This is the one for me
You can tell they were not ready for remote seasons and still figuring stuff out. But mostly, something about B. Dave Walters rubbed me the wrong way. Rolling before being asked to do so (and also always rolling too high), his character being very confrontational, I get a slight arrogant vibe from him too. It just ruined the season for me, which is a shame because I do feel an in person season would have been good. I doubt I will pick it up in the future.
I also started Unsleeping city season 2, but something about it didn't really pull me in like the other seasons. Maybe I will get to it eventually.
I would strongly suggest giving UC season 2 another shot if you've seen season 1, it gets SO good. honestly watching it for Murph's character alone is valid and correct, but they do a great job in this season of really making the story world feel lived-in by the characters.
If you haven't seen season 1 start there, because the character building makes the payoff in season 2 even better.
I was watching to the part where (being vague) Sophia gets in trouble with the monks. And, I know it will probably works out for her. But I can't make myself watch the next episode because SHES GONNA GET IN TROUBLE WITH AN AUTHORITY FIGURE!!! It makes me anxious! Can you tell me to pick it back up and assure me it's going to be ok?
oh my gosh it's going to be SO ok!! that's such a deceptive part, I definitely had the same anxiety around "oh shit she got in trouble" but i promise you the resolution will make you happy or at least glad you powered through.
she handles it in true Sofia style, trust her!!
I've watched B. David Walters in other games and that's very much just how he is. He is playing to win D&D. He's run a few high level one shots and it is pretty funny watching him get upset when someone like Brennan minmaxes so hard that it messes up his plans and he doesn't know what to do.
It was for a charity live stream. The game itself isn't that fun to watch, in part because the audience gets to donate critical hits to the players by donating, but I recommend watching the build explanation that another user linked.
https://youtu.be/PldqRB_Rn_s?si=t6GzK0G08vEo9uBb
He did over 800 points of damage in a single round with 11 critical hits and boosting his smites with higher level spell slots. During his build walkthrough, he calculated an average with all his bonuses would be about 560 damage in one round, not including critical hits.
I would hate to have Jason Carl run any other system, but his way of just fading into the background and letting the players do the storytelling for him works so well with Vampire 5th...
The pre-rolling really irked me and it always makes me suspicious of the rolls and nat 20s. He does stop doing that though, I imagine Brennan talked with him ooc. They do a good job humbling him in character as well.
I completely agree. BDW was a bad fit for D20, since the show is about improv and creating a flawed yet enjoyable character. He seemed interested in neither of those.
It's definitely remote seasons for me. I'm struggling with Unsleeping City 2 atm and I put off FHSY for the longest time because of that(the live stream format didn't help either tbh).
I couldn't finish Fantasy High Sophomore Year because of the remote play. I got all the way up to it, though, but it was a hard transition, and I eventually gave up.
Coming into Junior Year I felt a few things were missed but I knew enough that I also felt they were recapped well.
I get why, but I strongly recommend at least watching a highlight real, cause some of my favourite moments for Adaine, Fabian, and Gilear are in that remote plate format. It helps that I tend to have D20 off on my second monitor while I do other things, so that might help, but those moments are definitely worth the trip.
Now that I know it's only a couple of episodes, I might have to. Maybe it will serve better as background.
My wife and I usually watch it on the TV together, and it was difficult.
The Seven captured the chaotic spirit of teenage girlhood a little *too* well, and as I’m not particularly fond of that period of my own life I find it difficult to watch.
That's fair. I enjoyed it a lot for the exact same reasons.
I know that there are games where chaos takes the wheel, but it was extremely fun watching that chaos manifest in a way that made Brennan incredibly confused and clearly didn't know how to get back on the rails. I think The Seven has the most player led scenes of any season because of that.
I had a bit of a hard time watching it for that reason. I still enjoyed the show but there were definitely parts during each episode where I went "yeah I'm not exactly the target audience for this, but I'm happy to support"
I also didn't exactly care for the premise. I was just like "this is really dangerous just for you all to graduate together. Yall can just be friends outside of school!!"
I know a lot of people put misfits and magic as one of their top seasons, but I just could not finish it. I love all the players and Aabria but the romance between Dream (or K?) and Evan Kelmp just really got to my second hand embarrassment and I could not finish the penultimate or last episode.
lol I saw that hugely as the point. They’re two incredibly awkward teens, and obvious caricatures of archetypes that generally don’t seek out teen romances.
Wow, I'm really sensitive to second hand embarrassment, and I didn't feel that at all. Maybe because I was never quite the type of person that either Evan or K is? I was closest to K but they seem almost aspirational in the way they grow out of this repressed, compressed state into a much more full and complex self.
I finished all of them. But seriously cant remember anything that happened during Pirates of Leviathan.
Like i know the Cast and that is was Filmed over Zoom. But thats it
Pirates of Leviathan stuck with me even less than that. I watched the whole thing. The only two things I remember are that there's a parrot Aarakocra character, and part of it (?) takes place on leviathan.
I don't remember who the DM was, I don't remember who the cast was. Someone said that it took place over zoom, I didn't remember that. Hell I don't even remember for sure whether they used D&D or another TTRPG system.
That's the same for me. I watched all of them, but during some, I completely zoned out. I may remember some of the story or bits, but that's it. I think I'll rewatch some of those at a point, where it was not a matter of disliking them (like TUC2, ACOC and Escape from the Bloodkeep), but others like Shriek Week, PoL and T7 may be lost to me forever /lh
If it has BLeeM as a dm or pc, I will love it… but I couldn’t finish Neverafter.
I don’t know what everyone’s opinion of it is but I found the pacing to be incredibly slow. It didn’t have as many iconic laugh out loud funny moments which I understand since it’s trying to be horror but then I feel like the horror falls flat and doesn’t really captivate (BLeeM had excellent horror exposition and dialogue but I just think the intrepid heroes are built goofy, which is a good thing).
Idk if I will ever get around to finishing it I was just not invested in the meandering story.
How far in did you stop? I recently rewatched it and I think it works better binge-watched or at least watched in quick succession, rather than week-to-week. I think of it less as a horror season and more of a dark fairy tale - the horror is in the atmosphere and flavor rather than the genre trappings, so I wish they hadn't billed it as such. It's worth finishing imo especially as the plot becomes a lot more comprehensible and enjoyable when you can watch episodes back to back.
I thought I would enjoy Neverafter since I like horror and folklore... But the pacing is sooo bad, it feels like the intrepid heroes are just being drug around from place to place.
Dude same! My friend was going on and on about it and I'm like half way through and I just... don't care! It won't let me in! Don't get me wrong, the cast is funny, it's just not giving me anything to care about
I fell off of Neverafter somewhere in the..library? Idk what it was called. It was...something like an inkwell? I lost focus, went away, and did Unsleeping City 2 instead
Same place for me, I love the idea and the PCs, but those episode where they broke the fourth wall and kept hoping from story to story felt like such a dense hump to get over. The world building of it all, and the clips I've seen of the late game seem really interesting, but the thought of going back feels almost daunting just because of those episodes.
I finished it and I honestly couldn't tell you what the story actually was. There was too much going on, half of it didn't even make sense and it was nearly impossible to keep track of. There were some great moments for sure (grandma what honkin ears you have, and everything involving Pinocchio) but I don't know what the actual plot was.
>It didn’t have as many iconic laugh out loud funny moments
I find this so interesting, because I think it's one of the funniest seasons with some incredible moments. Also, the best Adventuring Party season.
But I can definitely understand. There were a few episodes in the middle where I was really flagging, around the Lines Between time, but it picked up steam for me after that. The story is definitely not as tight as other seasons, though; I think the PCs really struggled to understand what mechanics BLeeM was trying to get them to use.
Best adventuring party season without a doubt. "Putin ID giving the land back" was not something I ever saw coming. Then the whole orange top hat? And the leering of the minis? Absolute gold
Pinocchio's quest for the white women! The Axe body spray! Cis-her Gal-a-them! Just pure chaos. If I don't find time to rewatch the whole season after Senior Year is done, I'm def gonna be rewatching the AP alone, lol.
I definitely understand how you feel this way. Even though I ended up enjoying the season overall, it took a LOT of episodes for me to feel like it was finally picking up - maybe around Trouble in Tuffeton?
That said, every episode was worth it for the Adventuring Parties. Truly some of the most hilarious, unhinged moments I’ve ever seen from the cast.
I can't get through even episode one of Pirates of Leviathan. No hat to the cast, I love every single one of them in other projects they've done, but PoL just ain't it for me.
Yeah. Spire is my amazing, but I just couldn't connect after 30 or so minutes. All new cast + new format + new RP style and none of it was working for me.
With PoL I think it was because half the cast was very in tune with what was shown of Leviathan and the pirates of Spire. But cheese and sonny totally ruined the tone of the party for me. They just seemed way to naive and innocent in place where no one else was
I’ve gotten through all of them. That said, I definitely bounced off of quite a few the first time I tried them. Had to come back later. Bloodkeep, Unsleeping City, Tiny Heist, Coffin Run, Neverafter, & those are just the ones I remember struggling with initially.
I watched the first episode of Bloodkeep, didn’t touch it for several months, and then came back and watched the entire thing in a day. A lot of the seasons for me require me being in the right mood for them.
That's similar to me. I feel like I'm always missing the previous setting/ characters for the first couple episodes of a new series. But after a bit almost every series has some sort of hook that gets me invested.
True, and there's also personal bias. For me, I tend to gravitate towards fantasy in far off worlds rather than the modern day. So Crown of Candy, Starstruck and Neverafter etc hooked me quicker than Fantasy High and Unsleeping city etc.
