Critical Role Issues Statement

[MacDhomnuill]

Frankly not terribly surprising. There’s no realistic way CR would be able to switch to another system, so their only real option is to say some vague platitudes about community in hopes of angering as few people as possible.

The beginning of campaign one was played in pathfinder so they could switch after this campaign wraps up. They have to be careful due to contracts with WOtC and ad money from DnDbeyond.

 

[BRayne]

I think it is more likely that the Darrington Press book was OGL so they could maintain full control over the copyright -- as opposed to the books published by WotC. I don't own any of them, though, so maybe there is another reason. Do the ones published by WotC include D&D stuff not available with the OGL? Is there any closed content or WotC IP in the Tal'Dorei book?

Most notable thing off the top of my head is the names of the gods (Pelor, Melora, Lolth, etc) appear in the WotC books while they are just referred to by title (Dawnfather, Wildmother, Spider Queen, etc) in the Tal'Dorei books. The WotC books do say "The world of Exandria, its groups of individuals, its elements, its distinctive characters, and its locations are the sole property of Critical Role." though.

 

[overgeeked]

Most notable thing off the top of my head is the names of the gods (Pelor, Melora, Lolth, etc) appear in the WotC books while they are just referred to by title (Dawnfather, Wildmother, Spider Queen, etc) in the Tal'Dorei books. The WotC books do say "The world of Exandria, its groups of individuals, its elements, its distinctive characters, and its locations are the sole property of Critical Role." though.

I would not be surprised if Matt uses the current C3 storyline to drastically alter the world of Exandria to expunge the last vestiges of D&D IP and they end the campaign abruptly with some kind of dramatic near-apocalypse. Start campaign 4 with another time jump, a new system, and no more D&D Beyond sponsorship.

 

[MacDhomnuill]

I would not be surprised if Matt uses the current C3 storyline to drastically alter the world of Exandria to expunge the last vestiges of D&D IP and they end the campaign abruptly with some kind of dramatic near-apocalypse. Start campaign 4 with another time jump, a new system, and no more D&D Beyond sponsorship.

I very much believe this is where C3 is heading, Prof Dungeon master on YT who kind of hilariously is something of a critter just voiced this opinion in a video as well.

 

[Gorck]

Most notable thing off the top of my head is the names of the gods (Pelor, Melora, Lolth, etc) appear in the WotC books while they are just referred to by title (Dawnfather, Wildmother, Spider Queen, etc) in the Tal'Dorei books. The WotC books do say "The world of Exandria, its groups of individuals, its elements, its distinctive characters, and its locations are the sole property of Critical Role." though.

The first thing that I thought of is how, in the "Races and Cultures" section, they list Dragonblood, Elemental Ancestry, and Half-Giants instead of Dragonborn, Genasi, and Goliaths respectively. But they still list Tieflings, which I thought was D&D specific.

 

[Scribe]

But they still list Tieflings, which I thought was D&D specific.

Tieflings, and Aasimar are in the 3.5 SRD, thats why they are also in Pathfinder.

 

[Remathilis]

The first thing that I thought of is how, in the "Races and Cultures" section, they list Dragonblood, Elemental Ancestry, and Half-Giants instead of Dragonborn, Genasi, and Goliaths respectively. But they still list Tieflings, which I thought was D&D specific.

Tieflings are in the 3e and 5e OGC. Dragonborn are specific to 5e's and genasi and goliaths are neither. If the goal is to only rely on what's currently ogc, they have some wiggle room for naming. If they want to distance themselves from all manner of potential wizard IP; they have a lot of work to do.

 

[Staffan]

Tieflings are in the 3e and 5e OGC. Dragonborn are specific to 5e's and genasi and goliaths are neither. If the goal is to only rely on what's currently ogc, they have some wiggle room for naming. If they want to distance themselves from all manner of potential wizard IP; they have a lot of work to do.

Half-giants are in the 3.5e SRD (although not quite the same as goliaths), and Pathfinder 2 has a set of OGC half-elementals in the Ancestry Guide they could use (ifrits, oreads, sylphs, undines, and suli).

 

[Remathilis]

Half-giants are in the 3.5e SRD (although not quite the same as goliaths), and Pathfinder 2 has a set of OGC half-elementals in the Ancestry Guide they could use (ifrits, oreads, sylphs, undines, and suli).

Yes, but the names goliaths and genasi and their specific expressions are WotC's, even if the concept of half giants and half elementals aren't copyrightable.

As companies move away from D&D, I suspect you will see a lot more devil-kin, half-giants, angelborn, and other "legally distinct" species, along with very different takes on hobgoblins, trolls, medusas, giants and dragons that don't hew close to the D&D-inspired takes.

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

Yes, but the names goliaths and genasi and their specific expressions are WotC's, even if the concept of half giants and half elementals aren't copyrightable.

Genasi may be a wotc creation, but Goliath is from the bible.