Critical Role will have a new live charity one-shot on November 17th benefiting the Critical Role Foundation:
Critical Role, a leader in storytelling and world building, is bringing an all-bard lineup to the table this November for Battle of the Bards, a live charity one-shot benefiting the Critical Role Foundation.
Airing November 17, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. PST on Beacon, Twitch and YouTube, the special will bring together some of your favorite celebrity bards for a night of musical rivalry, dice rolls and fundraising. Fans will also have a part to play, with donations helping determine what happens in the adventure.
Set in Exandria, Battle of the Bards finds Scanlan Shorthalt hosting the concert of the era. Five performers will compete to prove they’re the best bard in the land, besides Scanlan, of course, and potentially earn a spot as the opening act on his next tour. But when things go sideways, the rivals will have to put their egos aside and band together to ensure that the show must go on.
Critical Role’s Matthew Mercer will serve as Game Master, with fellow founders Sam Riegel, returning as Scanlan Shorthalt, and Ashley Johnson joining the table alongside Tom Morello, K. Flay, Wayne Brady, Blake Roman and THOT SQUAD.
“We’re beyond excited to sit at the table, raise some money for the incredible charities we support through CRF and roll some dice with these ABSOLUTE LEGENDS,” said Ashley Johnson, Critical Role Foundation President. “ We’ve been dreaming up an event like this for quite some time and we’re so excited it’s finally happening!”
Fans won’t have to wait until showtime to get involved. Starting today, November 10, viewers can donate through Stream Labs Charity, supporting the foundation while influencing the game before the bards take the stage and throughout the live campaign. During the broadcast, fundraising milestones and individual donations will trigger in-game events, modifiers, activations and more, giving the community a hand in helping (or complicating) the party’s adventure.
Critical Role Foundation is Critical Role’s nonprofit organization, bringing the community together to support charitable partners and people in need, having raised more than $5 million since its inception. Battle of the Bards builds on Critical Role’s history of bringing fans and special guests together for charity, from the 2025 Bells Hells “Freaky Thursday” fundraiser, supporting people affected by the Los Angeles wildfires to Red Nose Day adventures featuring Stephen Colbert in 2022 and Sam Richardson and Tony Hale in 2023, which addressed childhood poverty.
Tune in to Battle of the Bards on November 17 at 7:00 p.m. PST on Beacon, Twitch and YouTube. Donations are now open at streamlabscharity.com. To learn more about Critical Role Foundation and its work, visit criticalrolefoundation.org.