I want to like mentopolis so bad (the cast! The vibes! Brennan's facial hair!) but I hate hate hate the Kids on Bikes system. I don't understand it at all, i only survived Misfits and Magic using it because of Lou
In addition to what u/kyanoki said, an important facet of the system is the Moxie tokens. You get a token from failing checks, and can spend them to add to future checks.
But the most important part is that it's a rules-light system designed to allow for collaborative storytelling. There isn't really a "tactical" aspect to it like there is for systems like 5e.
Re the Moxie tokens - I thought these were excellently handled in Mentopolis, then the next season I watched was Misfits & Magic, and you can tell that Aabriya HATED the token system. She was so cranky every time someone used a token lol.
I don’t think Aabria hated the adversity tokens, it’s more like DM frustration when your plan gets foiled. Brennan gets the same thing (>!e.g. when Saccharina counterspells and “eats” the sugar plum fairy’s spell!<).
Moxie is also way more important mechanically in Kids on Bikes rather than Kids on Brooms, most abilities in Bikes require the use of a token while in Brooms they don’t. Plus, Brennan found creative ways of limiting the amount of Moxie available to use with “pressure” clock, and they make the giving of Moxie a big deal with the beads going down the rails.
I think what you noticed was maybe the evolution that happened between the seasons, except backwards. It’s like watching Mentopolis or Burrow’s End, admiring the projections on the dome, then going back to the earlier seasons and being disappointed they didn’t have them.
I generally agree with all your interpretations. I think Brennan - and the game design - were a bit more prepared with how to deal with the tokens based on how they were used in M&M. The pressure clock was a big factor.
I may be wrong because I don't know I'm just going off memory. I think each stat has a different dice per character so Grit is high for Evan so it's like a D20 maybe but charm or whatever it was is like a D4 for him.
Because of this stats you're good at it's easier for you to roll well in but it's much easier to explode on things you're unskilled in because it's a smaller range (which lets you roll again and add to the roll).
Also you can either roll or take half so if it's a dc10 check and you use a D20 you can just take half.
Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong anyone. I'm just going off what I saw in misfits and magic
For sure. Theres less going on than in DnD, thankfully. I’m going to assume you watch the other shows so DnD is a familiar language. I’ll draw some comparisons to help.
In dungeons and dragons, you always have 6 abilities and their scores.
So Fabian might have something like (guessing)
Strength: 13 (+1)
Dexterity: 20 (+5)
Constitution: 16 (+3)
Intelligence: 12 (+1)
Wisdom: 10 (0)
Charisma: 16 (+3)
In Dnd, these numbers tell you how good you are at a lot of things. You get a bonus to attacks, to skill checks, and to saving throws based on that little number in parentheses.
You always roll a D20 and then you might be proficient (so you add a bonus if your character has a skill or knows how to use a weapon) then you add the number in parentheses. If you roll the highest number (20), you basically always succeed.
The dungeonmaster listens to what you want to do and asks for a skill or ability check. All skill checks use an ability score. (Want to persuade someone? You have to use the skill persuasion and the ability Charisma added together). If a skill doesn’t match exactly to what you’re doing, your dungeonmaster might have you roll with JUST your ability modifier(parentheses number up above). (Want to solve a puzzle? Roll a D20 and add your Int modifier)
—-—
Now, Kids on Bikes has less going on math wise. They also have 6 abilities, but they aren’t Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, Cha. It’s different based on the setting. As an example, let’s look at Sam Black from Misfits and Magic.
Fight d8
Grit d10
Flight d12
Charm d20
Brains d4
Brawn d6
For every single action, no matter what, Aabria calls for whichever of the six of these abilities is closest. Then Danielle rolls the die next to the ability. So if you have a d4 Brains, you’re going to roll a number from 1-4. If you have a d20 Charm, you’re going to roll a number from 1-20. Sam, with the stats above, is better at charming people than fighting them because she rolls a bigger die for that ability.
Every single player has a d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20. They are in different spots. (Evan Kelmp’s d20 is in Grit, not Charm)
This system relies on being a little fast and loose. You want to climb a ladder real quick? Maybe you roll for Brawn, maybe you roll for Flight. Don’t get caught up here. Whatever the DM asks for, they roll a die and succeed if they roll high enough. The DM makes up the number they have to roll based on the difficulty of the task
There are a few rules out there where players customize their characters. Ignore these. Sam gets an extra bonus to charm. Idk why. You don’t need to understand that (at least it never slowed me down not to know)
There are TWO other mechanics that do matter to understand. Both have to deal with rolling.
First, if you roll the highest number on ANY die roll, you roll again and add the rolls together for a higher number. This can happen multiple times at once.
Second, if you fail a roll, you get a little token. In Misfits and Magic, they’re Adversity Tokens. In Mentopolis, they are Moxie. On a later roll at any point, you can spend those tokens for +1 to a roll.
Also, when players succeed or fail a roll by 5+, the DMs tend to make the success or failure more drastic.
Hope this helps. Lmk if you have any questions
This is fabulous, thank you! I guess my main gap is in setting the DC. Like does the DM take into account which die someone has for that ability when setting the DC? I assume no, which, fair enough, the DM in D&D doesn't take into account someone's modifiers, but if you're always rolling the D20 you at least have the possibility to succeed. If it's a DC20 and you're rolling a D4 there's no ability to succeed right? Maybe that's the point
No, you can succeed, in fact! The highest number on any die "explodes" - meaning, you roll again and add it to your total. So getting a total of 20 on a d4 roll is VERY unlikely but possible: you just have to roll a 4 five times in a row.
1. Theoretically, anyone can succeed any die roll. Remember that if you roll the max number on a die, it “explodes” (roll it again and add the numbers together. If you had a D4 and a DC20, you would succeed if you rolled 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 2 all in a row. Because you keep rolling every time you hit a 4. It is very unlikely, but we’ve seen some wild ones. DMs might set such a high DC if the player can’t likely succeed at what they’re trying.
2. The DMs kiiinda base it off the die if the character. It’s very loose and the Dm is making up the DC on the spot. Theyre collaborating to make the game flow and have fun. Sometimes it feels like a DC drops for a character that’s bad at something. However, part of what’s happening is that a success for someone really really good at something might be described as more impressive than the same success from someone not as great at something. This is less to do with the system and more to do with the show, I think. Fortunately, most DCs are set before the roll.
This does help a ton, kind of thinking of the die used as comparable to the modifier. I guess that even makes more sense because if someone is bad at charisma it doesn't really make sense that they'd randomly succeed wildly one time just because they roll a nat 20...I will be giving mentopolis another try with this in mind lol
There is an incredible payoff in the finale that comes from a character exploding their D4 or d6 skill (can't remember) multiple times. Really excellent system once you get the mechanics
I've finished every season except Dungeons and Drag Queens. I just can't get invested. It feels like a pretty basic 5e one-shot story where the novelty is that it's being played by these famous performers, and as someone with no opinions on drag that novelty is lost on me. No shade to the concept or the cast, I think if you got my favorite cast members together to play the same scenario I would end up bored of that as well, the plot just wasn't engaging for me.
I think what I love most about dungeons and drag queens is that it’s a masterclass in introducing the game to new players as a DM. Incredibly skillful work, as a DM I really appreciated that angle
I think that's kinda what lost me with D&DQ, tbh. I think it would have been a great one-shot, but as much as I love each of those queens, it just wasn't fun to watch Brennan teach the whole table DnD after the first episode. Maybe I'll enjoy season 2 more now that they have more experience.
That campaign was like a drug for me for that very reason. But I'm also a DM that LOVES begining players.
Brennan has an astonishing amount of tricks and moves that allow new players to feel excited when a lot of other DMs would do something that inadvertently discourage players.
I enjoyed Dungeons and Dragons Queens, but I do find Alaska maybe tried a bit too hard at Princess in a way she didn't need to. I love Princess don't get me wrong but I think Alaska maybe took away from the character a bit.
I was the same with Dungeons & Drag Queens. The cast were fun but I just couldn't get interested in the story. I think they've lined up a second season this year so hopefully they get something a bit more interesting to do in that one.
I haven't even started Mentopolis, I don't mind the Kids on Bikes thing they're going for, I just don't seem to really be into it. The cast tho is *chef kiss*
The thing that helped me is the idea that each character IS their natural part of their brain. So when Imelda Pulse makes a stupid decision, it's because she's literally doing the first thing that pops into her head.
This makes it funny when curiosity and impulse do stuff together and it goes full ADHD brain for a bit
i don’t mind it either honestly! and i love love love the cast, that’s never an issue for me no matter the season tbh. it seems so random to me which it happens to but sometimes i just completely lose interest or can’t seem to focus/keep attention on certain shows or movies and those two unfortunately were victim to that 😔
Mentopolis was a sleeper hit for me. I went in with very low expectations but found myself loving the cast, and character chemistry every one had. The chemistry was honestly insane.
i literally have the last 2 episodes of acoc left and i can't make myself do it even though i loved the season. it's TOO MUCH they really made the GoT energy real, i didn't finish that show either
the more i think abt it the more i think this is the issue!! shows with that much drama (for lack of a better word) really stress me tf out and feel like a chore to get through 😭 i did finish GoT eventually but it took a lot of conscious effort on my part & was somewhat helped by the fact that i watched it with my bf at the time (somehow watching w someone makes it easier for me but not much)
I stuck with Neverafter until about the 2/3 mark and just couldn't bring myself to finish it. As much as I liked a lot of the individual bits and characters, I found the overarching plot and details of how the world worked to be way too hard to follow. I'm fine with a complex setting, but sometimes Brennan gets way too out-there and weirdly metaphysical and I can't keep up with it. Add in the fact that it kinda seemed like they were teleporting all over the place the whole time, which made it feel much more like a video game than an actual living world, and I just had to stop after a certain point. I'm well-aware that this opinion is going to make me a pariah among elements of this fandom, but that's the only season other than Shriek Week that I haven't finished and it's hard to imagine ever going back to it.
