Matt has repeatedly said that he want to make them accessible without having to invest 500 hours into the previous series, there might be references and maybe a returning npc (there were 2 in C2) but you don’t need to have seen the prev series to understand them, it obviously enhances it but not necessary just watch the 10 min video on exandrias history as you will be fine
I will also say that there will probably be spoilers of C1 and C2 as the cast does not follow a spoiler policy during the show, ads, or announcements.
Its a personal choice, but is something you should be aware of, just in case you are somebody who absolutely hates having stuff spoiled.
To be fair, even if you do get spoiled on something you can still enjoy C1 and C2 just fine.
What's more. Unless it's some major spoiler that sticks out. Without knowing the context, you probably won't even remember it.
That's how spoilers usually go. If you get spoiled on the show you never watched, then if you watch it 1-2 years in the future, you probably won't remember the spoiled unless it sticks in your head.
I feel like the story itself is maybe 30% of the enjoyment I get from CR anyway. It’s mostly the masterfully done storytelling and role-play for me. So I’m not TOO bothered, there’s still plenty of great time for me to discover, despite the spoilers.
I started watching C1 only after catching up with C2, and I don't recall many spoilers. The biggest I can remember was when they talked about Keyleth's mom in C2, but even that felt pretty minor to me. If there were any major spoilers they went right over my head.
Yeah the spoilers are more inside jokes to/for cast and fans who know about them. If you haven't seen them then it'll just be like 'what are they talking about?' more than anything.
There are not many, however one of the bigger ones was an ad done fairly early on that gave away a major plot point. Namely, where >!Liam did an ad as Vax existing in the Raven Queen's domain.!<
Also early in C2 >!Pumat is found reading the Daring Trials and Tribulations of Sir Taryon Darrington!< I'm sure there are more though.
edit: Whoops forgot this was returning Characters.
You'll be fine.
I haven't watched a full campaign but I can tell you that C2 required no C1 knowledge. Obviously it helps a bit to catch connections you otherwise might not, but they aren't essential. I believe the intent is the same for C3.
There are some theories on over-arching plots but if something is referenced from an earlier campaign the Wiki is pretty jammed full and you can look it up.
It's less like watching different seasons of a show where the stories are connected, and more like watching entirely different shows set in the same universe.
Ah. The Wiki, of course. I immediately assumed r/criticalrole is a thing, but I did not think about looking up the Wiki. I'll keep that in mind, thanks for your feedback!
As someone who started by C2 I say there will probably be no issue. Like, there are a few in jokes that are referred, and every once in a while there might be explicit references to the previous campaign, but never something that makes harder to understand what is going on.
By taking part in the community you will end up absorbing a lot by osmosis though.
You may miss some in-jokes, but the Matt works hard to make sure each campaign is its own separate story (sometimes with a cameo appearance from a previous campaign).
I will say though, I would be careful browsing the sub because you may spoil moments from previous campaigns for yourself.
As much as I hate to admit that, I'll try to stay away from the sub as much as I can. Although I must say, I've seen some big reveals already, so I won't be able to experience some of the big C1/C2 reveals properly anyway. If that's the price for finding out about CR at all, I'll take it.
As someone who has watched C2 and Talks Machina before C1, I eventually got some of the hints and started to read and learn about some of the big plot points in C1. Didn't stop me from enjoying C1 a lot when I got to it, even more in some ways. Cause knowing some moments will happen makes earlier moments of them not knowing even better. Some bittersweet, some more hopeful.
Watch C3 and if your get hooked it will feel like death waiting between weeks trust me. Start C3 and then watch C2 if your have time between Thursday’s
We won't really know yet how relevant the other two campaigns will be until it happens. That being said, the C2 could be watched without knowing anything about C1, so I would expect the same. You will certainly miss out on some jokes and references, but it isn't vital.
I think the biggest question is are you ok with missing out on some lore, inside jokes, and character development? If yes, then jump right into C3. If not, then I would wait until you are caught up (and try to avoid all spoilers).
I am pretty sure I can handle that. I enjoy every minute of CR right now, and it is all based on literally scraps of information. I'm missing a lot from the big picture, but that doesn't stop me from having a great time. Thank you!
Added bonus that announced C3 setting was even less explored than the C2 setting. As far as we knew from both C1 and C2, there were only the 2 known locations from C3's locale. Where as C2's setting was a bit more explored/expanded on in C1.
So even more than C1-> C2, I think C3 will be able to be that much more Standalone as a campaign.
I've only watched C2, toward the end of that campaign there were more things slightly connected to C1, but only very slight. Just enough of a nod to those that know, nothing that was needed to be known to enjoy it.
I imagine C3 will follow suit. The smart thing they do is there is a large time jump between campaigns, as well as taking place in totally different regions of the world.
So there will be little nods, and I'm sure there will be some NPCs somewhere that you won't know the history of, but you don't NEED to know it to enjoy it.
It is really great. Having the game jump decades from the previous campaign, and moving it around the globe keeps it fresh for the players and the viewers. You can jump in at the latest campaign without needing to watch almost 300 episodes that are like 4 hours each.
Also as a DM, this is what I intend to do if my game is lucky enough to go multiple campaigns. We're in early days, but here is hoping.
There will likely be no spoilers at all in C3 - maybe a small reference infrequently, but Matt likes to have the campaigns completely stand alone. I liked watching C1 and C2 just to better understand DND (as I haven’t played before), but you won’t miss out on anything if you don’t have a chance to catch up. If anything, when you DO get around to watching them, you might have a good time trying to find where those small references came from
You will be fine, plus in the 6 days where there are not episodes, you can watch C1 and C2!
The only thing you might find is references to older stories and possibly even aperences of old characters might go over your head. Like, there might be a moment when Matt tell the group "they need to go speak to the Meatman" and the cast loose their shit and you won't know why.
If that bugs you, start with the other campaigns. If not, start with C3 and catchup on the others in between.
The most you may benefit from watching past campaigns are slight references. Matt made sure that C2 didn’t feel like a direct sequel by pulling out familiar names all the time and tying them directly to the story. C2 was M9’s story and he didn’t want it to become C1 part 2 by superseding them with C1 stuff. So only certain NPCs came back to serve specific roles, but the entire story was focused on whatever the M9 was stuck dealing with.
Beyond lore specific stuff, table in-jokes are harder to get without knowledge of a past campaign or a friend to explain why. My friend had to send me specific C1 moments to help explain why the players did or said things (ex. Beau’s very early joke saying “we’re basically gods”, in direct reference to Keyleth saying the exact same thing before making a poor choice of Wild Shape while diving off a thousands of metres high cliff; every time someone teases Laura for letting her Vex show—because Vex was a notorious penny pincher in C1).
