Critical Bits

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Critical Bits is a new comedy RPG actual play podcast featuring Joel Ruiz as the GM and Paul Byron, Shannon Struuci, and Shelby Lee as the players. It has a bi-weekly Tuesday release schedule and uses the Masks system with the Powered by the Apocalypse rules.

Critical Bits


    • Nov 20, 2022 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 39m AVG DURATION
    • 114 EPISODES
    • 3 SEASONS

    4.9 from 104 ratings Listeners of Critical Bits that love the show mention: body horror, dark comedy, fascist, social commentary, positive impact, masks, actual play, teens, puns, joel, gm, playing, system, somehow, players, characters, laugh, game, listen to this podcast, name.



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    Latest episodes from Critical Bits

    Critical Bits Finale Q&A

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2022 130:55


    We got sent in questions from y'all and we answered them! This has spoilers for the finale of Critical Bits, so only listen if you're caught up. Also, make sure to go check out Oddity Roadshow, our brand new Monster of the Week Podcast.

    Episode 94 - The End

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2022 111:34


    The final episode of Critical Bits. Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.

    Episode 93: Do Not Rescue

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2022 86:43


    The Fun Bunch have faced down the Congloermate, but now they face their biggest threat yet in the penultimate episode of Critical Bits. Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.

    Episode 92: Dannocide

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2022 85:38


    The Fun Bunch face down the Conglermate in their final battle. Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.

    Episode 91: Twisted Cut

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2022 101:18


    The most twisted episode of Critical Bits ever. Too twisted to even describe. 

    WHAT NOW!? Volume 2: The Gun Bunch

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2022 120:25


    We are joined by Chris Wade once again as New Money! Joins us in Volume 2 of our WHAT NOW!? series.

    WHAT NOW!? Volume 1: Puppy Love

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2022 85:15


    Join us in the bonus episode where Branson Reese comes back as Hoagie Allin and Tim Platt plays a member of the Fun Bunch, Art. Also, make sure to go check out Oddity Roadshow's IGG before it ends on July 31st, 2022!!! igg.me/at/oddityroadshow

    Episode 90: Infinity Nakedness

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2022 104:29


    The Fun Bunch has to face their final hurdle before getting to the pegs, their creator!!! Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as ther players. Featuring Branson Reese as Infinity Nakedness. Check out our IGG campgin for our new show, Oddity Roadshow! It runs until July 31st, 2022! https://igg.me/at/oddityroadshow

    Episode 89: Kryptdanite

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2022 92:06


    The Fun Bunch are hot on the trail of the Eternal, but can they stop him in time? Probably not, because that'd be a boring story!!! Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the Players. igg.me/at/oddityroadshow

    Episode 88: The Chain

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2022 126:09


    The Fun Bunch make their way to get the final peg in Pugatroydale, but they have to deal with The Chain first. Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players. Feat Claudia Roley as The Chain.

    Episode 87: Guilt & Buttholes

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2022 104:57


    There are two things you don't want to be face to face with, guilt and buttholes. Well, today, we got 'em both for you! Joel Ruiz as the GM.  Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the Players.

    Episode 86: The Mayor

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2022 126:32


    The Fun Bunch's trail finally leads them to come face to face with the Mayor, played by Jonah Jackson. Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players. Feat Jonah Jackson as Mayor Jonah Jackson.

    Episode 85: Rowdy Pegs

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2022 90:22


    THEM PEGS GETTING ROWDY! Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the Players.

    Episode 84: Jodo 4 Too (0) Blaze It

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2022 115:34


    Jodo 4 is back! And you know that means, we did a guest episode with April Raygun again! Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the Players. Featuring April Raygun as Jodo 4.

    Episode 83: Glorbo Property

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2022 99:31


    After meeting with the Storyteller the Fun Bunch return to the Fun Vault to look for Yifram. Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.

    Episode 82: The Storyteller

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2022 108:59


    The Fun Bunch meets up with The Storyteller to try and find out more about the Pegs. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players. Featuring Tim Platt as the Storyteller. Joel Ruiz as the GM. https://twitter.com/TimothyPlatt

    Episode 81: Go to Heaven

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2022 86:41


    After the big fight with Jane, the gang must figure out where to go next for answers. Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.

