Best Critical Role Campaigns Ranked: Which Campaign Reigns Supreme?
Critical Role has reshaped the landscape of tabletop roleplaying with its immersive storytelling, rich characters, and epic arcs. But with three main campaigns—Vox Machina, The Mighty Nein, and Bells Hells—the question of which is best sparks endless debate among Critters. We combed through fan consensus, critical reviews, and narrative impact to rank these campaigns by true storytelling weight and emotional resonance.
How We Ranked the Best Critical Role Campaign
We based our rankings on three key criteria:
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Fan Engagement and Opinion: Reddit and community polls consistently reveal audience favorites.
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Critical and Expert Reviews: Articles from Screen Rant, Inverse, and Polygon offer outside perspectives.
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Narrative Strength and Emotional Arcs: Characters, plot complexity, and emotional beats determine replay value and depth.
Top Campaigns Ranked
1. Campaign Two: The Mighty Nein
Why it Leads:
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Explores deep character development across a balanced ensemble, with arcs that resonate on personal and political scales.
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Frequently described as “feels like old friends,” with fans expressing strong emotional bonds .
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Ideal entry point: recommended by critics for newcomers due to self-contained storylines.
2. Campaign One: Vox Machina
Why it’s Second:
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The original campaign with rich foundational moments—Scanlan’s Counterspell, Grog’s iconic rants, and the emotional Underdark arc.
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Feels raw and authentic, full of “home game” charm even with early production hiccups.
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A cornerstone of actual-play storytelling, spawning animation, comics, and official merchandise.
Critic Note:
Slate praised deeply emotional moments that transcended typical gaming experiences.
3. Campaign Three: Bells Hells
Why It Lands Third:
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Bold evolution: returning characters, new settings in Marquet, and ambitious narrative choices.
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Critics lauded its structural innovation and heartfelt conclusion.
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Some fans feel it didn’t fully reach the emotional heights of earlier campaigns, making it a work of a “new age” rather than a definitive peak .
Honorable Mentions
Exandria Unlimited & Mini-Arcs
Short and experimental, these limited series like Exandria Unlimited and one-shot arcs offer a more concise experience—perfect for casual fans or quick DM inspiration.
Quick Comparison at a Glance
|
Campaign |
Ideal For |
Why It Stands Out |
|
The Mighty Nein |
Balanced character arcs & depth |
Emotional resonance, politics, personal growth |
|
Vox Machina |
Iconic moments, raw nostalgia |
Heartfelt character moments and classic fantasy drama |
|
Bells Hells |
Experimental storytelling & closure |
Structural innovation with epic sentiment and scale |
Which Campaign Should You Watch First?
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New to Critical Role?
Dive into Vox Machina to experience the foundation of Critical Role, complete with intense emotional beats.
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Craving Fantasy Nostalgia?
Follow up with The Mighty Nein—it’s frequently recommended as the best Critical Role campaign with character-driven storytelling.
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Looking for Something Bold and New?
Choose Bells Hells for its narrative risks, evolving world, and satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.
Elevate Your Campaign Choices
Find the Campaign That Speaks to You
Each Critical Role arc brings a unique flavor—be it introspective drama, nostalgic fantasy, or experimental narrative. Ranking them shines a light on their differences, but the best campaign is the one that resonates personally.
🎧 Next Steps: Start with The Mighty Nein for balance, dive into Vox Machina for classic moments, or embrace Bells Hells for fresh storytelling—and enjoy the adventure however it unfolds.
