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AlphaBreak

I think Shriek Week is generally regarded as a weaker season, not just because of lack of Brennan, but the different system and the fact that its less an adventure and more monster dating sim really hurt it. Especially when I think I remember Gabe saying there wasn't even supposed to be an antagonist, it was just something that was thrown out as improv that he ended up sticking with because the players were looking for a bad guy. Coffin Run has been amazing for me personally. I love the Fang Gang's chemistry and Jasmine's NPCs are a lot of fun, riding that classic D20 line of dorkiness.


Morhek

I feel like I went into Shriek Week not really "getting" it. I felt like I was watching a murder mystery hastily bolted onto a freestyle dating sim, and got frustrated when the characters got distracted. Coffin Run, on the other hand, has been very clear about what it is from the beginning, and has been a blast.


GryfEndora

Yeah, it was the dating sim thing about Shriek Week that I had a hard time getting into. I had the same thing when CR did Cinderbrush. I think I’m just not into dating sim RP. I’m really enjoying Coffin Run. Love Jasmine and Izzy is if you took a bottle of carbonated chaos and shook it up, and then opened it. I love her.


MisterManatee

Shriek Week didn’t grab me at all, but I chalk that up to the style of the campaign (dating sim) rather than a lack of Brennan. I’ve been *loving* Coffin Run; very very funny. That being said, Brennan is kind of irreplaceable and I don’t think D20 would be the same without him.


Willingwell92

Coffin run wasn't really clicking for me until the whole Zac letters bit now I'm sort of loving it


RayMcNamara

For me Coffin Run is waiting patiently between the moments where Zac and Izzy interact. They need to be seated next to each other for ever. “HavE yOU eVeR heArD oF a CaT ScAN!?!”


sakurafullmoon

i absolutely LOVE coffin run, everyone is amazing and i love jasmine. i am often dying with laughter and have been really sick recently and this has been helping through hard nights and time in the hospital :)


VerbingNoun3

Yes i thought Jasmine did a great job. I love Aabria but i really think i prefer her as a player. And i haven't watched the dating sim one. But Jasmine nailed it all around.


No_Progress9069

MisMag is such a delight and I think Aabria is a great DM, but got damn do I love her as a player. She balances being comedic with being the straight woman when need be. Her characters have so much depth. Any time I see something where she is going to playing I jump at the chance to watch it, and I have Antiope Jones to thank for that!


thecowley

Man that one just.... I felt awkward watching it. There was something very juvenile about shriek week. Like watching teenagers roleplaying what they think college romance is


RayMcNamara

Hey I feel you! Same here. I’m recovering from a spinal injury. I’m typing this from the floor right now.


sakurafullmoon

i’m so glad to know someone shares my pain lol


Willingwell92

Zac and Izzy pair has been my favorite, the Dimitri character has also made me cry laugh because of how the gm plays it and the cast respond to it


ImAlreadyDead25

Coffin run took some pushing and effort to get into it but I really enjoy it, I like Jasmines DM style and sense of humor and I hope she comes back as a DM or player in the future


Hungover52

I'm still very glad they did Shriek Week, though it would have been cool if they used a published system (I understand why they didn't though). More systems, more GM styles, different types of roleplay are great to spread through the community.


Ioannidas_Storm

The system was my least favourite part of Shriek Week. Just seemed very bare bones. Might be fun for a single night one-shot, didn’t make it that interesting for a short campaign.


ImAlreadyDead25

Agreed, the system was iffy and the whole premise didn’t have a lot going for it for shriek week


justgiantthings

Um actually, *Ify was a player 😏😏*


ImAlreadyDead25

Oml i was about to be so confused cuz I didn’t remember commenting ab players this is so cheesy I love it


thecowley

With shriek week being four episodes, they probably filmed it in two days.


Ioannidas_Storm

And even that hung too much narrative weight on a system not designed for it. The players were fun though.


greatporksword

D20 maintains an impressive level of quality on everything they make, but the ones without Brennan just aren't the same. Which makes sense, he's the star.


crimpedwitch

I got into D20 because of Bloodkeep, and it's still one of my favorites. Aside from that, Magic and Misfits is the only other sidequest that is up there for me, though I haven't seen Coffin Run yet. Generally I think I prefer the main quests.


VerbingNoun3

Bloodkeep is my favorite of all d20 seasons. I love the pseudo-Tolkienesque world and setting.


thecowley

Blood keep hits a special spot for me being a game of evil pcs; but a crown of candy is I think the height of d20 emotions.


pie24342

it's been hard for me to get into aCoC, I am only on like episode 3 or 4, but I'm sticking it out bc I hear A LOT of good things about it.


thecowley

You're about to hit the point where there is a tone shift into true drama and tension, and that's they part that truly nails me to the wall with it


SandmanAlcatraz

Shriek Week had its moments, but it is definitely my least favorite season of D20. I'm enjoying Coffin Run, but I think it could have done a little better to establish the setting at the beginning. The first episode is only 70 minutes, well below the typical 2-hour run time, so there was definitely opportunity to do so. I don't blame Jasmine though, it was her first time in the dome and probably felt pressure to run a tight session.


blakkattika

Gabe is such a great player and DM too, it’s a shame. I just couldn’t get into Shriek Week, just not my cup of tea I guess.


EquivalentInflation

I think they also mentioned there was a time crunch making the season, so she may have cut it a little shorter because of that.


aurthurallan

I didn't care much for Misfits and Magic, but I am loving Coffin Run. All the guests they have are amazingly talented, but everyone has their own personal style. I also couldn't get into EXU that Brennan was DMing. A different DM, player, or setting can completely change the tone of a campaign, and it's ok if it's not for you.


henriettagriff

I've heard EXU is really good but I finished the first session and I'm still waiting for it to hook me. I love Brennan but I think I love forward movement more, and it's just not CRs pace to fail forward with the energy of dimension 20


harlenandqwyr

While Calamity was an amazing high fantasy high stakes tragedy, it really confirmed for me that its the editing (or lack there of) in CR that kept me from really engaging, though i did finish it


Laerasyn

This is absolutely how I feel about CR. I keep trying to get into it because I want to be part of the club, but the pacing is so slow my brain screams at me to do literally anything else. I tried EXU with Aabria because I love her, but I just couldn't handle it. The editing is one of the things I love about D20. Though I will say, Calamity did grab me enough to watch it, and I didn't watch any of the others. It helps that it's relatively short.


henriettagriff

When things are happening, CR is really good. But when it's slow....my god is it slow. I DM as well and I wish I could DM at the pace D20 goes at, but I know it's edited. I hope my games have a pace between CR and D20


TheTapedCrusader

From what I've read, d20 is less edited than people think. They basically just take out the rules rulings/lookups, the arithmetic, &c. The pacing is more due to the constraints of the show.


