Complete Guide to Every Critical Role Cast Member and Their Iconic Characters from Vox Machina to Bells Hells

Some stories begin in dusty basements or cramped living rooms, shared quietly among friends. Critical Role exploded from those humble roots—an unassuming home Dungeons & Dragons campaign—into a cultural juggernaut that’s rewritten the rules of online entertainment. It’s a phenomenon powered as much by its high-wire narrative stakes as by the warm, chaotic camaraderie of its players: a table of seasoned voice actors who know exactly how to wring laughter, heartbreak, and awe from every dice roll. What began as a little weekly Twitch stream now unfurls across sprawling adventures, packed studios, and even into the animated heart of Amazon Prime’s The Legend of Vox Machina.

For newcomers, the web of who-plays-who—and which hero or villain appears in which campaign—can feel bewildering. Longtime fans, meanwhile, relish the thrill of catching an actor’s sly wink at their previous roles, or seeing character dynamics transform across new worlds. Understanding each cast member’s journey, and the gallery of characters they’ve breathed life into, turns Critical Role from great television into a tapestry—one that invites us to celebrate both its grand storytelling arcs and its smallest, most human moments.

The show’s beating heart is its commitment to exceptional storytelling, seamlessly blending epic fantasy stakes with moments of raw, unscripted emotion. The result is a viewing experience as unpredictable as a twenty-sided die—one marked by wild humor, teary confessions, and the ever-present threat of calamity. That blend has powered Critical Role’s expansion, from a scrappy Twitch sensation to several distinct sprawling campaigns and even the leap to blockbuster animation.

As the circle of heroes grew—first Vox Machina, then the Mighty Nein, now Bells Hells—the audience grew with them, eager to follow the evolving cast chemistry and watch new tales unfold within Matt Mercer’s endlessly inventive world. Each cast member disappeared into multiple personas, blurring lines between performer and character in ways that kept fans on the edge of their seats.

That’s where this guide comes in: a thorough, campaign-by-campaign breakdown of every cast member and all their major player characters, plus a look at the dazzling array of Mercer’s memorable NPCs. Whether you’re a diehard Critter revisiting old favorites or a curious newcomer searching for a player’s next big role, here’s everything you need to navigate the ever-expanding Critical Role multiverse.

Meet the Cast of Critical Role

Step into the world of Critical Role, and you’re greeted by more than swords, spells, and monsters—you’re drawn in by a tight-knit ensemble of accomplished voice actors whose backgrounds stretch across anime, blockbuster video games, and beloved animated series. With voices that can conjure the shriek of a demon, the gentleness of a friend, or the raspy humor of a traveling bard, this cast transforms D&D into pure theater. Their table feels less like a stage and more like a family living room, spinning stories both grand and intimate.

What sets Critical Role apart isn’t simply the immense talent at the table—it’s the chemistry between these performers. They’re friends first and collaborators second, able to volley jokes, trade poignant moments, and snap seamlessly from ridiculous banter into pulse-pounding drama. Watching them is to observe artful improv, where every laugh or anguished pause seems both deeply rehearsed and utterly spontaneous.

Across every campaign, these actors showcase an evolving group dynamic. Early campaigns brimmed with wide-eyed adventurers and brash heroes; later ones brought introspection, reinvention, and the deep scars of trauma and redemption. No matter the tone, the cast meets each new narrative beat with vulnerability, wit, and a palpable sense of discovery—the secret ingredient in Critical Role’s binge-worthy alchemy.

Matthew Mercer – The Dungeon Master Behind It All

Poised at the head of the table, Matthew Mercer stands as Critical Role’s architect and animating spirit. As Dungeon Master for every campaign, he’s both the voice of the gods and the grunt work of goblins, conjuring worlds from dreamstuff and improvisation. Mercer doesn’t just tell stories—he engineers living, breathing places, bursting with detail yet shaped moment by moment by the players’ actions and whims.

Mercer is renowned for his encyclopedic creativity, shifting effortlessly from the velvet tones of seductive villains to the comical accents of half-mad shopkeepers. He controls the world’s weather, the fate of cities, and the approach of monsters lurking just around the corner. Each non-player character—whether a somber king or a goofy cabbage merchant—gets the same level of care, voice, and nuance as any player hero.

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But perhaps Mercer’s greatest magic lies in how he empowers his cast to shine. With every plot twist, he creates opportunities for discovery, grief, or triumph, responding in real time to unpredictable choices. His approach, honed across hundreds of episodes, set a new gold standard for actual-play storytelling, inspiring countless fans and Dungeon Masters worldwide to bring a little more heart and theatrics to their own games.

Both veteran fans and first-time viewers quickly notice how Mercer’s steady hand connects campaigns—his callbacks, recurring lore, and memorable NPCs give the sprawling Critical Role universe a sense of surprising cohesion. His presence is the gravitational force that holds countless stories together, enriching the journey whether you’re sworn to Vox Machina, the Mighty Nein, or Bells Hells.

