DUDE!! Where the heck is the Mind Flayer??

[Upper_Krust]

Hi Gez mate!

However, if the subtypes aren't defined in the SRD, the words themselves are included in.

And, contrarily to tanar'ri and baatezu, they [the ghaele and eladrin words] aren't listed as Product Identity in the legal blurb of the SRD. Which is logical since they were, IIRC, in the "3.0" SRD.

Just clearing this, because I knew baatezu and tanar'ri have never been in an actual SRD.

Do like me, say baateluth and tanarlith!

So I could create new Eladrin or Guardinals in a product but not Slaad, right!?

There goes my Silver Slaad in the IH.

 

[Gez]

Heh.

How's that different than the Big Grasping Hands and Tense Floating Discs that have been used by various publishers when the wizards' names have been removed from the SRD draft, before finalization? The purpose was to get a name that would be familiar enough to allow readers to see immediately what it refers to.

Likewise, Paradigm's book about mind-flayers use the word "illeth", which is close enough from illithid to be instantly recognized, while different enough to be OK. (The permission Paradigm got was for the creature and name mind-flayer, but not for the PI name illithid.)

Baateluth and Tanarlith have also the extra advantage of being "consistent" with yugoloth and gehreleth.

 

[Gez]

Silver Salads are OK, though!

(Seriously, having seen the Juiblex/Jubilex thing from the ToH, I think you could create Silver Saalds without problems.)

 

[Olive]

So let me get this straight: the examples of imporved monsters and templates in action are not in the SRD right? But does that mean that if I create a 11th lvl Paladin Hound archon and publish it in my module, then I'm in breach of the OGL? Or, as WizarDru says, are those examples open content?

 

[Olive]

So let me get this straight: the examples of imporved monsters and templates in action are not in the SRD right? But does that mean that if I create a 11th lvl Paladin Hound archon and publish it in my module, then I'm in breach of the OGL? Or, as WizarDru says, are those examples open content?

 

[Gez]

You may publish a 11th-level paladin hound archon.

But you should just not expect to found it in the SRD.

No breach of the OGL if you type out your own. (Although I would stay clear from using names like "golden protector".)

The examples are not open content, but this don't mean they are product identity neither.

In fact, NONE of the content of the Monster Manual is open.

What is open is what you may find in the SRD, and which is not designated as PI.

So you may use "eladrin"; but not as a subtype (it's not a subtype in the SRD). You may not use "baatezu", even outside of subtype context, as "baatezu" is PI.

 

[WizarDru]

The examples are not open content, but this don't mean they are product identity neither.

In fact, NONE of the content of the Monster Manual is open.

What is open is what you may find in the SRD, and which is not designated as PI.

So you may use "eladrin"; but not as a subtype (it's not a subtype in the SRD). You may not use "baatezu", even outside of subtype context, as "baatezu" is PI.

Or you could ask WotC's permission, and they might let you. This has happened several times already, such as with the various 'Slayer's guides' and other publications, although some of these were because of the 'Gentleman's Agreement' pre-existence. For all the claims of WotC's supposed evils, I hasten to point out that they didn't have to let something like the various books featuring beholders see print. But that might sabotage some folks grand unifcation theories of WotC/Hasbro being the root of all the gaming world's ills, so we will speak of it no more.

 

[HellHound]

Getting on your knees and begging does wonders.

Paradigm Concepts sent "The Essential Guide to Mind Flayers" (which I co-wrote) to print after the revised SRD was released.

To go ahead with it, Paradigm had to go to WotC and get special permission to use the Mind Flayers in the book, and had to set the book so it doesn't release the flayers as Open Game Content.

 

[bardolph]

OK. I get it. So I can publish Mind Fillet-er, but not a Mind Flayer.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

So let me get this straight: the examples of imporved monsters and templates in action are not in the SRD right? But does that mean that if I create a 11th lvl Paladin Hound archon and publish it in my module, then I'm in breach of the OGL? Or, as WizarDru says, are those examples open content?

Essentialy you are applying Character Levels (which are open game content) to Hound Archons (which are also open game content) - so no problems exist. Applying sorcerer levels (OGC) to a mind flayer (IP) is a different story, since the mind flayer is not open game content. A named iconic character (Oh, let's say Bowser the Hound Archon Paladin for giggles- or more realistically Lidda the halfling) is another matter, as they are covered by Trademark and so are IP.

The higher leveled versions of the creatures are simply a convenience in the Monster Manual, WotC simply didn't bother repeating what was already a pretty obvious idea in the SRD. This is also a likely reason why town generation did not make it into the SRD, entering material into the SRD takes time, and time, as they say, is money...

So, no worries!

The Auld Grump
*EDIT* Translated from the gibberish...