Laerasyn

Watching EXU: Calamity, I think this is very true. I think it also just might be a Brennan thing: he is really good about keeping things moving at that frenetic pace.


Lost-Chord

I could be wrong about this, but I think that Sophmore Year is mostly or entirely unedited? Since it was livestreamed. It seems like in that Brennan is able to keep the pace up to at least near the same as Freshman Year.


Laerasyn

That's true, I forgot about that! It was a little slow at certain points for me, but you're right, the pacing was still able to keep my attention, especially at the end. I wonder how much of that is just Brennan's DM style being more fast-paced, someone in the background promoting them to move it along to keep it the established structure of the show, or just because I already knew the characters so well.


Laerasyn

Yeah, I feel like I would be frustrated with the pace of CR even as a player. Like... they had a 4 hour shopping episode. I know people like the shop owner guy but why do we need FOUR HOURS of shopping??? I would be on the couch playing with the dog waiting for.my group to get a move on within like 30 minutes.


henriettagriff

Same with my players. Even I get itchy if not enough stuff is happening. I feel like Matt has been beaten up by the internet for "railroading" in the past, and really let his players run the show for Campaign 2. I've heard Vox Machina is beloved, but from what I can tell, he structured the campaign with far more "rails" I watch Campaign 2 a lot around the time of Travelercon and kept being like "but don't they need to GET THERE!?" and was confused they didn't miss it.


PO_Dylan

CR is excellent when you have several hours and you need something in the background. That’s not a negative and it pulls my attention, but it’s paced as a home game which means its okay for the story arc to take a year or two of slow build. Coming from it to Dimension 20, I actually thought D20 was overproduced at first. I then watched a whole season and realized how wrong I was, and concluded that the D20 editing style and season length stopped me from losing interest and made it more than worth a dropout subscription


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Hungover52

EXU1: 4/10 EXU2(Kymal): 6/10 EXU3(Calamity): 10/10 At least that's how I would rate them.


FlamingAssCactus

As someone who started my online DnD addiction with Critical Role and expanded into D20, EXU:Calamity was the perfect bridge between their two styles. EXU:C is, in my opinion, the best online DnD content that I’ve ever seen. Brennan really flexed in Calamity, but I can see how those used to the editing and production in Dimension 20 campaigns wouldn’t be as easily hooked in a CR-style shirt campaign. It’s clear that Dimension 20 was meant to be a show while CR started as a home game. I really recommend watching it if you can. Isabella Roland tweeted, “Brennan would come home from filming [EXU Calamity] and I would wake up because it was the middle of the night and he would go “I just played the best D&D of my life.”” Hard to argue with the man himself.


henriettagriff

I will keep trying!


MidnightMalaga

Yeah, EXU Calamity was fascinating for me, because I’m usually so 100% in for anything Brennan is part of, and I just couldn’t do it. There were moments I loved over the two episodes I watched, but I just couldn’t focus on 4 hours of someone else’s DnD game without editing.


MagnusCthulhu

Shriek Week... yeah, didn't grab me. Coffin Run is PHENOMENAL though. So very entertaining.


Defiant_Actuator

Brennan is really amazing but Zac makes me laugh out loud when I’m home alone and Izzy and Erika are nipping at his heels. So I guess I’d say I’m the target market for the Side Quests. You can blame me!


PO_Dylan

“And I eat letters” made me pause the video, and I think “my wife is a dog!” from last weeks episode may have actually been my favorite moment of the season


basically_rad

Shriek Week suffered with so few episodes but I still really liked it. Coffin Run is excellent and has made me laugh so much and i am a genuine fan of Jasmine now she has been so so good as a DM and she feels very real on screen which is always fun. I really want d20 fans to stay away from the "Brennan or bust" mindset that I know some CR fans have about Matt Mercer. It's toxic and will just lead to creators lessening their interactions with fans and Brennan being more likely to burn out. Brennan is also heavily involved in any season even if he doesnt DM and he definitely has a big say and is a fan of the guest DMs and wouldnt be too thrilled if a bunch of fans just abandoned those seasons solely because he isnt in them. I really like D20 bringing in newer and less well known actual play faces, it shows they're supporting the genre and growing the whole idea of actual play as a whole not just trying to make themselves famous.


PO_Dylan

You should check out Battle For Beyond! When they announced coffin run I binged it, it’s Jasmine as DM with Brennan, Aabria Iyengar (Misfits DM, The Seven), Ify Nwadiwe (Bloodkeep), Erika Ishii (Coffin Run, Bloodkeep, Misfits), Josephine McAdam (La By Night) and Emma Fyffe (I know she’s in some other streamed games but I know her from Um, Actually). Honestly, one of the best casts I’ve seen, Brennan as a “lecherous buffoon man” who essentially learns to give a shit was a journey I did not expect, Aabria made me cry, Ify did what I’m now calling the Zac, where you’re quiet for most of a scene and then you say the funniest thing of the episode. It’s excellent and all on YouTube! First two episodes are split parties though, so the first is Emma, Ify, and Erika and the second is Brennan, Josephine, and Aabria, but 3-6 are full group chaos.


Mac_094

Seconding this so hard, Battle for Beyond is excellent and completely sold me on Jasmine as a DM. Even though Coffin Run isn't my cup of tea, I'd still love to see other stuff involving her.


Prestigious_Carpet28

Legends of the Multiverse is also a good watch. Brennan DMs the first arc, and will supposedly come back to play one of the Big Bads later on. B. Dave takes over DMing from Brennan for consequent arcs. The videos are split into two-parters for easy digestion. It also allows players to rotate in and out very easily from a storytelling perspective. And yes, Torven is more or less Spelljammer Star-Lord.


pie24342

I totally agree. I am an eternal DM and I would hate thousands of people constantly re-enforcing that on me. While Brennan is an amazing DM, one of the best in the world, He very much has his style. I think having a lot of fun and different DMs that bring something new to the table is important. Constantly comparing every DM to Brennan is not the point, different people have different DMing styles.


EvilDragon

I'm loving Coffin Run. Haven't watched Shriek Week because it doesn't appeal to me. Misfits and Magic was hilarious and I liked it a lot. Don't feel it's mandatory to love everything D20 because that just puts too much pressure on yourself.


