strives to keep the upper hand. The tension concludes with an iconic line from Caduceus Clay, who unabashedly reminds Ikithon that there's more to life and death than power.
3 Nott Reveals Her Backstory
Art by @crowithearts
If anyone is good at keeping the party on its toes, it's Sam Riegel, the actor who plays Nott the Brave. Known for weaving detailed narratives, Riegel often drops hints throughout the game that eventually culminate in unexpected revelations. When Nott the Brave enters the party as a neurotic, but surprisingly tame goblin, there are plenty of questions that surround her. Nott's many quirks became so deeply ingrained that it came as a complete shock when she reveals that she used to be a halfling that was drowned and resurrected as a goblin. The surprises keep coming when Nott reveals that she has a husband and son she's eager to return to, and the heartwarming scene concludes when her friends vow to help her get back to them.
2 Caleb Reveals His Backstory
Art by @rachelboldt
Unfortunately for The Mighty Nein, many of their backstories are quite unhappy, leaving the party members struggling to overcome deeply ingrained trauma. Probably the most tragic character is Caleb Widogast, a prodigy wizard who enters the party ultra-wary and clearly battling inner demons.
When Caleb finally confides in Nott and Beau, it's a tense and deeply emotional scene as he recounts time being groomed as a magical child soldier for the Empire resulting in a devastating final initiation that explains the shattered man he's become. While the story is a tragedy, the scene is hailed as an important turning point for Caleb's character, finally deciding to place trust in at least a few of his friends.
1 Yasha & Beau Have A Magical First Date
Art by @jmnp7888
After over four years of continuous narrative gameplay, romance is in the air for the Mighty Nein with many of the members finally feeling comfortable enough to let themselves fall in love. For Beau and Yasha, their rocky, divergent roads finally converge in a long-awaited date-night planned by the wonderfully creative Liam O'Brien. Narrated by O'Brien's character Caleb, the Nascent Nein-sided Tower is transformed into a life-sized pop-up book, complete with weiner-dog waiters, ninja, and a hot tub. Truly a night that neither Yasha and Beau nor fans will soon forget.