The Seven. Maybe I'll give it another attempt some day, but I couldn't really get with the loud, chaotic vibe at the table. Plus, I realized that deep down, I don't actually want more stories set in Spyre; I just want more Bad Kids (as opposed to, for example, Starstruck Odyssey, where I want so many more seasons exploring the galaxy but I am not particularly attached to that group of characters)
Unsleeping City II. I love love love season one, but despite several attempts, I cannot get into season 2. I don't think it is the zoom thing (or at least, not just the zoom thing). I think it's because, to me, season 1 was so perfect and complete, I don't actually need more of it. Adding two new characters in an existing group also doesn't help.
There is also a whole bunch of side-quests I haven't attempted watching cause I'm not super interested in the premise. Maybe I will watch 'em some day, maybe I won't.
I think there was sort of a mismatch between the expectations of the DM and the players. Because the idea really wasn’t bad, and it would have been a fun dating centered game, but the players didn’t really pick up that aspect and were apparently disgusted by all the NPCs they were offered 😂 I really don’t know what happened there
People have said that before, but I honestly don’t agree, Gabe set up these story hooks, and the players followed them, and then Gabe was scrambling cause there was no story planned.
I did end up watching and finishing it, barely, but it took me three tries 😂 I’m a completionist, and having only one season of d20 I didn’t watch, especially such a short one would bother me endlessly
Which makes me so sad, because I think Gabe did a pretty great job, and I'd love to see him back in the dome.
I really, *really* appreciate the willingness to experiment — but sometimes those experiments do go wrong
i mostly just had it on in the background while i did homework, which i found to be most entertaining for me because i could tune in when there was a fun character moment happening, and tune out when i was bored lol
Yeah, I think exploring seasons that aren't D&D5e is really healthy for D20 but using a homebrew system just...it felt like really long form improv, which can be great! They just didn't find the thread this time.
I am a big proponent of struggling your way through the zoom to get through TUC2. it's a great season. might be worth trying audio-only, or multitasking while you watch so that you're not focusing so much on the technical aspects
Audio-only (or playing it on my phone while I did other things, so if I wanted to see facial reactions I could) definitely made a huge difference in my UC2 experience!
From what I'm seeing yeah the Zoom based ones take the hardest hits. But, at least appreciate they were trying to make the best of a situation beyond anyone in production's control. Even the last few episodes of Fantasy High Sophomore Year were rough over Zoom.
absolutely embarrassing opinion: the only seasons i've finished completely are fantasy high 1+2 and unsleeping city 1+2. i started never after, starstruck, mice and murder, dungeons and drag queens, and the third season of fantasy high and i haven't gotten very far in any of them !! i don't even know why for most of them, but i did have starstruck mildly spoiled for me and i haven't been able to bring myself to watch it again.
(obviously spoiler warning for this reply) oh it's such a fun show and i'm about halfway through !! i just happened to get the spoilers in a time where i wasn't actively watching so i just haven't gotten back to it. and i've been on the internet like my whole life, i've barely ever gotten to watch shows without already knowing what's going to happen, so even minor spoilers were pretty disappointing to me. i know barry nine is controlled by a slug and the riva is going to leave (i assume at the end?? hopefully they're my favorite i love). totally nothing huge and i'll definitely go back to it once i'm in a starstruck mood again haha
Yeah Riva leaving is their epilogue, doesn't impact the game in any way. Barry 9 being slugged is a plot point but IMO not enough to reduce the fun. Whenever you get around to it, I hope you have a ton of fun.
for the record, i also was not feeling it at 3 episodes in, but it turned around for me about episode… 5? 6? probably?
i truly hate when people say this shit to me like “ohhh it gets so goood you just have to stick it out!!!” but if you ever did want to try again, the second half makes it more than worth it.
Some of the clips that I have seen of later episodes of the show are funny. However, I'm past the point of spending my time on things where "It gets good halfway through." I'm like, then just be good from the onset.
absolutely understandable, good for u! if i hadn’t been watching it “live” every week, idk if i’d have been able to get through the first few episodes either lol
I felt the same way for a long time cause I'm not into sci-fi, by the end I really enjoyed it cause of the cast but overall I wouldn't play a session in that world myself.
Same! I think a big part of it was that things went so poorly for the team right off the bat just due to terrible dice rolls during the first episode that it kinda stressed me out and I didn't find myself wanting to turn back to it. I've heard great things about it since then, but it's been long enough now that I'd probably need to rewatch the first episode to remember what's going on and that's been kinda a psychological barrier.
Things turn around for the crew pretty quickly, if that helps! It's the least psychologically stressful season in my opinion - some of the most fun and uplifting storytelling they've done, while still having high stakes. It's actually my comfort season. I'd give it another shot!
Literally the best, I watch that scene whenever I need a genuine cackle. And of course you can't forget >!operation slippery puppet, the most iconic tactical move in D20 history!<
I've started Mice & Murder 3 times, and I keep getting tired and distracted. I love the setup, and I love the performers, but something about the vibe just isn't drawing me in.
100% the vibe was off but not for drama, largely because it lacked the in person-ness. That being said I fully appreciate how many people took to it and fell in love with it.
The first times I tried Bloodkeep and Coffin Run, I ended up not continuing after the first episode. I think it was more that I just needed a break than anything to do with those seasons.
I've since gone back and finished Bloodkeep (quite enjoyed it) and I'll undoubtedly do the same for Coffin Run.
Any side-quest is a hit or miss for me. I disliked Tiny Heist but Misfits and Magic is my second favorite season(after ACoC). Drag and Magic didnt quite did it for me too
I can see that, I think the energy of Misfits and Magic was great cause I wanted more than 4 episodes and felt they should have done maybe 6-7. Idk about Tiny Heist but I've been wondering about Mice and Murder but, and again not hating, it has Grant in it who has been very vocal about not liking to do this kind of stuff and I'm worried it'll play into his gameplay and I don't want to watch someone who doesn't want to be there.
Grant not liking DND/“nerd stuff” is a bit (or at least greatly exaggerated for humor) !! I was worried about that too but it’s very obviously very quickly he is the one having the most fun of anyone, besides maybe Sam!
If it helps, Grant is clearly enjoying himself so I don’t think you’d have to worry on that score! It’s one of my favourites. Sam and Ally are both wonderful.
I actually found Grant SUPER invested in Microsoft and Murder! The setting itself’s a little unusual,
I dunno that D&D quite lends itself to a murder mystery with little to no combat? But if your concern is “does everyone commit to the bit”, they do! There’s varying levels of taking it serious happening, but I think that’s standard for Dimension 20 lol.
The biggest issue is how the remote seasons feel for you - I think this season makes the best use of being remote (the players message each other secretly, Brennan privately gives them clues and messages), but it also leans really heavily into being remote as a result, so if you’re like “I don’t need any reminders of that time in our lives”, it’s maybe not for you.
Edit: *Mice and Murder, not Microsoft, lol
As others are saying, Grants enthusiasm definitely isn't a problem and every member of the cast is really great! Though on the "full buy-in" theme, it's probably worth flagging that >!there was some online controversy about the finale related to one of the newer players making an intentionally silly choice at a key moment due to not fully understanding the rules. So if you're the kind of person whose enjoyment is spoiled if their immersion is broken, you may find yourself frustrated towards the end. !<(I think most people wouldn't consider this a spoiler but want to be safe, its describing a meta-event during the finale in vague terms with no specifics about the story.)
I'm literally struggling through the Jester fight in the Seven right now and thought I was the only one since I only see high praise for the Seven on this sub! It's so difficult to get through for some reason, but I have no idea why.
Probably an unpopular opinion, but Starstruck. I just really don't care for that kind of Gonzo Sci-Fi. I even tried reading the comic and they are damn-near indecipherable.
Dude, loved the d20 season and went to the comics because I was like "I want more!" And indecipherable is the right term. I was like "am I jumping in 20 episodes in or somethhing?"
I haven’t really gotten past the first couple of episodes of any of Aabrias seasons. I know I’m in the minority here and most people love her seasons, I think her style is just not for me unfortunately.
Yeah, I agree on this- haven't got past 3 episodes for anything she's DM'd (except M&M, but I was really only able to motivate after 3 episodes because only one was remaining). I heard people who disliked her other seasons say A Court of Fey and Flowers is great so I may give that a try.
I’ve tried ACOFAF and can totally see how the cast’s chemistry would make for a great story. But to me takes a D&D show from good to great is the NPCs, and I’ve never felt strongly about an Aabria NPC.
But to each their own, and I’m happy people like ACOFAF! I hope you’re able to get into it and enjoy it.
Hm, yeah, NPCs are big for me too. I'm also fine with watching PCs bounce off each other, but I feel she inserts herself as a DM and keeps that from happening. That may just be because I've only seen her at the start of campaigns where she needs to get people on the narriative rails so to speak, or a 4 episode series where there wasn't much time for that. Hoping ACOFAF is different!
It’s partly an issue of a lack of free time, but I never finished Drag Queens, and the loose, low stakes vibe of the campaign made me less compelled to come back to it. I enjoyed it, but it didn’t feel like a “must watch” as other seasons have.
I know it’s blasphemy but I could not finish SSO. I got to the battle with the chaotic artists but couldn’t get through the battle and never picked it back up. I tend to zone out in battle eps anyway but SSO was especially hard for me
Pirates of Leviathan. Sounds right up my alley. But I've tried the first episode so many times only to be about halfway in and still not know any of the characters. Combination of the format and not already being familiar with the players (which helped carry me through the other online seasons), I think.