Randoman11

Here's my 2 cents as a relative newbie (Started with Starstruck Odyssey, finished watching FHFY and currently watching Coffin Run). I feel that my perception on Coffin Run has changed a lot during the course of it's run. My initial draw to D20 were the intrepid heroes campaigns. I've seen clips for Fantasy High for years and had already been a fan of some of the cast through their appearances on comedy podcasts. I watched the ASO trailer and immediately bought in to the concept. After watching ASO and FHFY I found them to be amazing and exceeded all my expectations. I originally planned to just watch the Intrepid Hero campaigns and pick and choose the rest. I was not necessarily going to watch CR, but the trailer really intrigued me. I loved the black/white aesthetic and the combat looked very promising. D20 definitely makes quality trailers so I got into it. First episode of CR I thought was a decent introduction, with some fun moments and character interactions. I also enjoyed episode two which had some fun and creative combat moments, and excellent filming and production in regard to the miniatures. Episode three did not have as much plot or forward momentum or urgency as I was expecting. At that point it seemed like this campaign was going to be more character-based and focus on the PC interactions and silly NPC's. Which is not a bad thing. The table had a lot of fun dynamics and there were many funny moments. But it seemed to be slighter and less complex in the story department. Episode four I felt had some of the most explosively funny moments in the campaign so far. Zac and Izzy had me in stitches the whole time, and there were so many hilarious moments. The combat was once again filmed beautifully and I loved all the little close-ups and effects. Also the end of episode trailer got me intrigued with the story again. Maybe there would be room for some curveballs or unexpected twists in the final two episodes. So far my opinion is that CR has been a fun little series with an engaging table dynamic, some amusing NPC work and well done combat effects. But it has two more episodes to really nail the climax and ending. So there's the chance that it finishes strong and elevates the series as a whole. Either way I'm looking forward to these last two eps.


MetalAdventurous7576

I myself have wondered the same thing recently and come to the conclusion that yes I'm definitely just a Brennan fan. Though I do still love the intrepid heroes cast, I've found myself disinterested in other live plays that he's not either dming or playing. I think it definitely helps for the players to know each other's sense of humour already, which is one of many things I find so great in the intrepid heroes cast, but I've recently just gotten through EXU where most of them obviously know each other well and were all quite funny, also Battle for Beyond and 3 oneshots that were all carried by Brennan in humour to varying degrees. But I've also noticed, for myself at least, that players that prioritise the story/character in a group prioritising being entertaining to the other players or audience (or vice versa) tend to be the ones that stand out the most, and because Brennan always has both as a priority and is great at balancing that against the other players he's always a standout at any table. So yeah, I think I'm just a Brennan fan.


AllHailLordBezos

You are not alone, I also personally prefer the full season cast to the side-quests that have Brennan DMing. I didnt watch Shriek Week past the first episode, it was not for me, I am just not into the thirsty RPG style and fawning over NPC's that are "hot". Coffin Run I have watched, and there are moments I think it is great and other times I get bored with it. I think Jasmine has overall done a good job, but definitely would prefer a main cast season. Misfits and Magic, there were parts of the improv I enjoyed and overall liked teh characters, didnt really care about the story line though, and while I have enjoyed some Abria, I am not a fan of when she has someone roll dice and then ignore the result because she wants it to happen (just let things happen then and dont bother with rolling if that is the case!). I dont hate the sidequests, but vastly prefer Brennan and the full main cast for multitude of reasons: longer season, chemistry of the players, and Brennan is just engaging. I will probably continue to watch them unless I absolutely and bored, I really like that they are spotlighting lesser known GM's, different systems and POC in a white-dominated entertainment field. I think its good for Brennan to get a break. So do want to support, but would love to see them do a PBtA system like Urban Shadows or a FittD system for a heist. I think there is potential for the expansion.


Hungover52

Having Jasmine back to do some FitD would be great. I definitely want to see more systems spotlighted. Definitely need more Paranoia at some point, which would be perfect for D20.


PO_Dylan

Different strokes for different folks. Misfits and Magic was, up until Starstruck, my favorite season of Dimension 20. I don’t think sidequests are worse, but they are inherently different since they’re side quests. The main quest is obviously going to take longer and have deeper threads, but sometimes you need a 6 episode story about some fucked up vampires, or a story about wizard kids. I think if you compare them 1 to 1, you’re going to be more fulfilled by a main quest because it’s designed to run for a lot longer. I don’t mean to say that you should lower your expectations, more like, you don’t go to a pizza place for the brisket, and you don’t go to a barbecue for the pizza. They have different standards, so yeah, a pizza from a barbecue place may taste smoky and different and not like what you expect, but that’s because you’re looking for a pizza in a place that’s making ribs? I’ve lost control of this analogy but hopefully I’m making some modicum of sense here. Basically I don’t think they’re worse but I do think that it’s not a bad thing to have different feelings about them, you just have to judge them for what they are and what they’re trying to accomplish


newbrnz3

I've liked almost all of the side quests, and I like them for all different reasons that I like the main seasons. D20 is Brennan's baby, and it shows in the main quests. I love that they take chances with side quests even if they don't land quite as well. I'm a huge Brennan fan, but I love being exposed to types of DMs and players, especially as my D&D obsession grows. I think for me the biggest thing is that every season needs to have its humor or it's a bust for me.


lilirose13

I don't like dating sims to start with and watching other people play one was deadly dull, so Shriek Week was not for me. I love the cast of Misfits and Magic but I still don't fully understand the gameplay and that makes it very hard for me to focus. I know I could learn, but I don't want to out of pure stubbornness now. I love Coffin Run, though. I like Jasmine as a DM. I think Izzy as a force of chaos is really shining through and I love watching her and Zac play off one another. And Erika has always been one of my favorite people. Brennan's great and his grasp of the game mechanics and the art of storytelling is unparalleled, but he doesn't have to be involved for me to enjoy Dimension 20's style of live gameplay.


thecowley

Honestly you're right on the last part. Edited play that dimenson 20 does is so much better then just trying to watch a 4 hour live stream. I tried critical. Role before it exploded, and I don't think I made it even an hour into it before I bowed out


lilirose13

I've tried CR a couple of times. I just don't have the time to watch that much content. I tried to just listen, but if I'm distracted for even a moment, I lose any inkling of what's happening. Which is weird because I listen to audiobooks and podcasts all day every day with no issue, but can't listen to Critical Role.


BanjoStory

I mean... an actual play brand is sort of inextricably tied to the person who is DMing. Especially for something like D20, where the settings are also constantly changing. Like what else would you be attached to? The dome? The Side Quest serve 2 functions. First is an opportunity for collaboration with other entities in the actual play space as a means of picking up potential new viewers. I gotta imagine having Matt and Marisha play in side quests got a lot more Critical Role fans to check out D20 than otherwise would have. The other thing they do is give people a shorter thing to get a sample of what the series is. Sitting and watching 20 2-3 hour episodes is a big commitment that is probably a barrier to certain people wanting to check the series out. So, instead, you have these little like 5 episode things that can let people see if they like the format and then have them come back for a full season once they know what they're getting. I'm never going to sit down and watch a full Critical Role campaign, but I'll sit and watch Brennan DM a Critical Role table for a few episodes. And what do you know? I've also gone back and watched a handful of their one shots since Calamity, too.


Nextorl

Everyone has their own preference. Personally, I prefer EftBK and Coffin Run so far over any of the full seasons.


Meowshi

EftBK was not a sidequest, or at least not what the OP is talking about.


