‘Critical Role’s Matt Mercer Guests on Dimension 20 Show: ‘It Was A New Experience’

It’s not a lie to say that Dungeons and Dragons is having a moment.

Once a game only associated with nerds and outcasts, the imaginative tabletop roleplay game has exploded onto the popular culture scene in a big way over the last few years — notably in the early 2000s via the short-lived series Freaks and Geeks, then years later in another high school-esque series (Stranger Things). As streaming took more prominence and different avenues of Internet broadcasting popped up such as Twitch and Geek & Sundry, live play of D&D became more mainstream. Today, the game is practically a part of every conversation and you don’t need to look further than the critically acclaimed Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves movie starring A-listers like Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez that recently premiered to rave reviews.

Dimension 20, a tabletop roleplay game anthology series, is one such show that’s helped D&D become a talking point in pop culture conversations. Airing on Dropout.tv and helmed by Game Master Brennan Lee Mulligan, the show, which premiered in 2018, often invites comedians and pro gamers to join their stories, bringing comedy to the world of tabletop gaming.

Part of D&D’s recent popularity can arguably be attributed to the roleplay game sensation known as Critical Role, a now successful multimedia company that started as a home game between a group of voice actor friends and eventually found its way to fans via the Internet in 2015 — an ascent that would come to include books, comics, a non-profit organization, and even a critically animated adult series airing on Prime Video, The Legend of Vox Machina (based on Critical Role’s first campaign). As the Dungeon Master and Chief Creative Officer of Critical Role, Matthew Mercer has created a window of accessibility for D&D based on his unique and intense world-building and high level of improv game play. Now, he’s taking his skills to a new world — the world of Dimension 20‘s The Ravening War — marking the first time he’s led a campaign outside of his own series.

Mercer will guest as the Game Master alongside long-time Dimension 20 stars Mulligan, Lou Wilson, Zac Oyama, Aabria Iyengar, and newcomer Anjali Bhimani (Ms. Marvel) in the six episode miniseries described as a “dark, twisty prequel” to the show’s popular “A Crown of Candy” campaign, which takes place in a world called Calorum where kingdoms are segmented into different food groups. (Think Game of Thrones meets Candyland world.) Ahead of the show’s premiere, TV Insider talked with Mercer about what he’s most excited to bring to the Dimension 20 table, how playing in another campaign feels similar to his own, and what fans can expect from The Ravening War.

The players of Dimension 20 have crossed paths with you before on Critical Role projects or as players on the series, but this is your first time DM’ing a big campaign outside of the Critical Role world. What challenges, if any, did you anticipate when you sat down at the table?

Matthew Mercer: For me, it was taking my love and respect for both the players at the table, AND for the world and story that Brennan crafted in the original “A Crown of Candy” campaign, and doing my best to honor all of that. Doing my research. On top of that, working with Rick Perry was a dream…but certainly required a lot more advance development of combat encounters! On Critical Role, I am crafting battle maps hours before the session from modular terrain! For this, I needed to design and detail the encounters six to eight weeks in advance, hehe. That was a new experience.

Dimension 20 is one of the shows out there that is probably closest to Critical Role’s level in terms of visibility in the TTRPG space and different campaigns. What similarities (or differences) did you find in adapting to their world?

There are many similarities, both in heart and philosophy. A team of wonderful creatives all collaborating to make magic in the moment. It really didn’t feel all that different other than the space and the teams, which in my mind means we are all on the right path. So much of what we’ve all done has come from sharing notes, talent, and resources to lift each other up, so it’s wonderful to see us all growing together.

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What can you tease for fans who are looking forward to The Ravening War? What should they be excited about in this prequel series?

Hmm… while those who have not watched “A Crown of Candy” will not be lost or unable to enjoy the meat of this, those who are familiar with the world will really enjoy some of the references and moments in history revealed that set up some of the original campaign. Beyond that, just know that I had a GRAND old time mining from the fuzzy edges of Calorum’s deep worldbuilding, all with the goal of surprising even its creator.

Even as early as five years ago, no one would have predicted that Dungeons & Dragons would become a household pop culture name in any respect. Now there are blockbuster films with A-list stars, shows like Critical Role that bridge the gap between gaming and pop culture, and creative shows like Dimension 20. From a DM point of view, how have you seen the landscape change over the years and how has it felt to know you and your projects have been a substantial part of that shift?

It has been absolutely wild from my perspective. Watching the prevalence of TTRPGs and communal, improvised storytelling both finding a growing audience AND inspiring others to play these games themselves has brought such joy to this geek’s heart. Feeling like playing these RPGs, which was so important to me growing up into who I am today, is as important now to so many others is wonderful. Seeing the industry thrive in a way it never did, providing more opportunities for creators than ever before… that’s incredible. Especially after watching so many Gaming stores close around me over the years. What really makes me thankful and proud is that through all of this unprecedented expansion, we are still just doing our best, loving each other as we get to create, and trying to enjoy the moment for as long as it lasts.

Dimension 20: Ravening War, Wednesday, May 10, Dropout streaming service (also airing on YouTube Wednesday, May 17).