Roll History

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A low-DC dive into Dungeons and Dragons through the ages! Join Sami and Alex as they see how D&D’s mainstays change with each edition of the game.

Roll History


    • Aug 26, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 14m AVG DURATION
    • 50 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Roll History

    Roll History Presents: Fulcrum | Ep. 5 | Root & Bone

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2023 79:00


    Join Roll History and Friends on an urban fantasy actual play adventure! Our party decides that to get to the bottom of what Sylvie's been dosed with, they need to head to Little Outside. Plus: The Noble Chicken's Children! All the Pies Are Crime! And SPECIAL GUEST The Bone Fairy! Featuring: Maxy Bee as (Gaston Impersonator—with the eggs I mean) Bluto Basher Raiven Barnard as (Number One Ally) Syllavana Perstina Sami as (Literal Quest Giver) Quveli Carinae and Alexandr Woodward as everything else. Shownotes and epsiode art can be found at RollHistory.co.uk!

    Roll History: Juiblex, Part 4

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2023 83:36


    Welcome back to the modern era! We have buckets of info and lore for you, as well as buckets of uh slime. Sorry. But there is Glabbagool! At least there's Glabbagool! Plus: Juiblex at a Party Doing Impressions of Christ, The Dichotomy of Shoes and Berries, "DM's Tip!" (Three Tips and Out), and A Gnome Is What Happens When You Don't Try Hard Enough. NOTE: There were some fairly major audio issues on this one that Alex has done their best to clean up, but they're not a miracle worker so apologies for the problems you can still hear. Find shownotes, Sami's episode art, and our episode gallery at RollHistory.co.uk!

    Roll History Presents: Fulcrum | Ep. 4 | The Rats and the Well

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2023 102:55


    Join Roll History and Friends on an urban fantasy actual play adventure! The Knight has caught our party. And there's more coming if they get out of this. Of course. Plus: Improv Assassins! Telepathic Rats on People's Heads! A Guy Who Looks Like a Well! And Quveli's House! Featuring: Maxy Bee as (Rolling Pin) Bluto Basher Raiven Barnard as (The Negotiator) Syllavana Perstina Sami as (Host with the Ghost) Quveli Carinae and Alexandr Woodward as everything else.   Shownotes can be found at RollHistory.co.uk, but there's going to be a bit of a delay on those this time because we're on holiday!

    Roll History: Juiblex, Part 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2023 115:05


    We're back in 4th Edition land and Juiblex is getting stinkier... and yet more majestic?  Plus: A Feeble and Wasting Toad, Mushroom Voice, Oaty Jug, and The Burning Piss (Oh No)! Find shownotes, Sami's episode art, and our episode gallery at RollHistory.co.uk!

    Roll History Presents: Fulcrum | Ep. 3 | Auditor

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2023 80:38


    Join Roll History and Friends on an urban fantasy actual play adventure! The Auditor advances on Sylvie with single-minded enmity. So our party jumps off a roof. Plus: Hey Fred Schneider! Rooftop Parkour! A Rat the Size of a Horse! And a Fight on Top of a Moving Truck! Featuring: Maxy Bee as (Deadlift Champion) Bluto Basher Raiven Barnard as (Self-Sacrificial Lamb) Syllavana Perstina Sami as (Gymnast Extraordinaire) Quveli Carinae and Alexandr Woodward as everything else.   Shownotes can be found at RollHistory.co.uk!

    Roll History: Juiblex, Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2023 117:12


    Oh, it's a bumper one this time! What else would you expect from all the slime in 3rd Edition?! Plus: You Only Drown If the Ocean Hates You, Remember Orc, Slimebody Told Me, and I'm the Teacher! Show notes will be going up at RollHistory.co.uk, as well as episode art by none other than Sami herself!

    Roll History Presents: Fulcrum | Ep. 2 | Ostinato

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2023 75:04


    Join Roll History and Friends on an urban fantasy actual play adventure! Our party follows the trail in hopes of sanctuary, but just because there are angels doesn't mean it's safe. Plus: Cheeky quest! Bad rolls! and Totally Normal Accents!   Featuring: Maxy Bee as (Pickled Cowboy) Bluto Basher Raiven Barnard as (Darling Daughter) Syllavana Perstina Sami as (Criminal Satyr) Quveli Carinae and Alexandr Woodward as everything else   As always head over to RollHistory.co.uk for show notes!