But overall I didn’t need to know the full C1 story to get any of C2. So I expect the same deal for C3.
I almost all of C2 before watching C1 and I was fine. You only miss out on small inside jokes or little references to the previous campaign. If you are worried about spoilers for previous campaign, they weren't really in the campaign but through looking around in the community they would pop up in discussions referencing the new campaign. So overall, nothing really to worry about.
Now I dont think you need to have watched them, but I do think matt in all his brilliance has been setting this up over the past 2 campaigns. There are some good theories on youtube, if you want to check it out, regarding space, rudis, etc. So if you want to get your tinfoil hat on I'd say watch them. But just to enjoy it as it comes, you should be fine. You will miss out on a lot of inside jokes and refrences though.
Idk any youtube channels, I just found a video on this sub. The gist of it though is that this campaign is taking place in Marquet, which was mostly unseen except for the new cr book. Which has to do with space/the astral sea type stuff. C2 also had things like that going on, and c1 had a gith skull that had some sidequest with astral sea stuff that they didnt do. Central to it all is rudis, and maybe the chained oblivion.
This is the video I watched. https://youtu.be/8ACe8tXyIKI they dont offer any analysis though, only a relevant assortment of clips.
I think you'll probably be fine, as I couldn't get through campaign 1 and still loved campaign 2 and am in the process of rewatching it. Additionally with them taking a break on the last week of the month that'll be a good chance to start C1 or C2 whichever you prefer.
Well obviously I prefer C2. I got to about episode 70 in C1 but couldn't force myself to go any further. I'm sure it gets better cause I havent seen alot of the highlights you see on YT, but I just can't do it. C2 on the other hand I've found to be solid throughout mostly because there's a little more chaos and less classic fantasy hero.
In C2, rarely but occasionally NPCs from or connected to C1 making appearances. In these moments you would get a more detailed understanding of what was going on if you knew C1, but it was never required reading.
For example, one of these C1 NPCs gives MN a sword. If you know C1, you'll know this sword was given to this NPC by VM. That's a cool little passing the torch moment, but without that context, it's still this powerful NPC handing the cast a powerful weapon in a time of need. You still understand it's important without needing the C1 context.
Matt doesn't assume the PCs know context from past campaigns. So if that context is important, he tells the PCs even though the players know. So if it's important for the audience to know something from a past campaign, it's just as important that the PCs learn it, meaning there's a good time to have that knowledge stated in game.
All the C1 references in C2 were like that. Matt specified he wanted to keep the C1 references to a minimum in C2, so I expect more nods to C1 & C2 in C3, but They will probably remain the same, in that any necessary context will be given to the PCs, and therefor the audience.
Just wanted to say, I've been watching C1 occasionally and finally got to the episode where the found the sword and the significance to it. I didn't know about it when watching C2, but I now understand the excitement of the cast in that moment.
They released a lore video giving you a general history lesson around Exandria explicitly in preparation for people who are new to CR and want to engage in campaign 3 but without having going through hundreds of hours of footage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYBM3myR914
Do yourself a favor, forget what’s going on *now*. Perhaps unsub here given all the spoilers, and treat yourself to a leisurely run of C1.
C1 is where all the magic happened. It remains my favorite so far, and its emotional content is off the charts.
Keeping up is overrated. So are comments.
I kinda like the concept of weekly cliffhangers, that's definitely something new (albeit potentially painful) to enjoy. Is it wrong to admit that?
That's a strong opinion on C1 vs C2 though, I might have to reconsider that particularly.
Started listening to campaign 2 probably 5 months ago. Finished it. Just finished Campaign 1 a few days ago, and am finishing all the canon 1 shots and Exandria Unlimited.
That being said, I didn't feel like I missed much by listening to campaign 2 first. I may have missed some inside jokes, but nothing pertinent to the show. I imagine it'll be the same way going into campaign 3, but we know a lot more about Exandria now.
Every campaign is a part of the whole CR experience but is not necessary linked with each other. There might be certain throwbacks here and there, indirect references by the cast and a lot of inside jokes but it's never a requirement to watch previous campaigns to understand the next one. If you want my advice, I'd say watch campaign 3 when it comes out. Keep an eye out for critical role recaps for campaign 2 to get a big picture of what the journey might be like. If you have a lot of time to devote to CR then you might as well start from campaign 1 and so on but I'd suggest pacing yourself regardless.
That's exactly why I was hesitant to jump into C1/C2 since they require such a huge dedication, but at this point I'm spending so many hours per week watching CR that just the C3 alone might not be enough. Thank you!
Also came to CR late (last year). Basically you could watch any of the seasons in isolation and be fine. While there were plenty of great call backs and the occasional character that showed up in C2 from C1, so far 95% of it had nothing to do with C1. I’m personally glad I started from the beginning, but I’ll be starting C3 before finishing C2.
I wanted to circle back around — looks like there is a little more crossover this time around, but I think if you watch the very manageable limited series that is Exandria Unlimited, you will be good to go and get even more out of a few characters who featured there! Hope you enjoyed the premiere and happy watching
Oh! Interesting! Unfortunately I had to skip the stream itself due to time zones differences, so I’m still in the dark here. Is the crossover significant enough that I would be lost without having sufficient background from previous campaigns?
You wouldn’t be lost! My girlfriend watched and she hasn’t seen anything before and she enjoyed / followed along fine. There are just a couple characters who we’ve seen before / whose story started with the 8 episodes of Exandria Unlimited, but is far from finished
You'll be fine. Critical Role has released recently a video contextualizing the lore of Exandria, it's on their YouTube channel. It could be useful for you. Also, I've started to watch CR when campaign 2 began, and it's been an amazing ride.
There's no necessity to know the previous campaigns and you'll only miss the few Easter eggs that crossover now and then. Although, be mindful that posts here regarding the latest episode may have a bunch of spoilery theories.
Aside from that, welcome and enjoy!
Thank you! I'll stay away from reddit for the most part, although it seems that the moderation here is rather solid. Still, I'd rather avoid as much spoilers / educated guesses as I can.
You'll be fine to jump in with campaign 3. They do make sure they're separate.
That being said, I might recommend starting with one of the earlier ones anyway. They're both great games with amazing stories told. And being caught up doesn't really get you much except waiting another week and not worrying about campaign 3 spoilers. You could go back and forth if you don't mind jumping around. But I would recommend and going back to watch the campaigns that created critical role and made it what it is!
Also be careful with the one shots. Some of them are post campaign 1 one shots that will be filled with spoilers for the end of campaign 1 since it's the same characters taking place right after. The search for grog, the search for bob, and Dalen's closet are the main ones with spoilers, with the Darrington Brigade having a bit but not as much.
