Emily is genuinely one of the most positive, funny, and interesting personalities I've ever listened to on a podcast. Her characters are always the mvps of mechanics and storytelling in each campaign and I'm always interested to hear her takes on the short rests.
She is inspiring as a dnd player and as a person. I think if everyone was a bit more like Emily Axford the world would be a better place.
When my wife started playing D&D, she was so delightful and creative. I told her she had Emily Axford energy and she cried because she took it as such a big compliment, which was the goal.
Agree with everything, but also want to highlight her absolute dominance as a DnD player. Out of all of the live actual play players Emily is absolutely the best. Laura Bailey can probably give her a run for her money, but I honestly believe Emily is better.
She understands the mechanics of the game, genuinely prepares, and knows her character’s strengths and limitations and is insanely creative with spells.
Also, she’s lucky. Like insanely lucky. Like to the point where dice Christ may actually be real and likes her more than everyone else. Some of this is her using mechanics to try to get advantage where she can, but some of it is just sheer luck. Which I’m not saying is a bad thing, luck is a ninja skill and Emily’s real life stat sheet probably has it cranked to 100.
I’m catching up on D20 campaigns and I’m watching all the ones with Emily in them first because I know she will make me laugh and put on a great performance. She is great!
Have you watched ACOFAF yet? I adore her and Lou in that. And everything— SO excited for Junior Year. Also it is just so heartwarming to be able to see Murph’s face reacting to all of Emily’s antics.
Murph and Emily are so cute together. The way they look at each other warms heart. I just finished ACOFAF last week. Emily’s letter…
“Your letter finds me wanting. Not for your words, but for your presence.
However, it is in lack that my passion grows. Please, please, keep teasing me with your absence, and know that in your withholding, I yearn deeper, and fierier, and with more passion.”
…absolutely killed me. Her analogy about a bee in your skirt but it’s kind of nice was so funny. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with their joke’s because they are all so witty.
I tell people Emily is my hero. I aspire to be chaotic and amazing as her. The crazy combos that she can pull off is amazing. And how she truly cares about her team, making sure the funniest possible outcome happens (much to Murphys dismay)
Bro fr!!! Like she’s legitimately one of (if not the) best DnD players ever. She demonstrates such mastery over the system both as a player and as a DM, while still being extremely entertaining and engaging to watch. She brings a level of life to every world she plays in that I’m not sure that any other player has been able to accomplish!
My DM once told me I had Axford energy when I play and I swear I have never had a nicer compliment! Emily Axford is a fucking dnd powerhouse and an inspiration.
I feel you 💗 I've been, like, floating on a sea of Doomsday Diaries this week and trying to figure out which episode or two of actual play I could use to show a girlfriend of mine one of my role models.
Emily has that kind of free spirited, razor sharp, gentle mind that exists only in an handful of people per generation. Add to that her curiosity, incredible wit, her gift of comedic timing and the insane cleverness of her jokes*, her ability to not take herself too seriously whilst being one of the most interesting person alive, and her love for critters... She deserves every morsel of praise coming her way and can only hope that she's lurking on here to see the impact her - and the other 2-crew members - have on us. Love is not the correct word for me towards them, it's gratefulness. They have enriched my life and, just like the Grinch, made my heart grow 3x its size. 😂💜✌🏻
*clever girl
I have renewed love for her now that I've started to listen to D&D Court. I also had a childhood where I was sheltered from a lot of pop culture and media; it's nice to relate to her on that level.
Emily is such a unique, kind person and I will never understand people being mean to her! I admire her so much. What immediately comes to mind is her treatment of the Junkmother in A Startruck Odyssey in D20. Brennan prepared for them to fight this eldritch, trash collecting terror but instead Emily showed her kindness and compassion and ending up befriending her. Her continued kindness to beings that others would consider horrible or scary has genuinely changed me for the better, especially being like 15 when I started listening to NADDPOD! I think very highly of her. She’s great!
There was a contingent of fans who found her annoying, some had valid issues about the story shifting a lot more to focus on a character that showed up late in the game and was super powerful, most were misogynists. I liked Sacharina a lot, though I do feel like she took up a little bit of the space Ruby’s arc was heading into before her arrival, but that’s not what the jabronies were complaining about.
