D&D Rules: Rule of Cool

[@Nerdarchy]

Links from Video ************************************ Check Out DungeonFog - bit.ly/GetDungeonFog Out of the Box Encounters (preorder) and Digital copies available - bit.ly/OutoftheBoxEncounters5e

[@dakotahrussell3375]

Another essential work day made perfect by nerdarchy!

[@bluedragonguild]

The rule of cool is the ultimate rule! It helps build those memorable moments that the group will be talking about for years to come!

[@mcdirty764]

Atune to that notification bell, still my favorite part of every video

[@scatterbug]

I forgot where I found it... Prolly on reddit. But whenever a nat 20 or a nat 1 gets rolled, I as the GM rolls a d100. 95 or higher, SOMETHING amazing happens. And I tell the player to explain, for good or for ill, what just happened. It's only come up twice in my game, but my players love it.

[@ericjordan1348]

My favorite in my home game was when the barbarian jumped off a cliff onto the young red dragon, grappled its wings and rode him face first 100 feet down to the ground..had him role opposed athletics every turn during the ride and he just kept winning.....

[@markbyrd7710]

That's metal.

[@stevendouglas335]

Rule of cool is always the right way to go Example: the party I was in was on top of a mountain, my forge cleric was lazy and didn't want to hike down so decided to use his channel divinity to make a bobsleigh to get down faster. DM allows it but sets an intelligence check for building it right.... natural 20. What happened after was hilarious as half the party jumped into this bobsleigh and hurtled down the mountain, steering checks and grapple rolls to hold had players and DM laughing so hard they were crying. All this from a player saying can I try something and the DM making it into a momentous moment of storytelling.

[@mikecarson7769]

rule of cool - yes, i prefer to allow whenever reasonable, plus try to remember to discuss this principle during session zero

[@Elyseon]

Kicking reason to the curb? Shouting "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK WE ARE?!" in the BBEG's face? Letting the quiet paladin have his moment in the spotlight and go full ham with a smite (and cleave)?

[@agsilverradio2225]

My groups version of the rule of cool is, "If the rules don't directly prohibit somthing, it's ussually allowed."

[@eryx5383]

The most awesome use of Rule of Cool for me was then we fought Demilich and our orc barbarian grabbed it and other PC ran to him with opened bag of holding - barbarian throws damilich into the bag and other character uses her ready action to close the bag. Eventually we found its phylactery and destroyed it. We defeated such dangerous foe as demilich without dealing any damage to it.

[@GergeCoelho]

Depending on the amount of time/actions/resources dedicated to creative ways of dealing with enemies, I hand out damage based on the Setback/Dangerous/Deadly traps.

[@devildog1989]

Rule of cool- Tempest cleric of Thor using a maul must make a melee attack against 1 creature in order to cast lightning bolt or shatter... if the maul hits the target takes the full damage and everyone in the range of the spell needs to make the save

[@shawnwolf5961]

I'm afraid to have a monster armed with a Vorpal Sword against the party, simply because I am afraid of PERMANENTLY beheading a party member. The added threat would add tension to the fight for sure, but with my player's luck, and my DM luck...yeah, someone would end up missing a head Highlander style x_x

[@SithlordRPGA]

One thing l learned from watching critical role was to flavor up attacks and actions as the DM since not all players can do it or new players don't always think about it. I have really taken to when someone rolls a crit to use flavor in describing it to make it a rule of cool moment. My last game (before the world shut down ) the group fought a dragon and the battle ended when one of the fighters rolled a crit with a magic bow killing the dragon. Now that is cool anyway but the way l flavored it with the magic lighting infused arrow flying into the dragons open mouth and light flying out of the dragons nostrils as it feel dead. The player who is new to D&D went to work the next day and told a few people the story (take that sports fans who bored me with game recaps lol). I believe as DM it is also our job the make the game as memorable as we can for players outside of just rolls and the adventure make it cinematic. Sometimes new players don't think of it that way and l have found that after a few favorable descriptions on my part it gets player into thinking that way.

[@Volvandese]

This weekend I let 2 characters move simultaneously for a big combo finisher in a boss fight. The half-orc barbarian threw himself screaming into the hag's face, splitting her in two as the sorcerer's fireball ignited in the center of his swing, blowing the hag to pieces, setting the building on fire, and leaving the barbarian laying in the wreckage with 1 HP from his half-orc resilience. Yeah, two players aren't really supposed to take their turns simultaneously like that, but they were on the same initiative and the boss was at 4 HP so who cares? It let my players feel cool and it didn't change the outcome of the fight. (I'm not sure what my point is exactly. I guess it's just that I like to use the rule of cool).