Well, I watched them all. What can I say. That's probably the main reason why I'll start with C2, although through those MAJOR spoilers, I already feel like I've established connection with Vox Machina.
Lol well nothing to be done about it now! But yeah probably a less than ideal place to start with Vox Machina. But it doesn't spoil most of the stuff in the middle.
It all started with randomly coming across a short YouTube clip of Grog finding a very particular item... It all went downhill from there, I couldn't stop myself. Still, no regrets.
Well if you are already attached to C1 then I might dive in there. You can skip a bit into that if the audio issues bother you as that was a bit of a mess early on.
There is also the show coming out in February if you want to watch the stuff included in the animated show before it comes out? Personally I prefer Campaign 1 if you can't tell although I loved Campaign 2 as well! XD
I started shortly after campaign 2 started, and had no issue jumping in. Eventually, after a certain game-changing moment, I got a lot more interested and went back to watch all the old stuff too, but I really don't think you need to if you don't want to. You'll catch more connections, and easter eggs and such (like early on in C2, a book is mentioned that is a reference to C1), but C3 is going to be a standalone story, all new characters, (mostly) all new locations, etc.
A few weeks ago I went to visit my sister and we were talking about books and good stories being the bookworms we are, then I led the talk to D&D and the beauty of colaborative storytelling and boy oh boy she was hooked with the idea of being character AND part of a story you can shape with others on the fly, I put the begining of C2 on Youtube and she was amazed with the whole idea, sure there were some "what's with the whole rolls thing" and that, but a little bit of explaining and that was it. Nah, you are good starting from C3 maybe there will be some nods but I don't think you will be missing much and the wiki has your back in those cases. Welcome to the fold man, get a drink and a comfy chair because it will be quite a trip <3
Ah, the memories of your first D&D experience is definitely something to cherish. It's definitely the major force that draws me to CR. Thank you for your kind words, I'll see you at Thursday!
There are some connections, and you learn more about Exandria with each campaign, but no, each campaign is designed so that newcomers can join.
There is the wiki, as was mentioned, and a few sourcebooks, such as Tal'dorei Campaign Setting (which is getting revamped), and Explorer's Guide to Wildemount. They're good for lore of the world. Recently, a video on the history of Exandria was released, so you could watch that.
I actually watched the last arc of C1 first, and the corresponding one-shots lol.
Edit: here is the link to the history video I mentioned:
https://youtu.be/DYBM3myR914
I am in a boat very similar to yours then, I basically know how C1 ends at this point - without really ever watching it. It sucks a bit, but I'll manage. Thanks!
I watched the last arc of C1 because there are certain things I want to know about a setting before getting in to it lol (namely deity and afterlife related stuff) so even though I spoiled a lot for myself, I still enjoyed it (and then watched the "epilogue" one shots, which are totally worth it). Btw, I edited my comment to provide a link for the video I mentioned, in case you didn't see it.
I do recommend you go back and watch C1 and C2, but you don't have to have done so prior to C3.
Apart from recurring NPCs and the cast's table talk, which sometimes spoils or calls back to previous events in CR history (as they'll sometimes say "Boy, at least we're not fighting [C1/2 BBEG] right now!" or otherwise mention something that happened to their previous characters), you'll be fine. No campaign is a direct sequel to the previous (except for C1 -> EXU, but even that doesn't require full knowledge of C1).
I'm a Day 1 critter, but my girlfriend jumped in with C2 and had just about the same experience that I did. You'll be fine jumping in with C3, but there will probably be a handful of references to C1 by the time the party gets to An'kharel, which the C1 party spent a good bit of time in.
Yes. Enjoy the ride, there will be a few callbacks or inside jokes at times sure, but the runtimes are so long that they won't affect your experience overall.
It's not that you lose out by not watching C1 and C2 it's that you gain so much by watching them.
Start with C3, by all means, but I can't recommend C1 and C2 enough
I binged C2 up to E130 then watched on the Monday from there. Currently on C1 E102. It's possible.
Does kinda mean in 2021 I will have watched over 1000 hours of CR lmao
I’m pretty sure I can count on one hand the number of times that there was a reference to c1 in c2 that would have mystified one who didn’t see the former.
My wife and I started with C2, and got caught up with it over their COVID break. We didn't want to wait any longer so we started C1 while waiting for C2 to resume. Then we watched both of them simultaneously with no problems. Long story short, there's no wrong way to watch Critical Role.
Being caught up is not fun. Having to wait for a new episode is so tortuous. I started watching at C2 during the pandemic break & it was great to binge through episodes. Though some key plot moments in C1 did get spoiled for me either via watching C2, watching Talks Machina episodes, or best-of comp videos on Youtube.
I think if you're already sold on the content from the one-shots, why not take your time I start with C1? And then once you get to around episode 85 in C1, you can start watching the Talks Machina episodes where they answer fan questions.
Then you can watch the post-C1 one-shots that deal with the Vox Machina plotlines and characters.
Then you'll have all of C2 to watch.
Approximately 6 month to a year later (no idea on how fast you go through episodes) you'll be done with the amazing adventures of both campaigns. And then you'll have 6 months to a year of C3 episodes you can binge through! Current me would be envious of future you. Sure, I could just not watch C3 for 6 months and also get to binge the episodes, but I won't.
Anyway, being caught up isn't fun. But watching the start of a campaign is quite fun.
Yeah I was thinking about it. But it seems almost too perfect that C3 is beginning exactly the moment I’m getting into CR. With all those lovely comments I got, I feel like it is an opportunity I cannot skip. Oh, and I haven’t even thought about extras like Talks Machina yet!
When I starting watch C2 (because I was going to start my 1st ever D&D campaign & C2E1 was recommended as it was a nice example of how a campaign starts) I got 8 episodes deep before I found out Talks Machina existed. I then went back & watched all of them for the first 8 C2 episodes and once I caught up I made it a regular habit after I watched a C2 episode I'd watch the following Talk Machina episode. It helped to draw out the watch experience; helped me see that the actors are different from their characters; gave me good advice for whenever I play D&D; and it was neat to hear about the behind the scenes details on characters and story ideas.
Yup, that’s the plan! I’m already checking out the time zones, trying to figure out if I could manage to watch it live before I have to get to the office, lol
Not the most knowledgeable but I got into it in campaign 2 and while there were small cameos and nods towards things in campaign 1 it was pretty self sufficient. I expect the same for campaign 3.
Good I'm glad! When some characters were introduced in campaign 2 the actors would freak out... I'd usually go Google it as I didn't have the time to watch campaign 1. You definitely didn't need to do that because Matt makes the new characters work for a relationship with them since they haven't actually met the characters before. Happy watching!
