D&D 5E Basic Rules and OGL?

[halfling rogue]

So maybe I missed it somewhere already...or maybe I'm just hopelessly confused on the whole thing. I was hoping the AMA would address it, but it seems like Mearls & Co aren't willing and/or able to answer specific OGL questions. I'd ask on twitter but I'd probably be told to ask my lawyer.

So I'll ask here instead

I may be fuzzy about this, but I think I also recall folks who created online generators or apps were slapped on the wrist...but also told by WotC that if they just stick to the Basic Rules that they'd be in the clear (am I wrong on that?). Does that mean that Basic was functionally being used as a type of SRD? That a generator couldn't use all the PHB but could use Basic... (did any 3rd parties publish anything based on Basic before the OGL?)

Which leads me to wonder, what is the relation with the Basic Rules and the OGL? Does the new OGL/SRD render using Basic void (if it was valid before...or does 3rd party gaining financially vs offering for free have anything to do with it)? I ask because Basic includes things not included in the SRD...such as Character Creation. Does anyone know how to untangle this for me, or might point me to someone/somewhere that does?

 

[mach1.9pants]

The basic rules are not OGL. They have no relationship at all beyond both being 5e. Wizards may have let fans slide on basic rules based apps etc, but that is not legal precedent. If you want to publish something legally, use the OGL to access the rules listed in the SRD. If you want a free intro into DnD fifth, download and play basic. Don't publish based on basic, just because basic is free doesn't mean it is open for your publishing.

 

[halfling rogue]

That's what I thought. I wonder if they let some folks using only Basic slide more or less to throw them a bone til the OGL hit the streets.

 

[BoldItalic]

A character generator based on the SRD alone would be a bit limited. The SRD is not intended for creating stuff for playing vanilla 5e. If you were to market your own game based on the SRD with your own archetypes and backgrounds and then released a character generator for your game, that would be okay, as long as you embedded the OGL in it somewhere, I guess.

Full-blown character generators for vanilla 5e could conceivably be published in the DMsGuild but I get the impression they wouldn't be welcome, at least not yet, until the DMsG has matured for a while and the ramifications have been thought through.

 

[CapnZapp]

What would be cool thou is if a lot of the content on DM's Guild were to be compatible with Basic

 

[Beleriphon]

What would be cool thou is if a lot of the content on DM's Guild were to be compatible with Basic

My understanding is that the DMs Guild content is compatible with all of the D&D rules and can access all of the D&D rules because it is a completely different license than the OGL. Essentially by publishing on DMs Guild you agree to only sell that product there, but in return you also get to use IP from The Forgotten Realms and use the entirety of the D&D rule set not just the SRD (you can give your published characters the GWM feat, or make them assassin rogues).

 

[CapnZapp]

My understanding is that the DMs Guild content is compatible with all of the D&D rules and can access all of the D&D rules because it is a completely different license than the OGL. Essentially by publishing on DMs Guild you agree to only sell that product there, but in return you also get to use IP from The Forgotten Realms and use the entirety of the D&D rule set not just the SRD (you can give your published characters the GWM feat, or make them assassin rogues).

To be truly compatible with Basic you would have to restrict yourself to what's in Basic.

My point was that if this becomes a thing, with a large selection of free guild adventures (etc) that's advertised as "basic", you could play D&D for free!

 

[Beleriphon]

To be truly compatible with Basic you would have to restrict yourself to what's in Basic.

My point was that if this becomes a thing, with a large selection of free guild adventures (etc) that's advertised as "basic", you could play D&D for free!

Well, yes that's true. But the DMs Guild stuff is going to be compatible the Basic rules by virtue of being compatible with PHB in full. The two aren't that different, other than the additional subclasses and such. Although if you mean making adventures that only reference the class/race options from the Basic rules then yeah I see what you mean. It would be pretty damn awesome since you conceivably could play D&D without any monetary outlay, unless you really want to buy an adventure.

 

[BoldItalic]

Well, yes that's true. But the DMs Guild stuff is going to be compatible the Basic rules by virtue of being compatible with PHB in full. The two aren't that different, other than the additional subclasses and such. Although if you mean making adventures that only reference the class/race options from the Basic rules then yeah I see what you mean. It would be pretty damn awesome since you conceivably could play D&D without any monetary outlay, unless you really want to buy an adventure.

It's not so much the PHB material, it's the monsters and magic items that are more restricted in the basic game. Adding the ones from the SRD (which is also free, after all) gives the module author a richer pool to draw upon. I think an "augmented basic" resulting from merging the two would be a useful design standard if one is thinking about "free-as-in-beer"

 

[CapnZapp]

Yes, I meant adventures only using what's in Basic.

And being labeled as such.

Not having many monsters is, imo, not a big disadvantage.

Why? Because a good adventure features state blocks!

(Referencing the MM, or any other source, like official adventures do, is not as easy for the DM done right) So not having the "opportunity" to simply state "goblin" in bold is actually a good thing.

Same with loot. Getting new kinds of magic swords is always more exciting anyway; not easily reusing the DMG stuff can be a blessing in disguise.