[@panhandlersparadise1733]

Actually, two players ARE supposed to move simultaneously, if that's what you declare and need. Turns are a game mechanic to help the flow of things, but everything is actually happening at the same time. It's not like everybody just stops in the middle of combat to pick their nose while it's somebody else's turn.

[@prototypedenNIS]

Those shirts, 🔥🤯

[@varkesh456]

Rule of cool is one of the best rules never had an issue with anyone abusing it with groups i have been in, that kind of shocked me that people would do that at first hearing it. Have seen far too many uses of it over the years, even did it in my first ever campaign after my weapon (mace) got broke and i had ran out of ranged ammo (was low level at the time and the goblins over the other side of the trap were so dodgy) i had my hero try to turn the mace head into a kind of ball on rope and use that to attack them. Defiantly there was no real rule for this and i could not even tell you the mechanics the dm went with but it was a cool moment and it helped win the day and so will never be forgotten.o

[@dracone4370]

In cases of where it works but doesn't, you could say that's cases of Rule of Funny. Maybe one of the next videos could cover Rule of Funny

[@samuelbroad11]

hi guys, well done for keeping up the channel commitment. My friends son playing a low level Monk used the Luke vs ATAT on the zombie tyrannosaur lo trip him up with rope and high movement, rule of cool fer sure and bonus proud dad at the table. Runehammer's channel has a lot of great room design tips to give players and PC's more agency in scenes and deliberately sets up stunts and devices that different classes and often teamwork can help pull off a lot of cool. Even a little encouragement of cool rule tool can importantly break people out of set patterns of behaviour and make us appreciate the scene even more, and that's why we're at the table; to collectively imagine great fantasy stories, which would prove that the rule of cool is a core rule, and the most important rule to rule them all.

[@roszettatolliver4358]

UC when I was playing dungeons and dragons or role-playing three formed on line that would allow people to do all sorts of crazy things but he had the opposite experience when I was play so as the years went by I became bitter and angry and then I started to say no a hell of a lot easier than I used to no happy ending

[@lordgong4980]

Man Rule of Cool was something my DM totally embraced. From slightly changing spells, to cazy acrobatics. And he would alwasy say sure we can try but roll for it. And you know not all of them worked. But he did have to draw a line in some places

[@scottmefford6917]

I would allow removing a hand in only two campaign styles, STAR WARS & Friday the 13th.

[@SithlordRPGA]

I liked star wars d20 with the table for lightsaber crits that could loos to lose of limb. MY 3 year game ended when the group finally confronted Anakin who was running the empire (this was before episode 3 came out). The jedi in group got into a lightsaber duel and started it off by asking "How's the wife?" (Little back story, in my game Padme was killed during the clone wars which is what lead Anakin to go evil. They chased him back to Coruscant and chased him to the senate. He confronted Jar Jar for casting the vote that allowed the war to start which saw his wife die. Then in anger he struck down and killed Jar Jar. The group was actually at a lose for words at the table and what to do as they didn't know if that was really evil and actually debated it at the table for like 20 minutes lol. Palapatine had been killed by Yoda before this so after killing Jar Jar Anakin gave a secret command which caused the clones to join him (remember before episode 3 came out Lucas Im still waiting for my check :) okay back to story) to enrage him then ended the battle with a nat 20 role cutting Anakin in half. I couldn't have asked for a better end to a 3 year game.

[@storyspren]

When Dave mentioned chandeliers my mind immediately went to that song. Also some stories: I'm playing a Monk with a dm who uses the rule of cool pretty liberally and I've done like two Assassin's Creed / Far Cry style aerial attacks (one of which ended up killing the target), grappled an enemy and tossed him off a wall, taunted a jailor to shooting me, and feigned surrender by dropping my weapon. The last one didn't succeed due to a low Deception roll but the move was cool af in my head :D Our Barb also used a dying enemy as cushioning once, effectively curb stomping him from about 15ft up.

[@bencanevari4056]

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine Ted makes me happy when Dave is here!