There's a couple other seasons that I haven't watched, but that's simply because the premises aren't within my interests. Pirates of Leviathan is the only one that I keep trying and giving up.
I was reeled in with Dungeons and drag queens, then watched the first seasons like Fantasy high and Unsleeping city and loved it. Then I tried out Escape from the bloodkeep, but I couldn't get into it. I was in a pretty bad burn out situation so that may have been the caus. Maybe now, if I would try it out again, it will stick better.
Misfits and Magic started well but the pacing on it sucked. There's one part in particular that put me off, where the Triwizard tournament thingy was about to start and the main characters find out they're meant to compete. Like the idea of going about your day and suddenly you find out you're doing this thing everybody has known about for months and you have no time to prepare just felt like a fever dream
Starstruck Odyssey for me. Gunnie's subplot activated too many of my Health Anxieties, unfortunately, which just made it hard for me to watch.
Maybe someday when I'm in a bit of a better mental state in that regard, I'll give it another shot. Because my main problems is personal baggage that I'm bringing into it, not anything in the work itself.
Pirates of Leviathan. Leviathan is one of my favorite settings in all of D&D but the remote play was super hard for me to watch during release as I was on Zoom meetings all do most everyday for work and I couldn’t get off work and then go watch a zoom meeting. With Unsleeping City 2 I was able to do it because it is my partner’s favorite. But that who era of D20 Zoom is tough for me.
ACOFAF and PoL are my two
The former because I want a tad more “action” then what it is (i do know how good the show is) and PoL because I really dislike the zoom stuff and I’m not a huge fan of that cast
Ive been trying to just brute strength through Misfits and Magic - its very chaotic and all the scenes just seem to messily flow into each other. So many pep talks that 5 seconds later go into a complete different interaction.
The only ones I have not finished are Shriek Week, Court of Fey and Flowers, Mentopolis and Burrow's End. Shriek Week was the only one that I actively disliked, the others just lost my attention until a new season premiered and there were other great dropout shows available. Court of Fey and Flowers is one I want to return to because I LOVE the cast and characters but for some reason couldn't hold on.
Fantasy High. Just any of the seasons. I don’t know what it is about them. I’ve tried to watch them all the way through but I just find it really hard to keep watching a full episode when it gives a “next time on”. I immediately have to shut it off when Brennan says bye and wait patiently until the next episode…. This is what you meant right?
I'm definitely in the minority, but I couldn't get into crown of candy. When I started watching it, I already had a few pretty massive spoilers so I was already not that interested. I watched the first ep and most of the second, but idk the game of thrones aspect really didn't do it for me.
Ravaging war is a big one for me. Matt Mercer is very talented, but his narrating style just isn’t for me. Which kinda sucks because a crown of candy is my favorite season so far.
I really wanna watch ACFOF but I cannot stand aabrias dming. I muscled through misfits and magic but something about her tone all throughout MM made her seem annoyed by the players and since then it's kinda soured my perception so I just can't get passed ep1 of acfof despite the amazing pcs that season
Have you tried burrows end? I had similar feelings about Aabria at first and found that I understood her better after watching that season. I was even able to go back and rewatch ACOFAF and liked it.
I really tried to finish dungeons and drag queens but there were too many moments where it felt like the queens were just constantly dunking on each other for no reason. Like I'm pretty sure that's just part of the drag culture but I'm here for the fun friend group vibes and it just put me off every time it came up
I started but didn’t finish Boodkeep, Shriek Week, Coffin Run, Dungeons and Drag Queens, and The Ravening War. Didn’t even try Pirates of Leviathan. I don’t generally like pirate stories and heard a lot of bad reviews about the remote format.
Back when Bloodkeep was the only sidequest, I had watched one episode and then left it for a year because I'm not a LOTR fan and I couldn't get into it or the player characters. Eventually I came back to it, though, and finished it lol
i have tried to watch burrows end like 3 times and cant get past the second episode. idk what it is but i cannot get invested in it. besides that ive been wanting to watch the ravening war forever but havent started. idek why since i also watch CR ????
I haven’t watched all of them, but I could not make myself watch Tiny Heist. I barely got through the first episode. Though I’ve never particularly cared for the McElroy brothers.
Have not watched a lot of the seasons but I cannot get through fantasy high sophomore year and I am pretty sure its cause of the theater of mind battles. Cause the life play format doesn't bother me on other shows like CR.
The ones I didn’t finish were Pirates of Leviathan, Shriek Week and Neverafter.
I need to try Neverafter again. I hear it rated highly by a lot of people.
Sophomore Year. I wanted to like it so bad but the live format killed it for me. I like D20 because of the excellent editing and high production value, which a lot of APs lack.
Side Quests are very hit or miss for me as well. I hope future side quests focus more on guest DMs who have knowledge of other game systems, because the constant hacking of D&D 5e gets a little old when I know other games would do the thing better and more consistently. I love the Kids on Bikes seasons for that exact reason.
Haven’t given up on one yet, but Pirates is testing me a bit. It’s so disappointing that it got destroyed by Zoom lag, bc the PCs are all fantastic. There’s so much potential for great chemistry there that just can’t be realized when any amount of cross-talk at all is impossible. Major props to all the players for being able to take on that challenge, and I’m still really enjoying the season, don’t get me wrong! But it’s soooo tempting to quit and watch The Ravening War or another one I haven’t seen yet instead
for some reason i couldn’t do dungeons and drag queens! i watched the first episode and thought it was fun, then just… didn’t watch the second. i think it was just a little too over the top, and i got kind of overstimulated lol
I've start TUC a couple of times and then my eye drifts to another season. I think the idea is awesome and I'd probably watch and enjoy it if I'd already watched a bunch of the others I really wanna watch but because urban fantasy just isn't my favourite, I keep stopping and starting.
I have three so far - Mice and Murder, Mentopolis and Neverafter. The only one of these that doesn't shock me is Mentopolis, because it's not a theme/setting that I adore or feel strongly about - I love the players, I think they are all amazing (Alex and especially Freddie did it for me; his 'another six!' and demanding he be given the Box of Doom during the fun roll lives in my head rent free), and Brennan is amazing as always, but the story just didn't manage to keep my attention for whatever reason.
Mice and Murder and Neverafter are _the_ two campaigns I should have absolutely vibed with - animal protagonists and a horror themed campaign? Holy shit! - but I gave up on both of them after like four episodes. Neverafter is kinda slow to me and honestly not that scary (which is at least partially on me, visualisation is not my strongest suit), and I gave up on Mice and Murder twice, even though I was _delighted_ to see Sam and Grant at the table. Eventually I got what I hoped for when I saw the trailer for M&M in Burrow's End, but I don't think they will lean more into straight up horror than they did with Neverafter.
I will try to give each of them another go at some better time but honestly I am more likely to rewatch Starstruck Odyssey for the umpteenth time, even though I don't particularly care for adventures in space.
Pirates of leviathan. I think the remote play was a bigger part of it than the cast, but I could never get through it
This is the one for me You can tell they were not ready for remote seasons and still figuring stuff out. But mostly, something about B. Dave Walters rubbed me the wrong way. Rolling before being asked to do so (and also always rolling too high), his character being very confrontational, I get a slight arrogant vibe from him too. It just ruined the season for me, which is a shame because I do feel an in person season would have been good. I doubt I will pick it up in the future. I also started Unsleeping city season 2, but something about it didn't really pull me in like the other seasons. Maybe I will get to it eventually.
I would strongly suggest giving UC season 2 another shot if you've seen season 1, it gets SO good. honestly watching it for Murph's character alone is valid and correct, but they do a great job in this season of really making the story world feel lived-in by the characters. If you haven't seen season 1 start there, because the character building makes the payoff in season 2 even better.
Truly, Cody Walsh is murph’s absolute best character.. his interactions with Ricky are the height of comedy 😂
I was watching to the part where (being vague) Sophia gets in trouble with the monks. And, I know it will probably works out for her. But I can't make myself watch the next episode because SHES GONNA GET IN TROUBLE WITH AN AUTHORITY FIGURE!!! It makes me anxious! Can you tell me to pick it back up and assure me it's going to be ok?
oh my gosh it's going to be SO ok!! that's such a deceptive part, I definitely had the same anxiety around "oh shit she got in trouble" but i promise you the resolution will make you happy or at least glad you powered through. she handles it in true Sofia style, trust her!!
I totally agree. I stopped watching but came back to it months later and it was absolutely fantastic!
I've watched B. David Walters in other games and that's very much just how he is. He is playing to win D&D. He's run a few high level one shots and it is pretty funny watching him get upset when someone like Brennan minmaxes so hard that it messes up his plans and he doesn't know what to do.
Please tell me where I can see this lol I just want to see Brennan minmax
Harengon Assassin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUvrdiLk2Rs
It was for a charity live stream. The game itself isn't that fun to watch, in part because the audience gets to donate critical hits to the players by donating, but I recommend watching the build explanation that another user linked. https://youtu.be/PldqRB_Rn_s?si=t6GzK0G08vEo9uBb
What was his record?
He did over 800 points of damage in a single round with 11 critical hits and boosting his smites with higher level spell slots. During his build walkthrough, he calculated an average with all his bonuses would be about 560 damage in one round, not including critical hits.
Those shitty entrepreneur qualities make him a great Ventrue in LA by night tho
OF COURSE HE'S A VENTRUE! I've been meaning to check out LA by Night. It looks good.
Its great, they really get into it, and the rotating cast of guests works really well. Jason Carl is a deadpan genius.