It should be fine. You didn't have to watch C1 to watch C2, though there are a few characters whose appearances are greater appreciated having done so. But it's not necessary to have watched regardless. I'm sure there will be big world-changing things left unaddressed by previous campaign parties that come up at some point, but you're watching it from the perspective of a party that itself won't really know anything about it, even if the players behind the characters and some of the audience know the implications on a meta level.
I only got into CR a week or two after Campaign 2 started and it was all OK. There were callbacks to C1, but nothing really important.
Edit: There is an animated catch up of S2 that they are putting out semi-regularly. It's fun to watch.
To echo the sentiment of everyone else here. I would say just jump into C3. You should be fine, C2 only had like one fairly big nod to C1 with a previous NPC returning. But, even if you didn't know that, I don't think anything would've really been lost. Plus the same nods can also work in reverse if you go back and watch previous seasons.
I would say watch C3, but definitely consider going back and watching the others when you have time. They are definitely worth it and you might catch other things as well.
Yes! Go for it!! 2 & 3 are amazing, but don’t let it hold you back. This is going to be completely different and a completely different setting that’s so far from where the other campaigns were, you aren’t missing much.
Going from C1 to C2, I think there were only like 5 explicit references to the previous campaign, and they were mostly Easter eggs for those who remembered them. I can't imagine this season will be much different.
We don't know 100% for certain yet since Campaign 3 doesn't start until Thursday, but I think it's probably a safe bet you won't need to watch the first two campaigns to grok campaign 3. I was fine for Campaign 2 without having watched Campaign 1, and I've seen no evidence that trend isn't going to continue. Campaign 1 and 2 were completely different stories set decades apart on whole different continents. There were some callbacks from Campaign 1 in Campaign 2, but nothing hugely major to the plot.
I just started watching CR in August, found it the same way you did through just clips and such. I'm about mid-way through Campaign 2 (I started with that because the clips I watched were from it) and I've tested C1 but...
Production values are pretty rough. Which is fine because they were just starting out, the switch from Pathfinder, starting in the middle of a campaign, etc.
My advice would be watch C3 live, use the down-time to watch C2 and just watch the Vox Machina show on Amazon for the C1 story. That's what I'm planning on doing.
You should be just fine jumping into C3 without having watched any episodes of 1 or 2. It's a brand new campaign, with brand new characters. The only thing you'll be missing is world lore and history, but that is easily found. So, come on, jump in - the water is fine... 😁
C1 & 2 are very different from each other, I only got half way through C1 before I started C2 - finishing C1 now and there is very *very * little that crosses over besides a couple inside jokes that you'll get when you go back anyway
The only real “overlaps” between campaigns tend to be certain jokes or NPC’s. So you can jump into C3 blind. I binged the first campaign all the way through, then caught up to the live streams on campaign Two, so you could do that until you get caught up with C3 if you want, lol.
Do you want to go to a live show, interact with the community live, and or don’t care about minor spoilers of past campaigns? If these apply then start watching C3 each week while also catching up on C1/C2.
Otherwise it’s not like the content is going anywhere and as long as you watch more than 1 episode of C1/C2 per new C3 episode you’ll eventually catch up. This would probably be your best experience in my opinion for the show as the cast is inevitably going to make references and inside jokes that you won’t get without watching previously.
The risk is you could get spoiled on C3 before you get to start watching it. But it’s pretty easy to avoid spoilers if you really want to.
Well I'm afraid I won't be flying to US to catch a live show any time soon, but I wouldn't mind getting my mind blown as a part of a group! C3 + C1/C2 is my way to go!
Another note. In C2, the cast tried to avoid spoiling C1 early on, but of course references out of character were made which could be seen as spoilers for C1. So, I'd imagine the cast might be careful to not drop infinite spoilers for C2, but that protection would likely fade over time. But you should be good early on, I'd say.
I'd say so. C2 had cameos and Easter eggs from C1 npcs but stood on its own. You might get spotted in c1 or c2 content. But just read the wikis of you want a quick way to know what's up.
Matt has repeatedly said that he want to make them accessible without having to invest 500 hours into the previous series, there might be references and maybe a returning npc (there were 2 in C2) but you don’t need to have seen the prev series to understand them, it obviously enhances it but not necessary just watch the 10 min video on exandrias history as you will be fine
Oh I'm definitely going to do that. Thank you!
I will also say that there will probably be spoilers of C1 and C2 as the cast does not follow a spoiler policy during the show, ads, or announcements. Its a personal choice, but is something you should be aware of, just in case you are somebody who absolutely hates having stuff spoiled.
I'm far past that point already, I'll have to embrace that.
To be fair, even if you do get spoiled on something you can still enjoy C1 and C2 just fine. What's more. Unless it's some major spoiler that sticks out. Without knowing the context, you probably won't even remember it. That's how spoilers usually go. If you get spoiled on the show you never watched, then if you watch it 1-2 years in the future, you probably won't remember the spoiled unless it sticks in your head.
I feel like the story itself is maybe 30% of the enjoyment I get from CR anyway. It’s mostly the masterfully done storytelling and role-play for me. So I’m not TOO bothered, there’s still plenty of great time for me to discover, despite the spoilers.
I started watching C1 only after catching up with C2, and I don't recall many spoilers. The biggest I can remember was when they talked about Keyleth's mom in C2, but even that felt pretty minor to me. If there were any major spoilers they went right over my head.
Yeah the spoilers are more inside jokes to/for cast and fans who know about them. If you haven't seen them then it'll just be like 'what are they talking about?' more than anything.
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There are not many, however one of the bigger ones was an ad done fairly early on that gave away a major plot point. Namely, where >!Liam did an ad as Vax existing in the Raven Queen's domain.!<
Welcome, enjoy campaign 3!!!
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>!also, there are 4. Don't forget that the traveler is a recurring character 👍!<
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Also early in C2 >!Pumat is found reading the Daring Trials and Tribulations of Sir Taryon Darrington!< I'm sure there are more though. edit: Whoops forgot this was returning Characters.
There's also Kent plucker, who was part of dr dranzels troupe, and also attended traveler con
Yep, not that far yet but I'm that kid who used to open his Christmas presents and rewrap them. Lol
Oh, I haven’t watched C1 so I diddnt even know
I am at episode 60. Worth watching C1.
Yea but I do not have the time for that atm, maybe over the summer
>!wait, what was the captains name? I listened to all of c1 and am past them recruiting Orly. I totally missed that!!<
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Thanks! I guess I missed it and don't remember the cast getting excited about it
I STILL DONT KNOW WHO THE HELL IS ON THE TAL'DOREI COUNCIL
Now they have -12 members, good job :)
Vex is the councilor in charge of the treasury, and Matt went over the others at the end of the campaign wrap up Talks Machina.