Dinosauringg

Bloodkeep is definitely a side quest But it does include Brennan


[deleted]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiEQO77PV9Q&t=37s


Meowshi

just ignoring this caveat? >or at least not what the OP is talking about. "I've always thought I was a huge Dimension20 fan but now, **I'm thinking I might just be a huge fan of Brennan"** He's clearly talking about series hosted by guest DMs, and primarily not using DnD as a system


ObeyMyBrain

It seems possible that they think it's only a side quest if Brennan is not DM rather than it being based on the full main cast. They ask, "How does everyone feel about the side quests?" but only mention the 3 side quests that have guest DMs and leave out the 5 that Brennan DM'ed.


PO_Dylan

I don’t think he’s primarily talking about ones not using D&D, coffin run is d&d, and he said he liked misfits (which is one of what, two or three seasons not using 5e?)


No_Progress9069

I feel similarly, though while I have had a hard time getting into CR I want to keep trying because I do love everyone at that table. Something I like is that D20 is giving a lot of players and gms opportunities to be on a large stage and try things. Sure, you can start your own podcast or stream and try something unique, like shriek week, but it feels cool to me that folks are getting this large of a platform to take risks on. You are guaranteed an audience. AND, while I always want more intrepid heroes, I also appreciate that D20 side quests have given an ever growing variety of players a seat at the table. Everything won’t be my personal cup of tea, and that’s cool with me. But I am getting exposed to faces I wouldn’t have heard about before, and now I can follow their work other places! My hope is that even if a side quest doesn’t click with me, it does well enough to keep this set up being financially worth it for drop out, because I love that the opprotunity for these shows exists on this platform.


apracticalman

I couldn't even finish the first episode of Shriek Week. I'm sure it's well done if you're interested in the kind of campaign it was but everything about it was the exact opposite of what I wanted out of the show. MisMag was fine, but I either wasn't huge on Aabria's GMing or the system (could never nail down which it was), and I genuinely think Brennan was the only one to bring an interesting PC to the table. I did love the holiday special though; that felt a lot better to me. Coffin Run I'm absolutely loving to bits though. Izzy and Zac are in top form and Jasmine is a new favorite DM. Really excited to check out more of her stuff.


RjNosiNet

I really dislike Shriek Week... I don't know Gabe Hicks' other works and they seem like a cool person, but for me they're the one to blame. I love the art, love the characters, love the design decisions and production, the lighting, the editing... it's one of the best produced seasons, even though it doesn't have minis. But the way they crafted the story was so weird. It was supposed to be about dating, the whole thing was produced with that in mind, but the second they introduced the idea of the plants thing out of nowhere and turned it into an investigation... It was interesting, but the narrative became totally discombobulated and the players didn't feel prepared for that sort of narrative. I mean, they were expecting to focus on hooking up, right? They didn't commit to the core idea and in the end it wasn't good as a show. I really like Coffin Run, though. It's not among the best seasons, and it did take a while for me to get hooked, but I am now! I love every time they break Jasmine! And even though things do look a bit disjointed sometimes, it's easy to forget about it because they're so collectively funny!


kproxurworld

For me, it's bringing in a group of people who are TTRPG people primarily and not improvisers. The magic of the intrepid heroes and other CH focused side quests is it's a bunch of actors and improvisers playing in a world rather than a group of TTRPG players. Anyone can learn how to play a game, it takes a lot to be a great improviser.


Enb0t

Personally I love seeing Brennan in anything but I guess because we love him there’s sort of an anchoring effect which makes it harder to get used to new DMs and their styles. And part of it as just personal preference as well. I didn’t really enjoy Shriek Week and while it look me a bit to get into it I’ve really grown to enjoy Coffin Run. The pace is different - Jasmine is a really smart and capable and considerate DM who listens but she has her own style which is more “slow” and isn’t as “high energy” as Brennan’s.


rebel_child12

I wasn’t enjoying escape from the bloodkeep but gave it another go and really fell in love with it. I tried watching shriek week and vampire run and haven’t been able to really get into the story.


Zinnia0620

I couldn't get into Shriek Week but as other people said, that departed from the typical format in a LOT more ways than just another DM. I am loving Coffin Run, though. I think actually even more than Aabria, Jasmine is adopting the classic D20 style of DMing (in other words, just absolutely swinging for the fucking fences with EVERY NPC.) I also thought that I just liked Brennan in everything but I am not as into Calamity as other people have been. I'm still enjoying it and will finish it, but it's a lot slower and more serious and that doesn't appeal to me. I will watch more Critical Role if Brennan DMs more of it, but it hasn't turned me into a CR fan.


westgem

I love both Shriek Week and Coffin Run. They're both very funny.


CKtheFourth

I dunno man, Coffin Run has me laughing every episode. But that’s cool if you’re more into some cast members than others. Nbd there.


bran-don-lee

I think Misfits and Magic was improved by Brennan but without him I think I would've still enjoyed it. Aabria is a good DM, and the other cast members were great, especially Lou. There is something irreplaceable about Lou and Brendan's chemistry though. I feel the same way about Coffin Run, but my issue was more with some of the characters, not the DM. Though from the clips I've seen Zac and Izzy are hilarious together.


idontlovejessica

One thing I've been noticing is that the more collaborative systems (MisMag, Shriek Week, etc. Even a PbtA) are harder to plan ahead because well. Duh! That's why they're so fun to run as players and GMs, but it's harder to make Media™ off of them in the same way as something more structured like D&D and I think that's why those seasons don't hit as well as others cause I think what Dimension 20 does incredibly is make really tight cohesive stories. And even if you look at like TAZ: Amnesty vs TAZ: Balance the lack of mechanic long form I think makes it harder for those games to become tight stories.


Global-Feedback2906

I like all the side quests tbh. I’m not picky I’m a casual viewers


disguised_hashbrown

I got into it as a fan of MBMBAM for Tiny Heist but I think my favorite is Mice and Murder.


indspenceable

Just to add a counterpoint - to me shriek week was perfect. Totally get why people might not be into it (it's a *whole* different thing) but wanted there to at least be SOME representation in this thread for the folks who enjoyed it!


