I enjoy my D&D inspired media content, whether it be podcasts or actual-play Twitch streams or even the occasional drama series on YouTube. I’m somewhat picky about my comedy series, but I will admit I love the Office (both the British and American adaptations) and to my surprise, there was a series that combined the traditional aspects of the fantasy genre and mashed it up with the aesthetics and comedy of the Office. Enter One Hit Die, a comedy series on YouTube that is described as the Lord of the Rings meets the Office, and it was no exaggeration.

One Hit Die is the recipient of numerous awards and accolades, and its cast consists of experienced actors with their own merits. After two seasons, this is their first official Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign collaboration, and I’m excited to share more about this fantastic show.

Backstory – Everyone Has Them

The first season of One Hit Die began with the heroes’ quest to obtain the Orb of Maldova.

Cassandra, the Paladin, believed she was the Chosen One. With the Orb, she could prevent the impending doom threatening their realm.

Unfortunately for Cassandra, the party wasn’t exactly top-notch material. The Wizard was a drunkard, the Fighter killed everything she saw, and the Rogue was more obsessed with his experience points than actually finding the orb. In other words, your typical D&D party full of misfits, an excellent recipe for a mockumentary style of comedy.

By season two, the party stumbled upon a Druid whose entire order was murdered by an evil wizard who also wishes to obtain the orb as it belongs to the Lich Lord she brought into the realm.

And now…

For the third season, the party prepares themselves as they face the Devouring Dungeon to find the mythical Fountain of Experience. Finally a dungeon!

But like in true D&D fashion, they are not prepared, and they’re most likely going to die horribly. Or at the very least get maimed. All good Dungeon Masters hope for a TPK (total party kill) but the real masters enjoy making their players suffer, wait, is my evil-DM side show again?

Review – Did they make their skill check?

You may find or wonder why the short review and the simple explanation stems from my personal belief that comedy is a personal experience with various context. So there’s no need to be technical if you’re worried about the production quality, watch an episode or two. You’ll be very impressed with it.

I sat and watched the entirety of the series and thoroughly enjoyed it. I won’t spoil anything that happens but suffices to say, I genuinely enjoyed the mockumentary style of the Office and the classic parodies and satire on many roleplaying and fantasy tropes. Trovold, the Rogue, and Sasha, the Fighter reminded me a lot of my early days in the hobby and some of the players who emulated those types of characters, it was a real pleasure to laugh at my personal nostalgia. I laughed very loudly at night whenever I had a chance to watch a few episodes between breaks. The episodes average anywhere from 7 to 10 minutes long but are undoubtedly jam-packed with great comedy. The first season consists of four episodes but the second season consists of ten episodes with plenty of bloopers and behind-the-scenes videos to hold you over with a barrel of laughs. Even better, there’s a ‘Crushmas’ special of all things. The amount of detail and work could be seen in the final product along with a phenomenal cast. It’s definitely worth a watch, and if you’re a fan of the Office (either version), you will most certainly enjoy this series. If you’re a fan of parodies on the fantasy genre or enjoy casual fantasy comedy, this series is also a definite pick for you.

Time for some catching up

Prospective fans can watch seasons one and two of the series on either YouTube or on the Fantasy Network along with supporting their current Kickstarter campaign. It doesn’t take long, and I believe you will have a good kick out of it. If you cannot support the Kickstarter, please consider sharing either this post or the link to their Kickstarter to help them achieve their funding goal. At the time of this article, the campaign was less than 50% funded with over 10 days left.

Season 3 Set Photos

Here are some set photos from the filming of Season 3 of One Hit Die.

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