3 returning. And 1 additionally who was referenced in C1.
You dont have to, you get to invest 500hours into the best thing ever ^ ^
I wish I could but midterms are kicking my ass rn so maybe over the summer
You'll be fine. I haven't watched a full campaign but I can tell you that C2 required no C1 knowledge. Obviously it helps a bit to catch connections you otherwise might not, but they aren't essential. I believe the intent is the same for C3. There are some theories on over-arching plots but if something is referenced from an earlier campaign the Wiki is pretty jammed full and you can look it up. It's less like watching different seasons of a show where the stories are connected, and more like watching entirely different shows set in the same universe.
Ah. The Wiki, of course. I immediately assumed r/criticalrole is a thing, but I did not think about looking up the Wiki. I'll keep that in mind, thanks for your feedback!
As someone running a campaign set in wildemount, oh my fucking god that wiki has saved me a lot of personal writing work lol
They do the gods' work.
As someone who started by C2 I say there will probably be no issue. Like, there are a few in jokes that are referred, and every once in a while there might be explicit references to the previous campaign, but never something that makes harder to understand what is going on. By taking part in the community you will end up absorbing a lot by osmosis though.
You may miss some in-jokes, but the Matt works hard to make sure each campaign is its own separate story (sometimes with a cameo appearance from a previous campaign). I will say though, I would be careful browsing the sub because you may spoil moments from previous campaigns for yourself.
As much as I hate to admit that, I'll try to stay away from the sub as much as I can. Although I must say, I've seen some big reveals already, so I won't be able to experience some of the big C1/C2 reveals properly anyway. If that's the price for finding out about CR at all, I'll take it.
As someone who has watched C2 and Talks Machina before C1, I eventually got some of the hints and started to read and learn about some of the big plot points in C1. Didn't stop me from enjoying C1 a lot when I got to it, even more in some ways. Cause knowing some moments will happen makes earlier moments of them not knowing even better. Some bittersweet, some more hopeful.
Great input there, cheers!
Watch C3 and if your get hooked it will feel like death waiting between weeks trust me. Start C3 and then watch C2 if your have time between Thursday’s
That was my original plan, I'll stick to it!
We won't really know yet how relevant the other two campaigns will be until it happens. That being said, the C2 could be watched without knowing anything about C1, so I would expect the same. You will certainly miss out on some jokes and references, but it isn't vital. I think the biggest question is are you ok with missing out on some lore, inside jokes, and character development? If yes, then jump right into C3. If not, then I would wait until you are caught up (and try to avoid all spoilers).
I am pretty sure I can handle that. I enjoy every minute of CR right now, and it is all based on literally scraps of information. I'm missing a lot from the big picture, but that doesn't stop me from having a great time. Thank you!
Added bonus that announced C3 setting was even less explored than the C2 setting. As far as we knew from both C1 and C2, there were only the 2 known locations from C3's locale. Where as C2's setting was a bit more explored/expanded on in C1. So even more than C1-> C2, I think C3 will be able to be that much more Standalone as a campaign.
I've only watched C2, toward the end of that campaign there were more things slightly connected to C1, but only very slight. Just enough of a nod to those that know, nothing that was needed to be known to enjoy it. I imagine C3 will follow suit. The smart thing they do is there is a large time jump between campaigns, as well as taking place in totally different regions of the world. So there will be little nods, and I'm sure there will be some NPCs somewhere that you won't know the history of, but you don't NEED to know it to enjoy it.
That's the great way to run it, kudos to Matt I suppose!
It is really great. Having the game jump decades from the previous campaign, and moving it around the globe keeps it fresh for the players and the viewers. You can jump in at the latest campaign without needing to watch almost 300 episodes that are like 4 hours each. Also as a DM, this is what I intend to do if my game is lucky enough to go multiple campaigns. We're in early days, but here is hoping.
I haven't play myself for over 10 years now, CR is scratching that old wound again. Good luck with your group!
Do the thing mate. It definitely pulled me in and got me playing when I started watching.
There will likely be no spoilers at all in C3 - maybe a small reference infrequently, but Matt likes to have the campaigns completely stand alone. I liked watching C1 and C2 just to better understand DND (as I haven’t played before), but you won’t miss out on anything if you don’t have a chance to catch up. If anything, when you DO get around to watching them, you might have a good time trying to find where those small references came from
I actually like that approach about reverse-references a lot. That's huge, thank you!
You will be fine, plus in the 6 days where there are not episodes, you can watch C1 and C2! The only thing you might find is references to older stories and possibly even aperences of old characters might go over your head. Like, there might be a moment when Matt tell the group "they need to go speak to the Meatman" and the cast loose their shit and you won't know why. If that bugs you, start with the other campaigns. If not, start with C3 and catchup on the others in between.
Thanks to another comment here, I think I am completely fine with that. C3 it is!
Hope you enjoy it! Welcome to the family! ❤
Thank you, a thousand times!
The most you may benefit from watching past campaigns are slight references. Matt made sure that C2 didn’t feel like a direct sequel by pulling out familiar names all the time and tying them directly to the story. C2 was M9’s story and he didn’t want it to become C1 part 2 by superseding them with C1 stuff. So only certain NPCs came back to serve specific roles, but the entire story was focused on whatever the M9 was stuck dealing with. Beyond lore specific stuff, table in-jokes are harder to get without knowledge of a past campaign or a friend to explain why. My friend had to send me specific C1 moments to help explain why the players did or said things (ex. Beau’s very early joke saying “we’re basically gods”, in direct reference to Keyleth saying the exact same thing before making a poor choice of Wild Shape while diving off a thousands of metres high cliff; every time someone teases Laura for letting her Vex show—because Vex was a notorious penny pincher in C1). But overall I didn’t need to know the full C1 story to get any of C2. So I expect the same deal for C3.
As long as I'm not completely lost from the get go, I'm fine with the handicap of not having the full C1/C2 knowledge. Yet.
I almost all of C2 before watching C1 and I was fine. You only miss out on small inside jokes or little references to the previous campaign. If you are worried about spoilers for previous campaign, they weren't really in the campaign but through looking around in the community they would pop up in discussions referencing the new campaign. So overall, nothing really to worry about.
Great to hear that, thanks!
I jumped into campaign 2 without watching campaign 1. I think it should be fine.
Keeping my fingers crossed, thank you!
Now I dont think you need to have watched them, but I do think matt in all his brilliance has been setting this up over the past 2 campaigns. There are some good theories on youtube, if you want to check it out, regarding space, rudis, etc. So if you want to get your tinfoil hat on I'd say watch them. But just to enjoy it as it comes, you should be fine. You will miss out on a lot of inside jokes and refrences though.