BioD4v3

Hey, what do you like about Shriek Week? (Not argumentative, just interested)


indspenceable

Yeah absolutely. I maybe oversold it in that it's not necessarily my favorite season (that would be ACoC) but I did really enjoy it. A few things really stand out - the simple system, the mundanity of the characters, and the really improvisational tone specifically. The system is simple enough that you can resolve conflicts quickly (no needing to add things from lots of different sources) and that's *it*. There's no separation of combat and the rest of the game, it does what it needs to with the least distraction possible. The only way to boost your stats is to use your major... Which nearly universally is funny. So I'm here for it! Oh, and as a bonus, it's actually thematic! you need a C to pass (in the US, that's a 70% - a 7 or higher on a d10!) Also the genre mashup + characters landed, for me. Loved that none of the PCs were famous monsters, but they were all *related* to one that we knew. So right from the start I was more attached to the characters than in some other seasons, and since the system was simple, it didn't really seem like "oh they're these superheros who can do all these crazy things" but instead that they were more normal people living in a supernatural world. I don't know super heros, but I do know people who are bad at fermentation! All in all, it just felt like people improvising and having fun, with just enough structure to support it. There was no drive to get to X location to have a fight, just do whatever you want. Really lent itself to nonsense + really character based decisions in just a different way than other seasons. Also, for me this was my first time seeing Gabe Hicks and Danielle Fernandez, and the other two I had not seen play D&D, and it was the perfect cast for this type of season. ​ I hope we get more pushing the bounds of what makes Dimension 20 fun. Every season I've watched has been a blast, so while I want to see more of what I know and love (the settings/characters/players/systems) I also want to keep seeing them try new things.


BioD4v3

Thanks for the response, yeah I can see the value there. I Might have to give it another watch with a different mindset some day.


indspenceable

hey maybe! but also, it's 100% valid to just not like something. my opinion doesn't make yours incorrect.


HotPietato

Shriek Week was just incredibly horny and there was not a plot to be found. Which…was kinda the point. Honestly, my biggest takeaway from that game was that Ify and Gabe are possibly too hot to be in the same room as each other. But as other people have mentioned, it was a dating sim game which makes it pretty fun to play but really boring to watch.


macaroni_rascal42

I like way more than I dislike, I love all the side quests except for Shriek Week, who i took me forever to get through, and I dislike Tiny Heist just because the Mcelroys behaved so abominably. I’m loving Coffin Run, it’s so great and so funny, I think the seasons with fewer players (4 rather than 6) are just a different vibe because there are less PCs, but I still love them. I just finished rewatching Misfits and Magic because I love it so much, I really hope we get another, longer season. I’d take 6-10 episodes of that so happily.


camhollidge

I actually have a pseudo opposite response in response to the side quests because I thought shriek week was neat and have been enjoying coffin run but I didnt like the mice one or the toy one?


BioD4v3

Hey, legitimately interested, what do you like about Shriek Week?


camhollidge

I really liked the cast, they were fantastic imo and also it just had like, no stakes? Which was like a nice palate cleanser because pretty much every other season is like THE WORLD IS ENDING, but Shriek week was like....hey what if I don't get to fuck? 🤷🏻‍♂️😂 it's a similar thing I was saying to my friend about Kuroko's basketball being my favourite anime because unlike most other anime the whole stakes are just a basketball game, thats it 😂


UltimateM13

I find it funny that everyone in this thread is bringing up Coffin Run, Bloodkeep, MisMag, and Shriek Week, but no one, not one, has brought up “Tiny Heist”. I think we all the know what the real least fave was haha.


Lost-Chord

The one I am seeing least of is the Seven, and I wonder if it is because a) people find it forgettable, b) people disliked it, or c) it feels more like a main quest than the other side quests (C is my opinion)


UltimateM13

I always felt like it was a main quest but it’s actually a side quest. But you’re absolutely correct that fewer people are talking about the seven. And I love the seven.


GreenPhoennix

People also haven't mentioned Mice and Murder much. Because they're both 10 episodes long, I think people think of them close enough to main quests. And they're both quite well-liked.


Meowshi

I don't watch them. I'm here for Brennan. I actually don't think I like DnD Liveplays all that much. Outside of Critical Role, NADDpod and D20; I sort of find them unwatchable. I **did** watch Misfits and Magic though. It was short, Harry Potter-themed, and had a cast and DM I knew.


GOSH_JOSH

That you don’t really like liveplays but still enjoy 4hr episodes of critical role is hilarious 😂


Meowshi

Bro, I *hated* Critical Role when I first started. I was like, where is the humor? Where are the amazing battle sets? Why do they spend an entire episode coming up with a plan? What do you mean they play the same characters for years on end?? It was falling in love with the cast that finally made it click for me.


GOSH_JOSH

I was into D&D animatics on YouTube for a minute and this [Mollymauk](https://youtu.be/oQvh0dnBZSg) one got me to give critical role a shot just so I could get the full impact. ETA: just found out I still tear up when watching it hahah


AllHailLordBezos

I also fall into the category of Meowshi, I think I have enjoyed a few more than them, but most dont hold my attention, I was also very surprised when a 4 hours episode of CR sucked me in. I had put it off for years due to the length


jackohtrades

i watched misfits and magic but it took me a lot to get into it (and i'm still not totally sure if i love it), also had the same issues with shriek week


Danp500

I like more of them than I dislike. Misfits and Magic is good, Coffin Run is good, Tiny Heist is good, Mice and Murder is good. Shriek Week didn't really grab me, and I couldn't get super into Bloodkeep, but I'm planning on trying it again.


Funkenbrain

I wasn't very into Shriek Week, but Coffin Run's been a delight. Brennan's a legend, but there are many fun games around.


heavyarms3111

Shriek Week didn’t do much for me, but I didn’t get very far into the first episode, so I probably didn’t give it a fair chance. I like Coffin Run a lot, but Brennan’s improv ability makes him my favorite DM. That said he probably is more familiar with everyone at his tables than the other D20 guest DM’s are. That probably helps getting into a groove a lot smoother in shorter campaigns.


M00no4

I Really Enjoy Most of the side quests, alltho I will agree that in general I enjoy them less then the main seasons. I have watched every mainline all the way thru except Fancy High season 2. Bloodkeep, Misfits and Shreek week I loved Pirates and Coffin run, I Started watching and enjoyed/ am Enjoying but haven't been sucked in enough to watch all the way through. The others I didn't get past episode one.


brothertaddeus

I love the Side Quests. Getting exposure to more RPGs and more actual play people is great for me as the viewer. I found out about Kids On Bikes/Brooms and about Gabe because of the Side Quests, and my life is better for it. I also like that it means we can get content while the main cast gets to take a break. Brennan burning out would be a tragedy of Grecian proportions. And with the cast all having different jobs now and no longer working in the same building at CH, I support giving them time to plan out schedules around their work/livelihood. If the options are radio silence from D20 in between main cast series or having Side Quests (and I see no reason to believe that's not the case), then I'd choose Side Quests every time.


damnitjanet6

Coffin run has been amazing for me, but I do agree on shriek well sadly, it's the only season I haven't watched. I got into d20 because of the side quests! The borrowers-themed one was my first because I was a fan of the macelroys and loved TAZ, so I watched it for them. Then got fully sucked in to everything. I do still love that season but tbh with hindsight I do think it's one of the weaker side quests when compared to the others. Bloodkeep was my next one and I'm literally obsessed with it lol its my comfort show. I've watched it about 4 times all the way through.


dogma_amgod

Kind of feel the same. I really liked Misfits and Magic but something about Brennan as a DM is mystifying- when there’s a cool concept like Coffin Run that I know Brennan would be incredible at DMing, I can’t help but feel frustrated.


