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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 6190836" data-attributes="member: 42582">Another sort of interaction between rules and copyright that I have discussed from time to time with [MENTION=463]S'mon[/MENTION] in relation to OSRIC relates to the old AD&D-style rules for number appearing, number of higher level leaders per base level creature, etc. These are clearly part of the AD&D world-building and encounter-building rules. But they are also part of the story elements of D&D, and therefore perhaps able to attract copyright protection.  I also think about a spell like Contact Other Plane, and wonder whether its a non-copyrightable rules element or rather a copyrightable story (about how the mage's spirit wanders to another plane and receives information from entities there, with certain likelihoods of truth, lies or insanity) which also happens to operate as a D&D rules element.I don't have any strong intuitions about how "look and feel" in a computer game might carry over to copyright over RPG rules text, but WotC clearly thinks (or at least hopes) that they can copyright their 4e layouts/templates for powers, monsters, items etc (part of what the GSL does is authorise use of those templates).And I would also be surprisd if Hasbro wants to tempt fate in the way that it did with the OGL/SRD!</blockquote>