Critical Role just changed D&D level-up rules

Brennan Lee Mulligan has never shied away from shaking things up. Stepping into the Dungeon Master role for Campaign 4 of Critical Role, Mulligan has introduced new house rules and ideas that have made the latest campaign feel exciting and fresh. And now he’s done so again, with a new twist to how leveling up works.

In a new YouTube video released this past Wednesday, Mulligan and members of the Soldiers Table — Travis Willingham, Laura Bailey, Whitney Moore, Robbie Daymond, and Sam Riegel — went through the level-up process. They moved from level 3 to level 4, a significant jump for Dungeon & Dragons players because that’s when they unlock the option to choose between a new feat and an ability score improvement. Feats can unlock powerful builds or abilities, while ability scores are the core of a character, and a well-timed improvement is usually the go-to choice.

However, instead of picking exactly what they wanted and leveling up immediately, Mulligan decided to shake up the level-up process by allowing each player to choose when they would level up in future episodes, in a narratively satisfying moment for their characters to acquire more power and health, including in the middle of combat. As Mulligan explains to the table, “You have earned your level-up, it’s just you taking a narratively satisfying moment to do it.”

This is a massive change from how players and DMs usually do it, with leveling up generally taking place between sessions. The reasons for doing so mostly revolve around giving players more time with their DMs to review their character progression options, so they can hit the ground running. However, as every DM knows, players sometimes struggle to choose between the ever-increasing options D&D provides, leaving things like picking up a new spell pending until the last possible moment.

Mulligan’s method is fascinating because it puts players in charge of creating “epic” moments of tension and awe, while encouraging narrative flow. Fans can now expect future moments when the heroes get beaten down and they look like they’re about to lose, only to get back up with renewed strength and purpose.

It also gives viewers watching the excitement of not knowing what players will pick. After making each player roll for the hit points they will gain, Mulligan had them list the options they were considering for feats, ability score improvement, and spell choices. At the moment of their choosing, the players will have to select among the options, but rather than being a character optimization choice, this will be dictated by the situation and the story.

For example, Travis is unsure between picking Bless or Detect Magic as Teor’s next spell. These have different effects: one is a combat boost for the party, the other allows the user to detect magic objects and effects, even if they’re hidden. “At some point,” Mulligan said, “Teor will have to choose whether he wishes for the sight to see the unseen and detect magic, or the ability to bless and protect his friends and allies, and they say very different things about how the character is growing.”

This is a very clever approach that addresses a common issue at the table (player indecision) and turns it into something that advances a character’s story and the campaign’s narrative.

The next episode of Campaign Four is set to release on Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. PT on Twitch and YouTube. A VOD of the episode will also be available on Critical Role’s streaming app, Beacon.