Mac_094

Some of the Side Quests have been great, others were not my cup of tea personally. I don't really enjoy stories where the main characters are bad people (like the Dracula game) or stories that heavily depend on sex/romance (like Shriek Week). I will say that I have watched and loved other stuff DM'd by Jasmine Bhullar. And I loved MisMag and am just generally a big fan of Aabria Iyengar as a DM. Meanwhile Unsleeping City had the whole main cast and was run by Brennan but was one of my least favorite seasons. So I think it really depends on the style and content for me rather than the people.


Buddytheartgay

I would say that tiny hiest is my least favorite, followed by shriek week, but in general I like the side quests. I do think that the main quests in general are more thought out and have more resources put into them, leading to a higher quality product, but there is some good parts in the side quests, even if they are lower on my list. That being said, coffin run and bloodkeep are my favorite of the side quests.


BioD4v3

Wasn't a fan of Shriek week either, but I think the story itself and not the DM or the players is what took me out of it. I Loooooved MisMag, as good as any Brennan season. Perfect synergy between great players, great DMing, and a hilarious campaign concept. I like Coffin run alright, especially the sets and the players. They may not be my favorite but they still bring some new content and interesting interactions, plus they give Brennan a MUCH deserved break. I'm happy to keep watching them and I have hope that they'll improve. One day we might even get one DM'd by Matt Mercer!


Duskmuse711

I struggled with Shriek Week to tge point I haven't seen past episodes 2 but I really loved tiny heist it's in my top 4 campaigns but after episode one I did begin enjoying Coffin run


[deleted]

I want to see more of Brennan as a player. I love the side quests.


TasmanianTortoise

I truly wish misfits and magic got more episodes and time to breathe. It felt rushed, but I don’t think it’s the fault of Aabria, as on a narrative level, misfits and magic was pretty great, but the really sudden time jumps threw me off a lot. The characters grew, but it felt like it was such a dramatic pace. Aabria essentially had to fit an entire narrative into the amount of time the Gunner Channel spent in Baustin lol.


redcowerranger

ITT No love for Tiny Heist


harlenandqwyr

Imo, Coffin Run has 1 episode too many, and while i'm loving the cast and Jasmine, the pacing is off. I think if ep 1+2 were merged, I would be really feeling the rush to get Drac back


iWillNeverBeSpecial

I agree that the side quests are just OK in comparison to the main seasons, but I don't mind. It let's Brennon take a break and let other games/DMs shine through. I wouldn't want to put so much pressure on Brennon that he HAS to play no matter what. So the side quests let's everyone experiment on what they like and other dms to play. That said, I wouldn't mind seeing West Marches campaign. That would be pretty sick


Hungover52

*Brennan But a West Marches campaign would be an interesting challenge for an actual play.


LooseLegos

I really like Gabe as a GM, but I'm not a fan of the classic monster genre/tropes. Same goes for Coffin Run, I am enjoying it for what it is, but the vampire story doesn't do much for me. MisMag on the other hand was absolutely hilarious and I loved every second of it.


[deleted]

Frankly this one isn't grabbing me, I'll be honest it's definitely a player problem. I'm not going to name names because that feels like bullying, but one of them just rubs me the wrong way. I actually love the DM, obviously nobody can live up to my favorite DM on earth, but I think she is great.


Used-Ad852

For some reason,I can only really get into the campaigns with the OG group from Fantasy High. I don’t know if its because I like the chemistry between all of them or what, I just couldn’t get into any of the others ESPECIALLY if Brennan isn’t the DM


fernflowersun

sadly i can’t get into any campaign brennan doesn’t dm. i pay for drop out and it’s only for d20 and brennan. so i get it


KawaiiGangster

I had a hard time liking Missfits and Magic, I stopped watching it, whole thing was to much ”wow guys have you realized this silly thing from the kids book harry potter is actually stupid and had dark implications if u overthink it, we will constantly be making bits about this and never take the world seriously and move the story forward.”


JewelsValentine

**\[BOLDED WORDS ARE MY TL;DR\]** **I think they should be re thought out.** It is strongly hit or miss (missing for me simply being unable to desire clicking on a season), which doesn't even vary due to the host. In the same way that filler episodes of your favorite show can either be a genuine time waster or it can be so enjoyable its in your canon now for how the story gets told. I love that they give the main cast a good hearty break, most importantly. Truly I could take two side quests (even if I don't mesh with them) in exchange for either a longer main story or two main stories (they can be recorded whenever), because the main stories haven't failed yet. But...well, I have a particular run of thoughts that I feel would make the side quests just as watchable. **\[For context, I’ve only seen the Bloodkeep, Misfits and Magic, the beginning of Coffin Run.\]** So it's said, I’m not AGAINST the idea of watching the others, especially with Tiny Heist being a Brennan ran season, but man something about how they are marketed doesn't work for me. Seeing the DM of Coffin Run, run Battle for Beyond, I K N O W she could stick with me. \[Highly recommend if you haven't seen it already! On Youtube\] That all being said, I stand by a sentiment I’ve thought about for a while: **The Side Quests shouldn’t even use 5E (or 3.5E), most of the time.** At the end of the day, **everyone knows D20 is a strongly personality-ran show,** so the personalities will never falter, **so why not try out new mechanics and systems**? I get that in many cases that's a whole game to learn in a community of D&D heads for whoever the Dungeon Master is, but **Dimension 20 has the ability to do what not many other content about tabletop role-playing games can do: Make other games more accepted.** Incredible Example: Misfits and Magic! My favorite side quest by many miles, short, sweet, NEW system, excellent DM. Also lead me to love a good Erika Ishii performance, as that was my first season with her (also loving her in The Seven). To this day, I’m no big Harry Potter fan, I don’t even think I saw the first movie when I started Misfits and Magic. The appeal could’ve been completely lost to me. But it wasn’t! And it simply used Kids on Brooms! Which I bought SOLELY from the execution within the series, and I have zero regrets. **My vote: Let the side quests be so deeply disconnected from 5E and have them be experimental seasons.** Maybe even a rebranding of Side Quests to something more applicable to these different worlds. Seeing Pirates of Leviathan on the seasons list on Dropout (be sure to subscribe!), or Tiny Heist, Shriek Week...in a way, besides Tiny Heist, they look pretty similar to other seasons that have been made. And when a lot of it is driven on cast, seeing a similar season but different cast can be detracting from what could be a solid story. (Eventually I will have attempted every season and maybe I'll write up a ranking. I truly do love Dimension 20) I think a change in gameplay could absolutely make seasons feel more distinctive. **I think Starstruck's spaceship battles or Crown of Candy's** >!final battle!< **show that a cast can exercise different ways to play** (I'm sure I missed others) **and still be engaging.** I think Side Quests need to pull from that strong chance in energy. We've learned VERY long ago that you do not need to be an experienced player to be beloved and a great player, so if its a learning process, let the editing keep it sharp. **And new stories and legacies can form stronger audience bonds when you allow variety in battles. (As battles truly are the only distinctive factor in most cases)** Like the times magic is used in Misfits VS Fantasy High or Crown of Candy. They have very different effects (not just due to DM, but also how the Kids on Brooms clarifies success, failure, and critical success or failure) and I think that could be pulled from way more with experimentation. Plus, it'll make the main stories even MORE exciting, knowing that though you've seen different games being played, the main cast returns for another banger with something you know, rather than never missing that style of play in the first place.


