Does d20 cover all the Planescape stuff?

[Pevishan]

IIRC, even just the name "City of Doors". At least if you have it refer to a place with a whole bunch of portals lying around.

 

[Staffan]

Historical, mythological and public domain ideas, such as Hell, Asgard, Hades, Heaven, Purgatory, Nirvana, and similar ideas that could be called "planes" are free game, you don't need to contact Wotc to use them. But Mechanus or Ysgard or Sigil you would need permission, unless you just are writing for fun and want your players or friends to read it with no intent to publish or make money with it or claim it's your own.

Also, even if you use non-D&D names for the planes (i.e. Nirvana), you should try not to stick too close to the D&D descriptions. Having a plane called Nirvana is probably OK. Having Nirvana being a place with lots of cogwheels and stuff is probably too close to D&D's version. On the other hand, having Hell consist of nine progressive circles, each nastier than the last, would probably be OK. Last I checked, the Divine Comedy was PD.

 

[Knightfall]

Also, even if you use non-D&D names for the planes (i.e. Nirvana), you should try not to stick too close to the D&D descriptions. Having a plane called Nirvana is probably OK. Having Nirvana being a place with lots of cogwheels and stuff is probably too close to D&D's version. On the other hand, having Hell consist of nine progressive circles, each nastier than the last, would probably be OK. Last I checked, the Divine Comedy was PD.

Make sure you look at the Planes.rtf, which is part of the 3.5 SRD. It details everything planar that is OGC.

PLANES
What is a Plane?
Material Plane
Transitive Plane
Inner Plane
Outer Plane
Demiplanes

Planar Traits
Physical Traits
Elemental and Energy Traits
Alignment Traits
Magic Traits

How Planes Interact
Separate Planes
Coterminous Planes
Coexistent Planes
Layered Planes

PLANE DESCRIPTIONS

The Material Plane
The Ethereal Plane
Plane of Shadow
The Astral Plane
Elemental Plane of Air
Elemental Plane of Earth
Elemental Plane of Fire
Elemental Plane of Water
Negative Energy Plane
Positive Energy Plane

 

[Ranger REG]

Ah. Alright, I'll take Ranger Reg's advice and see if I can make a deal with WOTC. I don't see any reason why they should say no, since my stuff is in no way meant to intrude on theirs.

You may not see any reason, but Wizards still have the right to refuse when it concerns their intellectual properties.

IOW, pray for a "yes" answer but be prepared for a "no."

 

[Excalatus]

Thanks all.

Having a plane called Nirvana is probably OK. Having Nirvana being a place with lots of cogwheels and stuff is probably too close to D&D's version.

Exactly what I was thinking. I never really thought of Nirvana as a mechanized place anyway. I like my plane of order to be filled with nodding bodhisattvas, thank you very much.

On the other hand, having Hell consist of nine progressive circles, each nastier than the last, would probably be OK. Last I checked, the Divine Comedy was PD.

Of course. It's not like WotC can claim the Nine Hells as their own.

 

[Ranger REG]

Just as long you are adapting from a public domain source, and not from Wizards' book.

 

[Excalatus]

Just as long you are adapting from a public domain source, and not from Wizards' book.

And that's exactly what I'm going to do. Wizards can keep their Baator and Bytopia.

 

[Rotack23]

Just curious, is this fantasy book for you and your friends or are you planning on trying to get it published.

No offense, but if you are trying to publish it, you just showed how naive you are. …

1.) Sure the old edition stuff USED to have stuff from Lovecraft and Moorecock in it as TSR writers thought it was “cool” to pay homage and get inspiration from their favorite writers, but they were pretty naïve at that point in their careers as well. After a chat from some copyright lawyers, future products didn’t include these critters unless a special deal was made.

2.) Even if WotC granted you permission to use their ideas and name, (highly doubtful, they would have even less reason to say yes if your novel has less of tie-in than usual. That just opens the door for other fantasy writers to “borrow” from WotC for free. The SRD is different, that is designed so that WotC can focus on selling core books while 3rd party publishers take on riskier challenges and survive on thinner margins. And unless you are the next big fantasy writer, WotC is not going to risk their IP on an unknown, untested writer) a potential publisher would see it as a potential problem. Most publishing houses are very conservative and unless it is really worth the risk, they’d rather not deal with a story at all.

3.) Ever make a photocopy of a photocopy? It didn’t come out as good as the original did it? If you base your inspiration and research on gaming product, it is going to show in your novel, it will feel derivative. Take heart, there are successful writers who used to game, Raymond Feist and George RR Martin are the two off the top of my head. Feist even loosely based his novels off of his own game world. But I suggest that you read these two author’s books if you haven’t already. I think you will see that their work has left their gaming roots way behind. While the fantasy genre is taking off these days, there are higher standards for fiction than in gaming. Some authors, such as Charles deLint, refuse to do write the standard fantasy set up because they only see themselves as mimicking JRRT when they try. Other authors won’t even read fantasy because they think the whole genre is derivative of LOTR.

I think you should go ahead and write your fantasy story, but I think some good old fashioned mythology research and your own imagination will serve you better in the long run vs. filching WotC ideas as a sort of genre “shorthand” for any monsters you need.

Good Luck

 

[Grazzt]

That's what I thought. But how can a website like the Creature Catalog legally use (and convert) monsters like the mind flayer and beholder when the SRD clearly states those are Product Identity?

Like the peeps said above, I asked a couple of peeps at WotC for permission and they said "Sure, by all means, but be sure ya include a copy of the license on your site." Certain things on the site are closed (names for example).

As for how we did it in the Tome of Horrors, it was along the same lines. We asked for permission to use and make ALL monsters (including names and unique names) in that book OGC and they once again agreed.

 

[Grazzt]

Where can I get a copy of the SRD?


Yeah, I figured that. But I'm not sure about places like Mechanus. I know I could use Primus if I liked, because that name is used widely in a public domain, but I'm not sure about Mechanus. And Sigil is out of the question, but I might be able to get away with calling it the City of Doors. I've got a few nifty cards in my bag of tricks.

You can use names like Primus, but only if it is in the public domain, and even then, you cannot make your Primus like the TSR/WotC Primus. Same for guys such as Orcus, Demogorgon, Tiamat, for example.

Those names are all public domain, but the configurations (demon lord carrying a skull-headed staff, a dual baboon-headed and tentacled demon prince, and a 5-headed dragon) are not. So, you can use any name that is public domain, but you have to come up with your own versions of them for example.