Dimension 20 has cemented its status as one of the internet’s most popular tabletop actual-play shows, even performing for nearly 20,000 fans at a sold-out Madison Square Garden in January 2025. However, for newcomers, the catalog of dozens of campaigns, many requiring a paid subscription to Dropout.tv, can be intimidating. While even Dimension 20's longer campaigns are relatively short compared to some other series, understanding where to begin is crucial.
This guide highlights six campaigns that offer excellent starting points, catering to different tastes and preferences, ensuring a more accessible entry into the expansive world of Dimension 20.
The Gateway Show: Escape From the Bloodkeep
GM: Brennan Lee Mulligan Players: Erika Ishii, Matthew Mercer, Ify Nwadiwe, Rekha Shankar, Mike Trapp, Amy Vorpahl
Dimension 20’s second season, Escape From the Bloodkeep, remains one of its most accessible. The six-episode season is available to watch in full for free on D20’s official YouTube channel. The campaign offers an affectionate parody of The Lord of the Rings from the villains' perspective, focusing on the advisors of a recently assassinated Lord of Shadows. What begins as a potential dark fantasy transforms into an ensemble workplace sitcom with a substantial body count, driven by performers who grew up loving Tolkien's work. The comedy is largely slapstick, despite the frequent murders. The season also provides a practical demonstration of a core TTRPG principle: players’ unpredictable choices often force game masters to improvise, as Mulligan has discussed regarding his original plans for the campaign.
For Pure Comedy: Never Stop Blowing Up
GM: Brennan Lee Mulligan Players: Ally Beardsley, Ify Nwadiwe, Isabella Roland, Rekha Shankar, Alex Song-Xia, Jacob Wysocki
When Dimension 20 leans fully into comedy, it can produce extraordinary results, and Never Stop Blowing Up is a prime example, contending for the funniest season in the series. This campaign merges 1980s action movies with modern isekai tropes, utilizing a customized version of the Kids on Bikes system designed for cinematic excess. The story begins with employees of a failing video store being transported into a magical VHS tape, where they become action-movie heroes and antiheroes in a universe governed by genre conventions. Violence is rampant, physics are fluid, and consequences are often temporary. The campaign excels as players discover how to exploit the system, leading to an over-the-top experience akin to an action film with an infinite budget. It captures the unique tabletop moment where a group's inside jokes create something hilariously absurd.
For D&D Players: Fantasy High Freshman Year
GM: Brennan Lee Mulligan Players: The Intrepid Heroes (Emily Axford, Ally Beardsley, Brian Murphy, Zac Oyama, Siobhan Thompson, Lou Wilson)
Fantasy High, Dimension 20’s original campaign, serves as the series’ flagship. While its world has expanded across three full campaigns and numerous side stories, Freshman Year is the starting point. The initial season comprises 17 episodes, making it a significant commitment as the opening chapter of the longest-running story in D20. The campaign presents an irresistible premise: The Breakfast Club meets Dungeons & Dragons. Set at Aguefort Adventuring Academy, a school for aspiring adventurers, the story follows a group of misfit teens navigating high school life and magical threats. The season naturally explains many of D&D's basic systems as it progresses, making it a surprisingly effective introduction to both Dimension 20 and D&D itself. Despite some uneven stretches in later campaigns, Freshman Year remains a strong entry point for those willing to invest in its lengthy narrative.
For Classic Horror Fans: Coffin Run
GM: Jasmine Bhullar Players: Erika Ishii, Carlos Luna, Zac Oyama, Isabella Roland
Coffin Run is a six-episode campaign that ventures into Mel Brooks-esque horror-comedy, drawing inspiration from classic monster movies. The story follows four members of Dracula's coterie tasked with transporting his corpse back to his castle through dangerous territory, encountering werewolves, vampire hunters, and opportunistic relatives. GM Jasmine Bhullar infuses the campaign with immaculate Hammer-horror atmosphere, creating a B-movie experience reminiscent of Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, but with monster protagonists. Despite some jokes that may wear thin, its short length ensures it doesn't overstay its welcome. Coffin Run is considered a sleeper hit and is highly recommended for fans of classic monster movies.
For Science Fiction Fans: A Starstruck Odyssey
GM: Brennan Lee Mulligan Players: The Intrepid Heroes (Emily Axford, Ally Beardsley, Brian Murphy, Zac Oyama, Siobhan Thompson, Lou Wilson)
Adapted with cooperation from writer Elaine Lee, Brennan Lee Mulligan’s mother, A Starstruck Odyssey brings Lee’s adult space opera setting to life. Set in the distant future during the lawless AnarchEra, the campaign features spacefaring humanity using advanced technology in bizarre ways. Similar to Iain M. Banks’ Culture novels, Starstruck explores a universe where almost anything is possible for those with the skills and firepower to survive. The campaign follows the crew of the Wurst, a band of mercenaries burdened by debt and past mistakes. Under new leadership, played by Ally Beardsley in a notable performance, the crew gradually reverses their fortunes, leading to a chaotic rags-to-riches story with a satisfying conclusion. Fans continue to express their desire for a return to the AnarchEra.
For Harry Potter Fans in Recovery: Misfits & Magic
GM: Aabria Iyengar Players: Erika Ishii, Brennan Lee Mulligan, Danielle Radford, Lou Wilson
Played on the Kids on Bikes system, Misfits & Magic offers a direct satire of the Harry Potter universe, particularly timely during J. K. Rowling's controversial public statements. This four-episode season, also available on YouTube, is set at a British magical academy where four American teenagers are enrolled. Almost immediately, the students begin to rebel against the strange rules and customs of magical society. The campaign is a fast watch with a simple system and produced some of the most viral moments in D20 history. A second, 11-episode season followed, chronicling the characters' transition into adulthood.