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Critical Role has given so many hundreds of great TTRPG gameplay. Many people who have followed the show as a television series have become attached to the characters and have followed them throughout their adventures. With an incredible cast playing these characters and awesome adventures that showcase each of their uniqueness, it’s hard to pick a favorite.
Of course, as with all Dungeons & Dragons nights, some characters found themselves more in the spotlight, some garnered more laughs from players, and some were more emotionally complex. While some characters outshine others, all of the cast members were beautifully crafted and acted throughout and facilitated such a memorable campaign for our enjoyment.
ten Bibelot, the best boy
Trinket is more of a mascot for Vox Machina than an actual member of the team. Well, that makes sense because he’s a big old brown bear. He’s been with Ranger Vex’ahlia and the group since the beginning.
While not much help in battles, the moral support he gave the group is palpable. Although he might be considered a liability in the most dangerous fights, Trinket has always felt like an unofficial member of the group and deserves credit!
9 Tiberius Stormwind
Tiberius Stormwind was a Dragonborn wizard played by Orion Acaba, and that’s where his problems begin. While Tiberius was with the party from the start and was actually quite a funny character at first, character development and later player actions left a bad taste in people’s mouths.
Orion, since leaving the game, has been accused of harassment and other dangerous behavior. This obviously left a stain of his own on the show and could be why Tiberius wasn’t in The Legend of Vox Machina, or why he hasn’t returned since. Tiberius himself also grew tiresome after a while with his know-it-all attitude and a general air of superiority over the other characters.
8 Taryon Darrington
Taryon Darrington, the suave human artificer played by Sam Riegel is a later addition to the party, but he definitely caused a stir. He came with his companion Doy, a very fun build to watch interacting with others.
The only thing holding Taryon back from greatness is his short time with the party and the fact that he was replacing a fan-favorite character in Scanlan. Sure, Sam is an incredible actor and brought Taryon to life, but he feels more like a temporary character than an inseparable cog in the machine.
Pike Trickfoot is a Halfling cleric played by the one and only Ashley Johnson. Saranrae’s champion, Pike is perhaps the cutest member of the group. Her interactions with other party members and NPCs really show how nice she is, but she also has an edge.
Despite the rare appearance due to Ashley’s work, Pike gripped and melted the hearts of many viewers. This speaks to Pike and Ashley’s charm. Thus, Pike became an invaluable part of Vox Machina throughout their adventures.
6 Vax’ildan
Vax’ildan is a half-elf thief played by Liam O’Brien. He’s at his best when he’s a little more chaotic and outspoken. The sad thing is that he rarely acts that way. Vax can easily fall into the stereotypical thug who hides in the shadows and keeps his silence.
Despite this, towards the end of the campaign, Vax somehow fell into the lead character role and was the focus of the emotional farewell following the party’s victory. It was a nice send off for the character and was played in a beautiful way. He definitely brought a lot of fans to tears as he said goodbye.
5 Keylet
Keyleth is the group’s half-elf druid, played by Marisha Ray. Keyleth has almost always been a defensive figure among fans. She is generally criticized for being disruptive and irresponsible to the party.
While that may be true to some extent, Marisha plays it that way on purpose. Keyleth is supposed to be the clumsy druid with social issues. She also proves absolutely useful at the party thanks to her powerful druid spells and her regularly used feral form. She is definitely one of the strongest members of the party.
4 Percival Fredrickstein by Musel Klossowski from Rolo III
Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski of Rolo the Third (yes, that’s his name) is the band’s Human Fighter, played beautifully by Taliesin Jaffe. Percy, as he’s called, isn’t your typical fighter with a sword and shield. It used homemade firearms and ranged combat, using the well-thought-out homebrew Gunslinger class, written by Matt Mercer himself.
While Percy can sometimes feel dismissive of what’s going on, he really shines in intense and emotional scenes. Taliesin plays him as a tragic character with intensity and purpose, which leads to some of the most dramatic scenes in the campaign. It’s also pretty fun to watch Taliesin try to cast and calculate the high damage he does on a regular basis.
3 Rolo’s Vex’ahlia
Vex’ahlia is a half-elf Ranger, played by the talented Laura Bailey, more recently of Marvel’s Spider-Man fame. Vex and Vax have a very fun brotherly relationship that both players use to the fullest. The back and forth, emotional depth and humor between them is a delight.
Alone, Vex’ahlia is just as interesting. She has very humorous interactions with Scanlan, Grog, and just about every major NPC. This is of course largely related to Laura’s role-playing, but the character is nothing short of brilliant. Bringing a fun and flirty vibe to social interactions and a strategic way of thinking, Vex is a crucial part of the party.
2 Strongjaw Grog
If you haven’t watched Critical Role but have already received recommended videos about it, chances are they are videos of Grog Strongjaw, played by the amazing Travis Willingham. He was always the backbone of the party and a reliable brute in tough situations, especially in fights.
Grog is your stereotypical strong and dumb giant with a heart of gold. While he was a tried and true media trope, Travis brought Grog to life with incredible humor and memorable interactions. Travis also knew perfectly well not to overplay his character’s stupidity, which allowed for great comic relief with emotional scenes that really pack a punch.
1 Scanlan Shorthalt
Scanlan Shorthalt, also known as The King Slayer, is a Gnome Bard portrayed in Critical Role by the amazing Sam Riegel. Scanlan at first glance may look a bit like a stereotype. A typical horny bard with a chip on her shoulder. However, due to Sam’s incredible role-playing and some interesting character interactions, Scanlan shined as a great character.
What’s surprising is that this is Sam’s first real character in Dungeons & Dragons. It stumbled and learned its way through the early parts of the campaign, but eventually brought us a deep character. A 3D comic character transforming into such a three-dimensional hero is a rare sight, so it deserves all the praise. His final scenes with Vax show just how emotionally deep Scanlan has become throughout the campaign.
