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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jraynack" data-source="post: 4310987" data-attributes="member: 13894">Actually, the only thing that is your property are the names, flavor text, etc. but not the rule mechanics - that is owned by WotC and they are letting you use those with the GSL/SRD royalty free.For example, you make up the power "My Power Not Theirs."  Here's how it looks:My Power Not TheirsYour Flavor Text4th Edition Rules Mechanics  Target: 4th Edition Rules Mechanics  Attack: 4th Edition Rules Mechanics  Hit: 4th Edition Rules Mechanics  Special: 4th Edition Rules Mechanics  Now, you want to place your power into the Public Domain.  This is what it looks like - even if you made up your own 4th Edition Rules Mechanics for the power (and I mean 100% original 4th Edition rules) and did not reference anything from the SRD:My Power Not TheirsYour Flavor TextTarget: Attack: Hit: Special: And their you have it - because the GSL only gives you the right to make additional 4th rules for their game and not the right to make up new rules for the game and then claim them as your own (even if you are the sole creator).They were referring to their product identity.  It was no different in 3rd Edition.  In 3rd Edition, we could have - and some publishers did keep a strong hold on their IP:Spell NameFlavor Text3rd Edition Rules Mechanics (even if they are your own creation, 100% original content).Spell Description and effectsNow, the product identity is as follows:Spell NameFlavor TextEverything else is OGL and others must follow the rules to reproduce it (except WotC).Now the big difference between 3rd and 4th for 3rd party publishers is now other 3rd party publishers cannot reproduce anything from your 4th Edition products (rule mechanics included) without express permission from you (oh, and if they also agree to the GSL and sent in their own conformation card to WotC).  Except, again, for WotC - who can reproduce your 4th Edition rules without permission, but still needs your permission to reproduce IP (names, flavor text, artwork, etc.)So, again - the short answer is no.  I wish it was just that easy.  It would make my job as a publisher in a 4th Edition world a little more promising.Oh - here is a little more trivia - 3.x edition posted on websites (except WotC owned websites because they have a disclaimer saying anything posted about their products: new rules, classes, etc. is theirs - this goes for Gleemax too) was also up for grabs.  But with 4th Edition (though the fan site GSL is not available yet), they are no longer up for grabs without express permission from the author of that post, blog, etc.I know it might look like I am ranting, but I truly do not mind the new restrictions since it has no bearing on our company - but do sympathize for those in which it does.</blockquote>

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