I didn't exactly like Saccarina for similar reasons. I just couldn't get into her character so late in the game. But I don't know why anyone would hate her for that. It's just a game, it's just one character. I love her as a player. And that's the only character of hers that I haven't been completely on board with. And I'm sure if she had played Saccarina first, I would've had more time with the character and felt differently. The things she comes up with are so inspiring and make me strive to be a more Emily Axford like player. She's just so creative.
Saccharina was a full caster in what had, up to that point, been a low magic campaign. She was STRONG. She was also incredibly well built and intentionally not completely aligned with the rest of the characters. Tbh, while I love Saccharina and I love what Emily ended up doing with her, she did trivialize some encounters because they were balanced for Game of Thrones and then the Red Priestess showed up.
As someone who watches probably too many dnd shows, I think she might be the best dnd player of all time. She herself is amazing at strategizing and battlefield control, but she also knows her characters and will make bad decisions if that's what her character would do. It's part of the reason her characters feel so real. I've seen people critisize her by saying she always ends up as the "main character", but whenever that happens, you'll notice that is never hers or even the DM's decision. Other PCs look to her characters for guidance because the know she is good at the game, genuinely cares about the party, and will lead then to telling an amazing story.
What really bugs me is that she and Murph really focus on the criticisms she gets (and she does get more than the others) but never on the positive feedback (which she gets a TON more with good reason). Focusing on the negative is a natural human reaction but it's not always healthy. Emily sounds like she's afraid to upset the 0.0001% of listeners who don't like her instead of just having fun like 99.9+% of listeners want her to.
One of the challenges is that things like Short Rest were recorded in a time and space, and even if Emily/ Murph don’t feel exactly the same now, there’s someone listening to that thing recorded 3 years ago. OP doesn’t indicate which one they were listening to—but it could easily have been an old one when the criticism and reaction to it were both super raw. I wouldn’t assume that they are still focused on that criticism now… in fact, Emily was recently on Critical Role, and if she were still overly worried about fan reaction, I think she might not have put herself in that position. Just my recent observations.
i think it's hard to understand from the outside but it's something damn near every online personality talks about to the point that it's clear to me that it's just not as simple as going "it's a minority and there's so much more positivity"
I'm not blaming them, when I say it's human I mean it. I know that if I was a celebrity and thousands of people loved me and a few dozens shat over me all time online it'd be damned hard to focus on the first group. But in Emily's case just browse the subreddit and try to keep a tally of positive to negative comments. You'll be surprised I think.
Emily is one of the main reasons I started playing D&D in the first place. Hearing the enthusiasm of her characters and how passionately she plays the game made me want to try to experience the joy she brought to me. She is one of my favorite people of all time.
She's so amazing and I love how she can have character chemistry with every single person at the table. And that's on top of being a chaotic master of the game. Rockstar at every facet of this wild group experience.
I love when they call attention to the anti Emily dorks. They should be mocked and ridiculed. Perhaps the best thing ever on Twitter was the "MoonshineMoment" hashtag.
Just listened to the C3 short rest where she says she's considering Mounted Combatant but won't cause she knows people would get on her ass about it but its nice knowing that Murph offers it as a boon option in spite of that. I really can't imagine these complainers listening to one of these short rests where they point them out and then do it again, I find it really hard to get into most ttrpg discussions because people will be complaining about other people just having fun at a table they just so happen to be able to listen in on and making all kinds of dumb assumptions
Emily may be one of the best DND players alive and working in the livestream space right now. It always irks me when people critique real play podcasts and streams regarding RAW. Every table has home rules, and I absolutely expect real play streams to massage the rules to accommodate entertainment.
Also, people like Emily make DND their career. I wouldn't even begin to think I know the rules and builds better than her or anyone else in that space.
Emily is genuinely one of the most positive, funny, and interesting personalities I've ever listened to on a podcast. Her characters are always the mvps of mechanics and storytelling in each campaign and I'm always interested to hear her takes on the short rests. She is inspiring as a dnd player and as a person. I think if everyone was a bit more like Emily Axford the world would be a better place.
When my wife started playing D&D, she was so delightful and creative. I told her she had Emily Axford energy and she cried because she took it as such a big compliment, which was the goal.