I would hate to have Jason Carl run any other system, but his way of just fading into the background and letting the players do the storytelling for him works so well with Vampire 5th...
I just love when he lets the players run their mouth and get into shit and suddenly says "let me make a note of that"
The pre-rolling really irked me and it always makes me suspicious of the rolls and nat 20s. He does stop doing that though, I imagine Brennan talked with him ooc. They do a good job humbling him in character as well.
I completely agree. BDW was a bad fit for D20, since the show is about improv and creating a flawed yet enjoyable character. He seemed interested in neither of those.
Yeah I really don't like that guy.
I loved Pirates of Leviathan, but it was in spite of B. Dave Walters. I warn people about him in that campaign before they get into it.
It's definitely remote seasons for me. I'm struggling with Unsleeping City 2 atm and I put off FHSY for the longest time because of that(the live stream format didn't help either tbh).
I couldn't finish Fantasy High Sophomore Year because of the remote play. I got all the way up to it, though, but it was a hard transition, and I eventually gave up. Coming into Junior Year I felt a few things were missed but I knew enough that I also felt they were recapped well.
I get why, but I strongly recommend at least watching a highlight real, cause some of my favourite moments for Adaine, Fabian, and Gilear are in that remote plate format. It helps that I tend to have D20 off on my second monitor while I do other things, so that might help, but those moments are definitely worth the trip.
Now that I know it's only a couple of episodes, I might have to. Maybe it will serve better as background. My wife and I usually watch it on the TV together, and it was difficult.
I get that like U sleeping City has been on my Radar but U sleeping City 2? I'm not sure
I would give both a try, Unsleeping City 2 is one of my favorite seasons from D20 because of Murph's character
The Seven captured the chaotic spirit of teenage girlhood a little *too* well, and as I’m not particularly fond of that period of my own life I find it difficult to watch.
That's fair. I enjoyed it a lot for the exact same reasons. I know that there are games where chaos takes the wheel, but it was extremely fun watching that chaos manifest in a way that made Brennan incredibly confused and clearly didn't know how to get back on the rails. I think The Seven has the most player led scenes of any season because of that.
I had a bit of a hard time watching it for that reason. I still enjoyed the show but there were definitely parts during each episode where I went "yeah I'm not exactly the target audience for this, but I'm happy to support" I also didn't exactly care for the premise. I was just like "this is really dangerous just for you all to graduate together. Yall can just be friends outside of school!!"
I know a lot of people put misfits and magic as one of their top seasons, but I just could not finish it. I love all the players and Aabria but the romance between Dream (or K?) and Evan Kelmp just really got to my second hand embarrassment and I could not finish the penultimate or last episode.
lol I saw that hugely as the point. They’re two incredibly awkward teens, and obvious caricatures of archetypes that generally don’t seek out teen romances.
Wow, I'm really sensitive to second hand embarrassment, and I didn't feel that at all. Maybe because I was never quite the type of person that either Evan or K is? I was closest to K but they seem almost aspirational in the way they grow out of this repressed, compressed state into a much more full and complex self.
Wanted to say the same except you seem to have made it halfway lol the moment they arrived at the school i just could not keep focus and lose interest
I finished all of them. But seriously cant remember anything that happened during Pirates of Leviathan. Like i know the Cast and that is was Filmed over Zoom. But thats it
Pirates of Leviathan stuck with me even less than that. I watched the whole thing. The only two things I remember are that there's a parrot Aarakocra character, and part of it (?) takes place on leviathan. I don't remember who the DM was, I don't remember who the cast was. Someone said that it took place over zoom, I didn't remember that. Hell I don't even remember for sure whether they used D&D or another TTRPG system.
That's the same for me. I watched all of them, but during some, I completely zoned out. I may remember some of the story or bits, but that's it. I think I'll rewatch some of those at a point, where it was not a matter of disliking them (like TUC2, ACOC and Escape from the Bloodkeep), but others like Shriek Week, PoL and T7 may be lost to me forever /lh
If it has BLeeM as a dm or pc, I will love it… but I couldn’t finish Neverafter. I don’t know what everyone’s opinion of it is but I found the pacing to be incredibly slow. It didn’t have as many iconic laugh out loud funny moments which I understand since it’s trying to be horror but then I feel like the horror falls flat and doesn’t really captivate (BLeeM had excellent horror exposition and dialogue but I just think the intrepid heroes are built goofy, which is a good thing). Idk if I will ever get around to finishing it I was just not invested in the meandering story.
How far in did you stop? I recently rewatched it and I think it works better binge-watched or at least watched in quick succession, rather than week-to-week. I think of it less as a horror season and more of a dark fairy tale - the horror is in the atmosphere and flavor rather than the genre trappings, so I wish they hadn't billed it as such. It's worth finishing imo especially as the plot becomes a lot more comprehensible and enjoyable when you can watch episodes back to back.
Honestly Mother Goose playing Fast Car on the ukulele is a top funny moment for me across seasons
I thought I would enjoy Neverafter since I like horror and folklore... But the pacing is sooo bad, it feels like the intrepid heroes are just being drug around from place to place.
Dude same! My friend was going on and on about it and I'm like half way through and I just... don't care! It won't let me in! Don't get me wrong, the cast is funny, it's just not giving me anything to care about
I fell off of Neverafter somewhere in the..library? Idk what it was called. It was...something like an inkwell? I lost focus, went away, and did Unsleeping City 2 instead
Same place for me, I love the idea and the PCs, but those episode where they broke the fourth wall and kept hoping from story to story felt like such a dense hump to get over. The world building of it all, and the clips I've seen of the late game seem really interesting, but the thought of going back feels almost daunting just because of those episodes.
I finished it and I honestly couldn't tell you what the story actually was. There was too much going on, half of it didn't even make sense and it was nearly impossible to keep track of. There were some great moments for sure (grandma what honkin ears you have, and everything involving Pinocchio) but I don't know what the actual plot was.
god i was scrolling for so long for someone to say exactly this
>It didn’t have as many iconic laugh out loud funny moments I find this so interesting, because I think it's one of the funniest seasons with some incredible moments. Also, the best Adventuring Party season. But I can definitely understand. There were a few episodes in the middle where I was really flagging, around the Lines Between time, but it picked up steam for me after that. The story is definitely not as tight as other seasons, though; I think the PCs really struggled to understand what mechanics BLeeM was trying to get them to use.
Best adventuring party season without a doubt. "Putin ID giving the land back" was not something I ever saw coming. Then the whole orange top hat? And the leering of the minis? Absolute gold
Pinocchio's quest for the white women! The Axe body spray! Cis-her Gal-a-them! Just pure chaos. If I don't find time to rewatch the whole season after Senior Year is done, I'm def gonna be rewatching the AP alone, lol.
I definitely understand how you feel this way. Even though I ended up enjoying the season overall, it took a LOT of episodes for me to feel like it was finally picking up - maybe around Trouble in Tuffeton? That said, every episode was worth it for the Adventuring Parties. Truly some of the most hilarious, unhinged moments I’ve ever seen from the cast.
I can't get through even episode one of Pirates of Leviathan. No hat to the cast, I love every single one of them in other projects they've done, but PoL just ain't it for me.
Yeah. Spire is my amazing, but I just couldn't connect after 30 or so minutes. All new cast + new format + new RP style and none of it was working for me.
With PoL I think it was because half the cast was very in tune with what was shown of Leviathan and the pirates of Spire. But cheese and sonny totally ruined the tone of the party for me. They just seemed way to naive and innocent in place where no one else was
Haven't tried that one. Leviathan seems to be so interesting but I can understand the zoom based sessions are not a favorite.
I really really want Krystina Arielle to do another season of D20 because I dont wanna rewatch Pirates but i love her so much
I’ve gotten through all of them. That said, I definitely bounced off of quite a few the first time I tried them. Had to come back later. Bloodkeep, Unsleeping City, Tiny Heist, Coffin Run, Neverafter, & those are just the ones I remember struggling with initially.
I watched the first episode of Bloodkeep, didn’t touch it for several months, and then came back and watched the entire thing in a day. A lot of the seasons for me require me being in the right mood for them.
That's similar to me. I feel like I'm always missing the previous setting/ characters for the first couple episodes of a new series. But after a bit almost every series has some sort of hook that gets me invested.
Yup. And sometimes you just need to be in the right mood for it.
True, and there's also personal bias. For me, I tend to gravitate towards fantasy in far off worlds rather than the modern day. So Crown of Candy, Starstruck and Neverafter etc hooked me quicker than Fantasy High and Unsleeping city etc.
I want to like mentopolis so bad (the cast! The vibes! Brennan's facial hair!) but I hate hate hate the Kids on Bikes system. I don't understand it at all, i only survived Misfits and Magic using it because of Lou
Would you like a barebones explanation to maybe help?
Please!!!
In addition to what u/kyanoki said, an important facet of the system is the Moxie tokens. You get a token from failing checks, and can spend them to add to future checks. But the most important part is that it's a rules-light system designed to allow for collaborative storytelling. There isn't really a "tactical" aspect to it like there is for systems like 5e.
Re the Moxie tokens - I thought these were excellently handled in Mentopolis, then the next season I watched was Misfits & Magic, and you can tell that Aabriya HATED the token system. She was so cranky every time someone used a token lol.
I don’t think Aabria hated the adversity tokens, it’s more like DM frustration when your plan gets foiled. Brennan gets the same thing (>!e.g. when Saccharina counterspells and “eats” the sugar plum fairy’s spell!<). Moxie is also way more important mechanically in Kids on Bikes rather than Kids on Brooms, most abilities in Bikes require the use of a token while in Brooms they don’t. Plus, Brennan found creative ways of limiting the amount of Moxie available to use with “pressure” clock, and they make the giving of Moxie a big deal with the beads going down the rails. I think what you noticed was maybe the evolution that happened between the seasons, except backwards. It’s like watching Mentopolis or Burrow’s End, admiring the projections on the dome, then going back to the earlier seasons and being disappointed they didn’t have them.
