Is the Unearthed Arcana SRD online?

[jeffh]

It's kinda hard to consider the SRD as the "core" when they've already added material from the Epic-Level Handbook (above and beyond the rules from 3.5e core rulebooks) and Psionic's Handbook (with XPsiHB material to follow).

The Planes and the epic-level stuff are in the 3.5 DMG. As far as I am aware, that is the only reason they're in the SRD. Or is there material (besides psionics) in the SRD that isn't in the 3.5 core books, and if so, what specifically?

 

[jgbrowning]

I think there's a monster called "Avoral" and one called "Bralani" that are in the SRD but not in any book. I could be wrong.

joe b.

 

[Voadam]

The Planes and the epic-level stuff are in the 3.5 DMG. As far as I am aware, that is the only reason they're in the SRD. Or is there material (besides psionics) in the SRD that isn't in the 3.5 core books, and if so, what specifically?

No, there is more epic level stuff (epic monsters, epic class progressions spelled out, epic spells, etc.) from the Epic level handbook that was added after the full 3.5 core book portion (which also included a small bit of epic content that was now in the 3.5 DMG). It is in the section on the wizards srd site titled EPIC.

There is also the 3.0 psionics material including revisions to prestige class progressions.

 

[Voadam]

Speaking as one of the authors of Unearthed Arcana, it seems to me a little petty to simply scan/retype the entire product and make it available for free to anyone who wants it. That, I would say, is hardly in the spirit of the d20 license or the Open Gaming movement.

We made UA open content to encourage publishers to try out some new rules in their products, as well as to recognize some exciting concepts pioneered by other companies, not so that people could abuse that generosity by getting 95% of the book for free.

Would you scan and distribute a Malhavoc product, or a Green Ronin product, or a Bastion product? They're all just as open as UA, but I'd hazard a guess that the authors and publishers wouldn't appreciate that either.

If a d20 publisher wanted to use some of UA's open content, I'd imagine that we'd be willing to work with them to get the relevant material (particularly the longer sections). Obviously, I can't speak for the company, but in such a case, I'd recommend contacting Andy Smith on the D&D Business Team to explain your needs.

So does this mean WotC will definitely not be adding the UA onto the srd?

The online srd is a great reference tool for PBP and e-mail D&D gaming, it would be a great boon to have the rules from UA there as well ready to reference from Wizard's site. I know I've already got an UA spontaneous casting cleric on a PBP game on this site and I would find it useful to not have to pull out the book or ask in a forum for specific rules when I do not have the book handy.

By the way, I think that is one of the best variants in the book.

 

[Dogbrain]

The people who would download and use a 100% legal OGC extract from Unearthed Arcana without buying the book are the same people who would download a 0% legal PDF scan of Unearthed Arcana from a P2P network.

Wrong. I would not steal a book, but if a book is released under such a license as the OGL, it's not stealing--it has been EXPLICITLY RELEASED for re-use and re-distribution through all sorts of unofficial channels, so long as the OGL is adhered to. If you can't handle the reality of that, don't use the OGL. The terms are quite plain, and you are free not to use the license.

 

[Darkness]

Planesdragon, Dogbrain, everyone else -

Folks, please stick to the topic at hand and don't drift into a piracy debate; these tend to derail threads and end in flames.

Thanks.

- Darkness,
moderator

 

[Ranger REG]

The Planes and the epic-level stuff are in the 3.5 DMG. As far as I am aware, that is the only reason they're in the SRD. Or is there material (besides psionics) in the SRD that isn't in the 3.5 core books, and if so, what specifically?

I believe they went beyond the scope of what the three 3.5e core rulebooks have presented and added those from Epic-Level Handbook.

And refresh my memory but I never considered the Psionic's Handbook the fourth core rulebook. But it's there so Bruce Cordell could write the If Thoughts Could Kill book (published by Malhavoc Press). OBTW, in a month or so, expect the copyrighted material from the Expanded Psionic's Handbook to update the old material in the SRD ... at least according to the guy-in-charge of WotC's SRD, Andy Smith.

P.S. Still waiting for him to add Oriental Adventures material.

 

[Alzrius]

P.S. Still waiting for him to add Oriental Adventures material.

And Deities and Demigods material, which was supposed to follow shortly after the epic material.

 

[Cergorach]

Still waiting for him to add Oriental Adventures material.

Yeah, i was curious about that as well, was it 'promised' to be added just like the Deities and Demigods material?

 

[Fester]

There is no "spirit" to the OGL. It is a legal document. If you decide to release material using it, you agree to abide by all the conditions within it. If you're not prepared to have someone create and distribute (say) a pdf containing your OGC, then don't release your material as OGC.

Yes, that pretty much sums up my opinion about it also. The "spirit" is with the people like Cergorach who actually go out of their way to be fair.

I've been lurking on the ogf-l mailing list and I would guess that this is what they would call crippled OGC - it's open, but it's not freely available. Nobody wants to see WotC not making money from their products (I have certainly purchased a copy of UA) and nobody wants to see WotC stop releasing their products under the OGL, but you can't tell people they're behaving badly when all they're doing is abidding by the rules as set in the OGL, which (AFAIK) WotC actually own.