I've watched 1000+ hours of D&D podcasts, here's what Critical Role 4 should learn from Dimension 20 and new DM Brennan Lee Mulligan

Critical Role: Campaign 4 has already seen a major shake up thanks to the unprecedented 13-person cast quickly dividing themselves into three groups with interconnecting stories, rather than following a single, linear narrative. The biggest change is the introduction of Brennan Lee Mulligan as long term Dungeon Master, taking over from ‘forever DM’ Matthew Mercer. Mulligan, best known for his role as showrunner of another D&D show, Dropout’s Dimension 20, brings his own distinct style to CR. The breadth of Campaign 4 is unlike his previous work, but despite the hefty legacy he has to uphold, there’s already some clear divergence from the previous seasons which might surprise those new to him. His comedy experience, heavy focus on genre, and willingness to bend the rules for one of the best tabletop RPGs are already starting to change CR, and that impact will only be felt more keenly as the campaign rumbles on.

I’m a big Dungeons & Dragons actual play fan and was introduced to the medium through an obsessive watch of CR’s second campaign. Once I’d cried my way through the final episode, I went back to Campaign 1 and tried out Campaign 3. It was only after hundreds of hours with Mercer and co that I thought I’d try out D20 and quickly became hooked. I’d thought I wanted the character deep dives, epic romances, and quiet discovery that CR offered, but a few episodes of D20 made me realize I’d been craving something slick, sharp, and funny. I’ve since watched every series, but now, in returning to CR for Campaign 4, I’ve been reminded of why I first fell for the show - the long campaigns leave space for a deeper experience. But I want CR to learn from its new DM, even if that means some major changes.

The most obvious of those is already present in the new cast, but the rotating 13-player table shapes more than just the seating plan. Previous campaigns have relied on individual characters bearing the load of narrative arcs that could run for dozens of hours. Mercer always tried to balance that across the cast, but some players always shone brighter than others. D20, by contrast, splits attention far more evenly, with no single arc prioritizing any one character. Even when one player is the focus, Mulligan makes sure to offer everyone an equal stake in the action.

That philosophy surfaced immediately in Campaign 4, which opened with the execution of an NPC remembered by the cast for their ‘Main Character Energy’. With this figure out of the picture, all of the other characters - connected to him in different ways and all firmly within his orbit - were left without an obvious narrative focal point. That automatically equalized how much attention and agency each player could have, right from the start of the campaign. And as we move forward with that approach in mind, I expect that Mulligan’s role as DM will grant each player a larger stake in their own strands, but also offer fewer chances for them to fall into the background.

Death saves

Take away the cast of professional actors and CR’s high production values, and D&D essentially boils down to a lengthy rulebook, which Mercer sticks to closely. That faithfulness is part of why Campaign 3 didn’t land for me - the stakes were high, but the risk seemed low. In a world where any player character death can be reversed with the right spell, the plot armor always felt sturdy. While CR sticks firmly to its high-fantasy setting, D20 seasons are set in different universes, taking inspiration from different genres, which Mulligan tweaks his rules to reflect. Those rules are led by the tone of the story, sometimes providing opportunities for players to evade death, sometimes actively trying to kill them.

The first dramatic act of Campaign 4 is that character death, but no one even mentions the resurrection spell Revivify. The new setting’s conceit is that the gods have been slain, and in D&D, it’s divinity that controls whether characters are returned to life. Mulligan immediately establishes an altered set of rules, setting a new tone - instead of starting a campaign full of excitement and adventure, danger is present and immediate. He hasn’t revealed exactly how deaths and revivals could be handled, but the cast have discussed having backup characters ready. We’ve had a hint that death may not be final, but whether there’ll be any further flexibility is yet to be seen.

In Mercer's three high fantasy campaigns, hours have been dedicated to date nights, magical mansion tours, and dress shopping. Some of the players clearly love being able to spend so much time on the detail of their character, and Mercer is focused on ensuring his players are having fun. Over in D20, Mulligan’s games are often hilarious, but they’re driven by genre over character. Money rarely factors unless wealth is a key theme; character backstory is revealed through action, not conversation; relationships are established with speed and efficiency. Mulligan’s comedy experience has evidently instilled a keen sense of pacing, but D20’s dramatically shorter runtime and genre-driven setting also means there’s less opportunity to progress leisurely. The longer length of Campaign 4 will give time for a more in depth exploration of character, but with 13 players, that ability to keep the story moving will be crucial. That’s already playing out in campaign 4, and over hundreds of episodes it’ll become even more keenly felt.

Both Mercer and Mulligan are expert Dungeon Masters and accomplished storytellers who have done more to shape the renaissance of D&D than anyone else. They may use different tricks and tools at the table, inviting different styles of gameplay, but they are both masters at bringing worlds to life. In other industries, this could have led to an epic rivalry, but by inviting Mulligan in, Mercer is allowing him to enhance the framework he’s already built. We’ll know in three years or so exactly how this will affect the campaign, but I’m sure Mercer will be taking notes. Who knows? Maybe next year we’ll get a 20-episode D20 series helmed by Mercer himself?

Mulligan has now confirmed the D&D campaign's big bad, and I've got a feeling no amount of natural 20s is gonna beat this one.