WotC To Give Core D&D Mechanics To Community Via Creative Commons

Wizards of the Coast, in a move which surprised everbody, has announced that it will give away the core D&D mechanics to the community via a Creative Commons license.

This won't include 'quintessentially D&D" stuff like owlbears and magic missile, but it wil include the 'core D&D mechanics'.

So what does it include? It's important to note that it's only a fraction of what's currently available as Open Gaming Content under the existing Open Gaming License, so while it's termed as a 'give-away' it's actually a reduction. It doesn't include classes, spells, or magic items. It does include the combat rules, ability scores, and the core mechanic.

 

[The Scythian]

What is it you could have done with 1.0a before which you cannot do with this combination of CC and 1.2, other than hateful content, which you wanted to do with it?

The big thing is that I can no longer make use of the majority of existing Open Game Content if I want to create new products.

As I pointed out in another thread, this means that I cannot use the monsters from the Tome of Horrors, which includes a lot of classic monsters from (A)D&D that Necromancer Games published as OGC under a special agreement with WotC. That's a big blow if I want to publish products featuring old school monsters. Under 1.0a, I can use vegepygmies, demodands, Juiblex (although due to a misspelling in the text, I have to call him Jubilex), lurkers above, lava children, flail snails, and lots of other creatures that WotC is almost certainly never going to release as part of any SRD.

But that is just one part of a larger problem. Under this combination of CC and 1.2, I can't use monsters, spells, magic items, and other game materials designated as OGC by third-party publishers over the last 20 years. The monsters in the Tome of Horrors are a special case, as they are official old school D&D content published as OGC by a third-party publisher. But the same basic problem applies beyond that, to things that people put out there as OGC that can no longer be incorporated into other people's products as they intended.

 

[Hex08]

Maybe the Older SRDs aren't as dead as they seem?

@Morrus

If that's true then good for the 3PP who rely on them but as I've said before; Hasbro/WotC has proven to be a poor caretaker of the largest game in the hobby and doesn't operate in good faith. Too little, too late.

 

[Mistwell]

The big thing is that I can no longer make use of the majority of existing Open Game Content if I want to create new products.

As I pointed out in another thread, this means that I cannot use the monsters from the Tome of Horrors, which includes a lot of classic monsters from (A)D&D that Necromancer Games published as OGC under a special agreement with WotC. That's a big blow if I want to publish products featuring old school monsters. Under 1.0a, I can use vegepygmies, demodands, Juiblex (although due to a misspelling in the text, I have to call him Jubilex), lurkers above, lava children, flail snails, and lots of other creatures that WotC is almost certainly never going to release as part of any SRD.

But that is just one part of a larger problem. Under this combination of CC and 1.2, I can't use monsters, spells, magic items, and other game materials designated as OGC by third-party publishers over the last 20 years. The monsters in the Tome of Horrors are a special case, as they are official old school D&D content published as OGC by a third-party publisher. But the same basic problem applies beyond that, to things that people put out there as OGC that can no longer be incorporated into other people's products as they intended.

I'm not sure that's correct. I am not sure WOTC can effect a nullification of a sub-license someone else gave you for their product identity.

 

[Yaarel]

If you are a content creator who needs a solid mechanical gaming engine, then use (also modify) the Pathfinder 2 PRD (Pathfinder Roleplaying-Game-Reference Document).

Its mechanics are robustly balanced upto high levels.

You can use these mechanics for whatever narrative settings and characters you want.

Paizo wont mess with you the way Hasbro-WotC does.

And once the PRD goes to the upcoming ORC license, Paizo couldnt mess with you even if they would want to at some hypothetical future.



Everything about the Hasbro-WotC business machinations is predatory and exploitative.

If you arent a lawyer or lack easy access to lawyers, here is the rule of thumb to keep you and your creative efforts safe. Dont trust Hasbro-WotC for any reason whatsover.

 

[Yaarel]

Another factor is probably the Spelljammer incident with the Hadozee controversy. Mind you, that's ALL on them. Someone wasn't doing their job.

Do you think for a second that Hasbro-WotC would destroy itself because it got caught with a controversial product, such as Spelljammer Hadozee? Of course, not.

But Hasbro-WotC will absolutely try to destroy anyone else if they can catch them with a controversial product.

 

[Xyxox]

I'm not sure that's correct. I am not sure WOTC can effect a nullification of a sub-license someone else gave you for their product identity.

That is precisely what they are trying to do.

 

[Xyxox]

Do you think for a second that Hasbro-WotC would destroy itself because it got caught with a controversial product, such as Spelljammer Hadozee? Of course, not.

But Hasbro-WotC will absolutely try to destroy anyone else if they can catch them with a controversial product.

I think if they see another Paizo rising up, they will declare their content hateful and since they agreed to the OGL, they cannot take it to court or disagree with it in any way. There is no way to appeal what they declare to be hateful content.

 

[Dias Ex Machina]

Those wishing to continue fanning this flame until the brand is in ashes, you are free to do so as you wish, but I am not supporting the idea of seeing D&D burn so a few people can feel warm. We're making progress. This was a huge step forward.

 

[Xyxox]

Those wishing to continue fanning this flame until the brand is in ashes, you are free to do so as you wish, but I am not supporting the idea of seeing D&D burn so a few people can feel warm. We're making progress. This was a huge step forward.

Believe that if you like, I see this as worse than the non-draft.

 

[Parmandur]

I think if they see another Paizo rising up, they will declare their content hateful and since they agreed to the OGL, they cannot take it to court or disagree with it in any way. There is no way to appeal what they declare to be hateful content.

They just gave Kobold Press all the tools to make 5E Pathfinder, really. Putnallntheybneed under Crearive Commons, even.