Notable NPCs Voiced by Matthew Mercer:

• Victor (Campaign 1) – An eccentric black powder merchant
• The Gentleman (Campaign 2) – A charming but dangerous underworld figure
• Estross (Campaign 3) – An influential merchant and ally
• Allura Vysoren (Campaigns 1–3) – A powerful mage from Tal’Dorei
• Trent Ikithon (Campaign 2) – A manipulative archmage and villain
• Ludinus Da’leth (Campaign 3) – A central antagonist from the Cerberus Assembly
• Shaun Gilmore (Campaign 1) – Flamboyant shopkeeper and ally
• Artagan/The Traveler (Campaign 2) – Trickster archfey with a cult following
• Lord Eshteross (Campaign 3) – Mysterious masked benefactor of Bells Hells
• Cree (Campaign 2) – Cultist blood mage tied to Mollymauk
• Keyleth’s father (Campaign 1) – Ashari leader
• Captain Avantika (Campaign 2) – Pirate warlock with ties to Fjord’s patron

Time after time, Mercer adapts without missing a beat, absorbing game-breaking choices, wild plans, and unexpected dice rolls into the ever-shifting shape of the campaign. Investigations turn on a single question only a player could think to ask; entire arcs spiral from a joke or half-lost clue. For viewers, this is part of the thrill—nothing is set in stone, and every session feels alive.

Through it all, Mercer’s consistency and innovation provide a through-line that binds Critical Role’s worlds. Each new campaign is more ambitious, yet familiar—woven together by his narrative fingerprints. His handling of lore and returning faces ensures the universe always feels both fresh and gloriously interconnected.

Campaign 1: Vox Machina Characters and Their Players

Vox Machina began as a labor of love before the cameras ever rolled—a legendary home game that smuggled high drama, madcap hijinks, and genuine emotion into a weekly ritual between friends. By the time those characters met their streaming debut, their chemistry was battle-tested: a party as likely to bumble through a tavern prank war as they were to slay tyrants. This first campaign’s energy was raucous, dazzling, and a little bit rough around the edges—an infectious spirit that made each triumph and disaster unforgettable.

What started as a disparate bunch—mercenaries, noble runaways, and oddball spellcasters—gradually transformed into a found family. Their squabbling, late-night debates, and uneasy alliances generated equal parts chaos and heroism, making every twist in their journey feel genuinely earned. The diversity in classes and personalities meant every encounter was unpredictable—would Grog smash down the front door, or would Scanlan con their way inside?

As the campaign stretched on, personal stakes gave way to world-shaking adventures—dragons attacked, royalty was betrayed, and friendships were put to the test. The unique mix of cavalier goofiness and hard-fought sacrifice solidified Vox Machina’s legacy, not just as first among Critical Role parties, but as a foundational bit of fantasy storytelling for a whole new generation.

At the heart of this campaign was the sense that everyone, from cast to characters, was discovering the story together for the first time. Audiences fell in step with that sense of shared wonder, and suddenly, Critical Role was no longer just a hobby—it was must-watch, worldbuilding event television.

Vox Machina’s success became legend—fueling one of Kickstarter’s biggest entertainment campaigns and opening the door for Critical Role’s animated series, The Legend of Vox Machina. Their wild exploits, at turns ridiculous and heartrending, set a tone and a standard that every future Critter adventure would aim to match.

Even years and campaigns later, the shadow cast by Vox Machina is long and bright, a beacon for what happens when great storytelling meets true friendship. Every inside joke, every hard-fought victory, and every heartbreak lives on—evolving from streamed campaign to beloved animation and beyond.

Campaign 2: The Mighty Nein and Their Journey

With Campaign 2, Critical Role plunged into darker, messier waters—a fresh, complex group of outcasts fumbling toward belonging in a country scarred by war and betrayal. The Mighty Nein wore their wounds openly, each wrestling with secrets, past trauma, and aching questions of self-worth. If the first campaign was a wild ride through high fantasy, this one was more a journey of the soul.

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Identity, redemption, and moral ambiguity took center stage. In place of a traditional “chosen hero” narrative, Campaign 2 featured characters haunted by what they’d done—or what had been done to them. As the story deepened, bonds formed not through grand speeches, but through small acts of trust, shared laughter, and the careful unwrapping of pain.

The show embraced a more serialized feel, favoring carefully seeded mysteries, running gags, and layered villains. Each member of the Mighty Nein brought something fractured, beautiful, and deeply human to the table—forcing the entire party (and audience) to confront thorny questions of forgiveness and change.

All of this, of course, played out against Mercer’s sprawling tapestry of intrigue, cult activity, and magical conflict. The campaign’s willingness to linger in gray areas, where not every monster is a villain and not every friend can be saved, set it apart as one of Critical Role’s richest arcs.

For many fans, Campaign 2 became a touchstone for mature, sophisticated play—where the battles for identity and self-forgiveness burned just as brightly as any struggle with dragon or demon. Its emotional complexity and willingness to embrace uncertainty won over viewers eager for characters who felt truly alive.

Ultimately, the Mighty Nein’s journey isn’t just a tale of redemption, but a celebration of found family: how broken people can create something whole together, one triumph and one heartbreak at a time.