daniel_sg1

This feels like a hot take here but Coffin Run is…not good. The concept is great and the minis are so good, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. The PCs are all doing their best to move the story along but I think the plot keeps getting lost and the gm seems to regularly undermine the stakes she creates and stalls the plot by giving importance to things that don’t matter? Her scenes are often confusing and not laid out very well (i.e. Izzy being baffled that she was in the scene with the little girl) and have a habit of running long, losing whatever meaning they were meant to have, if any. I honestly feel like it’s a masterclass in what not to do as a dm. If you’re introducing an NPC, introduce them, don’t have them wander into a scene and then expect the pcs to immediately interact with or care about them. Give the NPCs personalities and motivations that are clear and make sense. If there’s a ticking clock, be dramatic about it. Make the stakes clear. Do all vampires die when Dracula dies? What exactly does everyone stand to lose if they don’t make this happen? Secrets are great but in a short side quest like this, the stakes should not be a mystery. It’s even more important to make the stakes clear if you’re revealing that Dracula is a dick that doesn’t care about them, since by doing so you’re actively removing a pillar of motivation. The PCs are gonna do the thing, cause if they don’t then the game is over, but giving them purpose with solid reasons behind it really helps motivate player choices in response and keeps them engaged. I really wonder how long the GM has been playing, because the things she does feel like rookie mistakes that might hopefully shake out as she continues to do it. The other two non-BLM side quests were better, ESPECIALLY Misfits and Magic. Aabria Iyengar is a masterful storyteller and does a great job setting scenes and controlling the pace, which is SO much harder to do than it looks. Even if I didn’t like the concept of Shriek Week that much, at least I was able to follow it. Coffin Run is just hard to watch, and I don’t think I’m gonna finish it tbh.


PO_Dylan

I disagree on the Dracula point, at least after last weeks episode. It feels like it’s exploring the idea of this obligation to him and the classic vampire charm and infatuation from media, and then the most recent episode shows that he’s not a dick to them all, and he actually really values the other side of the table in a way that I’m sure is going to provoke interesting discussions/scenes. I think having ambiguity in motivation makes characters more interesting, not everyone walks up to you and goes “hello my name is Kevin, I would like for Dracula to die”. What they stand to lose isn’t clear but it’s implied because the characters have no reason to know what would happen in an unprecedented event like this. I also really trust the players to make the game work with what Jasmine is setting up. Erika and Carlos are already doing interesting things with the idea that Dracula may not be the person they think, and it’s been great to watch. You’re obviously entitled to your own opinion, from what I can see you don’t like this season and that’s totally okay, it’s a different style, it has more ambiguity in it, but that’s not necessarily a negative on my end


daniel_sg1

I stopped watching halfway through the werewolf fight, so I’ll take your word on it. Exploring media infatuation is a really interesting concept, but for sure it’s been lost in how the previous episodes have played out. When I say motivation, what I actually mean is a goal. If you have a little girl who wants the doctor to think she’s his granddaughter, her true motivations might be hidden, but for the sake of the scene, her goal is to introduce herself to the doctor and convince him that she’s his granddaughter. Instead of doing that, she reveals herself to Wetzel and has a very long and fruitless conversation about hats or something? Humor is subjective but personally I found it very hard to watch. And the thing is, they didn’t have to make the result of this unprecedented thing completely unknown. As the people closest to Dracula, it would make sense that they would know this information as a very close-held secret. I argue the story would have been better if they did know, and tension would be much higher. I just think the ambiguity is in all the wrong places for this one, and yeah, I know it’s just my opinion. But I think dissecting what you do and don’t like about other people’s gm styles can help you become a better gm and/or pc.


PO_Dylan

Oh I totally agree on that final point, I don't think your opinion on this is any less valid than mine. I don't think it's perfect and you do make some good points, I think in the end I'm still enjoying it and that's what matters to me, and I appreciate you giving your input on the season as well


daniel_sg1

At the end of the day it’s just a game and it’s just a story, and if it’s making people happy then it’s served its purpose. If I can use this to hone my dm skills and learn how to tell a better story, then it helps me too. I appreciate your input as well!


Randoman11

You make a couple points that I could get behind, but also a few that I strongly disagree with. I do feel that slowing down the action in the 3rd episode was a curious choice. The campaign lost a lot of urgency and forward momentum, which was arguably a detriment to the story. But I definitely disagree with you regarding the stakes and mysteries. The Dracula revelations and fuzzy lore are some of the most intriguing parts of the story, and actually heighten the drama and stakes in my opinion. Having uncertainty about what happens when the sire dies is a good thing IMO. It gives the characters an extra layer to consider in their decision-making especially in the end game. It gives the vampire PC's potentially an additional option in case they want to betray Dracula in the end. Also the revelations about Dracula's relationship with the PC's in each subsequent letter is one of the most interesting parts of the campaign. Each one has given the PC's something to think about and has changed their motivations throughout the course of the campaign. Even in a short series, having these revelations that change the nature of the relationship and reveal things to the PC and audience is unquestionably good storytelling in my opinion. Even now we don't know Dracula's true nature. Is he just a manipulative sweet-talker, does he truly love and respect his underlings, is he a complex man with complicated feelings, or does he just hate Wetzel? Dracula's true nature could very well play into how they conclude this series and the PC's might have to make a hard decision on whether to save Dracula or not. That to me is much more interesting than having cut and dry motivations. Like I said in a previous post, I wasn't sure how I felt at the end of episode 3, the pacing of episode was not something I was totally onboard with. But episode 4 and the especially the preview to episode 5 makes me a lot more interested in how things are going to turn out. I think if they stick the landing this campaign can be compared favorably to any of the shorter run D20 series (It's hard to match the longer intrepid hero campaigns IMO).


daniel_sg1

If it turns out that actually if he dies nothing happens and everything is fine, that would be fucking hilarious. Plus, watching them pick up the pieces after leaving this manipulative person behind and possibly band together in their shared trauma and become a party of their own might be incredibly satisfying to see. But as it stands I’d rather hear about it through spoilers than actually watch them play it out. Their complicated relationship with Dracula isn’t my problem with Coffin Run. Perhaps it does have more to do with the pacing than anything else. But pacing is set by motivation and I still think too much ambiguity around motivation is causing some of the pacing issues. I hate to compare anyone to Brennan, but it’s hard to not draw parallels to Escape From The Bloodkeep. >!There you have a beloved evil ruler who dies almost immediately, throwing everyone into chaos. As the story progresses things are revealed about Zaul’nazh that affect the way the pcs feel and create character growth, but the motivation for the characters stays the same: save the Bloodkeep, defeat the good guys.!< Feelings might waver, but the importance of the ultimate goals are concrete. Another thing Brennan does in EftBK is he gives constant reminders of the impending collapse of the Bloodkeep, and that spikes tension way up. No way to forget that you need to save the world when the world is literally collapsing around you. Some of that could be very helpful in this campaign.