    Episode 80: Alex JR

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2022 103:05


    To shod or not? Who knows what this word means? Anyways, Kim and Jane finally fight. Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.

    Episode 79: The Magic Tool Bus: I'd **** That ***

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2022 102:20


    The gang gets together with Tool Boi to help lure out Jane as a bounty has been set on Kim.

    Episode 78: Ventriloquism

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2022 84:23


    After their run-in with Jodo 4, the Fun Bunch finds themselves under lock and key with the Conglomerate.  Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the Player.

    Episode 77: Jodo 4

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2022 94:38


    The gang finds themselves face to face with the newest form Jodo has taken! Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the Players. Joel Ruiz as the GM. With special guest April Raygun! https://twitter.com/AprilRaygun

    Episode 76: Super Beefy

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 28, 2021 92:22


    Alex finds herself trapped in an internship she won't soon forget! Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the Players. Episode artwork by @boxcar_sarah

    Episode 75: Working Man

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2021 97:56


    The Fun Bunch splits up to figure out a way to get some information on the Conglomerate. Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the Players.

    Episode 74: Paid* Internship

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2021 91:41


    The gang gets a distress call from their botanical garden base and rushes back to see what tripped it off. Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the Players.

    Episode 73: Schlorp Machine

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2021 112:05


    The gang goes to figure out what the hell is up with Alex this time. SCHLORP!!! Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the Players.

    Episode 72: The Horse

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2021 87:02


    The gang goes to the park for Kim's birthday party and helps her have a fun time. DO NOT ASK ABOUT THE HORSE!!! Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.

    Episode 71: Happy Birthday Kim!

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2021 101:47


    Kim makes up for lost time and tries to enjoy her first, official birthday! Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shanno Strucci as the Players.

    Episode 70: Hudson Hawk with a Vengeance

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2021 105:27


    Join the Fun Bunch as they meet up with one of their old friends.  Can the gang help reform Stealy Joe or are they doomed to repeat the past of having a terrible grandfather no one knows what to do with? Find out some, or none, of this in this episode! Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.

    Episode 69: Jodo 3 (NICE!)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2021 127:46


    The Fun Bunch is joined once again by everyone's favorite metal shifting child, Jodo 3! Join the gang as they live, love, and laugh together! Joel Ruiz as the GM.  Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players. Featuring Eve Smith as Jodo 3. Check out Eve over on her live stream! A new season starts soon. https://www.twitch.tv/balladofthesevendice

    A Mechanics Story: Jodo and the Diamond Heist

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2021 106:24


    We have Maggie Mae Fish back as Jodo 2 and the rest of the cast as the mechanics in the bonus episode.  Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron as Lift, Shelby Lee as Tool Boi, Shannon Strucci as The Disruptor, and featuring Maggie Mae Fish as Jodo 2.

    Epiosde 68: Bro Mist

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2021 88:50


    The Fun Bunch find themselves still trying to figure out what Shifting is and dealing with a 14 year TikTok star.  Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.

    Episode 67: Car/Bus/Van/Truck

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2021 86:45


    The Fun Bunch try to get back to their old ways of heroics but find that the town of Heavendale has changed in the past few months.  Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.

    Episode 66: Magoo Demon

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2021 76:17


    Join the Fun Bunch as they go back to Helltopia! Is there going to be a new member of the Fun Bunch? Or even a new team? FIND OUT! Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.

    Episode 65: Shifting*Con

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2021 104:54


    As Gerry tries to find the Cobbler, the gang finds themselves without a way to get to Hell. So what do they do? Go find Alex's favorite TikTok star, Shifting Sammie! Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.

    Episode 64: Now Hiring Freaks

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2021 72:17


    The Fun Bunch only had a few moments in their new base before one of them got snatched up again. Will Gerry and Kim find Alex? Or does Alex just have a good time with The Vault Keeper? Who knows!? Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.

