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<blockquote data-quote="Ath-kethin" data-source="post: 7291412" data-attributes="member: 6798775"><p>Important point #1: I AM NOT A LAWYER. Take everything I say with a grain or six of salt.</p><p></p><p>1. You say you aren't publishing the document, but you are providing it in PDF. Which means there is absolutely nothing to prevent your players or their spouses/SOs/kids/pets/houseplants from distributing it. Keep that in mind. I know you are, just keep doing it.</p><p></p><p>2. The OGL and SRD lay out what parts of the core rulebook be used without legal complications. Use that as your guide. </p><p></p><p>3. From the little you'd describe above, you have nothing to worry about anyway. Your own world fluff obviously isn't copyrighted by WotC, and assuming it isn't directly ripping off another IP (a desert world filled with giant sandworms and spice mines with noble houses and psychic nuns for example), it's all yours. Modifying races isn't a problem either, subject to the above, but honestly there are so many variations of the concept of "elf" (did you know that in German, the same word is used to describe an elf and a goblin, and that word is "kobold?"), it would be hard for anybody to prove you stole their particularly flavor. Be careful if you're using the goofier ones, though, like the tieflings and dragonpeople and whatnot.</p><p></p><p>I think you're fine.</p><p></p><p>P.S. why not throw it up on the DMs Guild when it's done? You've put the work into it.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ath-kethin, post: 7291412, member: 6798775"] Important point #1: I AM NOT A LAWYER. Take everything I say with a grain or six of salt. 1. You say you aren't publishing the document, but you are providing it in PDF. Which means there is absolutely nothing to prevent your players or their spouses/SOs/kids/pets/houseplants from distributing it. Keep that in mind. I know you are, just keep doing it. 2. The OGL and SRD lay out what parts of the core rulebook be used without legal complications. Use that as your guide. 3. From the little you'd describe above, you have nothing to worry about anyway. Your own world fluff obviously isn't copyrighted by WotC, and assuming it isn't directly ripping off another IP (a desert world filled with giant sandworms and spice mines with noble houses and psychic nuns for example), it's all yours. Modifying races isn't a problem either, subject to the above, but honestly there are so many variations of the concept of "elf" (did you know that in German, the same word is used to describe an elf and a goblin, and that word is "kobold?"), it would be hard for anybody to prove you stole their particularly flavor. Be careful if you're using the goofier ones, though, like the tieflings and dragonpeople and whatnot. I think you're fine. P.S. why not throw it up on the DMs Guild when it's done? You've put the work into it. [/QUOTE]
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