Critical Role: The 10 Best Guest Player Characters | Screen Rant
Everyone loves the cast of Critical Role. With how talented and charismatic Matthew Mercer and his seven exceptional players are, it’s no wonder the show’s been going for six years with no signs of stopping. Still, it’s always a welcome sight when a fresh face drops in for a session or two to shake things up a bit.
Regardless of a guest’s work away from the table or even their experience (or lack thereof) with Dungeons and Dragons, their presence always proves to add a breath of fresh air and prevent things from getting too repetitive. Be it someone who drastically altered the story or someone who added some levity, these guest player characters are still fondly remembered by critters.
Kingkiller Chronicle scribe Patrick Rothfuss plays Kerrek, a human paladin. Arriving in the midst of the “Chroma Conclave” arc, Kerrek assists Vox Machina in their fight against the chromatic dragons, particularly bonding with Keyleth, and heading the reconstruction of the city of Westrun.
More a writer than an actor, Rothfuss still manages to hold his own at the table against the seasoned cast. He portrays Kerrek as straight-laced and warm-hearted, providing more moral support than physical support. However, fans most likely remember Kerrek for his off-screen contribution, his letter to Keyleth, encouraging her through her self-doubt, and pulling some genuine tears out of Ray.
Napoleon Dynamite star Jon Heder plays Lionel, the half-orc himbo “bardbarian,” briefly joining Vox Machina alongside the newly-returned Scanlan. While maybe not the brightest bulb, Heder portrays Lionel like a golden retriever who just loves to fight, going into a “happy rage” when he spars with Grog.
While perhaps unintentional, Lionel’s inclusion proved to be a great foil for Grog as the mainstay barbarian worked out his feelings and relationship with Scanlan, as the two had had a falling-out an in-game year prior. It was also just fun to see Napoleon himself playing D&D. Even if he was just for laughs, he became an important catalyst in the repairing of a broken Vox Machina. Here's hoping he appears as a cast member in The Legend of Vox Machina.
The last guest star of the “before times,” Mica Burton arrives with Reani, an aasimar druid. Reani is very chipper and joyful but initially has quite a black-and-white morality, setting her up as a potential obstacle with the more morally gray Mighty Nein.
As a guest, Burton makes a risky choice as a guest trying to give Reani a character arc and expand her view of morality and good and evil. Unlike the main cast, she’s only given a handful of episodes to complete her character’s journey. Such a move runs the risk of alienating fellow players at the table and audience members. That Burton succeeds is nothing short of impressive, making one hope she makes a return in the current campaign.
Keg, played by voice actress Ashly Burch, is a controversial figure in Critical Role. A cocky, dwarven fighter, Keg arrives to help the Mighty Nein as they search for their missing compatriots. Eventually, it’s discovered that they were kidnapped by the Iron Shepherds, a group of criminals Keg used to roll with.
The Iron Shepherds ended up killing fan-favorite mainstay Mollymauk Tealeaf, and fans, unfortunately (and erroneously), blamed Keg for this. That said, the charm Burch brings to her portrayal coupled with the pure joy on her face when she’s playing, earns her a spot on this list that circles the midway point.
True Blood and Daredevil alum Deborah Ann Woll arrives as Twiggy, an adorable gnome rogue with quite the sweet tooth. Woll portrays Twiggy as childlike and carefree but also gifts the group the “Happy Funball of Tricks,” a magical item with consequences that reach all the way to the end of Campaign Two.
Woll is certainly no stranger to D&D, cementing herself as a prominent dungeon master in her own right, and seeing her play as a PC is no less of a delight. While she only guest-stars for one episode, she leaves a lasting impact, both in how she alters the Mighty Nein’s story, as well as her memorable and overwhelmingly cute performance, earning her a solid spot at number six.
The first guest of Campaign 2, Khary Payton’s Shakäste is a human cleric who, while blind, can hold his own in a fight exceptionally well. He arrives early on to help the Mighty Nein save a kidnapped group of people from gnolls and returns later during the aforementioned “Iron Shepherds” arc, this time kidnapped by them.
Payton plays Shakäste as a suave, retired bachelor whose charisma and confidence reassure the people around him, making them feel safe. It’s highly likely that, in a less Covid-y timeline, many of the M9 guest stars would have made additional appearances. That hit is felt the most with Shakäste and, while it’s doubtful the character still lives, it’s easy to hope for his return in the current Campaign Three.
This entry and the next should be treated as interchangeable because Kashaw Vesh and Zhara Hydris are a package deal. Kashaw, played by Boy Meets World and Batman Beyond star Will Friedle, is a human cleric who first guides half of Vox Machina through their Slayer’s Take trials, but appears many more times, all the way until the finale of Campaign One.
Out of character, Friedle is such a goofy, upbeat person, and it’s fun to see him slip in and out of character with the gruff, standoffish Kash. Furthermore, his continual appearances throughout Campaign 1 allow him to build an arc for his character, as Kash becomes almost a member of Vox Machina in his own right.
Zhara Hydris, played by legendary voice actress Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, is a tiefling warlock who, much like Kashaw, is a member of the Slayer’s Take and an oft-recurring guest of Campaign 1. As Kash helped half of Vox Machina with their trials, Zhara helped the other half, and eventually, a deep bond was formed.
Again, Zhara’s recurrence throughout Campaign 1 allows McGlynn, too, to build an arc for her character. While initially condescending to Vox Machina, she quickly warms up to them and becomes a trusted ally. During their time off-screen, McGlynn and Friedle even decided for their characters to develop a romantic relationship, one the audience and Vox Machina are given glimpses of during their returns to the table. It’s an amazing dynamic that hasn’t been replicated since and earns them both high placement. Hopefully, they'll remain unchanged when they arrive in The Legend of Vox Machina.
Voice actor Robbie Daymond plays Dorian Storm, a water genasi bard who began his CR life on Exandria Unlimited, eventually transitioning to Campaign Three for a large amount of time. Cheery and helpful, if sometimes dishonest, Dorian proves himself to be a great and reliable friend, even to those who could stand to be a little nicer to him.
A great D&D joy for seasoned players is watching it click for newcomers and seeing them fall in love with the game. Such was the case for Daymond. During his run on the first sixteen episodes of Campaign Three, many fans hoped for him to be a new cast member of Critical Role altogether. Though it was not meant to be, Daymond made a lasting impact, nearly earning him the top spot.
Arkhan, a character long-used in-and-out of Critical Role by actor Joe Manganiello, is a dragonborn paladin, serving the scaled tyrant Tiamat. He assists Vox Machina in their final quest against Vecna, having, well, a critical role in the lich's defeat (and that's even without the hand-theft).
Arkhan is a min-maxer’s dream. Clearly, Manganiello put a lot of love and care into molding this character in the literal decades since his inception. Still, even with the crunchy mechanical aspects, Manganiello provides characteristics for his character, never allowing his baby to fall into a one-note trap. Between the mechanics, the personality, and his vital assistance at Campaign 1’s eleventh hour, Arkhan more than earns the top spot.