Favourite D&D channels & campaigns to watch online?
October 10, 2021 7:37 PM Subscribe
What are your all-time favourite Dungeons & Dragons channels and/or campaigns that can be watched online?
I recently learned that watching people play Magic: The Gathering (mostly Commander format) on YouTube can be quite a fun diversion for me. I've come to understand there are analogous communities of content creators that broadcast D&D in a similar way. I never actually played D&D IRL, which is a bummer, but I did play all the old infinity engine computer games back in the day.
Where do you think should I start in terms of quality channels with fun and entertaining parties doing some dynamic and engaging adventuring? And even better, were there some especially memorable campaigns you'd recommend checking out in particular?
(I tried watching a few episodes of HarmonQuest, but it didn't appear to be an actual game, with functional game mechanics, and was more of an improv show, that had trouble holding my interest for that reason.)
I recently learned that watching people play Magic: The Gathering (mostly Commander format) on YouTube can be quite a fun diversion for me. I've come to understand there are analogous communities of content creators that broadcast D&D in a similar way. I never actually played D&D IRL, which is a bummer, but I did play all the old infinity engine computer games back in the day.
Where do you think should I start in terms of quality channels with fun and entertaining parties doing some dynamic and engaging adventuring? And even better, were there some especially memorable campaigns you'd recommend checking out in particular?
(I tried watching a few episodes of HarmonQuest, but it didn't appear to be an actual game, with functional game mechanics, and was more of an improv show, that had trouble holding my interest for that reason.)
High Rollers was my entry drug into watching D&D. They're well into their second campaign currently. All eps are available on their youtube channel.
Critical Role I'm sure will be well covered. Their 3rd campaign starts the end of the month so that might be a good place to start.
I've also found Dimension 20 enjoyable but a lot of their stuff is behind a pay wall.
There are so many out there but those would be my top 3.
posted by bowmaniac at 8:36 PM on October 10, 2021 [3 favorites]
Critical Role I'm sure will be well covered. Their 3rd campaign starts the end of the month so that might be a good place to start.
I've also found Dimension 20 enjoyable but a lot of their stuff is behind a pay wall.
There are so many out there but those would be my top 3.
posted by bowmaniac at 8:36 PM on October 10, 2021 [3 favorites]
I attended this panel at Pax Unplugged where Binwin’s Minions did a D&D campaign as part of the panel. It was pretty funny and required some help from the audience to them get out of the situation they put themselves in.
https://m.twitch.tv/videos/202755331
posted by cali59 at 9:29 PM on October 10, 2021
https://m.twitch.tv/videos/202755331
posted by cali59 at 9:29 PM on October 10, 2021
Love Dimension 20 and a few of their old seasons are fully available on their Youtube channel. Episodes are each 1-2 hours, alternating between plot-oriented and RP-only episodes and encounter/battle episodes that have beautifully crafted setpieces--and beautifully-crafted sets and miniatures. The DMs and cast are talented improvisers and hit a great balance of silliness and pathos. I find Dropout, the paywalled service, well worth the $5 a month to keep them going--and I'm not even up-to-date on their last few campaigns.
The seasons available for free on Youtube in their entirey are Fantasy High, their debut campaign, and Unsleeping City, a kind of urban fantasy take on New York. Both excellent. Their Youtube channel also features one of several shorter seasons they've made featuring guest stars: Escape from the Bloodkeep, in which the players are senior lieutenants of a Sauron knock-off who have to survive the collapse of a discount Barad Dur.
posted by col_pogo at 9:49 PM on October 10, 2021 [5 favorites]
The seasons available for free on Youtube in their entirey are Fantasy High, their debut campaign, and Unsleeping City, a kind of urban fantasy take on New York. Both excellent. Their Youtube channel also features one of several shorter seasons they've made featuring guest stars: Escape from the Bloodkeep, in which the players are senior lieutenants of a Sauron knock-off who have to survive the collapse of a discount Barad Dur.
posted by col_pogo at 9:49 PM on October 10, 2021 [5 favorites]
Ditto Oxventure & Dimensions 20. Oxventure is more loosey goosey with the rules but it has the advantage that at the beginning all the players are new to the game which might help if you're not that familiar yourself. The Oxventure DM (Johnny Chiodini formerly of Dicebreaker & Eurogamer) is a bit of a softie and his baddies pretty regularly get steamrollered but I find I'm more in it for the interactions/story/characters than I am for the nitty gritty combat so that works out for me.
posted by juv3nal at 11:02 PM on October 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by juv3nal at 11:02 PM on October 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
Critical role is absolutely the place to start. First, they follow the rules extremely closely - it's very realistic. Second, all the players and DM are voice actors (mcree from overwatch is the DM, there's many other credentials among the cast). Third, the amount of sheer creativity and world building with those component parts lets you get lost in the narrative. They truly create media larger than themselves.
posted by bbqturtle at 5:04 AM on October 11, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by bbqturtle at 5:04 AM on October 11, 2021 [4 favorites]
If you're okay with podcasts there's also Nerd Poker, which is a group of comedians including Brian Poseihn playing DnD and making jokes/talking over the DM.
posted by I paid money to offer this... insight? at 8:19 AM on October 11, 2021
posted by I paid money to offer this... insight? at 8:19 AM on October 11, 2021
+1 (heh) for Critical Role.