    Roll History: Juiblex, Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2023 87:40


    Roll History is back with an unflinching look at a nine-foot-tall cone of slime, jelly, and assorted grey-and-yellow bits. We're holding a magnifying glass to a sort of green splotch on the side. Smearing some on a finger and tasting it, and saying "yes, that's definitely Juiblex" before immediately dying. Usual podcast stuff. Plus: Dr. Pluffie Smedger, Centaur Overpopulation Control, an Unearthed Lost Blur Song, and Working at the (Slime) Carwash! And we now have show notes going up at RollHistory.co.uk, as well as episode art by none other than Sami herself! Wow!!

    Roll History: Paladins: The Way of Water

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2023 61:20


    You thought Paladin Month was over years ago? You thought you'd escaped? Paladin Month will NEVER end. It's wet here. Plus: ASMR Pageturning, Roar (the Vegetarian Dragon) History, James Cameron's Critical Role, and 'You Can Kiss Underwater'!

    Roll History: Festive Magic Items

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2022 53:51


    What do you get the adventurer who has everything? Try our Festive Gift Guide, in which we cover some of the worst possible magic items you could get for Christmas. Plus: The Bud of Christ, Gifts from Turn-A Gundam, "Blood Vision!" Boots of Slightly Different Boots, and Notes on Candle Safety!

    Roll History: Ghost Tower of the Witchlight Fens

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2022 126:46


    Verner Potkettle, dragonborn paladin, travels to the Witchlight Fens and gets squeezed by a zombie in this 4e single-player adventure from September 2010! Plus: Plothooks Gone Unnoticed, Sponsored by Sunrod, 4th Edition Speedrun Strats, and Accidental Goldeneye!

    Roll History: 4th Edition Character Creation

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2022 62:31


    "2008 called; it wants its stupid character creation process back!" That's a line from Mean Girls probably. But for real, the 4e character creation process is stupid and we didn't like it. Plus: Insanity Cheese, the Standard Weezer Array, and IF YOU ARE HUMAN

    Roll History: Sorcerous Origins: Tokyo Drift

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2022 102:04


    We've finally emerged once more from the sorcery mines. We found an untapped seam of sorcerers; the town is saved!! Plus: The D-Word (Doberman), Tuppence for Birds, One Rune (For the Hip Hop Beats), Special Guest: the Bone Fairy, BN Biscuit Appropriation, and Frodo But He's a Pervert!

    Roll History Presents: Fulcrum | Ep. 1 | Letting the Outside In

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2022 127:52


    Join Roll History and Friends on an urban fantasy actual play adventure! In a world at the centre of an endless axis of alternates, a Fae runaway meets a gentlewoman-thief and an ailing, retired wrestler. Featuring: Maxy Bee as Bluto Basher Raiven Barnard as Syllavana Perstina Sami Gibbs as Quveli Carinae and Alexandr Woodward as everything else

    Roll History: Revenge of the Sorcerous Origins

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2022 88:03


    Not content to tell you about the Sorcerers that are actually in the game, Sami & Alex bring you all you need to know about the Sorcerers from Unearthed Arcana! Plus: A Hundred False Starts, Burp Dubs, Hotlike Roar, and HOLD PERCY JACKSON

    Roll History: More Sorcerous Origins

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2022 96:36


    What about the Sorcerers that weren't covered in our last two parts? Don't they deserve an hour and a half of semi-coherent nonsense? Apparently they do! Plus: Snickers in my Veins, Walf and Me (Doing Drugs on the Promenade), Strange Paul, and Fun with Numbers!

    Roll History: Sorcerers, Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2022 86:57


    The real magic was inside you all along! Sorry it wasn't particularly good magic for a while there, though. Plus: A Slightly More Powerful Human, Having Too Much Skin is Bad For You, and Reversable Scales! This episode is sponsored by 3rd Space Gaming - head to www.3rdspacegaming.co.uk/ and use the code ROLLHISTORY at checkout for 10% off your order!