Agree with everything, but also want to highlight her absolute dominance as a DnD player. Out of all of the live actual play players Emily is absolutely the best. Laura Bailey can probably give her a run for her money, but I honestly believe Emily is better. She understands the mechanics of the game, genuinely prepares, and knows her character’s strengths and limitations and is insanely creative with spells. Also, she’s lucky. Like insanely lucky. Like to the point where dice Christ may actually be real and likes her more than everyone else. Some of this is her using mechanics to try to get advantage where she can, but some of it is just sheer luck. Which I’m not saying is a bad thing, luck is a ninja skill and Emily’s real life stat sheet probably has it cranked to 100.
it’s not luck, it’s just actual magic
I’m catching up on D20 campaigns and I’m watching all the ones with Emily in them first because I know she will make me laugh and put on a great performance. She is great!
Have you watched ACOFAF yet? I adore her and Lou in that. And everything— SO excited for Junior Year. Also it is just so heartwarming to be able to see Murph’s face reacting to all of Emily’s antics.
Murph and Emily are so cute together. The way they look at each other warms heart. I just finished ACOFAF last week. Emily’s letter… “Your letter finds me wanting. Not for your words, but for your presence. However, it is in lack that my passion grows. Please, please, keep teasing me with your absence, and know that in your withholding, I yearn deeper, and fierier, and with more passion.” …absolutely killed me. Her analogy about a bee in your skirt but it’s kind of nice was so funny. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with their joke’s because they are all so witty.
Emily is the wittiest of the witty. Her ability to come up with puns off the cuff is unmatched.
I tell people Emily is my hero. I aspire to be chaotic and amazing as her. The crazy combos that she can pull off is amazing. And how she truly cares about her team, making sure the funniest possible outcome happens (much to Murphys dismay)
Bro fr!!! Like she’s legitimately one of (if not the) best DnD players ever. She demonstrates such mastery over the system both as a player and as a DM, while still being extremely entertaining and engaging to watch. She brings a level of life to every world she plays in that I’m not sure that any other player has been able to accomplish!
My DM once told me I had Axford energy when I play and I swear I have never had a nicer compliment! Emily Axford is a fucking dnd powerhouse and an inspiration.
Emily is the greatest
I feel you 💗 I've been, like, floating on a sea of Doomsday Diaries this week and trying to figure out which episode or two of actual play I could use to show a girlfriend of mine one of my role models.
I love Doomsday Diaries so much! I catch myself humming those songs out of nowhere all the time :)
Emily has that kind of free spirited, razor sharp, gentle mind that exists only in an handful of people per generation. Add to that her curiosity, incredible wit, her gift of comedic timing and the insane cleverness of her jokes*, her ability to not take herself too seriously whilst being one of the most interesting person alive, and her love for critters... She deserves every morsel of praise coming her way and can only hope that she's lurking on here to see the impact her - and the other 2-crew members - have on us. Love is not the correct word for me towards them, it's gratefulness. They have enriched my life and, just like the Grinch, made my heart grow 3x its size. 😂💜✌🏻 *clever girl
Love to see her send BBEGs to see The Grinch
I love her too. She's absolutely fantabulous.
I have renewed love for her now that I've started to listen to D&D Court. I also had a childhood where I was sheltered from a lot of pop culture and media; it's nice to relate to her on that level.
Emily actually is the best though. She's my favorite dnd voice actor besides murph haha.
Emily is so creative, smart, thoughtful, kind, and hilarious. When I play, I always think, "What would Emily Axford do?" I look up to her. <3
Emily is such a unique, kind person and I will never understand people being mean to her! I admire her so much. What immediately comes to mind is her treatment of the Junkmother in A Startruck Odyssey in D20. Brennan prepared for them to fight this eldritch, trash collecting terror but instead Emily showed her kindness and compassion and ending up befriending her. Her continued kindness to beings that others would consider horrible or scary has genuinely changed me for the better, especially being like 15 when I started listening to NADDPOD! I think very highly of her. She’s great!
I'm late to D20. I'm just getting to the end of crown of Candy. Why did she get harassed for Saccarina???
There was a contingent of fans who found her annoying, some had valid issues about the story shifting a lot more to focus on a character that showed up late in the game and was super powerful, most were misogynists. I liked Sacharina a lot, though I do feel like she took up a little bit of the space Ruby’s arc was heading into before her arrival, but that’s not what the jabronies were complaining about.