A few friends of mine really dug Dice, Camera, Action on the official D&D YouTube channel.
posted by xenization at 3:03 PM on October 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
A few friends of mine really dug Dice, Camera, Action on the official D&D YouTube channel.
posted by xenization at 3:03 PM on October 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
No, I meant McCree - he's a character in overwatch, voiced by Matthew Mercer, the DM from Critical Role :)
posted by bbqturtle at 5:45 AM on October 13, 2021
posted by bbqturtle at 5:45 AM on October 13, 2021
bbqturtle sez: No, I meant McCree - he's a character in overwatch, voiced by Matthew Mercer, the DM from Critical Role :)
…not for long.
posted by sydnius at 2:21 PM on October 14, 2021 [1 favorite]
…not for long.
posted by sydnius at 2:21 PM on October 14, 2021 [1 favorite]
Love all the answers above- and just want to add my two cents. I'd look up clips of each on youtube to decide what's most your style.
Dimension 20- This is a part of the College Humor Dropout streaming site, but they have several campaigns available on YouTube. Despite being a long-time Critical Role fan, I'd recommend them as a starting point. Their seasons are shorter (Between 4 - 19 episodes per season) and they're divided into main cast adventures and side quests. They (generally) have better representation and are easier to watch, requiring far less time. They also are (generally) edited. Brennan Lee Mulligan is an amazing DM with his own style that really leans into the yes-and of improv while still keeping to the rules.
The campaigns I'd reccomend, in order:
Fantasy High (2 seasons, 1 side quest) - John Hughes movies meets Dungeons and Dragons. This is absolutely my favorite, as the main cast is hilarious and comfortable with each other and teenage adventurers make for ridiculous stories that hit home.
The Unsleeping City (Two seasons) - New York meets Dungeons and Dragons. Main cast, slightly less humor than Fantasy High but still very, very relatable with some truly epic battles.
Escape from Bloodkeep - This was my first exposure to Dimension 20 (because Matt Mercer, of Critical Role was in it). I hated it and stopped after a single episode. Later on, after watching fantasy high, I went back and I swear it's the funniest of them all. I've watched it through about 3 times now, and I LOVE IT SO MUCH but I don't think it's a good first exposure. Total parody of Lord of the Rings, and each time I watch it I find something new and hilarious.
Honorable Mention: Magic and Mischief - The only (current) Dimension 20 show not DM-ed by Brennan but instead, Aabria Iyengar. It uses a different system (Kids on Brooms) to lampoon Harry Potter and it's absolutely fucking fantastic. Features Brennan as a player, and has the lowest time commitment at 4 episodes.
Critical Role - It's good. I love it. I've given them too much money over the years, but find it worth it. HOWEVER, it is gonna be a high time investment. Great when you want something on in the background while you work on projects, but there's no way of getting around the significant number of episodes and their length. I would start with the Briarwood Arc of Campaign One- Yes, you're missing some of the beginning, but the game had been running as a home game for two years prior to being filmed so what you're missing is them figuring out how to transition to camera.
Acquisitions Incorporated- Penny Arcade does a DnD. I've seen it live, I've watched it online, I think it's hard to follow as they did a podcast then live shows then some animated? shows??? It's funny (Jim Darkmagic!) but since they're more like Harmonquest than any of the above, maybe skip this one.
posted by Torosaurus at 8:50 AM on October 17, 2021 [1 favorite]
Dimension 20- This is a part of the College Humor Dropout streaming site, but they have several campaigns available on YouTube. Despite being a long-time Critical Role fan, I'd recommend them as a starting point. Their seasons are shorter (Between 4 - 19 episodes per season) and they're divided into main cast adventures and side quests. They (generally) have better representation and are easier to watch, requiring far less time. They also are (generally) edited. Brennan Lee Mulligan is an amazing DM with his own style that really leans into the yes-and of improv while still keeping to the rules.
The campaigns I'd reccomend, in order:
Fantasy High (2 seasons, 1 side quest) - John Hughes movies meets Dungeons and Dragons. This is absolutely my favorite, as the main cast is hilarious and comfortable with each other and teenage adventurers make for ridiculous stories that hit home.