    Roll History: Sorcerers, Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2022 77:44


    Wizards hate him! This guy does magic despite his INT of 3, thanks to this one weird tip!! LEARN HOW!!! Plus: The Magic of Cinema, Hold Me Closer Tiny Viper, and Bursts and Blasts; Whoa!! This episode is sponsored by 3rd Space Gaming - head to www.3rdspacegaming.co.uk/ and use the code ROLLHISTORY at checkout for 10% off your order!

    Roll History: Ice Devils

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2021 89:31


    We're not festive yet, we're just cold! Probably because of this big bug, actually. Plus: Elton Jim, True Resurrection (Cold Version), and Magical Mister Mephistopheles.

    Roll History: Heroes' Feast

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2021 81:16


    Happy Thanksgiving to all those who celebrate it. We don't do it here in England because we're culturally ungrateful. Let's talk about a feast! Plus: Bees Are Very Different to Horses, MC Hammer's Embarrassing Turkey Hoarding, and Owl Milk!

    Roll History: Rudolph van Richten, Part 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2021 72:40


    We did it, everyone. We finally reached the end of Dr. van Richten's story. Brace yourselves for the end of an era (and some Curse of Strahd spoilers sorry)! Plus: Darkvision Kisses, Hoofed Away, and The Van Richten Voice Victor (tm)

    Roll History: Rudolph van Richten, Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2021 96:52


    Happy Halloween I mean November the 6th! You want more Van Richten?! Please take some of this Van Richten; we have far too much Plus: A Small Crew of Zombies on Electric Scooters, Fizzing From Your Butt, and Stephen King's "The Doctor Does Stuff".

    Roll History: Rudolph van Richten, Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2021 79:28


    Happy Halloween; it's an extra episode! Find out all you need to know about D&D's premier he-who-fights-monsters! Plus: FREE GIFT Van Richten Voice, A Vampire Named Baron Meatfeast, and Young Man! There's No Need to be Shocked!

    Roll History: Purple Worms, Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2021 57:50


    Join Sami and Alex for the conclusion of our look at worms, purple and otherwise! This one's got REAL WORLD FACTS too, good heavens Plus: "I'm a Dirt Swimmer, Baby", Horses as a System of Measurement, and There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (Worm Edition)

    Roll History: Purple Worms, Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2021 62:30


    It's long! It's cylindrical! It's a particular colour! What more is there to say? (About an hour of podcast, actually) Plus: Doctors Hate This Old Worm, It's Explicitly a Tube, and a Worm Wearing a Skimpy Bikini

    Roll History: The Traveller

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2021 72:28


    Today's subject holds the record for 'Most Facts Just Assumed by Eberron's Scholars', so that's nice. Plus: Garfield the Devourer, Cabinet of Feces, and 100 Children with Old, Old Faces. Roll History is sponsored by 3rd Space Gaming - head to www.3rdspacegaming.co.uk/ and use the code ROLLHISTORY at checkout for 10% off your order!

    Roll History: Bag of Devouring

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2021 43:30


    Why not join us for an insightful look at sacks? Please keep all limbs outside of the sack for the duration of this podcast. Plus: Horse Pony Lovecraft, Great and Mighty Wham-Skull, and Wizard's Dinner Teleportation System! Roll History is sponsored by 3rd Space Gaming - head to www.3rdspacegaming.co.uk/ and use the code ROLLHISTORY at checkout for 10% off your order!

    Roll History: Mimics, Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2021 56:07


    This is a landmark episode because the 4th Edition section might be the most interesting bit of all? What the heck!! Plus: That's a Pseudopod Baybee!, Zabu from The Lion King, and The Perfect Mimic Set-Up. Roll History is sponsored by 3rd Space Gaming - head to www.3rdspacegaming.co.uk/ and use the code ROLLHISTORY at checkout for 10% off your order!

    Roll History: Mimics, Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2021 74:32


    We slew the monsters! We dodged the traps! We convinced the Rogue to cooperate! And it was all worth it for this amazing treasure, wait my hand's stuck Plus: Can of Mixed Nuts, Bags 'n' Pumps, and Clapped to Death By My Own Kitchen This episode is sponsored by 3rd Space Gaming - head to www.3rdspacegaming.co.uk/ and use the code ROLLHISTORY at checkout for 10% off your order!