If the C4 comes at some point, I'm chipping in for some tinfoil. I'll have to take on the more casual approach this time. Thank you!
Hey - curious as to some of the theories being discussed. Any good YouTube channels that do deep dives into Critical Role?
Idk any youtube channels, I just found a video on this sub. The gist of it though is that this campaign is taking place in Marquet, which was mostly unseen except for the new cr book. Which has to do with space/the astral sea type stuff. C2 also had things like that going on, and c1 had a gith skull that had some sidequest with astral sea stuff that they didnt do. Central to it all is rudis, and maybe the chained oblivion. This is the video I watched. https://youtu.be/8ACe8tXyIKI they dont offer any analysis though, only a relevant assortment of clips.
I think you'll probably be fine, as I couldn't get through campaign 1 and still loved campaign 2 and am in the process of rewatching it. Additionally with them taking a break on the last week of the month that'll be a good chance to start C1 or C2 whichever you prefer.
I'm still trying to decide on C1 or C2 first, but that's an entirely different story. Thanks!
Well obviously I prefer C2. I got to about episode 70 in C1 but couldn't force myself to go any further. I'm sure it gets better cause I havent seen alot of the highlights you see on YT, but I just can't do it. C2 on the other hand I've found to be solid throughout mostly because there's a little more chaos and less classic fantasy hero.
In C2, rarely but occasionally NPCs from or connected to C1 making appearances. In these moments you would get a more detailed understanding of what was going on if you knew C1, but it was never required reading. For example, one of these C1 NPCs gives MN a sword. If you know C1, you'll know this sword was given to this NPC by VM. That's a cool little passing the torch moment, but without that context, it's still this powerful NPC handing the cast a powerful weapon in a time of need. You still understand it's important without needing the C1 context. Matt doesn't assume the PCs know context from past campaigns. So if that context is important, he tells the PCs even though the players know. So if it's important for the audience to know something from a past campaign, it's just as important that the PCs learn it, meaning there's a good time to have that knowledge stated in game. All the C1 references in C2 were like that. Matt specified he wanted to keep the C1 references to a minimum in C2, so I expect more nods to C1 & C2 in C3, but They will probably remain the same, in that any necessary context will be given to the PCs, and therefor the audience.
Just wanted to say, I've been watching C1 occasionally and finally got to the episode where the found the sword and the significance to it. I didn't know about it when watching C2, but I now understand the excitement of the cast in that moment.
Enjoying 90% of C3 is still plenty, I accept the fact that I won't catch all the nods. Thank you!
They released a lore video giving you a general history lesson around Exandria explicitly in preparation for people who are new to CR and want to engage in campaign 3 but without having going through hundreds of hours of footage. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYBM3myR914
Got it bookmarked already for later, thanks a bunch!
Do yourself a favor, forget what’s going on *now*. Perhaps unsub here given all the spoilers, and treat yourself to a leisurely run of C1. C1 is where all the magic happened. It remains my favorite so far, and its emotional content is off the charts. Keeping up is overrated. So are comments.
I kinda like the concept of weekly cliffhangers, that's definitely something new (albeit potentially painful) to enjoy. Is it wrong to admit that? That's a strong opinion on C1 vs C2 though, I might have to reconsider that particularly.
Started listening to campaign 2 probably 5 months ago. Finished it. Just finished Campaign 1 a few days ago, and am finishing all the canon 1 shots and Exandria Unlimited. That being said, I didn't feel like I missed much by listening to campaign 2 first. I may have missed some inside jokes, but nothing pertinent to the show. I imagine it'll be the same way going into campaign 3, but we know a lot more about Exandria now.
Every campaign is a part of the whole CR experience but is not necessary linked with each other. There might be certain throwbacks here and there, indirect references by the cast and a lot of inside jokes but it's never a requirement to watch previous campaigns to understand the next one. If you want my advice, I'd say watch campaign 3 when it comes out. Keep an eye out for critical role recaps for campaign 2 to get a big picture of what the journey might be like. If you have a lot of time to devote to CR then you might as well start from campaign 1 and so on but I'd suggest pacing yourself regardless.
That's exactly why I was hesitant to jump into C1/C2 since they require such a huge dedication, but at this point I'm spending so many hours per week watching CR that just the C3 alone might not be enough. Thank you!
Yeah, they aren't going to be having games on the last Thursday of every month (except this one) to help people catch up.
All the more reason to watch something else along with the C3!
Also came to CR late (last year). Basically you could watch any of the seasons in isolation and be fine. While there were plenty of great call backs and the occasional character that showed up in C2 from C1, so far 95% of it had nothing to do with C1. I’m personally glad I started from the beginning, but I’ll be starting C3 before finishing C2.
Excellent, cheers!
Enjoy :) you have literally years worth of great content ahead of you
I wanted to circle back around — looks like there is a little more crossover this time around, but I think if you watch the very manageable limited series that is Exandria Unlimited, you will be good to go and get even more out of a few characters who featured there! Hope you enjoyed the premiere and happy watching
Oh! Interesting! Unfortunately I had to skip the stream itself due to time zones differences, so I’m still in the dark here. Is the crossover significant enough that I would be lost without having sufficient background from previous campaigns?
You wouldn’t be lost! My girlfriend watched and she hasn’t seen anything before and she enjoyed / followed along fine. There are just a couple characters who we’ve seen before / whose story started with the 8 episodes of Exandria Unlimited, but is far from finished
Yes, Matt tend to not tie one campaign to another
You'll be fine. Critical Role has released recently a video contextualizing the lore of Exandria, it's on their YouTube channel. It could be useful for you. Also, I've started to watch CR when campaign 2 began, and it's been an amazing ride. There's no necessity to know the previous campaigns and you'll only miss the few Easter eggs that crossover now and then. Although, be mindful that posts here regarding the latest episode may have a bunch of spoilery theories. Aside from that, welcome and enjoy!
Thank you! I'll stay away from reddit for the most part, although it seems that the moderation here is rather solid. Still, I'd rather avoid as much spoilers / educated guesses as I can.
You'll be fine to jump in with campaign 3. They do make sure they're separate. That being said, I might recommend starting with one of the earlier ones anyway. They're both great games with amazing stories told. And being caught up doesn't really get you much except waiting another week and not worrying about campaign 3 spoilers. You could go back and forth if you don't mind jumping around. But I would recommend and going back to watch the campaigns that created critical role and made it what it is! Also be careful with the one shots. Some of them are post campaign 1 one shots that will be filled with spoilers for the end of campaign 1 since it's the same characters taking place right after. The search for grog, the search for bob, and Dalen's closet are the main ones with spoilers, with the Darrington Brigade having a bit but not as much.
