D&D (2024) WotC Announces April 22 Release For 2024 System Reference Documents

The System Reference Document 5.2--the tool which helps developers create third-party content using the Dungeons & Dragons core rules engine--will be released under the Creative Commons license on April 22nd.

Additionally, Wizards of the Coast will publish a Conversion Guide for updating game content from the 2014 edition to the 2024 edition. This guide will arrive at a later date.

The Free Rules document on D&D Beyond will also be updated with new D&D Beyond Basic Rules (2024).

The older 5.1 SRD, which is based on the 2014 edition of D&D, will also remain available under both Creative Commons and the Open Game License (OGL).

More information will be available on April 22nd, when the new SRD is released.

A copy of each System Reference Document is stored independently at A5ESRD.com, which includes the 5.1 SRD, the revised 3.5 SRD, and other System Reference Documents (including the enormous A5E SRD).

 

[Nightfly]

You can do it with 4e and people have. I believe it was ORCUS. Here is an EnWorld article on it:

ORCUS is incredibly impressive, but it isn't a retroclone in the same sense that OSRIC is, because it had to rename and re-do everything. Not only is "Tide of Iron" not in the game, there isn't a class called "Fighter". Legally, you can't do something like Tales of the Valiant or Advanced 5e with 4th edition. If you could, that might be very interesting.

 

[dave2008]

ORCUS is incredibly impressive, but it isn't a retroclone in the same sense that OSRIC is, because it had to rename and re-do everything. Not only is "Tide of Iron" not in the game, there isn't a class called "Fighter". Legally, you can't do something like Tales of the Valiant or Advanced 5e with 4th edition. If you could, that might be very interesting.

Yes, some things would need to be renamed, but, IIRC, Orcus didn't use the OGL or the 3e SRD at all. If they had, they could have used a lot more terms (like fighter, wizard, etc.). Specific power names couldn't be used, but I personally don't think that is a big deal. The point is you can make a compatible game with the existing SRD and OGL / CC. Will it be 100% a clone, no it will not. Just like retclones can't use THACO either (or any spell not in the SRD).

 

[Alzrius]

Yes, some things would need to be renamed, but, IIRC, Orcus didn't use the OGL or the 3e SRD at all.

It did. Check out pages 186-191 of the Orcus Heroes' Handbook; there's a long Section 15 that does cite the 3E SRD (and a lot more).

 

[Morrus]

Neither 1e or 2e had SRDs. I am pretty sure that is what @mamba is talking about. Technically 4e had an SRD, but it is functionally useless compared to the 3e & 5e versions.

I’m so confused. Who claimed 1e and 2e had SRDs?

 

[mamba]

I’m so confused. Who claimed 1e and 2e had SRDs?

No one. You cannot review a document that does not exist however, so if you wanted to review a 1e SRD, one would need to exist first.

My point is they used 'review', not 'create'. The only SRDs they can review for things like the inclusion of Tiamat (the example they were giving for what the review looks for) are 3e and 3.5, nothing else (too late for 5.1)

 

[dave2008]

I’m so confused. Who claimed 1e and 2e had SRDs?

@mamba answered.

 

[dave2008]

It did. Check out pages 186-191 of the Orcus Heroes' Handbook; there's a long Section 15 that does cite the 3E SRD (and a lot more).

Does it include the OGL though? You can't "use" the SRD without the OGL. I think that is why it is only cited along with a bunch of other things. I could easily be wrong as I haven't looked at Orcus in a while.

 

[dave2008]

It did. Check out pages 186-191 of the Orcus Heroes' Handbook; there's a long Section 15 that does cite the 3E SRD (and a lot more).

OK, I just checked. The page numbers are completely different the PDF I downloaded, but the OGL is the section titled "Legal" on page 195 of my PDF. I have no idea why they didn't use terms like fighter and wizard among others.

 

[Morrus]

No one. You cannot review a document that does not exist however, so if you wanted to review a 1e SRD, one would need to exist first.

No, they need to review the games.

I mean you say you think ‘editions’ means SRDs, I said I think they mean games.

Eh.

 

[mamba]

No, they need to review the games.

I understand that this is your perspective, but the whole 'we need to review the materials for any potential exclusions so we do not unintentionally release Tiamat into the CC' does make a lot more sense when talking about an existing SRD than about reviewing the 1e PHB or DMG or whatever, at least to me. I am not expecting them to release all of 1e except for Tiamat, in that case it would be a matter of figuring out what to include. Guess we will see eventually