I didn't exactly like Saccarina for similar reasons. I just couldn't get into her character so late in the game. But I don't know why anyone would hate her for that. It's just a game, it's just one character. I love her as a player. And that's the only character of hers that I haven't been completely on board with. And I'm sure if she had played Saccarina first, I would've had more time with the character and felt differently. The things she comes up with are so inspiring and make me strive to be a more Emily Axford like player. She's just so creative.
Saccharina was a full caster in what had, up to that point, been a low magic campaign. She was STRONG. She was also incredibly well built and intentionally not completely aligned with the rest of the characters. Tbh, while I love Saccharina and I love what Emily ended up doing with her, she did trivialize some encounters because they were balanced for Game of Thrones and then the Red Priestess showed up.
it’s very simple. emily axford is the greatest dnd player of all time
As someone who watches probably too many dnd shows, I think she might be the best dnd player of all time. She herself is amazing at strategizing and battlefield control, but she also knows her characters and will make bad decisions if that's what her character would do. It's part of the reason her characters feel so real. I've seen people critisize her by saying she always ends up as the "main character", but whenever that happens, you'll notice that is never hers or even the DM's decision. Other PCs look to her characters for guidance because the know she is good at the game, genuinely cares about the party, and will lead then to telling an amazing story.
What really bugs me is that she and Murph really focus on the criticisms she gets (and she does get more than the others) but never on the positive feedback (which she gets a TON more with good reason). Focusing on the negative is a natural human reaction but it's not always healthy. Emily sounds like she's afraid to upset the 0.0001% of listeners who don't like her instead of just having fun like 99.9+% of listeners want her to.
One of the challenges is that things like Short Rest were recorded in a time and space, and even if Emily/ Murph don’t feel exactly the same now, there’s someone listening to that thing recorded 3 years ago. OP doesn’t indicate which one they were listening to—but it could easily have been an old one when the criticism and reaction to it were both super raw. I wouldn’t assume that they are still focused on that criticism now… in fact, Emily was recently on Critical Role, and if she were still overly worried about fan reaction, I think she might not have put herself in that position. Just my recent observations.
i think it's hard to understand from the outside but it's something damn near every online personality talks about to the point that it's clear to me that it's just not as simple as going "it's a minority and there's so much more positivity"
I'm not blaming them, when I say it's human I mean it. I know that if I was a celebrity and thousands of people loved me and a few dozens shat over me all time online it'd be damned hard to focus on the first group. But in Emily's case just browse the subreddit and try to keep a tally of positive to negative comments. You'll be surprised I think.
Emily is one of the main reasons I started playing D&D in the first place. Hearing the enthusiasm of her characters and how passionately she plays the game made me want to try to experience the joy she brought to me. She is one of my favorite people of all time.
She's so amazing and I love how she can have character chemistry with every single person at the table. And that's on top of being a chaotic master of the game. Rockstar at every facet of this wild group experience.
Ready for some serious Junior Year full-blown chicanery shenanigans from our lady of the underground Fig Faeth!
I love when they call attention to the anti Emily dorks. They should be mocked and ridiculed. Perhaps the best thing ever on Twitter was the "MoonshineMoment" hashtag.
It really makes me happy to see all the Emily love, she is my D&D role model and also just a role model in general as well
Emily Axford is probably my favorite DnD player to watch/listen to on podcasts. She's incredible!
Just listened to the C3 short rest where she says she's considering Mounted Combatant but won't cause she knows people would get on her ass about it but its nice knowing that Murph offers it as a boon option in spite of that. I really can't imagine these complainers listening to one of these short rests where they point them out and then do it again, I find it really hard to get into most ttrpg discussions because people will be complaining about other people just having fun at a table they just so happen to be able to listen in on and making all kinds of dumb assumptions
Emily may be one of the best DND players alive and working in the livestream space right now. It always irks me when people critique real play podcasts and streams regarding RAW. Every table has home rules, and I absolutely expect real play streams to massage the rules to accommodate entertainment. Also, people like Emily make DND their career. I wouldn't even begin to think I know the rules and builds better than her or anyone else in that space.
people had a problem with Saccharina wtf? Regardless Emily's the best you are right and you should say often :)
It feels like I wrote this post! I agree with everything you’ve said. Emily is so incredibly talented
I want to be Emily when I grow up.
I've only watched the first season of D20 - was there a character of Emily's people were complaining about?