    Roll History: Temple of the Frog

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2021 102:56


    Deep in the swamps of Lake Gloomey lies the City of the Temple of the Brothers of the Swamp. How did this happen? What's inside? What was Dave Arneson thinking?! Join us for a look at the Blackmoor Supplement's Temple of the Frog, and an Actual Play delve into it that goes *completely* off the rails! Plus: Actually They Hate the Frogs, Sword of Slope Detection, and FROGQUAKE!!! This episode was made with sounds from www.freesound.org. All music was made by Alexandr Woodward. This episode is sponsored by 3rd Space Gaming - head to www.3rdspacegaming.co.uk/ and use the code ROLLHISTORY at checkout for 10% off your order! And follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RollHistory to enter our Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft giveaway! Last chance!

    Roll History: Original D&D Character Build

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2021 65:10


    It's happening. We're actually making a player character for Original, 1974 box set D&D. An 'Original Character', if you will. Plus: VERY BAD ROLLS, 'I'm Gonna Bang It!' and Gary's Free Consolation Knife. This episode is sponsored by 3rd Space Gaming - head to www.3rdspacegaming.co.uk/ and use the code ROLLHISTORY at checkout for 10% off your order! And follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RollHistory to enter our Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft giveaway! If you want!

    Roll History: Mighty Servant and Cloak of the Bat

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2021 77:45


    In this week's Treasure Table, Alex becomes a chaotic warlord in the Mighty Servant of Leuk-O, and Sami lurks in the shadows with the ever-classic Cloak of the Bat! Plus, an Imp with No Toes, Do I Have To Flap It? and Possessed by the Gazebo. This episode is sponsored by 3rd Space Gaming - head to www.3rdspacegaming.co.uk/ and use the code ROLLHISTORY at checkout for 10% off your order! And follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RollHistory to enter our Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft giveaway! If you want!

    Treasure Table: Bless and Foresight

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2021 74:34


    It's another Treasure Table! Sami tackles the massive subject of Bless, and Alex's look at Foresight is way, way less in-depth. Plus, Gary Gygax's Equine Excitement, Morale Failure Soundboard, and the Ghostly Cautions of Uncle Ben. This episode is sponsored by 3rd Space Gaming - head to www.3rdspacegaming.co.uk/ and use the code ROLLHISTORY at checkout for 10% off your order! Plus, follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RollHistory to enter our Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft giveaway!

    Roll History: Firbolgs, Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2021 71:27


    We've reached the light of the modern day with our Firbolg coverage, and we promise that despite however it might sound, we were completely sober on this one. Plus, Cowboy Facts, Big Farmer, and Gimbleganks the Railway Gnome. This episode is sponsored by 3rd Space Gaming - head to www.3rdspacegaming.co.uk/ and use the code ROLLHISTORY at checkout for 10% off your order! Plus, follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RollHistory to enter our Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft giveaway!

    Roll History: Firbolgs, Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2021 63:49


    We're back from our hiatus and we brought a horde of giant Celts along with us! Careful, there's a 5% chance one of them is a Shaman. Plus, a snake-in-a-drawer, the Ordning vs Capitalism, and Giant Neil Buchanan's Even Bigger Art Attack.  

    Roll History: Gelatinous Cubes, Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2020 60:34


    We're rounding off (har har) our coverage of Gelatinous Cubes this time! Plus a rope slime, a psychic slime, and some kind of sweat monster. You would not believe how gross it gets. Content Warning for: Mold/Slime/Infection. Sorry!

    Roll History: Gelatinous Cubes, Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2020 58:28


    Imagine a slime with corners. Now imagine its friends. You've just imagined today's episode. We're back! Some slight audio clipping on this one, so apologies for that! We should be back to normal soon!

    Roll History: Paladin Wrap-Up

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2020 50:40


    You thought we were free of Paladins? You thought it was over?! You were *wrong*. Apologies to any Paladins who feel they have been misrepresented by the podcast. Hopefully these corrections can begin to mend the damage this has caused to your trust in us. It's the last Paladin bits that we forgot!

