HeyJaredWelcome 2 Rule of Cool Podcast
Welcome to The Rule of Cool, The podcast that tries to (not very well) endorse the fact that you don't need to be a stereotypical nerd to play Dungeons and Dragons!
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 6
- Latest publication
- Sep 23, 2026
- Audience
- Checking…
- Earliest in this view
- Jul 15, 2026
Latest episodes
Rule of Cool Season 2 EP17 - Forced Rebellion (opens the original)
Read excerpt
This fortnight, Chris and James ask some dangerous questions: is D&D actually better online? Can solo D&D ever match sitting around a table? And, perhaps most terrifyingly, are we ready to let AI sit behind the DM screen? James recounts a chaotic Level 8 one-shot where his carefully planned support Wizard discovers the biggest threat isn't the monsters, it's his own party. We also debut Will It D&D? , throwing everything from Terminator and Mad Max to John Wick, Pirates and Scooby-Doo into the f
Rule of Cool Season 2 EP16 - Critical Company (opens the original)
Read excerpt
What actually makes D&D… D&D? James survives a chaotic Level 8 one-shot, Chris questions whether solo D&D can ever truly feel epic, and we weigh up online play against the beautiful chaos of sitting around an actual table. We also venture into the increasingly terrifying world of AI Dungeon Masters , including a murder mystery where the room just kept getting colder and colder… Then it’s time for Will It D&D? , as we throw everything from pirates and killer robots to post-apocalyptic wastelands
Rule of Cool Season 2 EP15 - Ravenloft Shadows (opens the original)
Read excerpt
The Dark Gifts are getting weirder, darker and much more interesting as Chris and James descend deeper into Ravenloft. Mistwalker, Second Skin, Symbiotic Being, Touch of Death, Watchers and Echoing Soul all go under the microscope, from mist-travelling curses and involuntary transformations to body-sharing symbiotes, paranoia and Lovecraftian horror. Which are brilliant roleplay fuel, and which come with drawbacks that make them almost unusable? Elsewhere, the pair question whether anyone actual
Rule of Cool Season 2 EP14 - Ravenloft Gifts (opens the original)
Read excerpt
Chris and James return for Ravenloft Part 4, exploring the Lupin, the Reborn and a selection of supernatural Dark Gifts. They debate whether these character options live up to their brilliant themes, which abilities feel underwhelming or poorly balanced, and how different classes could make the most of them. The discussion also explores why powerful features are often more interesting when they come with genuine drawbacks, flaws and consequences. The Rule of Cool, Rule of the Week introduces Dea
Rule of Cool Season 2 EP13 - Ravenloft Origins (opens the original)
Read excerpt
The Ravenloft: Horrors Within series continues as Chris and James explore one of the biggest changes coming to Dungeons & Dragons 5.5: backgrounds and species. Do the new backgrounds encourage richer storytelling, or are they just another excuse to min-max your character? The duo break down the Haunted One, Investigator, Mist Wanderer and Spirit Medium backgrounds, sharing their favourite roleplaying hooks before putting each through the infamous Rock Hard Ratings. They also sink their teeth int
Publishing over time
Last 90 days. Choose a month to open its work.
Recurring subjects
Named in the text we hold. One piece can cover several.
Not enough subject data for this period yet.
Audience
No verified audience measurement yet.
About this data
Counts cover the work we have indexed. Tone needs enough text and a confident classification. Excerpts and episode notes are not full articles or transcripts.
Identity or attribution wrong? Suggest a correction.