Critical Role, one of the most successful DnD groups, gets a new Dungeon Master with its fourth main campaign, replacing Matthew Mercer after 10 years of leading the game. A significant change, but fans are not shocked; instead, they are happy for their beloved Game Master.
What has Critical Role announced? It has recently been confirmed that the DnD group Critical Role is preparing for its next campaign – but without their popular Dungeon Master Matthew Mercer. He is passing the role of the GM (Game Master) to another already well-known name in the TTRPG world, Brennan Lee Mulligan from Dimension 20 (on YouTube).
However, fans who have been die-hard for a decade do not have to miss Matt; he will instead take on the role of a player, which could mean a significant change in the dynamics. Instead of worrying about the changes, the response to this announcement from the fans is genuinely positive:
“MATT GETS TO PLAY IN A WHOLE CAMPAIGN, YAAAA” (CeridwenAeradwr on Reddit).
In this video, you get a sneak peek at “The Mighty Nein” on Amazon Prime, which is based on Critical Role’s second campaign:
“The eternal Dungeon Master is gone” – The curse is broken
Why are the fans so supportive of his switch? Matt has been the constant Dungeon Master of Critical Role for 10 years. While there have been guest GMs from time to time, it has always been Matt who has guided the group through the adventures in Exandria in the main campaigns.
With his switch from leader to player, fans are happy that Matt can step back a little. Many see this as the next healthy step to ensure the long-term existence of Critical Role:
- KironD63: “Personally, I am glad that Matt can take a break. I don’t want to spark controversy, but I personally feel he has lost some momentum in campaign 3 compared to 1 and 2, and a longer break could help him get back in shape in time for his next campaign.”
- CeridwenAeradwr: “I love this so much. My biggest concern with Critical Role has always been that the cast could lose their passion for it. It is such a long, hard commitment that comes with a lot of work, and it is a job that only works if you really want to do it and have fun with it. I don’t want them to feel burned out or obligated to continue. It is so heartwarming and reassuring to see how much enthusiasm and passion they all still have for what they do!”
Why can especially other Dungeon Masters understand this decision? But also the well-known “curse” of the “eternal Dungeon Master,” which is known in many DnD groups, is being lifted from Matt. This says that one is doomed to be a Dungeon Master forever. Even such a well-known and beloved Dungeon Master as Matt deserves to break the curse, and the fans agree:
- CarterBasen: “Every ‘eternal Dungeon Master’ deserves a long campaign as a player.”
- GloInTheDarkUnicorn: “As an ‘eternal Dungeon Master,’ I fully respect Matt’s desire to sit on the other side of the table again.”
- shadowpavement: “The poor guy had to help build a multimillion-dollar company just to not remain a DM forever.”
Additionally, they are looking forward to Brennan Lee Mulligan as the new Dungeon Master, who is also a very popular figure in the community:
- KironD63: “Brennan’s previous work as a DM showed that although their styles are different, he is very true to Matt’s overarching vision for the backstory and world-building.”
- Master-Gur-903: “I feel like Brennan was grown in a lab and made to run DND games.”
Critical Role’s new main campaign, Campaign 4, will start on October 2, 2025. It will bring a complete story and new characters like the previous campaigns, but fans will have to wait a little longer for more detailed information. Shortly after, in November 2025, Critical Role’s animated series based on the group’s second campaign, “The Mighty Nein” on Amazon Prime, will premiere. Initial material has already been shown: A new fantasy series on Amazon Prime features what may be the most famous DnD streamers, showcasing the characters in an initial clip
