Welcome 2 Rule of Cool Podcast

The mists have rolled in, and so has our first deep dive into Horrors Within . Chris and James begin a new miniseries exploring Ravenloft's latest book, sharing their honest thoughts on the subclasses, themes and ideas that caught their attention. From whether horror campaigns can ever truly be scary to the debate around consent pages versus atmosphere, nothing escapes the Rule of Cool treatme...

Chris Smith and James Peerless return for another wonderfully unstructured dive into all things nerd culture. Despite being a D&D podcast, this week's conversation veers through England's Darts World Cup triumph, assigning D&D classes to England footballers, debating the best franchise crossovers, and somehow ends up discussing Spider-Man, Pokémon, Lego sets, and zombie survival ca...

This week, Chris and James discuss first characters, character deaths that still haunt players years later, why new players don't need a 17-class multiclass build, and how roleplay often matters more than the numbers on your character sheet. Plus, tales from zombie campaigns, returning to the DM chair (or escaping it), and a surprisingly brilliant token mechanic that proves controlled chaos ca...

Chris and James return to finish what they started, diving into the final 10 villains from Dragon Magazine’s Top 20, and things get seriously out of hand. What begins with trap-loving masterminds like Acererak quickly spirals into full-blown god-tier chaos, featuring demon lords, lich legends, and world-ending threats. Along the way, the duo question questionable rankings, debate what actually mak...

Chris and James kick off a two-part deep dive into Dragon Magazine’s Top 20 D&D villains, armed with their brand new, highly scientific, and completely questionable “Rock Hard Rating” system. From Meepo (who might not even be a villain) to world-ending threats like Tharizdun, the duo attempt to separate the truly terrifying from the wildly overrated. Along the way, they question their own D&am...

Chris and James dive into the rise of geek culture, from mainstream comedy and SNL UK to Hollywood’s obsession with myth and nostalgia. As fantasy and fandom take centre stage, they explore what makes stories stick and why villains often steal the spotlight. Shifting into Dungeons & Dragons, the focus turns to iconic figures like Strahd and Vecna, questioning whether D&D truly delivers mem...

In this episode, Chris and James dive into the chaos of Dungeons & Dragons, from TV portrayals in Ted and Community to the reality at the table. Because, despite the name, players aren’t always the problem, well, not always. They explore what really happens when carefully crafted plans fall apart, twists get guessed too early, and campaigns take unexpected turns, including opening a pizza shop...

Ever tried saying “Dungeons & Dragons” in a Scouse accent to a voice assistant? Yeah… it doesn’t go well. In this episode, Chris and James dive deep into Wizards of the Coast’s 2026 roadmap, covering everything from the Eberron release and the long-awaited Pugilist class to monster-hunting guides and mysterious future announcements. Along the way, they chat GaryCon, conventions, and the growin...

In this episode of The Rule of Cool , Chris and James dive into one of D&D’s most awkward mechanics: downtime. What starts as chaos (including NFL tangents and 90s nostalgia) quickly turns into a deep discussion on how dungeon masters can actually make downtime engaging. From zombie survival base-building to running full-blown carnivals in Witchlight , the hosts explore the creative system and...

In Episode 2 of the Rule of Cool Podcast , Chris Smith and James Peerless explore the moments in Dungeons & Dragons where everything hangs in the balance. From debating the influence of Stranger Things on the popularity of D&D, to breaking down the strengths and frustrations of the Artificer class, the conversation moves through character creativity, table banter, and the importance of let...

Season 2 begins with a brand new format for Welcome 2 The Rule of Cool Podcast . With the show now running as a two-host setup, Chris Smith and James Peerless move away from the structured rule breakdowns of Season 1 and lean into a more relaxed, conversational style. In this episode they discuss launching a zombie apocalypse D&D campaign with mostly new players, mixing 5e and 2024 rules, home...

Wizard subclasses don’t really come online until level three, and that’s where the real power starts. This week, Christmas, James Peerless, and Josh Allen break down Abjuration’s Arcane Ward tankiness, Divination’s ridiculous Portent control and spell-slot recycling, and why Evocation turns cantrips and magic missile into reliably nasty damage. If you’ve ever wondered which wizard school actually...

Casting a fresh spell on the WWW, our Welcome to the Wizardry episode conjures the secrets of the arcane Wizard class! With a flick of the wand, we aim to enchant not just our enchanted audience but also shed some mystical light on our less-scroll-savvy spellcasters behind the mic. As the 2024 tome of rules opens, we reveal if the Wizard has truly been leveled up or simply hexed into oblivion and...

