Bloody Hell! Marisha Ray Just Broke Critical Role's Reality (and the DM's Brain)
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Marisha Ray's divination wizard, Murray Mag’nesson, made Critical Role history in Campaign 4, episode 25, by using a portent roll to uncover DM Brennan Lee Mulligan's planned deception, revealing an NPC's staged death was a lie and altering the campaign's trajectory. It was a wizardly move that completely blindsided the DM and changed everything.
Alright, mates, gather 'round! Jeff here, still trying to process the latest bit of digital wizardry that just dropped from the hallowed halls of Critical Role. We've all seen some bonkers stuff go down in the world of actual play TTRPGs, haven't we? From Jester’s legendary cupcake in Campaign 2 to the absolute mayhem of a near-TPK in C3 – those moments stick with ya. But fair dinkum, what Marisha Ray just pulled in Campaign 4, episode 25, 'Targeted,' wasn't just a standout moment; it was like she accidentally blew a hole in the game's very fabric, and honestly, I'm here for the chaos. (Big thanks to Aimee Hart over at Polygon for first spilling the tea on this gem!)
So, picture this: Campaign 4 is only 25 episodes deep, and already it's delivering the goods. Our intrepid Schemers (that's the player party, for the uninitiated) are deep in the thick of it at the Archanade gala. They've sniffed out a nasty plot targeting King Augustus of Timmony, and things are getting spicy. Marisha Ray, playing Murray Mag’nesson, a dwarf divination wizard (see, already a genius choice!), decided to get a bit sneaky. Murray slinks in invisible-style behind Photarch Yanessa and the King, and then, as expected, hell breaks loose. Assassins, poison, crossbolts – the full shebang.
Now, here’s where it gets proper wild. The Photarch, a rather influential leader of the Candescent Creed (who's been selling a load of propaganda about their 'magical' abilities, when in reality it's celestial blood-powered – *wink, wink*), gets a crossbolt to the chest. DM Brennan Lee Mulligan starts rolling death saving throws for her. Two natural 1s pop up – bad news, right? The crowd (and the players!) are on the edge of their seats, wondering if this powerful NPC is about to kick the bucket. The Schemers, honestly, wouldn't mind seeing her go, given her dubious influence.
Enter Murray Mag’nesson, the divination wizard. See, divination wizards get these 'portent' rolls – basically, you roll dice at the start of the day and can swap them in for any D20 roll later, for yourself, an NPC, or an enemy. Marisha, clever as a fox, decides to use Murray's portent roll of a six to ensure the Photarch's next death save fails. A masterful tactical move, you'd think, ensuring a key antagonist's demise and pushing the story forward.
BUT. And this is a big, flashing neon 'BUT' in the narrative sky. Mulligan, with that sly grin he's famous for, drops the bombshell: “You go to replace her death-saving throw to discover she’s not making them. What I rolled earlier? That was a lie.”
Bloody hell! The DM was cheating! Or, rather, staging a masterful deception to ratchet up the tension. The Photarch was never actually dying; Mulligan had intentionally rolled those natural 1s to make everyone think she was on the brink. The whole thing was a setup to have her 'resurrect' later, cementing the Candescent Creed’s power and blaming Argosia for the chaos. A brilliant DM trick, really, until Marisha Ray’s wizardly foresight completely blew it open.
Mulligan himself, later on in the 'Cooldown' episode, admitted he was utterly stumped. "I cannot believe there’s a game system that lets you discover that I’m cheating," he quipped. "There was no way for you to discover that in this fight, except for one I didn’t remember." That's the beauty of TTRPGs, isn't it? Player agency isn't just a suggestion; it can literally unravel a DM's carefully laid plans like a rogue spell gone wrong.
Murray's portent didn't just save King Augustus (who, thanks to Ray's maneuvering, lives to fight another day); it uncovered the entire, elaborate charade. Without that epic roll, the Schemers would've been none the wiser, potentially falling right into House Halovar’s trap. It's a testament to Marisha Ray's player skill and the inherent, beautiful chaos of a well-played D&D campaign. This wasn't just a good move; it was a 'read the DM's mind and call their bluff' move, and honestly, what a flex. So, yeah, I'm with Mulligan on this one: "That fucking portent, Marisha!"
Tags: Critical Role, TTRPG, Dungeons & Dragons, Player Agency, Actual Play
Original article: Polygon