A call to would-be 4E publishers (if it wasn’t for the GSL).

[FormerlyDickensC]

here are a list of terms I would like others to comment on if it needs changed or not.

All the stuff that is definitely under OGL (like feats and item bonus) do not need to be changed.

Everything that has only just appeared in 4E (like healing surge, second wind) definitely DOES need to be changed.

Again, this is where game designers need to give their input bc they are the subject matter experts on the material involved. They know what language has and has not appeared and where.

 

[Alzrius]

I recommend making "dragonborn" be "dragonfolk" instead.

"Half-dragon" already has a specific meaning. Likewise, just splitting up the word to be "dragon born" is too close to the original. "Dragonfolk" seems to get the point across nicely.

 

[Ruis]

Dragonfolk sounds good to me

anyone have thoughts on tier? I came up with possible names for the different tiers but no the name of tier itself

Heroic=Adventurer
Paragon=Luminary (class)
epic=Legendary or just epic (class)

basic attack=simple attack

healing surge=stamina (point)

Second wind=determination

Power=ability

exploits=maneuvers

minor action=quick action

Dragon born=Dragonfolk
Eladrin=Eluina

Warlock=sorcerer
Warlord=knight

Vulnerability=weakness
marked/mark=Salient
restrained=bound or pinned
insubstantial=incorporable
weakened=fatigued
surprised=flat footed
Ongoing damage=persistent damage
Combat advantage=tactical advantage
phasing? is their any other word that describes this effect?

Also I like name for the conversion someone came up with: 4Esque
is it ok if i use this name?

 

[Angellis_ater]

Heroic=Adventurer
Paragon=Luminary (class)
epic=Legendary or just epic (class)

I would suggest Heroic, Legendary, Epic - Heroic and Epic are already in the game, although not as definite mechanics for "Heroic".

basic attack=simple attack

Why not just keep "basic attack" or standard attack from D20?

healing surge=stamina (point)

This works really well. Or you can just shorten it to "Healing".

Second wind=determination

Isn't this available already somewhere? BoXM (Book of Experimental Might) has "Breather" and I do believe that Fantasy Concepts might have Second Wind as OGL. If anything, BoXM might be THE place to go for swiping mechanics and names from the OGL which meshes well with 4E.

Power=ability

I think we can retain this. Power is used extensively in D20, for psionic abilities, for example.

exploits=maneuvers

Yup, works really well.

minor action=quick action

We might just keep with the swift action here. No need to overdo it.

Dragon born=Dragonfolk
Eladrin=Eluina

I'd go with Dragonblood and Elfins

Warlock=sorcerer
Warlord=knight

Warlock is a common enough name with a common enough connection to magic, that we should be able to keep it without problems. There are several other Warlock classes in existance (Obsidian Warlock by LPJ or the Warlock path in World of Warcraft RPG).

 

[Ruis]

I would suggest Heroic, Legendary, Epic - Heroic and Epic are already in the game, although not as definite mechanics for "Heroic".

could you show me where Heroic shows up in the 3.5 srd, because i don't think it does?
I like Heroic, Legendary, Epic as well. if i can use Heroic, that would be great.

Why not just keep "basic attack" or standard attack from D20?

because I am paranoid ;p. I was wondering if basic attack needed to change as it doesn't show up in the srd 3.5, Standard attack works better though if i cant use basic attack.

Isn't this available already somewhere? BoXM (Book of Experimental Might) has "Breather" and I do believe that Fantasy Concepts might have Second Wind as OGL. If anything, BoXM might be THE place to go for swiping mechanics and names from the OGL which meshes well with 4E.

I need to look up those two books. right now I'm just going on the 3.5 srd and my imagination, with knowledge that defenses are covered someplace (i forgot where) so i didn't bring them up.

I think we can retain this. Power is used extensively in D20, for psionic abilities, for example.

But is it using it in a context that would suggest its use in 4e is a derivative of 3.5? If so I would like to use the word powers, otherwise i think ablities works well, so well in fact that ability scores directly power abilities, it seems like a good name, but powers would be ideal

We might just keep with the swift action here. No need to overdo it.

swift action sounds fine. I got confused if it was in 4e or not.

I'd go with Dragonblood and Elfins

later I will put it to a vote, but i like dragonfolk, because dragonblood sounds like someone who is human with a dragonbloodline from unearthed arcana ;p

Warlock is a common enough name with a common enough connection to magic, that we should be able to keep it without problems. There are several other Warlock classes in existance (Obsidian Warlock by LPJ or the Warlock path in World of Warcraft RPG).

you may be right, although using sorcerer is a safer word i think. What are other peoples view on the topic? is warlock so generic that it can be used?

 

[Brown Jenkin]

you may be right, although using sorcerer is a safer word i think. What are other peoples view on the topic? is warlock so generic that it can be used?

Warlock is more than generic enough, and replacing it with Sorcerer will only confuse things with the 3.5 Sorcerer and the upcoming 4E Sorcerer (either WotC or 3PP).

 

[CapnZapp]

The hard part is re-explaining the rules without using WotC language and creating new terms to act as surrogates for the WotC language.

Actually, you don't need to do that great a job on the explaining bit.

Remember that the intended customers can be assumed to have the real 4E books.

The sole reason for this initiative is to be able to publish for-profit books for 4E without having to sign away that IP to Wizards through the GSL.

So, the resulting document would only be read by lawyers... Everyone else should just be able to jump right in, being surrounded by eerily familiar (but not identical) stats and descriptions.

The idea is to create a d20 (sorry, OGL) system that just happens to be very close to 4E "by accident"...

 

[Ourph]

Just a note to those working on this project. This entire thread (as well as the other, related thread) could easily be presented in court as proof that you are intentionally creating a derivative work.

 

[Ruis]

To be clear, The project I am working on (i cannot speak for others) it to create a derivatives of 3.5 that can be played with 4e. To do that i need to discuss what parts of 4e are derivatives of 3.5 and what parts are not, so i can use more 3.5 sources and take the project in a fork from 3.5 while still being playable with 4e. Thank you for your concern though.

 

[Ourph]

To be clear, The project I am working on (i cannot speak for others) it to create a derivatives of 3.5 that can be played with 4e. To do that i need to discuss what parts of 4e are derivatives of 3.5 and what parts are not, so i can use more 3.5 sources and take the project in a fork from 3.5 while still being playable with 4e. Thank you for your concern though.

You can phrase the goal of the project any way you like, but just be aware that you've got two threads where the main subject is "How can we take these terms and concepts from 4e and rework them into another game that gets around WotC's copyrights" which would be a nice, juicy piece of evidence for WotC's lawyers to set before a judge to prove that the end product is derivative of 4e.