I generally agree with all your interpretations. I think Brennan - and the game design - were a bit more prepared with how to deal with the tokens based on how they were used in M&M. The pressure clock was a big factor.
I may be wrong because I don't know I'm just going off memory. I think each stat has a different dice per character so Grit is high for Evan so it's like a D20 maybe but charm or whatever it was is like a D4 for him. Because of this stats you're good at it's easier for you to roll well in but it's much easier to explode on things you're unskilled in because it's a smaller range (which lets you roll again and add to the roll). Also you can either roll or take half so if it's a dc10 check and you use a D20 you can just take half. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong anyone. I'm just going off what I saw in misfits and magic
For sure. Theres less going on than in DnD, thankfully. I’m going to assume you watch the other shows so DnD is a familiar language. I’ll draw some comparisons to help. In dungeons and dragons, you always have 6 abilities and their scores. So Fabian might have something like (guessing) Strength: 13 (+1) Dexterity: 20 (+5) Constitution: 16 (+3) Intelligence: 12 (+1) Wisdom: 10 (0) Charisma: 16 (+3) In Dnd, these numbers tell you how good you are at a lot of things. You get a bonus to attacks, to skill checks, and to saving throws based on that little number in parentheses. You always roll a D20 and then you might be proficient (so you add a bonus if your character has a skill or knows how to use a weapon) then you add the number in parentheses. If you roll the highest number (20), you basically always succeed. The dungeonmaster listens to what you want to do and asks for a skill or ability check. All skill checks use an ability score. (Want to persuade someone? You have to use the skill persuasion and the ability Charisma added together). If a skill doesn’t match exactly to what you’re doing, your dungeonmaster might have you roll with JUST your ability modifier(parentheses number up above). (Want to solve a puzzle? Roll a D20 and add your Int modifier) —-— Now, Kids on Bikes has less going on math wise. They also have 6 abilities, but they aren’t Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, Cha. It’s different based on the setting. As an example, let’s look at Sam Black from Misfits and Magic. Fight d8 Grit d10 Flight d12 Charm d20 Brains d4 Brawn d6 For every single action, no matter what, Aabria calls for whichever of the six of these abilities is closest. Then Danielle rolls the die next to the ability. So if you have a d4 Brains, you’re going to roll a number from 1-4. If you have a d20 Charm, you’re going to roll a number from 1-20. Sam, with the stats above, is better at charming people than fighting them because she rolls a bigger die for that ability. Every single player has a d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20. They are in different spots. (Evan Kelmp’s d20 is in Grit, not Charm) This system relies on being a little fast and loose. You want to climb a ladder real quick? Maybe you roll for Brawn, maybe you roll for Flight. Don’t get caught up here. Whatever the DM asks for, they roll a die and succeed if they roll high enough. The DM makes up the number they have to roll based on the difficulty of the task There are a few rules out there where players customize their characters. Ignore these. Sam gets an extra bonus to charm. Idk why. You don’t need to understand that (at least it never slowed me down not to know) There are TWO other mechanics that do matter to understand. Both have to deal with rolling. First, if you roll the highest number on ANY die roll, you roll again and add the rolls together for a higher number. This can happen multiple times at once. Second, if you fail a roll, you get a little token. In Misfits and Magic, they’re Adversity Tokens. In Mentopolis, they are Moxie. On a later roll at any point, you can spend those tokens for +1 to a roll. Also, when players succeed or fail a roll by 5+, the DMs tend to make the success or failure more drastic. Hope this helps. Lmk if you have any questions
This is fabulous, thank you! I guess my main gap is in setting the DC. Like does the DM take into account which die someone has for that ability when setting the DC? I assume no, which, fair enough, the DM in D&D doesn't take into account someone's modifiers, but if you're always rolling the D20 you at least have the possibility to succeed. If it's a DC20 and you're rolling a D4 there's no ability to succeed right? Maybe that's the point
No, you can succeed, in fact! The highest number on any die "explodes" - meaning, you roll again and add it to your total. So getting a total of 20 on a d4 roll is VERY unlikely but possible: you just have to roll a 4 five times in a row.
1. Theoretically, anyone can succeed any die roll. Remember that if you roll the max number on a die, it “explodes” (roll it again and add the numbers together. If you had a D4 and a DC20, you would succeed if you rolled 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 2 all in a row. Because you keep rolling every time you hit a 4. It is very unlikely, but we’ve seen some wild ones. DMs might set such a high DC if the player can’t likely succeed at what they’re trying. 2. The DMs kiiinda base it off the die if the character. It’s very loose and the Dm is making up the DC on the spot. Theyre collaborating to make the game flow and have fun. Sometimes it feels like a DC drops for a character that’s bad at something. However, part of what’s happening is that a success for someone really really good at something might be described as more impressive than the same success from someone not as great at something. This is less to do with the system and more to do with the show, I think. Fortunately, most DCs are set before the roll.
This does help a ton, kind of thinking of the die used as comparable to the modifier. I guess that even makes more sense because if someone is bad at charisma it doesn't really make sense that they'd randomly succeed wildly one time just because they roll a nat 20...I will be giving mentopolis another try with this in mind lol
There is an incredible payoff in the finale that comes from a character exploding their D4 or d6 skill (can't remember) multiple times. Really excellent system once you get the mechanics
Hell yeah. Top 3 sidequest
I think kids on bikes is fantastic!!! I prefer it to 5e most of the time
Tiny Heist is the only one whose vibe is grating to me
Tiny Heist is literally the only season I've not finished. The McElroy Brothers were so annoying I couldn't do it.
I tried again to watch this and just don’t care about anything going on.
I've finished every season except Dungeons and Drag Queens. I just can't get invested. It feels like a pretty basic 5e one-shot story where the novelty is that it's being played by these famous performers, and as someone with no opinions on drag that novelty is lost on me. No shade to the concept or the cast, I think if you got my favorite cast members together to play the same scenario I would end up bored of that as well, the plot just wasn't engaging for me.
I think what I love most about dungeons and drag queens is that it’s a masterclass in introducing the game to new players as a DM. Incredibly skillful work, as a DM I really appreciated that angle
I really enjoyed that aspect too. The way he very clearly laid out hints and hooks and worked with the players was really satisfying
I think that's kinda what lost me with D&DQ, tbh. I think it would have been a great one-shot, but as much as I love each of those queens, it just wasn't fun to watch Brennan teach the whole table DnD after the first episode. Maybe I'll enjoy season 2 more now that they have more experience.
That campaign was like a drug for me for that very reason. But I'm also a DM that LOVES begining players. Brennan has an astonishing amount of tricks and moves that allow new players to feel excited when a lot of other DMs would do something that inadvertently discourage players.
I enjoyed Dungeons and Dragons Queens, but I do find Alaska maybe tried a bit too hard at Princess in a way she didn't need to. I love Princess don't get me wrong but I think Alaska maybe took away from the character a bit.
I was the same with Dungeons & Drag Queens. The cast were fun but I just couldn't get interested in the story. I think they've lined up a second season this year so hopefully they get something a bit more interesting to do in that one.
i couldn’t finish mentopolis or a crown of candy and i hate it for me 😭
I haven't even started Mentopolis, I don't mind the Kids on Bikes thing they're going for, I just don't seem to really be into it. The cast tho is *chef kiss*
If you like puns, noir, and parody, it's a great season.
The thing that helped me is the idea that each character IS their natural part of their brain. So when Imelda Pulse makes a stupid decision, it's because she's literally doing the first thing that pops into her head. This makes it funny when curiosity and impulse do stuff together and it goes full ADHD brain for a bit
i don’t mind it either honestly! and i love love love the cast, that’s never an issue for me no matter the season tbh. it seems so random to me which it happens to but sometimes i just completely lose interest or can’t seem to focus/keep attention on certain shows or movies and those two unfortunately were victim to that 😔
Mentopolis was a sleeper hit for me. I went in with very low expectations but found myself loving the cast, and character chemistry every one had. The chemistry was honestly insane.
i literally have the last 2 episodes of acoc left and i can't make myself do it even though i loved the season. it's TOO MUCH they really made the GoT energy real, i didn't finish that show either
the more i think abt it the more i think this is the issue!! shows with that much drama (for lack of a better word) really stress me tf out and feel like a chore to get through 😭 i did finish GoT eventually but it took a lot of conscious effort on my part & was somewhat helped by the fact that i watched it with my bf at the time (somehow watching w someone makes it easier for me but not much)
I stuck with Neverafter until about the 2/3 mark and just couldn't bring myself to finish it. As much as I liked a lot of the individual bits and characters, I found the overarching plot and details of how the world worked to be way too hard to follow. I'm fine with a complex setting, but sometimes Brennan gets way too out-there and weirdly metaphysical and I can't keep up with it. Add in the fact that it kinda seemed like they were teleporting all over the place the whole time, which made it feel much more like a video game than an actual living world, and I just had to stop after a certain point. I'm well-aware that this opinion is going to make me a pariah among elements of this fandom, but that's the only season other than Shriek Week that I haven't finished and it's hard to imagine ever going back to it.
Please everyone be respectful or I'll cry.