Campaign 3: Bells Hells and a New Era

The third campaign, Bells Hells, marks both a return and a reinvention. Still set in Mercer’s sprawling world of Exandria, the campaign dives into the ever-shifting city of Jrusar and beyond, sending a new band of misfits into the heart of magical conspiracies and political intrigue. If previous groups were united by shared tragedy or fate, Bells Hells are held together by a bond spun of raw honesty, experimentation, and a hunger for discovery.

Campaign 3 revels in new mechanics, different social dynamics, and an unshackled sense of possibility. Here, the cast not only debuts fresh faces but embraces new dual roles and unusual archetypes—automaton clerics, faun tricksters, and undead sorcerers all jostle for attention in a world that never stands still.

The mysteries running beneath Bells Hells are dense and ever-changing, ranging from shadowy organizations to existential threats that ripple with consequences from earlier campaigns. Mercer’s world feels even more lived-in, and the cast is clearly playing with every narrative tool learned on this years-long journey together.

Watching Bells Hells is like seeing a group of master musicians riff on a standard—each performance familiar yet reshaped, playful yet profound. New viewers and seasoned fans alike find themselves swept along as the party’s secrets and dreams reveal themselves, one session at a time.

Already, Bells Hells is shaping up as a testament to how the Critical Role cast’s creativity can continue to surprise and captivate, campaign after campaign. Each new character feels like a fresh answer to the question: What haven’t we seen yet in this world?

As the party navigates moral mazes, wild inventions, and emotional revelations, they drag viewers right along with them—proving there’s always something new to explore, even in a decade-old campaign setting.

Bonus: The Legend of Vox Machina Animated Series

The saga of Vox Machina didn’t end with a final dice roll. Instead, it soared to new heights, driven by a record-smashing Kickstarter campaign that proved how ravenous fans were to see these stories in a new medium. The Legend of Vox Machina, produced with Amazon, takes the wild, unscripted chaos of Campaign 1 and distills it into cinematic, action-packed, and vividly animated adventure that’s as welcoming to fresh viewers as it is satisfying for longtime Critters.

Watching the animated series is like stepping into an Exandria where every flourish, spell, and dramatic pause is rendered in dazzling color. It balances the heart and humor of the original campaign with breathless pacing and epic visuals. Major arcs—dragon assaults, fiendish bargains, and personal reckonings—are all brought to life, not as recaps, but as living, breathing tales in their own right.

Performance-wise, almost nothing is lost in the translation. The cast returns to voice their own characters, imbuing every line with the familiarity and depth earned over hundreds of hours at the gaming table. Mercer’s rogue’s gallery of NPCs returns too, every bit as memorable and menacing as their live-play originals.

For fans, the animated series is both fresh entry point and tribute—a way to experience, relive, or share the appeal of Vox Machina with anyone new to fantasy storytelling. It’s the Critical Role spirit distilled, suitable for all who crave heroics and humor alike.

Whether you’re revisiting beloved arcs or discovering them anew, The Legend of Vox Machina is a gateway drug to the entire Critical Role experience—a reminder that great character work, worldbuilding, and humor translate across any format.

After you’ve binge-watched the animated series, go back and compare your favorite scenes to the chaos of the original campaign. Each offers something unique: the improvisational spark of tabletop, the polish and punch of animation, and the same core group of unforgettable heroes.

Final Thoughts on the Cast and Characters of Critical Role

Critical Role’s magic boils down to a recipe both simple and rare: a group of friends, each a master of their craft, pouring their hearts into the shared project of collaborative storytelling. The alchemy comes from how every cast member brings a singular flair—Laura’s playful mischief, Liam’s emotional gravitas, Travis’s boisterous bravado, Ashley’s subtle nuance, Taliesin’s eccentricity, Marisha’s fierce drive, Sam’s comedic genius, and Mercer’s boundless inventiveness. Together, they weave tales that are more than fantasy—they’re milestones in modern geek culture.

Tracing your way through each player’s character portfolio isn’t just trivia; it deepens the viewing experience, allowing you to spot resonances, running jokes, and daring reinventions. You see not just the evolution of a campaign, but the personal and creative growth of performers who refuse to play it safe—whether they’re slinging healing spells or bartering with archfey.

This guide exists to make it easier for fans to track the roles that matter. For newcomers, it’s a flashlight through the labyrinth of names and accents; for old hands, it’s a celebration of how far these heroes (and their players) have come. Each chart and description is a stepping stone to understanding what makes Critical Role addictive—the line-blurring trust between reality and roleplay, friend and character.

Critical Role shows no signs of slowing down. New episodes, spinoffs, and stories continue to expand the world. Staying on top of the ever-increasing web of personalities and backstories isn’t just optional—it’s a way to wring the most joy from every battle, every tearful goodbye, and every spontaneous musical number.

So, whether you’re sharing a favorite character on social media or dissecting wild fan theories about the fate of Exandria, remember: the journey is always richer when you know who’s rolling the dice behind the curtain. Who are your favorites, and which moments moved you most? Whether you’re just tuning in or have been along for the ride since that first humble home game, there’s always a new story waiting at Critical Role’s legendary table.