In this Rule of Cool episode, Chris, Josh, and James dive headfirst into Warlock subclasses, calling it their "blind date" special– because who knows what kind of patron you're stuck with until level three? (Plus, with James being the Angry Scouse, it had to be done with a homage to his hometown hero Cilla Black!) They break down the Archfey, Celestial, Fiend, and Great Old One, from Misty Step ma...

In this Rule of Cool episode, Chris, Joshua, and James dive headfirst into the Warlock class, affectionately gushing over Eldritch Blast and comparing patrons to blind dates. They unpack wild new changes like Eldritch Smite and a warlock pyramid scheme, all while Chris almost admits the Sorcerer isn't terrible. It's a chaotic, pun-filled journey through D&D's most pact-tastic spellcasters, wit...

The Sorcery Boys are back in town to sort through the beautiful bedlam of the new 2024 Sorcerer! This week is a deep dive into the subclasses, comparing the classic 5e versions to their modern forms. We're going feature by feature on the revamped Draconic and Wild Magic origins to show you exactly what's different. Afterwards, we turn our attention to the beloved Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul,...

In this week's episode of Welcome to the Rule of Cool Podcast, we see our usual podcast hosts replaced by the one and only "Sorcery Boys" (trust me, stick with it and it will catch on!) Will the Sorcerer get a magical glow-up, or is it a chaotic misfire from our good friends at WoTC. Don't forget to tap into our Sorcery bloodline this week, and don't forget we'd love to h...

This week, we return to the world of Paladins and talk about all things with regards to Paladin's Oaths! With the weather heating up, so do our discussions over the changes between 2024 and 5e Paladin Oaths. So why not switch from your current Channel to Channel Divinity instead, while you join us on the Rule of Cool Podcast?!

From Divine Smites to Movie Nights this episode has it all, as this week we are talking all things Paladin, and giving a little Kudos to the great movie that was Dungeons and Dragons: Honour Amongst Thieves! A Key question this week: how do you feel about Divine Smite now being a bonus action? Hear our thoughts and listen to this week's episode of the Rule of Cool Podcast!

This Episode is kind of like The Star Wars Epic Rogue One, so we called it Rogue Two.... except we don't have any spaceships, or aliens, or anything to do with Sci-Fi really, and all our characters aren't doomed from the beginning.... or are they...(suspense)! The Star Wars Dungeons and Dragons crossover episode you never knew you needed again, except that we never mentioned Star Wars once.... ins...

That's it, it's only taken us 20 Episodes, but this week, we're going Rogue! Well, not actually, but we are discussing the Rogue class, and compared to the updates from last week's Ranger episode, the Rogue is a breath of fresh air... that fresh air may contain poison, but nonetheless give it a listen. Even if you're just listening out for the below exciting News! Our Good Friends at CritStrikeDic...

It was incredibly hard not to begin this week's episode with a depressing ambience; we even tried to skip over the Ranger subclasses completely, but we didn't want to do a disservice to the D&D community. Everybody should know just how badly the Ranger subclasses were treated! Yeah sure, Beastmaster is OK, and Fey Wander is all whimsical and stuff, but it doesn't cover the chasm that is everyt...

It's safe to say Frustration isn't just a board game, and for once, all three hosts agree as they read the massacre that is the 2024 Ranger Class in Dungeons and Dragons. So many missed opportunities, and overwhelmingly underwhelming abilities combined with what feels like, just a lack of love and care on the side of the game developers. It is a common notion that nobody plays a Ranger bey...

This episode roundhouse-kicks its way through the many martial paths of the Monk class—from the slap-happy serenity of Way of the Open Hand , to the blink-and-you'll-miss-it sneaky strikes of Way of Shadow , to the Avatar-wannabe chaos of Way of the Four Elements . We break down the mechanics, vibe checks, and ki-fueled flavour of each subclass, including their glow-ups (and occasional letdown...

This episode breaks down the key differences between the 5e Monk and its 2024 revision in the updated Player’s Handbook. From revamped Ki (now Discipline Points) to a much-needed boost in damage output and survivability, we explore how the Monk has shifted from underpowered punchline to a flexible, fluid force on the battlefield. Whether you're a long-time Monk main or just curious about the c...