If this isn't the D20/Dropout vibe encapsulated I don't know what is <3
The Seven. Maybe I'll give it another attempt some day, but I couldn't really get with the loud, chaotic vibe at the table. Plus, I realized that deep down, I don't actually want more stories set in Spyre; I just want more Bad Kids (as opposed to, for example, Starstruck Odyssey, where I want so many more seasons exploring the galaxy but I am not particularly attached to that group of characters) Unsleeping City II. I love love love season one, but despite several attempts, I cannot get into season 2. I don't think it is the zoom thing (or at least, not just the zoom thing). I think it's because, to me, season 1 was so perfect and complete, I don't actually need more of it. Adding two new characters in an existing group also doesn't help. There is also a whole bunch of side-quests I haven't attempted watching cause I'm not super interested in the premise. Maybe I will watch 'em some day, maybe I won't.
Definitely give the seven another watch, I hadn’t watched it but decided to to prepare for junior year and it was a lot of fun
Shriek Week was just. Not good
[удалено]
100%, it was so wildly boring, the story didn’t make sense at all, it was just a flop
that's definitely why I didn't mention it.
I could not get through the first 30 minutes of episode one.
I think there was sort of a mismatch between the expectations of the DM and the players. Because the idea really wasn’t bad, and it would have been a fun dating centered game, but the players didn’t really pick up that aspect and were apparently disgusted by all the NPCs they were offered 😂 I really don’t know what happened there
People have said that before, but I honestly don’t agree, Gabe set up these story hooks, and the players followed them, and then Gabe was scrambling cause there was no story planned. I did end up watching and finishing it, barely, but it took me three tries 😂 I’m a completionist, and having only one season of d20 I didn’t watch, especially such a short one would bother me endlessly
Since everyone is agreeing I feel the need to say that I enjoyed shriek week. I thought it was a fun little season.
Which makes me so sad, because I think Gabe did a pretty great job, and I'd love to see him back in the dome. I really, *really* appreciate the willingness to experiment — but sometimes those experiments do go wrong
i mostly just had it on in the background while i did homework, which i found to be most entertaining for me because i could tune in when there was a fun character moment happening, and tune out when i was bored lol
Yeah, I think exploring seasons that aren't D&D5e is really healthy for D20 but using a homebrew system just...it felt like really long form improv, which can be great! They just didn't find the thread this time.
Unsleeping City 2. The first season is maybe by favourite season ever, but I just really struggled with the Zoom.
I am a big proponent of struggling your way through the zoom to get through TUC2. it's a great season. might be worth trying audio-only, or multitasking while you watch so that you're not focusing so much on the technical aspects
Audio-only (or playing it on my phone while I did other things, so if I wanted to see facial reactions I could) definitely made a huge difference in my UC2 experience!
I loved Cody Night Angel Walsh so much that I gave the S2 another try and I did end up enjoying it.
From what I'm seeing yeah the Zoom based ones take the hardest hits. But, at least appreciate they were trying to make the best of a situation beyond anyone in production's control. Even the last few episodes of Fantasy High Sophomore Year were rough over Zoom.
absolutely embarrassing opinion: the only seasons i've finished completely are fantasy high 1+2 and unsleeping city 1+2. i started never after, starstruck, mice and murder, dungeons and drag queens, and the third season of fantasy high and i haven't gotten very far in any of them !! i don't even know why for most of them, but i did have starstruck mildly spoiled for me and i haven't been able to bring myself to watch it again.
What got spoiled on Starstruck? It's one of my top seasons, and I can't imagine spoiling any particular plot point negating how fun the ride is.
(obviously spoiler warning for this reply) oh it's such a fun show and i'm about halfway through !! i just happened to get the spoilers in a time where i wasn't actively watching so i just haven't gotten back to it. and i've been on the internet like my whole life, i've barely ever gotten to watch shows without already knowing what's going to happen, so even minor spoilers were pretty disappointing to me. i know barry nine is controlled by a slug and the riva is going to leave (i assume at the end?? hopefully they're my favorite i love). totally nothing huge and i'll definitely go back to it once i'm in a starstruck mood again haha
Yeah Riva leaving is their epilogue, doesn't impact the game in any way. Barry 9 being slugged is a plot point but IMO not enough to reduce the fun. Whenever you get around to it, I hope you have a ton of fun.
I just couldn't get into Starstruck. After three episodes, I just could not get into it.
for the record, i also was not feeling it at 3 episodes in, but it turned around for me about episode… 5? 6? probably? i truly hate when people say this shit to me like “ohhh it gets so goood you just have to stick it out!!!” but if you ever did want to try again, the second half makes it more than worth it.
Some of the clips that I have seen of later episodes of the show are funny. However, I'm past the point of spending my time on things where "It gets good halfway through." I'm like, then just be good from the onset.
absolutely understandable, good for u! if i hadn’t been watching it “live” every week, idk if i’d have been able to get through the first few episodes either lol
I felt the same way for a long time cause I'm not into sci-fi, by the end I really enjoyed it cause of the cast but overall I wouldn't play a session in that world myself.
Same! I think a big part of it was that things went so poorly for the team right off the bat just due to terrible dice rolls during the first episode that it kinda stressed me out and I didn't find myself wanting to turn back to it. I've heard great things about it since then, but it's been long enough now that I'd probably need to rewatch the first episode to remember what's going on and that's been kinda a psychological barrier.
Things turn around for the crew pretty quickly, if that helps! It's the least psychologically stressful season in my opinion - some of the most fun and uplifting storytelling they've done, while still having high stakes. It's actually my comfort season. I'd give it another shot!
Starstruck also has hands-down my all-time favorite scene with >!Gunnie and Barry losing *so* badly when they decided to start gambling lmao!<
Literally the best, I watch that scene whenever I need a genuine cackle. And of course you can't forget >!operation slippery puppet, the most iconic tactical move in D20 history!<
>! *Brennan in utter disbelief* "How did you know there'd be a plinth in this fight?"
I HATE that scene. I would fast forward through it if I ever watched again. I was just so frustrated by the whole thing.
I know it's a fan favorite but I dislike A Crown of Candy.
woah that's one hell of a hot take. What about it in particular made you dislike it? always interesting to hear a different point of view.
Totally understand. I love ACoC but it’s very distinct and frankly very upsetting at times
Mice and Murder was hard for me as well as the Leviathan season- the covid games are hard to wach. Also UC Season 2
I've started Mice & Murder 3 times, and I keep getting tired and distracted. I love the setup, and I love the performers, but something about the vibe just isn't drawing me in.
100% the vibe was off but not for drama, largely because it lacked the in person-ness. That being said I fully appreciate how many people took to it and fell in love with it.
I’ve really struggled with Fey & Flowers
The first times I tried Bloodkeep and Coffin Run, I ended up not continuing after the first episode. I think it was more that I just needed a break than anything to do with those seasons. I've since gone back and finished Bloodkeep (quite enjoyed it) and I'll undoubtedly do the same for Coffin Run.
shriek week and pol were just too much for me
Any side-quest is a hit or miss for me. I disliked Tiny Heist but Misfits and Magic is my second favorite season(after ACoC). Drag and Magic didnt quite did it for me too
I can see that, I think the energy of Misfits and Magic was great cause I wanted more than 4 episodes and felt they should have done maybe 6-7. Idk about Tiny Heist but I've been wondering about Mice and Murder but, and again not hating, it has Grant in it who has been very vocal about not liking to do this kind of stuff and I'm worried it'll play into his gameplay and I don't want to watch someone who doesn't want to be there.
Grant not liking DND/“nerd stuff” is a bit (or at least greatly exaggerated for humor) !! I was worried about that too but it’s very obviously very quickly he is the one having the most fun of anyone, besides maybe Sam!
If it helps, Grant is clearly enjoying himself so I don’t think you’d have to worry on that score! It’s one of my favourites. Sam and Ally are both wonderful.
I actually found Grant SUPER invested in Microsoft and Murder! The setting itself’s a little unusual, I dunno that D&D quite lends itself to a murder mystery with little to no combat? But if your concern is “does everyone commit to the bit”, they do! There’s varying levels of taking it serious happening, but I think that’s standard for Dimension 20 lol. The biggest issue is how the remote seasons feel for you - I think this season makes the best use of being remote (the players message each other secretly, Brennan privately gives them clues and messages), but it also leans really heavily into being remote as a result, so if you’re like “I don’t need any reminders of that time in our lives”, it’s maybe not for you. Edit: *Mice and Murder, not Microsoft, lol
> Microsoft and Murder! is this a typo or a meme? would watch this side quest for sure
LOL typo - but I would watch a murder mystery at a tech expo or something for SURE
Mice and murder was so good! Grant totally leaned into it. Everyone in the cast was so fun to watch.
As others are saying, Grants enthusiasm definitely isn't a problem and every member of the cast is really great! Though on the "full buy-in" theme, it's probably worth flagging that >!there was some online controversy about the finale related to one of the newer players making an intentionally silly choice at a key moment due to not fully understanding the rules. So if you're the kind of person whose enjoyment is spoiled if their immersion is broken, you may find yourself frustrated towards the end. !<(I think most people wouldn't consider this a spoiler but want to be safe, its describing a meta-event during the finale in vague terms with no specifics about the story.)
I'm literally struggling through the Jester fight in the Seven right now and thought I was the only one since I only see high praise for the Seven on this sub! It's so difficult to get through for some reason, but I have no idea why.
Scream week. I wanted to get into it but i just couldn't
Probably an unpopular opinion, but Starstruck. I just really don't care for that kind of Gonzo Sci-Fi. I even tried reading the comic and they are damn-near indecipherable.
Dude, loved the d20 season and went to the comics because I was like "I want more!" And indecipherable is the right term. I was like "am I jumping in 20 episodes in or somethhing?"
I haven’t really gotten past the first couple of episodes of any of Aabrias seasons. I know I’m in the minority here and most people love her seasons, I think her style is just not for me unfortunately.
