wondering about the Cobalt Soul. Do you need to be a monk in order to advance through the hierarchy? Could a wizard, for example, be an expositor? Love to know your thoughts on the non-monk members of the organization. Not at all! Many of the members fall into numerous trades and skillsets (and classes, like Knowledge Domain Cleric). Monks just happen to be one of the predominant member focuses towards espionage that roots out corruption.

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) January 17, 2022

@matthewmercer @CriticalRole @GreenRoninPub @TalksMachina @GeekandSundryOpen Letter to Matt Mercer, This has taken me a while to put into words, but it’s gotta be said: I really hate the treatment of orcs in the Tal’dorei Campaign Guide. The notion that a people capable of using tools and language and working in groups, in short who have all the hallmarks of what we consider sentience, are nothing but ruthless monsters is downright toxic. I know many reading this will wonder what the fuss is about: orcs are fictional, who the hell cares how they’re treated? Well, RPG’s are a form of wish fulfillment. What does it say about us that we wish there was some class of people out there who, based solely on superficial traits like skin and teeth, we can not only kill with impunity, but actually be rewarded and praised for doing so? RPG’s are a kind of practice for functioning in society (http://geekandsundry.com/playing-dd-can-make-you-more-successful!). What sort of people are we that we train ourselves to treat whole swaths of people with a “shoot first and ask questions later” mentality based solely on their apparent ancestry? Don’t get me wrong, being set upon by a ravaging horde of orc warriors or a gang of orc bandits is Something the Heroes Should Probably Do Something About. But the same would be true if the attackers were humans or elves or gnomes. Part of being a DM is coming up with reasons for why and how the things in the world are happening. So why enshrine it in canon that orcish killers are this way because it’s in their very nature while human killers have some specific reason to have fallen so far? At best it does what? Saves a negligible amount of work because you have half a dozen NPCs whose motivations you don’t need to think about? Is that even a full minute of your time? Yes, there’s a mention of how some orcs transcend their natures and can become good people, but it’s presented as an effort of Herculean proportions (and Sisyphean endurance) just to rise to the point of “I’m not going to bother stabbing you in the face.” Acknowledging that this ONE orc isn’t a murderer, this ONE Mexican isn’t a rapist, this ONE Muslim isn’t a terrorist, or this ONE gay guy isn’t a pederast doesn’t mean squat when you point to them as exceptions to the rule, rather than evidence that the rule is just plain wrong. I get that Exandria was most of your players’ first introduction to D&D, and as such playing the genre’s tropes straight more often than subverting them made a certain amount of sense at the time. And you knew (and still know) the people sitting across the table from you; you assume they’re safely above such biases and prejudices. And perhaps you’re right. But when you get to disseminating a written work to thousands, maybe even millions of people, it’s different. You’re writing things down and letting the world know that “This came from me. This is something I’m proud of. This is one of the marks I hope to leave upon the world.” You’ve stated that you want Exandria to be more ideal than the real world in some respects. A halfling woman can marry a human woman and this is considered entirely normal. A brown skinned gay foreigner can rise to become one of the great movers and shakers of his age, and look damn glorious doing it. But that rings hollow when you’ve built the very kinds of prejudice you say you want to defy into the setting canon. Yes, anyone one of us can say at our table, “In my version of Exandria, orcs only have the reputation as marauders because everyone who isn’t in a warband lives someplace safe, so the raiding parties are the only orcs humans ever see.” But I have to make a conscious decision to revise Exandria just to support the idea that racism itself is wrong, instead of merely mistargeted. You’ve done some real good in the world. It’s disappointing to see you trample on your own legacy like this. Sincerely, A Critter
This is a thought that's been on my mind for a little bit. pic.twitter.com/oaBRpQjK5E

— Sanjay Merchant (@sanjmerchant) September 10, 2017

The orcs in this setting are designed to have spawned from the corrupting blood of a dark god of brutality. Their nature is violence. (Cont)

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) September 11, 2017

They represent a largely agreed-upon source of danger and strife that most fantasy RPG world require to maintain wild dangers outside (cont)

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) September 11, 2017

As years pass, some are managing to buck the curse their ancestral creation sparked, and might show eventual redemption. (Cont)

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) September 11, 2017

They are not social commentary. They are a loose source for conflict in your world that you can shape and utilize however you wish. (Cont)

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) September 11, 2017

Many elements of a game world have morally grey areas, orc, human, or otherwise. It's up to you to employ those narratives. (Cont)

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) September 11, 2017

However, I do take offense that you would assume or compare these fantasy creatures as an analogy for minorities and pin that on me.

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) September 11, 2017

It's an assumption you inherited and didn't challenge. Hoped it was an oversight. Don't all have the luxury of ignoring others' assumptions.

— Sanjay Merchant (@sanjmerchant) September 11, 2017

So I'll just take the thought that, on any given day, my immigrant father might get shot and just do fantasy wrong over here.

— Sanjay Merchant (@sanjmerchant) September 11, 2017

It's not about doing Fantasy wrong or right. You are very welcome to disagree with any choices in my setting! Customize however you like!

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) September 11, 2017

The choice was made, among exploring the moral grey of many "monstrous races", that orcs would be the more brutal, "slave to the curse" type

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) September 11, 2017

I can't champion every perspective of every fantasy creature's life & morals in a simple setting book. Some spectrums lean more evil.

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) September 11, 2017

I respect the intent of the letter you wrote, but whether or not I agree with it, found some of the delivery unfair. That's all.

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) September 11, 2017

I am ever eager to listen and learn, and often admit and correct mistakes I make. This, however, I believe is a simple difference in opinion

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) September 11, 2017

Wish you well, friend, and mean to confrontation. <3

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) September 11, 2017

*NO confrontation, even. 😉

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) September 11, 2017

Just thought I’d ask the both of you, if a Lizardfolk is a Blood Hunter and has temp hitpoints from his ‘Bite Attack’ would his Blood Rites take away from his Temp hit points or the main pool of HP? Main pool of HP.

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) January 12, 2018

Hey Matt, how would you rule a Blood Hunter using their rite on a weapon held with telekinesis? As soon as it leaves your grasp, it fades after a round…so unless you can return it to your grasp shortly after, it’s gonna fade.

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) January 19, 2018

So can a Bloodhunter not use a dancing sword then?They can use it, but the rite fades from the weapon once it leaves their grasp.

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) February 4, 2018

You can download Blood Hunter class here:
http://www.dmsguild.com/Blood-Hunter-Class

Do female dwarves have beards in Taldorei? Playing in a campaign and the age old question came up. Some may, certainly

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) March 4, 2018

Hey Matt I started playing a Blood Hunter in my current group. I had a thought after my game tonight. Would the Elemental Adept Feat affect my Crimson Rites or would it not work due to them not being considered spells?
It’s technically not a spell, so unfortunately it would not. Sorry!

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) February 8, 2018

do you think it’s possible for a gunslinger can use arcane magic with his ammo for his guns or would that be a DM’s call?That's DM's call, ultimately

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) July 23, 2017

is Condemner supposed to be a heavy crossbow or hand crossbow? It has both descriptions in the Tal’dorei Campaign Guide. Meant to be heavy. 🙂

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) November 21, 2017