    Roll History: Avengers

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2020 68:21


    We're joined by special guest Joel Comixboi, a real podcaster and not just Alex doing a barely-passable American accent! As it turns out, Avengers aren't just a thing in D&D but are also a somewhat popular comic franchise or something. Who'd have thought!

    Roll History: Blackguards

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2020 66:44


    This was a wild one! We struggle to stay on topic for more than 10 minutes at a time as we look at When Good PCs Go Bad. Seriously though, this was a really wild one, and for that we can only apologise. It's a Paladin's evil twin!

    Roll History: Cavaliers

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2020 58:43


    This time, we're glued to our horses as we learn about Cavaliers the D&D class, but also cavaliers the social class. Ser Rancibold has had enough of these bloody peasants. It's a mounted snob Paladin from all the way back in AD&D!

    Roll History: Wardens

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2020 23:30


    It's our first Paladin Subclass Minisode, and the shortest of the lot: Wardens, which is not a den of badgers out for blood. Apparently. It's a Crunchy Nature Paladin from 4th edition!

    Roll History: Paladins, Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2019 76:46


    Welcome to Roll History! Hosts Sami and Alex will be your guides through the history of Dungeons and Dragons, edition-by-edition, like DM Historians or something! In this episode: we reach the end of our divine quest!

    Roll History: Paladins, Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2019 58:38


    Welcome to Roll History! Hosts Sami and Alex will be your guides through the history of Dungeons and Dragons, edition-by-edition, like DM Historians or something! In this episode: we're on a mission from God(s).

    Roll History: Eldritch Blast has a Worm Rating of 5

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2019 69:34


    Welcome to Roll History! Hosts Sami and Alex will be your guides through the history of Dungeons an Dragons, edition-by-edition, like DM Historians or something. In this episode: We both bring two of our favourite spells and items to the table! (Four Beams, Muscle Wizard, a Wormhole, and a Sticky Situation)

    Roll History: Lycanthropy

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2019 74:18


    Welcome to Roll History! Hosts Sami and Alex will be your guides through the history of Dungeons and Dragons, edition-by-edition, like DM Historians or something! In this episode: it's extremely spooky as we learn all about that hairiest of the Halloween staples!

    Roll History: Displacer Beast

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2019 49:55


    Welcome to Roll History! Hosts Sami and Alex will be your guides through the history of Dungeons and Dragons, edition-by-edition, like DM Historians or something! In this episode: we learn about a giant evil cat with tentacles and 50% more legs. For the duration of our launch we’re going to post three episodes a week, because there are few things worse than a podcast you like with only one episode. Speaking of the launch - letting your friends know about us would be a huge help, so please do that! So is leaving a review! Anyone who leaves a positive review gets Inspiration in their next 5e game (if your DM is cool)!

    Roll History: Timeline Part 2 (1986-2019)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2019 53:40


    Welcome to Roll History! Hosts Sami and Alex will be your guides through the history of Dungeons and Dragons, edition-by-edition, like DM Historians or something! In this episode: We follow the game's journey into the present day, and gush about 5th edition.   For the duration of our launch we’re going to post three episodes a week, because there are few things worse than a podcast you like with only one episode. Speaking of the launch - letting your friends know about us would be a huge help, so please do that! So is leaving a review! Anyone who leaves a positive review gets Inspiration in their next 5e game (if your DM is cool)!

    Roll History: Timeline Part 1 (1974-1986)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2019 57:52


    Welcome to Roll History! Hosts Sami and Alex will be your guides through the history of Dungeons and Dragons, edition-by-edition, like DM Historians or something! In this episode: An in-depth look at the game's early years!   For the duration of our launch we’re going to post three episodes a week, because there are few things worse than a podcast you like with only one episode. Speaking of the launch - letting your friends know about us would be a huge help, so please do that! So is leaving a review! Anyone who leaves a positive review gets Inspiration in their next 5e game (if your DM is cool)!

    Roll History: An Abridged Timeline of D&D

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2019 11:00


    Welcome to Roll History! Hosts Sami and Alex will be your guides through the history of Dungeons and Dragons, edition-by-edition, like DM Historians or something! In this episode: a quick-reference guide to the many editions of the game.

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