Over more than seven years of streaming, the cast of Critical Role has had a number of guests join them at the table for their actual-play Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. The guests, friends and colleagues of the cast consist of actors, voice actors, authors, and more.
Each guest player has brought a unique character and memorable moments to the table, contributing to the game and larger story in unexpected and sometimes long-lasting ways that Critters have remembered for years. Many of those Critters who are active on Reddit have discussed their favorite guest characters.
Twiggy - Deborah Ann Woll
Appearing in episode 45 of the Mighty Nein campaign, Twiggy the gnome rogue was introduced by Deborah Ann Woll, known for her roles in Daredevil and True Blood. A constant ball of sunshine, Twiggy not only had a short-term rivalry with Nott but ultimately had a lasting impact on the campaign by introducing the Happy Fun Ball. Redditor TwoTeapotsForXmas wrote, "The Happy Fun Ball of Tricks brought Twiggy to mind every time they mentioned it."
Kashaw Vesh - Will Friedle
One of the first Critical Role guests, Kashaw was introduced when Vox Machina had been divided during episode 20 of the first campaign. Will Friedle’s gruff cleric made multiple appearances throughout the campaign, including episode 44, one of Critical Role's best campaign one episodes. Redditor CupOfCursedTea commented, "Will ... I would happily see long-term." Appearing alongside Mary Elizabeth McGlynn's Zahra a number of times, the characters developed an off-screen relationship between appearances that formed a powerful bond between them.
Keg - Ashly Burch
One of the early guests of the Mighty Nein campaign, Ashly Burch's dwarven fighter Keg may have been her first appearance on Critical Role itself, but not her first appearance with the channel. Finding the Mighty Nein on the road tracking their missing friends, Keg joined the group for several episodes, determined to finish what she'd started and avenge her comrade.
Redditor Emotional_Reindeer42 summed up Keg's time with the party well, saying "I like what she brought to the table during a very chaotic time with the cast out for various reasons."
Zahra Hydris - Mary Elizabeth McGlynn
Another of Vox Machina's early guests, tiefling Zahra joined the party in the same arc as Kashaw, and continued to bounce off of the human cleric. Like Kashaw, Zahra returned a number of times after her initial two episode stint, often alongside him, with Redditor paradox28jon saying "paired together with Kashaw she shined!" While Zahra didn't appear in The Legend of Vox Machina, McGlynn was hired as the show's voice director, helping to bring the characters she'd originally played with to life.
Shakäste - Khary Payton
The first guest of the Mighty Nein campaign, Khary Payton's Shakäste brought what Redditor MohawkMeteor calls "a grounded yet mysterious and charming presence" to the early campaign. While the tempest cleric is one of D&D's most underwhelming subclasses, Shakäste was anything but underwhelming. Returning alongside Keg for the conclusion of the Iron Shepards arc, he's also mentioned in Explorer's Guide to Wildemount as a member of the Golden Grin, a secret society in Critical Role that celebrates freedom and expression.
Shale - Chris Perkins
One of the few guests to play characters with both Vox Machina and the Mighty Nein, Chris Perkins' goliath fighter Shale was a fan favorite of the first campaign, with Redditor BeansAreNotCorn saying "she turned out to be way cooler and more endearing than I first expected."
Perkins, one of the writers of D&D 5e, also played the kobold Spurt in the second campaign, but didn't have time to showcase the character the way he did with Shale.
Sprigg - Darin de Paul
Originally played in a game with Matt Mercer's mother over forty years ago, Darin de Paul's gnome trickster Sprigg met Vox Machina towards the end of their adventures as they worked to combat Vecna, one of Critical Role's top villains. Redditor GrewAway calls Sprigg "endearing and interesting, with such a cute little arc of his own." Sprigg appeared again in the Guest Battle Royal, quickly turning the deathmatch into an emotional arena and trying to form friendships with the combatants.
Tova - ND Stevenson
Encountering Vox Machina late in the campaign, Tova was first introduced as a fellow adventurer needing assistance. While Tova's initial appearance on the show was relatively short, the character made further appearances in the Honey Heist series of one shots, both controlled by the DM and reprised by Stevenson, and the Guest Battle Royal. While these games, including her bear-mance with Trinket, one of Critical Role's top NPCs, are not part of Critical Role canon, Tova’s survival and escape from the Nine Hells is canonical, thanks to Vax’ildan’s gifted ring of invisibility.
Kerrek - Patrick Rothfuss
Author of the popular fantasy novels the Kingkiller Chronicles, which fans still hope to see on-screen, Patrick Rothfuss joined Vox Machina as paladin and semi retired adventurer Kerrek. Despite being significantly lower level than the main cast, Kerrek provided both a comforting, stalwart presence and a powerful ally, helping the group slay a dragon and work through the repercussions of a seemingly lost character. Friend to Keyleth, Kerrek even sent a letter and gift after his stint on the show, with Rothfuss writing and recording a voice over himself, an act Redditor paradox28jon called a "stand-out moment in C1."
Nila - Sumalee Montano
Blessed with the eyes of a relatively new player, Sumalee Montano as Nila the firbolg brought heart to the Mighty Nein in a trying, difficult time. Joining the group shortly after Keg, Nila never interacted with several members of the party. Still, her stay on the team was so endearing that not only is she one of the most popular guests, with Redditor GrewAway calling her "nothing short of amazing," but she even returned for the Guest Battle Royal.