The Unsleeping City (Two seasons) - New York meets Dungeons and Dragons. Main cast, slightly less humor than Fantasy High but still very, very relatable with some truly epic battles.
Escape from Bloodkeep - This was my first exposure to Dimension 20 (because Matt Mercer, of Critical Role was in it). I hated it and stopped after a single episode. Later on, after watching fantasy high, I went back and I swear it's the funniest of them all. I've watched it through about 3 times now, and I LOVE IT SO MUCH but I don't think it's a good first exposure. Total parody of Lord of the Rings, and each time I watch it I find something new and hilarious.
Honorable Mention: Magic and Mischief - The only (current) Dimension 20 show not DM-ed by Brennan but instead, Aabria Iyengar. It uses a different system (Kids on Brooms) to lampoon Harry Potter and it's absolutely fucking fantastic. Features Brennan as a player, and has the lowest time commitment at 4 episodes.
Critical Role - It's good. I love it. I've given them too much money over the years, but find it worth it. HOWEVER, it is gonna be a high time investment. Great when you want something on in the background while you work on projects, but there's no way of getting around the significant number of episodes and their length. I would start with the Briarwood Arc of Campaign One- Yes, you're missing some of the beginning, but the game had been running as a home game for two years prior to being filmed so what you're missing is them figuring out how to transition to camera.
Acquisitions Incorporated- Penny Arcade does a DnD. I've seen it live, I've watched it online, I think it's hard to follow as they did a podcast then live shows then some animated? shows??? It's funny (Jim Darkmagic!) but since they're more like Harmonquest than any of the above, maybe skip this one.
posted by Torosaurus at 8:50 AM on October 17, 2021 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I just finished episode 2 of Dimension 20's Fantasy High (Season 1), which Torosaurus recommended, and holy shit -- definitely worth checking out! I'm amazed at how much care, thought, work, artistry, etc. goes into being a good DM, and how much those qualities are paying off for the enjoyment of the players (and in this case, viewers).
posted by eagle-bear at 8:58 AM on November 7, 2021
posted by eagle-bear at 8:58 AM on November 7, 2021
A bit late to this question but I just saw this linked in the Best Asks of the Year Metatalk.
I've been really into the campaigns with Deborah Ann Woll (True Blood, Daredevil, The Punisher) as the DM - she makes her campaigns so engaging to watch. There's never any deadspots or awkwardness (though it helps that she tends to work with other actors). She's a fantastic storyteller and creates an incredible flow - she leads through and paints scenes so naturally and descriptively. Some of the best DM work I've ever seen.
Relics and Rarities
#SoMEDnD Day 3 – Witch of Briarcleft
Lost Odyssey: The Book of Knowledge
posted by womb of things to be and tomb of things that were at 8:17 PM on January 13, 2022
I've been really into the campaigns with Deborah Ann Woll (True Blood, Daredevil, The Punisher) as the DM - she makes her campaigns so engaging to watch. There's never any deadspots or awkwardness (though it helps that she tends to work with other actors). She's a fantastic storyteller and creates an incredible flow - she leads through and paints scenes so naturally and descriptively. Some of the best DM work I've ever seen.
Relics and Rarities
#SoMEDnD Day 3 – Witch of Briarcleft
Lost Odyssey: The Book of Knowledge
posted by womb of things to be and tomb of things that were at 8:17 PM on January 13, 2022
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Other ones I have enjoyed is Penny Arcades "Acquisitions Incorporated", the series goes back, it's got to be over a decade at this point and started as a podcast, but became a video series and is played live in front of an audience at various PAX events. It is a very silly rules light version of the game and lots of fun. The C Team DM'd by Tycho is also good, the earlier stuff is the best, though he isn't a great DM and a bit railroady he has some interesting ideas that are a bit different to some of the stuff out there.
Oxventure. A D&D game that started on Outside Xboxes Youtube channel and kind of has a life of it's own now. Very british surreal humour that kind of grew from a one off to live events at Gaming Cons and appearences on D&D.
If you have a Twitch user, the official D&D channel hosts a lot of great games as well from all over the world and they tend to be for shorter campaigns so is a great place to dip your toe in and try a few out, they have new campaigns starting all the time so keep an eye on them.
Something you should know is D&D, especially 5th edition is by it's very nature, very improv heavy with lots of reacting and making things up on the fly and shenanigans. Also combat tends loose viewers (I have a friend that streams his games) but don't be put off, what is cool now a days is that there are so many people streaming games if you don't like the first few you try keep on hunting, you'll find the perfect one out there that has the balance of combat and Roleplay you like.
posted by wwax at 8:12 PM on October 10, 2021 [4 favorites]