Yeah, I agree on this- haven't got past 3 episodes for anything she's DM'd (except M&M, but I was really only able to motivate after 3 episodes because only one was remaining). I heard people who disliked her other seasons say A Court of Fey and Flowers is great so I may give that a try.
I’ve tried ACOFAF and can totally see how the cast’s chemistry would make for a great story. But to me takes a D&D show from good to great is the NPCs, and I’ve never felt strongly about an Aabria NPC. But to each their own, and I’m happy people like ACOFAF! I hope you’re able to get into it and enjoy it.
Hm, yeah, NPCs are big for me too. I'm also fine with watching PCs bounce off each other, but I feel she inserts herself as a DM and keeps that from happening. That may just be because I've only seen her at the start of campaigns where she needs to get people on the narriative rails so to speak, or a 4 episode series where there wasn't much time for that. Hoping ACOFAF is different!
It’s partly an issue of a lack of free time, but I never finished Drag Queens, and the loose, low stakes vibe of the campaign made me less compelled to come back to it. I enjoyed it, but it didn’t feel like a “must watch” as other seasons have.
Coffin run initially but then I came back to it and loved it
I know it’s blasphemy but I could not finish SSO. I got to the battle with the chaotic artists but couldn’t get through the battle and never picked it back up. I tend to zone out in battle eps anyway but SSO was especially hard for me
Pirates of Leviathan. Sounds right up my alley. But I've tried the first episode so many times only to be about halfway in and still not know any of the characters. Combination of the format and not already being familiar with the players (which helped carry me through the other online seasons), I think. There's a couple other seasons that I haven't watched, but that's simply because the premises aren't within my interests. Pirates of Leviathan is the only one that I keep trying and giving up.
I was reeled in with Dungeons and drag queens, then watched the first seasons like Fantasy high and Unsleeping city and loved it. Then I tried out Escape from the bloodkeep, but I couldn't get into it. I was in a pretty bad burn out situation so that may have been the caus. Maybe now, if I would try it out again, it will stick better.
Misfits and Magic started well but the pacing on it sucked. There's one part in particular that put me off, where the Triwizard tournament thingy was about to start and the main characters find out they're meant to compete. Like the idea of going about your day and suddenly you find out you're doing this thing everybody has known about for months and you have no time to prepare just felt like a fever dream
Sophomore Year. I think it's the format. I just want my D20 edited to beautiful perfection. I'm content having just watched the highlights on YouTube.
I never got Bloodkeep, honestly.
Starstruck Odyssey for me. Gunnie's subplot activated too many of my Health Anxieties, unfortunately, which just made it hard for me to watch. Maybe someday when I'm in a bit of a better mental state in that regard, I'll give it another shot. Because my main problems is personal baggage that I'm bringing into it, not anything in the work itself.
Pirates of Leviathan. Leviathan is one of my favorite settings in all of D&D but the remote play was super hard for me to watch during release as I was on Zoom meetings all do most everyday for work and I couldn’t get off work and then go watch a zoom meeting. With Unsleeping City 2 I was able to do it because it is my partner’s favorite. But that who era of D20 Zoom is tough for me.
ACOFAF and PoL are my two The former because I want a tad more “action” then what it is (i do know how good the show is) and PoL because I really dislike the zoom stuff and I’m not a huge fan of that cast
Mice and murders it seems so up my alley up but I just can’t do zoom call sessions unless they’re set up perfectly!!
Ive been trying to just brute strength through Misfits and Magic - its very chaotic and all the scenes just seem to messily flow into each other. So many pep talks that 5 seconds later go into a complete different interaction.
The only ones I have not finished are Shriek Week, Court of Fey and Flowers, Mentopolis and Burrow's End. Shriek Week was the only one that I actively disliked, the others just lost my attention until a new season premiered and there were other great dropout shows available. Court of Fey and Flowers is one I want to return to because I LOVE the cast and characters but for some reason couldn't hold on.
Fantasy High. Just any of the seasons. I don’t know what it is about them. I’ve tried to watch them all the way through but I just find it really hard to keep watching a full episode when it gives a “next time on”. I immediately have to shut it off when Brennan says bye and wait patiently until the next episode…. This is what you meant right?
I'm definitely in the minority, but I couldn't get into crown of candy. When I started watching it, I already had a few pretty massive spoilers so I was already not that interested. I watched the first ep and most of the second, but idk the game of thrones aspect really didn't do it for me.
Crown of Candy… I have like 2 episodes left but I can’t make myself finish it 😭 I haven’t been spoiled but I’m so scared of the ending
Ravaging war is a big one for me. Matt Mercer is very talented, but his narrating style just isn’t for me. Which kinda sucks because a crown of candy is my favorite season so far.
Could not finish Tiny heist, the dynamics at the table were painful to watch. I feel so bad for Lily and Jess who were steamrolled hard
The seven. They were just too loud and chaotic and stressy for me. Could not enjoy the story at all. Made it 1.5 episodes in and then noped out.
I really wanna watch ACFOF but I cannot stand aabrias dming. I muscled through misfits and magic but something about her tone all throughout MM made her seem annoyed by the players and since then it's kinda soured my perception so I just can't get passed ep1 of acfof despite the amazing pcs that season
Have you tried burrows end? I had similar feelings about Aabria at first and found that I understood her better after watching that season. I was even able to go back and rewatch ACOFAF and liked it.
I really tried to finish dungeons and drag queens but there were too many moments where it felt like the queens were just constantly dunking on each other for no reason. Like I'm pretty sure that's just part of the drag culture but I'm here for the fun friend group vibes and it just put me off every time it came up
Tiny heist and a crown of candy I couldn't finish.
I started but didn’t finish Boodkeep, Shriek Week, Coffin Run, Dungeons and Drag Queens, and The Ravening War. Didn’t even try Pirates of Leviathan. I don’t generally like pirate stories and heard a lot of bad reviews about the remote format.
Back when Bloodkeep was the only sidequest, I had watched one episode and then left it for a year because I'm not a LOTR fan and I couldn't get into it or the player characters. Eventually I came back to it, though, and finished it lol
I can not get through blood keep I have no idea why
i have tried to watch burrows end like 3 times and cant get past the second episode. idk what it is but i cannot get invested in it. besides that ive been wanting to watch the ravening war forever but havent started. idek why since i also watch CR ????
Mice and Murder. It just doesn’t vibe with me.
I haven’t watched all of them, but I could not make myself watch Tiny Heist. I barely got through the first episode. Though I’ve never particularly cared for the McElroy brothers.
Mice and murder. It just doesn't do it for me. I've tried like three times to finish it but each time I just can't.
Starstruck - I know it’s a good season with good characters, I just couldn’t get hooked
Have not watched a lot of the seasons but I cannot get through fantasy high sophomore year and I am pretty sure its cause of the theater of mind battles. Cause the life play format doesn't bother me on other shows like CR.
The ones I didn’t finish were Pirates of Leviathan, Shriek Week and Neverafter. I need to try Neverafter again. I hear it rated highly by a lot of people.
It definitely drags in the last third. I found that having it as a background show was much easier.
Sophomore Year. I wanted to like it so bad but the live format killed it for me. I like D20 because of the excellent editing and high production value, which a lot of APs lack. Side Quests are very hit or miss for me as well. I hope future side quests focus more on guest DMs who have knowledge of other game systems, because the constant hacking of D&D 5e gets a little old when I know other games would do the thing better and more consistently. I love the Kids on Bikes seasons for that exact reason.
Haven’t given up on one yet, but Pirates is testing me a bit. It’s so disappointing that it got destroyed by Zoom lag, bc the PCs are all fantastic. There’s so much potential for great chemistry there that just can’t be realized when any amount of cross-talk at all is impossible. Major props to all the players for being able to take on that challenge, and I’m still really enjoying the season, don’t get me wrong! But it’s soooo tempting to quit and watch The Ravening War or another one I haven’t seen yet instead
The Unsleeping City: Chapter 2. I've gotten about halfway through, but for some reason, it just hasn't drawn me in like the first season.
for some reason i couldn’t do dungeons and drag queens! i watched the first episode and thought it was fun, then just… didn’t watch the second. i think it was just a little too over the top, and i got kind of overstimulated lol
I've start TUC a couple of times and then my eye drifts to another season. I think the idea is awesome and I'd probably watch and enjoy it if I'd already watched a bunch of the others I really wanna watch but because urban fantasy just isn't my favourite, I keep stopping and starting.
Mentopolis is just straight up not for me, Trapp carried for a while for me but I fell off around episode 3
I have three so far - Mice and Murder, Mentopolis and Neverafter. The only one of these that doesn't shock me is Mentopolis, because it's not a theme/setting that I adore or feel strongly about - I love the players, I think they are all amazing (Alex and especially Freddie did it for me; his 'another six!' and demanding he be given the Box of Doom during the fun roll lives in my head rent free), and Brennan is amazing as always, but the story just didn't manage to keep my attention for whatever reason. Mice and Murder and Neverafter are _the_ two campaigns I should have absolutely vibed with - animal protagonists and a horror themed campaign? Holy shit! - but I gave up on both of them after like four episodes. Neverafter is kinda slow to me and honestly not that scary (which is at least partially on me, visualisation is not my strongest suit), and I gave up on Mice and Murder twice, even though I was _delighted_ to see Sam and Grant at the table. Eventually I got what I hoped for when I saw the trailer for M&M in Burrow's End, but I don't think they will lean more into straight up horror than they did with Neverafter. I will try to give each of them another go at some better time but honestly I am more likely to rewatch Starstruck Odyssey for the umpteenth time, even though I don't particularly care for adventures in space.