Critical Role is the undisputed king of the Dungeons & Dragons actual-play realm. Dungeon Master Matthew Mercer and company have graced the YouTube and Twitch space with their undeniably skilled voices and storytelling, becoming the go-to for audiences who want to watch people play D&D. As the game has grown in popularity, so has the number of people creating Dungeons & Dragons content, leading to some epic tales being shared from other talented individuals in their own actual play shows.

As Critical Role takes a much-deserved break, now is a great time to explore what else is out there. Whether you're looking for heart-wrenching stories, gut-busting laughter or just to see what all the fuss is about, these shows are a great place to start for anyone looking for a different actual play show to get into.

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Dingo Doodles

As a YouTube animated series, it's easy to see why people enjoy Dingo Doodle's content. The host is quirky, the art-style is clean, and the character design is downright adorable. The channel is almost entirely run by  one woman, which makes the voice acting, coloring and animation all the more impressive. While it lack the frequent and regular schedule of Critical Role, Dingo Doodle is well worth the wait and a must-watch for anyone interested in the independent animated Dungeons & Dragons scene.

The series follows Sips, an awakened-ish monkey creature who is cursed by a spellcaster and is slowly turning into a monster alongside a distinct band of friends who do everything from singing cursed karaoke all the way to piloting a mechanical robot-dragon -- anything can happen in an episode. Dingo Doodles has a knack for heavy emotional beats and art that that turns somber on a dime. Fans of JoCat and Puffin Forest looking for a little more gravitas will find themselves right at home in this ongoing narrative.

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Tabletop Champions Podcast

The shadow of pre-determined outcomes doesn't loom over the stories told on the Tabletop Champions podcast. Bad rolls plague the party as they would in an actual campaign, and unfortunately for the players, deaths and other poor outcomes occur. While the party's lack of successes makes the podcast somewhat rare in the world of D&D media, the fact that bad rolls occur at the most brutal times forces the party to make difficult decisions and lends an air of authenticity to their adventure.

Picking up from season four all through season six (Episode 145: A New Beginning and continuing to 240: We Are Not Ready), the series tells an overarching narrative that somehow stitches together different campaigns and their characters to form a satisfying and cohesive conclusion. Its production during season seven has been a bit sporadic, but fortunately for listeners, there is a mountain of content available in the series' backlog.

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Not Another D&D Podcast

Not Another D&D Podcast has done much to separate itself from its more mainstream counterparts like The Adventure Zone and Critical Role. For starters, it sinks heavily into adult humor, favoring encounters that frequently involve the mention of bodily fluids and crass uses of anatomy. The cast is experienced in the realm of comedy, featuring actress Emily Axford (CollegeHumor), her husband Dungeon Master Brian K. Murphy, Caldwell Tanner (Drawfee, Teen Titans GO!) and actor Jake Hurwitz (Jake and Amir) to role-play an eclectic roster of rude and immature characters.

During the first few episodes of the series, the team learns the mechanics of playing Dungeons & Dragons on the fly , which is in and of itself charming to listen to. As the series progresses, they meet a cast of NPCs whose comedy and content rival anything on the Simpsons or South Park, highlighting Murphy's impressive voice acting and storytelling skills. The series takes them all to level 20, with plenty of guest appearances along the way. The hilariously inappropriate main campaign, alongside the ocean of extra episodes and live "What If" content undoubtedly makes this series worth listening to on a loop.

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