Dispatch Developer’s Critical Role Game Would Feel Incomplete Without These 6 Characters

Spoilers for Critical Role Campaigns 1–3, The Legend of Vox Machina, and The Mighty Nein below.

The game Dispatch was a major hit, establishing AdHoc Studios as a noteworthy developer and showing there’s still strong interest in story-driven adventure games similar to those made by TellTale. This is exciting news for Critical Role, who recently teamed up with AdHoc to enter the gaming world. Although Dispatch might receive additional content later, AdHoc’s next project – currently known as Project Exandria – will be the Critical Role game.

Details about Project Exandria are still limited, but it’s been described as an adventure game released in episodes, similar to Dispatch. It won’t simply retell the stories from the original Critical Role campaign; instead, it will feature a brand new story with fresh characters and locations, though familiar faces are expected to make appearances. However, some key characters absolutely need to be included to truly capture the spirit of a Critical Role game.

Allura – Arcana Panosophical Guide and Tal’dorei Councilor

Matt Mercer’s Avatar NPC and Darling Quest-Giver

Lady Allura Vysoren is a key figure in the world of Exandria, the setting for Dungeons & Dragons. As a remarkably powerful wizard, she’s served on the Council of Tal’dorei throughout all three major campaign storylines. Unusually, Allura has been an ally to each of the adventuring groups – Vox Machina, the Mighty Nein, and Bell’s Hells – making her one of the very few characters to appear in all three campaigns.

Allura is a particularly special character for Matt Mercer, the Dungeon Master of Critical Role. She was the first non-player character in the world of Exandria he really invested time in developing, and he considers her a kind of representative for himself within the game’s story. In fact, if Mercer ever got to play a character instead of running the game, Allura and Essek Thelyss are the two he’d choose. Because of this strong connection, it would be fantastic to see Allura appear in the new Critical Role campaign, potentially as a valuable ally like she is in the existing ones.

Mercer is deeply in love with Allura, and to show it, he created a version of her as an Elezen character in the game Final Fantasy 14. This character is the one he primarily plays.

Shaun Gilmore – Proprietor of Gilmore’s Glorious Goods

The Original Magic Item Shop Vendor of Critical Role

Pumat Sol is fantastic, and it would be amazing to see the enchanter, his magical copies, or the Invulnerable Vagrant make an appearance. However, Shaun Gilmore, the memorable shopkeeper from Critical Role Campaign 1, would be a truly incredible addition to a video game. As one of Vox Machina’s earliest allies, and with his network of shops, Gilmore could easily serve as a helpful contact within Project Exandria. He’s a perfect fit for a story-driven game, offering a blend of cleverness, useful information, and magical items.

Vax’ildan – Assassin-Turned-Champion of the Raven Queen

Dagger, Dagger, Dagger

Though every member of Vox Machina achieved greatness, Vax’ildan became exceptionally powerful. By the end of their first adventure, he was chosen as the Champion of Ravens, an angel serving the Raven Queen. And by the end of their third, he was given responsibility over the Raven Queen’s realms of fate and death until she fully returns to power.

If Vax’ildan showed up in a Critical Role video game, when it happened in the timeline would be crucial. An appearance before the events of Campaign 1 would show him as a low-ranking member of the Clasp crime syndicate. But if it happened afterward, his appearance would be much more shadowy and enigmatic.

Artagan – The Theater-Hating Lord of the Morncrown

Part-Time God, Full-Time Archfey

Artagan has gone by many names – The Traveler, Garmelie, Keelyn, The Devil Fey, and The Scintillating One – but at his core, he’s a trickster motivated by a desire for amusement. He first appeared to Vox Machina in the Feywild during their initial adventures and later became a significant figure as The Traveler, particularly through his connection with Jester Lavorre in Campaign 2 and at the conclusion of Campaign 3. This makes Artagan, along with Allura, one of the rare characters to feature in all three major story arcs set in Exandria.

Artagan is another of Matt Mercer’s beloved characters – Mercer even dressed as him for Halloween in 2020! He’s also a key voice actor in both The Legend of Vox Machina and The Mighty Nein. Given that Artagan is a whimsical and unpredictable fey, it wouldn’t take much – even something minor or silly – to bring him into the game, considering his reputation for enjoying mischievous behavior.

Jester Lavorre – High Priestess of the Traveler

Everyone’s Favorite Tiefling Trickster

Jester, the popular and mischievous Tiefling, would also be a great character to make a brief appearance. It might be tricky to fit her into a story set before Campaign 2 and outside of Nicodranas, but her reputation for pranks has spread globally since the campaign ended. She’s currently traveling the seas with her husband, Fjord, after their wedding was featured in a live Critical Role show.

If it’s too challenging to feature Jester directly, there are many other ways to acknowledge her character. A brief appearance by Artagan, members of the Traveler cult, her parents (who are well-known figures), or even a subtle reference to ‘Tusk Love’ – the popular fictional Dungeons & Dragons romance novel that inspired a real book within Critical Role – would all connect back to her. Regardless of how it’s done, Project Exandria should at least mention Jester, as she’s one of the series’ most beloved characters, even if she doesn’t make a full appearance.

Scanlan Shorthalt – The Most Famous Bard in Exandria

Simply Too Iconic Not To Include

Scanlan Shorthalt, the witty and well-known bard from Vox Machina, is famous for both his humor and his extensive travels throughout Exandria, where he’s left a trail of both ballads and broken hearts. He’d be a perfect, recognizable face in the world of Project Exandria – perhaps on a poster or in a tavern scene – but nothing would capture the spirit of Critical Role quite like hearing Sam Riegel perform one of Scanlan’s songs.

2026-01-17 14:05