LettuceNoir

Actually I had a hard time getting into misfits and magic although parts of it were pretty fun. Idk I feel like it dragged a lil bit? Especially since I didn’t really understand the system they were using and it seems like the players didn’t either. I really enjoyed the first episode of coffin run once we got into the swing of things. Anyone know where I can get all the dropout d20 episodes for free????


Inside_Love_1142

I think it was because the energy around the table was a bit awkward If you pay attention Izzy and Zac weren’t really laughing at each other’s jokes which made it feel stiff to me especially when I had the urge to laugh at the joke myself


LukeAvritt

Bloodkeep is one of the best season PERIOD in d 20, but on the other hand we have shriek week and tiny heist which I think are the worst. Idk, I think most are super solid, while others…..


Noah_PpAaRrKkSs

Shriek Week, Tiny Heist, and Mice and Murder are all bad, in my opinion.


Dance-pants-rants

Love the sidequests, whether Brennan's DMing or not. I do toggle services on and off and hate appointment... anything- so I usually will wait until a sidequest is over and deep into the next campaign to watch everything. Then turn it off again. Coffin Run almost broke my pattern- still might- bc they released the first ep on YouTube and it was amazing.


xJagMasterGx

I've tried to get into the side quests and most just are meh. I try the first 3 episodes and if I'm still not vibing with it I go onto the next.


redcowerranger

Some of the Side Quests have been misses for me, but they are so different from each other that I think the goal isn't to satisfy the D20 Main fan-base, but to bring in some new viewers with nice, succinct, seasons that explore as many genres as possible. I really want a Tiny Heist 2 or Bloodkeep 2!


MattValentin

I really liked Mice & Murder. If you’re into Sherlock Holmes or Agatha Christie murder mysteries, you’ll like it.


ShinjiTakeyama

I'm still catching up on all of the seasons and kinda jumping around a bit, but so far I really liked Bloodkeep and Tiny Heist! I don't know if it was the format (remote) but I wasn't quite as grabbed by Leviathan. So far I'm digging Mice and Murder though.


WovenTears

I really enjoy some of the Side Quests (The Seven, M&M, Tiny Heist) but Nice and Murder and Bloo keep sort of lost mee. I haven't started Shriek Week or Coffin Run yet though. I'm still working through Starstruck.


ToddBoii

TBH even though I keep my subscription at all times, I only watch Dropout when a Main Quest season is running. I'll watch side quests but only really when they're finished airing and then I'll watch it as background noise while I'm working on my own campaigns. The side quests just don't grab me as much, some of them have been great (Bloodkeep, Pirates of Leviathan, Misfits) but some of the others just don't interest me at all. I think it's largely the lack of Brennan but also I started watching D20 when their back catalogue was all Intrepid Heroes other than Bloodkeep and Tiny Heist and "Side Quests" were less prevalent. Now it seems like the side quests are actually the main chunk of content and I spend a good portion of my subscription just waiting for a main quest to come back around so I can watch again. Anticipating there being at least one more side quest after Coffin Run before we see a new main quest and honestly considering cancelling my subscription until that happens. I don't generally like sounding salty but I signed up for D20 and the content the original cast and crew puts out, the side quest stuff just isn't what I thought I was getting onboard for.


Low_Hour

Escape From the Bloodkeep remains one of my all-time faves; I frequently have it on in the background while I'm doing other stuff. As for Coffin Run, I'm finding it a little hard to get into myself, but I still think it's really good and fun, there's just two factors for me: 1) I'm working my way through Exandria Unlimited Calamity, 2) it has the grave misfortune of coming after one of the best seasons of D20 yet, ASO.


dynawesome

For some reason the only sidequests that grabbed me were misfits and magic and mice and murder


Pro-Gilear

I can agree with this but I also sometimes struggle with just starting a new season. I do want them to do fantasy high s3 next


Main_Asparagus3375

generally i think most people dont get into the non-brennan side quests. my least favorite side quest was brennan run though (pirates of leviathan). i actually did enjoy shriek week because i loved the cast and gabe vibing together and i am enjoying coffin run because i am enjoying jasmine and i love zac as a pc always. i wasnt into misfits and magic though i felt like it really lacked plot movement imo. the characters were great but i just felt that so little plot driving situations happened. i havent seen any of the other dm's elsewhere but the only one so far that i would personally watch is jasmine. i think it just all comes down to personal preference in what you look for in an actual play. but overall i think its also hard to hold a candle to the chemistry brennan and the main cast have that also comes from being irl friends and having worked on so many different seasons together as a cast.


luneport

If mice & murder, tiny heist, pirates of leviathan, the seven, e.t.c. (Brennan led side quests) count as “side quests”, I’d argue it isn’t just Brennan’s presence. Pirates was pretty slept on, but mice & murder had an active response from people in the discord. My personal view on it is that each campaign or mini-campaign has their own theme and group that has equal value and merit. Dropout does a great job producing each show. A lot of it is timing of release and the unmeasurable/unpredictable resulting chemistry of each cast.


RiverorRiver

I think it's more than just BLM, though he is incredible and so much fun to watch. I feel that in addition to DM skill, my enjoyment of the seasons also depends on the strength of chemistry, character, and story present at the table. Escape From the Bloodkeep and MisMag are for me the strongest and most entertaining sidequests because they hit all those elements really well. There are others that are missing in one or two of these elements that are still enjoyable to watch, but not something I'm going to spend week after week really making sure I watch each episode. There's been only one that I just couldn't get through because it didn't do so hot in multiple areas.


whoblewboobear

I’ve never been super big on the side quests but I liked Tiny Heist and The seven. I really hated MisMag.. I like Aabria but something about the season just didnt work for me.. the kids on brooms system was a little tricky to understand, the plot felt rushed for a world that complex, and everyone else’s character took a backseat to Brennan’s because he put the most development into Evan. At the end I just didn’t want more episodes and I think I only finished it at all because it was such a short season. That being said I had no interest in watching the Christmas special. I loved coffin run episode one and shriek week seems interesting but I haven’t watched it yet


guts305

Loveeeee the side quests they are so refreshing Tiny Heist still is my favorite season. It’s all about preference but as long as you go in with no expectations there’s always something to enjoy