Well, I watched them all. What can I say. That's probably the main reason why I'll start with C2, although through those MAJOR spoilers, I already feel like I've established connection with Vox Machina.
Lol well nothing to be done about it now! But yeah probably a less than ideal place to start with Vox Machina. But it doesn't spoil most of the stuff in the middle.
It all started with randomly coming across a short YouTube clip of Grog finding a very particular item... It all went downhill from there, I couldn't stop myself. Still, no regrets.
Well if you are already attached to C1 then I might dive in there. You can skip a bit into that if the audio issues bother you as that was a bit of a mess early on.
I've heard about that issue, I don't know. I'm still on the C1 vs C2 first fence, I'll have to decide soon.
There is also the show coming out in February if you want to watch the stuff included in the animated show before it comes out? Personally I prefer Campaign 1 if you can't tell although I loved Campaign 2 as well! XD
Oh god, that's right, there's the animated show as well... I absolutely love to have those problems!
I started shortly after campaign 2 started, and had no issue jumping in. Eventually, after a certain game-changing moment, I got a lot more interested and went back to watch all the old stuff too, but I really don't think you need to if you don't want to. You'll catch more connections, and easter eggs and such (like early on in C2, a book is mentioned that is a reference to C1), but C3 is going to be a standalone story, all new characters, (mostly) all new locations, etc.
Thank you, much appreciated! Yeah, I'll be keeping up to date with C3 and enjoying previous campaigns along the way.
A few weeks ago I went to visit my sister and we were talking about books and good stories being the bookworms we are, then I led the talk to D&D and the beauty of colaborative storytelling and boy oh boy she was hooked with the idea of being character AND part of a story you can shape with others on the fly, I put the begining of C2 on Youtube and she was amazed with the whole idea, sure there were some "what's with the whole rolls thing" and that, but a little bit of explaining and that was it. Nah, you are good starting from C3 maybe there will be some nods but I don't think you will be missing much and the wiki has your back in those cases. Welcome to the fold man, get a drink and a comfy chair because it will be quite a trip <3
Ah, the memories of your first D&D experience is definitely something to cherish. It's definitely the major force that draws me to CR. Thank you for your kind words, I'll see you at Thursday!
There are some connections, and you learn more about Exandria with each campaign, but no, each campaign is designed so that newcomers can join. There is the wiki, as was mentioned, and a few sourcebooks, such as Tal'dorei Campaign Setting (which is getting revamped), and Explorer's Guide to Wildemount. They're good for lore of the world. Recently, a video on the history of Exandria was released, so you could watch that. I actually watched the last arc of C1 first, and the corresponding one-shots lol. Edit: here is the link to the history video I mentioned: https://youtu.be/DYBM3myR914
I am in a boat very similar to yours then, I basically know how C1 ends at this point - without really ever watching it. It sucks a bit, but I'll manage. Thanks!
I watched the last arc of C1 because there are certain things I want to know about a setting before getting in to it lol (namely deity and afterlife related stuff) so even though I spoiled a lot for myself, I still enjoyed it (and then watched the "epilogue" one shots, which are totally worth it). Btw, I edited my comment to provide a link for the video I mentioned, in case you didn't see it. I do recommend you go back and watch C1 and C2, but you don't have to have done so prior to C3.
Excellent, thanks - I'm definitely watching that later tonight!
Yes
Short and sweet, and just as valuable. Thank you!
No problem!
Apart from recurring NPCs and the cast's table talk, which sometimes spoils or calls back to previous events in CR history (as they'll sometimes say "Boy, at least we're not fighting [C1/2 BBEG] right now!" or otherwise mention something that happened to their previous characters), you'll be fine. No campaign is a direct sequel to the previous (except for C1 -> EXU, but even that doesn't require full knowledge of C1). I'm a Day 1 critter, but my girlfriend jumped in with C2 and had just about the same experience that I did. You'll be fine jumping in with C3, but there will probably be a handful of references to C1 by the time the party gets to An'kharel, which the C1 party spent a good bit of time in.
Thank you, much appreciated! I'm not a CR vet, so It's only fair I don't get all the little references. I'm not worthy yet. lol
Yes. Enjoy the ride, there will be a few callbacks or inside jokes at times sure, but the runtimes are so long that they won't affect your experience overall.
I am SO glad to hear that again, thank you!
There's also this to give a breakdown of the world history https://youtu.be/DYBM3myR914
You'll be fine. I still haven't watched more than 4 episodes of C1 myself, but followed all of C2 without issue.
Excellent, glad to hear that. Thanks!
It's not that you lose out by not watching C1 and C2 it's that you gain so much by watching them. Start with C3, by all means, but I can't recommend C1 and C2 enough
That really is the essence of all the feedback I gathered so far. Oh and I am definitely going to work my way through C1 and C2. Thank you!
I binged C2 up to E130 then watched on the Monday from there. Currently on C1 E102. It's possible. Does kinda mean in 2021 I will have watched over 1000 hours of CR lmao
I’m pretty sure I can count on one hand the number of times that there was a reference to c1 in c2 that would have mystified one who didn’t see the former.
Thank you, that’s extremely reassuring!
Easter eggs only. Each campaign is its own story that has no requirements. But the campaigns together weave a greater story.
And I definitely want to catch up on it, but that will take me months - if not years. Thank you!
My wife and I started with C2, and got caught up with it over their COVID break. We didn't want to wait any longer so we started C1 while waiting for C2 to resume. Then we watched both of them simultaneously with no problems. Long story short, there's no wrong way to watch Critical Role.
Man, I’m so happy I’m about to begin my own journey. Thank you!
Welcome, Critter!
I started with C2, you should be fine starting at C3. But you can watch the Animated C2 recap videos to get the gist of the Mighty Nien.
Hmmm. Is it a smart choice, considering I intend to watch C2 as well?
The Animated C2 recap probably not the smartest choice, but it is a route to take. You should do fine starting with C3.
Being caught up is not fun. Having to wait for a new episode is so tortuous. I started watching at C2 during the pandemic break & it was great to binge through episodes. Though some key plot moments in C1 did get spoiled for me either via watching C2, watching Talks Machina episodes, or best-of comp videos on Youtube. I think if you're already sold on the content from the one-shots, why not take your time I start with C1? And then once you get to around episode 85 in C1, you can start watching the Talks Machina episodes where they answer fan questions. Then you can watch the post-C1 one-shots that deal with the Vox Machina plotlines and characters. Then you'll have all of C2 to watch. Approximately 6 month to a year later (no idea on how fast you go through episodes) you'll be done with the amazing adventures of both campaigns. And then you'll have 6 months to a year of C3 episodes you can binge through! Current me would be envious of future you. Sure, I could just not watch C3 for 6 months and also get to binge the episodes, but I won't. Anyway, being caught up isn't fun. But watching the start of a campaign is quite fun.