[@needmorecowbell6895]

Golden Rule of DMing-If you're not trying to break the game, then yes, I'll give it a shot. It's probably not going to turn out how you think it will so you're warned. If you're trying to break the game, that would be a big, fat, no.

[@infamouspigeonincident2713]

Holy shit you guys are up super late why is this posted at 6 am

[@gronkthegore-may3083]

Gronk the Gourmet is big fan of Rule of cool. Gronk think it is always good rule to follow.

[@vernonhampton5863]

I dig the rule of cool, but don't give away the home world. I mean everything within reason, and don't be afraid of adding disadvantage or advantage.

[@RIVERSRPGChannel]

The rule of cool rules Gotta have fun

[@ariarose9350]

I had a Rule of Cool Moment in the game of Lost Mines of Phandelver. **SPOILERS AHEAD FOR PART OF THE STORY** So. Here's what happened. The party had just gotten to thundertree and I should mention at this point the party consists of 4 Level 3 characters... We have an Aarakocra Astral Monk, a Dwarven Forge Cleric (and the subclasses are an important of this story) One of the challenges within this section of the book is to force a young green dragon to leave a ruined tower. Now the book says that all they have to do is cause the Dragon to lose half of its HP. HOWEVER. One of the players, the monk... Came up with the idea to get the Cleric to use on of the features that he had to create a GIANT DART. I set a price and it was within the limit of the abilities specifications. So they created this dart, then the party persuaded the Druidic NPC that asked them to remove the dragon if he (and yes it is a he) could help in anyway, so after a conversation and a series of rolls... They persuaded him to use the Enhance Ability Now for the plan. The Aarakocra wants to fly 500feet up in the air with this giant dart, go into a free fall and attempt to drive the dart into the dragon... I was impressed by this idea and was like. Sure give it a try! This is where the specifics of the monks class come in... He's an Astral Self Monk... One of his abilities allows him to use his Wisdom Modifier for Strength Related stuff AND IT'S STILL CONSIDERED A STR CHECK... (again this is all important to what happened...) so the enhance ability was the bears endurance to give him Adv on STR and doubled his carry capacity (so he could actually carry the dart) The party had also found a stone that had a One-Time use of Feather Fall which the Monk took with him... So he flew up 500 feet, entered a free fall, and I asked him to make a STR check, forgetting about the ability to use wisdom instead, and he activated said ability gained advantage and managed to roll high enough to hit the dragon... Now before you all go "but it should have been an attack" he specifically said a free fall and trying to guide it into the Dragon. Not attack the dragon so I ruled it as a STR check cause his STR was crap and I wanted it to be a challenge for them... Anyways... He rolled high enough and then I had to work out damage... 50d6 for the 500 foot fall... + 2d8 for the actual giant dart itself... Now a young green dragons standard HP is 136... The total damage dealt was just under 180... A LEVEL 3 PARTY TOOK OUT A CR8 CREATURE BEFORE I COULD EVEN SAY ROLL INITIATIVE and I couldn't have been happier for them!!! They're now level 4... But they have a dragons hoard (which I'm increasing the rewards for) to search in their next session

[@TheodoreMinick]

You probably overdid the damage, there, since "terminal velocity" is achieved at 200 ft (and thus, falling damage caps at 20d6) but that's definitely a story they will all remember for years to come. I will say, though, don't go overboard on the treasure. Especially be wary of adding magic items. A few hundred extra gold is no big deal, but even a +1 sword is huge at 4th level. Any items should be single use, like a feather token or something like that.

[@ariarose9350]

@@TheodoreMinick I was only planning on adding a couple of gems to the pile and ahhh so we miss read a couple things with the terminal velocity bit. Well still... That's a good example of using the rule of cool... Changing up the rules for an amazing moment

[@panhandlersparadise1733]

Meh, that's awesome. I'll pay you a fair price for the work you did to free my treasure from that horrible dragon.

[@JoeSiler622]

What happened to called shots?

[@sincegradeschool]

I support the rule of cool, but... You shouldn't let someone get the power of a feat or a class ability that they don't have access to in order to enable the rule of cool. It makes the other players at the table feel like you are showing favoritism and makes the choices of character building feel like they are not meaningful. Figuring out the the right balance is essential for a DM. I would err on the side of limitations when trying to balance a "rule of cool" ability. You don't want to establish a rule that your party begins to rely on while making a player at the table feel like their character's special abilities are no longer special.