Imogen, stop holding the pretty creepy ball

That was one of the best combat encounters I have ever watched on Critical Role

(CAMPAIGN 3, EPISODE 16, v. SHADE FAM)

Tbh, maybe Top 10. That might not seem high, but think about the total number of combats they’ve had over 3 campaigns to-date. Mind you I really don’t remember them all but this one just like, hit different

Just, to begin with. The number of senses engaged. An enormous psychic slug modded with brumestone underglow, Tokyo Drifting around the nest’s family room. Fearne’s round 1 game-changing moment of pure controller badassery. All the flavor injected into every single interaction, like Ashton straight up yeeting shade creepers about, then basking in the splatter and pain of their explosive demise. Multiple crucial Nat 20’s. The added benefit of 2 Very Cool magical Pinkertons wielding one of the sickest arcane items I have ever heard described in D&D. Fascinating demonstrations of how physical strength doesn’t always rely on the physical bit. Powerful minds being used by/for good and evil. FCG blindly pulling random levers. Drills gone wild. Mid-combat cooler talk. And as it came to a close, the audience’s anticipation of a party absolutely drenched in poisonous slime surfacing like the fucking Ghostbusters and just turning to the foreman and Gus’ ex like, “welp, it turns out you’ve got a bit of a slug problem 🤠🙃”

It was all so well-suited for the party’s abilities, but only because they were clever and made calls that worked, and the dice gods (you, you, not you Laudna, you) mostly smiled upon their efforts. A fight thought to be too hard and nearly avoided, bravely initiated and won through luck and, dare I say, maybe some planning? Fearne emerged as the clear MVP and fully fucking rode the sphere containing Emoth out of the chamber in the end I mean srsly. But Orym with his gnarly rope trick, Ashton serving a slo-mo bludgeon-fest set over blaring punk music (get them a walkman like Star Lord and let’s make this headcanon real, pls thx), Chet tearing himself into a werewolf and lifting an impossibly immense boulder like a mom rage-lifting a car, Imogen discharging every ion of lightning coursing through her and sizzling each creature in its ray of carnage to a crisp… On the whole each member of the party got at least one incredibly cinematic moment of pure anime-style fantasy combat in. And that ultimately may prove to be more transformative for them at this level than them having played it safe or having learned from (what seemed like inevitable) failure, as it will likely increase their confidence in future fights (disclaimer: may lead to a period of cockiness and/or carelessness, followed by a great tragedy that then sets the pendulum swinging back again). More than anything I think Olly and Gus deputizing them as honorary detectives for the Green Sleeves* before they pursued the investigation together is what made such an epic fight possible and really gave them a glimpse of what Tier 2 could be like for them if they keep adventuring once their first arc as a party is finally resolved.

[*Definitely 💯 happened, I’m sure of it & yes I’m also sure it’s Sleeves, Fearne told me]

Not everyone in this fight had a smiley day though. I really felt for poor Laudna/Marisha. Not only did she get boned by bad rolls, but injury was nearly added to insult when we all clenched our butts for the impact of the stinger into her unaware back (did you catch that Shady Mom was physically mocking Laudna right before the stinger swipe.. ??? 😂😂😂 cold ass Slug Shrug, your creepy petty ass really earned that Nat 1 dinnit). I haven’t watched past the end of combat yet but I really hope she doesn’t end up with a negative perspective of what was otherwise a wildly successful mission. Stay strong my twitchy witch, you are cooler than a hellish recuke and you will get your moment in the shadows, just you wait!

Laudna: I think I’m cursed. also Laudna: <rose from the dead for unknown reasons, has an evil dead lady in her head, spent 30 years friendless due to her horrifying undead nature> Me: oh, ya THINK?

(i know she was talking about her dice rolls, but, like... Marisha, have you seen your character?)

Ashton going to Laudna to try comfort her after her rough day and failed attack rolls? oh my god??

like a kid holding up his nasty ass art project to his seven disgusted parents

All of these RPs are just.... just PERFECTION. <3 So, SO good!!! I love them all being so protective of each other!!!!!!

it’s really starting to hit me, the reality of imogen attuning to the crystal at the end of c3ep16. campaign 1, we had grog with craven’s edge. campaign 2, we had nott/veth with the cursed dagger whose name i cannot remember atm. and now, campaign 3–imogen, and this mysterious crystal.

AND ITS SO EARLY IN THE CAMPAIGN GUYS

at least w grog & especially veth, their respective groups had enough growth to be able to handle the inevitable fallout from a cursed object. but this

bell’s hells have barely even named themselves & they sure don’t have a dispel strong enough at their disposal let alone greater restoration or resurrection magic

Even if he's played by Matt as a npc I'm so so happy we got to hear Dorian in this ep 🥹🥹 and I hope it happens again from time to time

wake up besties new group name dropped

The amount of very disturbed faces I've made in the past thirty minutes from just those creepy descriptions...

TRAVIS ACTIVELY INITIATING PC ATTRACTION IS KILLING ME AHHHH

They really put her in a hamster ball and called it a day!

Twitter link: [HERE!]

Imogen opening her mind to a purple arcane stone is the spiritual successor of Beau and Caleb reading Lucien's journal

oh my god these kids do NOT know the meaning of “on the down low”, do they? just... walking through the city streets with the Green Seekers, rolling a noble member of a Mahaan House in a giant fuck-off hamster ball, nothing to see here...

Orym about FCG: does he do that often? quietly suffer?

this coming from you Liam, really

less than ten minutes in and travis is already grossed out