Yeah I was thinking about it. But it seems almost too perfect that C3 is beginning exactly the moment I’m getting into CR. With all those lovely comments I got, I feel like it is an opportunity I cannot skip. Oh, and I haven’t even thought about extras like Talks Machina yet!
When I starting watch C2 (because I was going to start my 1st ever D&D campaign & C2E1 was recommended as it was a nice example of how a campaign starts) I got 8 episodes deep before I found out Talks Machina existed. I then went back & watched all of them for the first 8 C2 episodes and once I caught up I made it a regular habit after I watched a C2 episode I'd watch the following Talk Machina episode. It helped to draw out the watch experience; helped me see that the actors are different from their characters; gave me good advice for whenever I play D&D; and it was neat to hear about the behind the scenes details on characters and story ideas.
That sounds extremely interesting, I’ll definitely look into it.
I started with C2 and never felt like I was missing out by having skipped C1. There's very little from C1 that carries over into C2
I’m on episode 87 of C2 and plan on continuing it, and watching C3 live/as it debuts. I may even watch C1!
Honestly, just jump right on in! Matt makes it really easy to understand the premise of his world without having to watch hundred of hours of content!
Yup, that’s the plan! I’m already checking out the time zones, trying to figure out if I could manage to watch it live before I have to get to the office, lol
Not the most knowledgeable but I got into it in campaign 2 and while there were small cameos and nods towards things in campaign 1 it was pretty self sufficient. I expect the same for campaign 3.
Oh but that’s exactly the knowledge I was hoping for. Thank you!
Good I'm glad! When some characters were introduced in campaign 2 the actors would freak out... I'd usually go Google it as I didn't have the time to watch campaign 1. You definitely didn't need to do that because Matt makes the new characters work for a relationship with them since they haven't actually met the characters before. Happy watching!
It should be fine. You didn't have to watch C1 to watch C2, though there are a few characters whose appearances are greater appreciated having done so. But it's not necessary to have watched regardless. I'm sure there will be big world-changing things left unaddressed by previous campaign parties that come up at some point, but you're watching it from the perspective of a party that itself won't really know anything about it, even if the players behind the characters and some of the audience know the implications on a meta level.
I only got into CR a week or two after Campaign 2 started and it was all OK. There were callbacks to C1, but nothing really important. Edit: There is an animated catch up of S2 that they are putting out semi-regularly. It's fun to watch.
To echo the sentiment of everyone else here. I would say just jump into C3. You should be fine, C2 only had like one fairly big nod to C1 with a previous NPC returning. But, even if you didn't know that, I don't think anything would've really been lost. Plus the same nods can also work in reverse if you go back and watch previous seasons. I would say watch C3, but definitely consider going back and watching the others when you have time. They are definitely worth it and you might catch other things as well.
Yes! Go for it!! 2 & 3 are amazing, but don’t let it hold you back. This is going to be completely different and a completely different setting that’s so far from where the other campaigns were, you aren’t missing much.
Just dive straight in. I haven't seen 1 and I loved 2. They are always waiting for you if you find a spare 500 hours.
Na you have to grind from C1 :p
Finally, a voice of reason, hahah
It's perfectly fine to, but don't forget that c1 and c2 is something you can watch during the other six days of the week.
Going from C1 to C2, I think there were only like 5 explicit references to the previous campaign, and they were mostly Easter eggs for those who remembered them. I can't imagine this season will be much different.
We don't know 100% for certain yet since Campaign 3 doesn't start until Thursday, but I think it's probably a safe bet you won't need to watch the first two campaigns to grok campaign 3. I was fine for Campaign 2 without having watched Campaign 1, and I've seen no evidence that trend isn't going to continue. Campaign 1 and 2 were completely different stories set decades apart on whole different continents. There were some callbacks from Campaign 1 in Campaign 2, but nothing hugely major to the plot.
I just started watching CR in August, found it the same way you did through just clips and such. I'm about mid-way through Campaign 2 (I started with that because the clips I watched were from it) and I've tested C1 but... Production values are pretty rough. Which is fine because they were just starting out, the switch from Pathfinder, starting in the middle of a campaign, etc. My advice would be watch C3 live, use the down-time to watch C2 and just watch the Vox Machina show on Amazon for the C1 story. That's what I'm planning on doing.
That's not a bad idea at all, thank you!
With this all said. I hope they do an animated catch-up for the first series.
You should be just fine jumping into C3 without having watched any episodes of 1 or 2. It's a brand new campaign, with brand new characters. The only thing you'll be missing is world lore and history, but that is easily found. So, come on, jump in - the water is fine... 😁
C1 & 2 are very different from each other, I only got half way through C1 before I started C2 - finishing C1 now and there is very *very * little that crosses over besides a couple inside jokes that you'll get when you go back anyway
The only real “overlaps” between campaigns tend to be certain jokes or NPC’s. So you can jump into C3 blind. I binged the first campaign all the way through, then caught up to the live streams on campaign Two, so you could do that until you get caught up with C3 if you want, lol.
Do you want to go to a live show, interact with the community live, and or don’t care about minor spoilers of past campaigns? If these apply then start watching C3 each week while also catching up on C1/C2. Otherwise it’s not like the content is going anywhere and as long as you watch more than 1 episode of C1/C2 per new C3 episode you’ll eventually catch up. This would probably be your best experience in my opinion for the show as the cast is inevitably going to make references and inside jokes that you won’t get without watching previously. The risk is you could get spoiled on C3 before you get to start watching it. But it’s pretty easy to avoid spoilers if you really want to.
Well I'm afraid I won't be flying to US to catch a live show any time soon, but I wouldn't mind getting my mind blown as a part of a group! C3 + C1/C2 is my way to go!
Another note. In C2, the cast tried to avoid spoiling C1 early on, but of course references out of character were made which could be seen as spoilers for C1. So, I'd imagine the cast might be careful to not drop infinite spoilers for C2, but that protection would likely fade over time. But you should be good early on, I'd say.
I'd say so. C2 had cameos and Easter eggs from C1 npcs but stood on its own. You might get spotted in c1 or c2 content. But just read the wikis of you want a quick way to know what's up.
Definitely. Not only is it a very new setting, the only time they visited was C1 for 2 episodes
Other than missing out on some inside jokes, you won't need to watch the other campaigns.
Watching earlier campaigns will give you more context to the world and a bit of historical context but they're all fairly stand alone.
Honestly you're probably better off skipping C2. Has some good moments but generally is a 500+ hour buildup to nothing. Start fresh with C3.
Oh look it’s this thread *today*
I suppose thank you for bringing more attention to it, lol.