    Episode 63: The Fun Bunch Visits the Botanical Gardens

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2021 95:03


    After helping out The Guardian, The Fun Bunch heads back to Heavendale to try and figure out where to plant their nursery seed. Why not stop by the Botanical Gardens to pick up a new hoodie? Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.

    Episode 62: Georb

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2021 104:08


    The Fun Bunch make their way to the Your Side Nursery to stop the Poachers, but how do they get there? That's right, we're GEORBING now! Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the Players.

    Episode 61: Raccoon Hands

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2021 84:04


    After returning to Heavendale from their adventures with Dear Diary, the Fun Bunch finds the Titanium Viper is waiting to call in a favor from Alex. Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.

    Episode 60: Dear Diary

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2021 106:03


    While eating their Dippin' Dots, the Fun Bunch finds a new friend in need of some help, Dear Diary. He's a sweet little boy who is just trying to make his way back to his mummers, simple enough right?  Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the Players. Featuring Carly Monardo as Dear Diary.

    Spider Day 3: 24 Hours

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2021 136:21


    The final installment of the Spider Day trilogy. Join as A. Rachnid (Jack David) as they unravel the mystery of the 3rd Annual Spider Day 24 Hour Telethon. Full cast list available at https://www.criticalbitcast.com/spider-day-3-cast

    Episode 58 - School Bus Heir

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2021 90:00


    Now that Gerry and Alex have found a way to disconnect themselves safely, Gerry finds himself with no powers and a flesh book stuck in his arm. Time to plan a heist! Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the Players. *Apologies, Shelby had some audio trouble with her set up on this one*

    Episode 59: Kim Fell Down the Well

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2021 77:15


    Now that the Fun Bunch has helped Gerry figure out his problem with the Empathy Peg, it's time to figure out what can be done for the companion animals!  Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.

    Episode 57: Self-Care

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2021 60:44


    The Fun Bunch aid Gerry in helping him confront his doom. Will Gerry make it out alive? Can Alex find some help during all of this too? How will Kim deal with all of this? Find out, or not, in this episode! Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players. **Apologies, Shelby's audio has some trouble in this episode, we did the best we could**

    Episode 56: Thread Cutter

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2021 82:37


    After making a deal with the Oracle, Gerry prepares to make another deal with the Seamstress. Will Gerry find what he's looking for? Who knows? Join the Fun Bunch as they travel to Another Side! Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.

    Episode 55: Encouraged Amputation

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2021 85:04


    The Fun Bunch find themselves brought back together after a few months of downtime. Find out what is in store for them in this new episode! Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.

    Enter the Worryverse

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2021 100:46


    Join us in our bonus episode celebrating our #Acetober event from Oct of 2020! Each cast member plays a different Alex as they try to find their way through Alex's worry journal that has turned itself into a pocket universe of its own! Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players. Feat voices from Angela, David, Dylan, Gig, Guilherme, JJ, Kailyn, Kari, Lance, Lucinda, Nate, Other Joel, Rebecca, Sarah, Tucker, and Zara. Song by Gale and Pearl.

    Episode 54: The Fabulous Fun Bunch

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2021 130:06


    We return to the Fun Bunch a few months after we left off from the Season 2 finale. Join our GM as he does a one-on-one session with each 3 players to show what the Fun Bunch has been up to after the big showdown with Harry. Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.

    Episode 53: Harry

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2020 89:15


    In the final episode of Season 2, the Fun Bunch finally end their fight with Harry. Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.

    Episode 52: The Fun Bunch Process Their Emotions in a Normal and Healthy Way

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2020 78:36


    In the penultimate episode of Season 2, the Fun Bunch track down Gerry and finally come face to face with Harry. Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shebly Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the Players.

    Episode 51: The Bronzed Stamp

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2020 105:05


    The Fun Bunch is back on our side but still stuck in the middle of Harry's game. Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the players.  

    Episode 50: BAM!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2020 114:47


    We're playing Monster of the Week and so much happens, like, just a lot. You'll see. Joel Ruiz as the GM. Paul Byron, Shelby Lee, and Shannon Strucci as the Players.

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