D&D 5E Necromancer Games - 3 5E books announced!

[trancejeremy]

Presumably it's good for 5e fans, but judging based on the poor quality of their S&W conversions of Pathfinder products, I don't think it bodes well for Pathfinder/S&W fans, since they will end up getting inferior products (at the same price).

 

[Nebulous]

I am in as well. Necromancer Game has been a go to publisher for me in the past for me. Bring it on.

Yeah, they do rock. I feel like i could tweak the ToH monsters and just reuse those, But a whole new spellbook, that sounds like something i could really go for.

 

[Nebulous]

Whether it's good for the new edition depends on whether or not these books are any good.

Whether it's good for WotC depends on whether or not they embrace the OGL (and allow these books to be printed with the D&D logo on the cover).

Could WotC say, for example: you guys, Kobold, Necromancer and Goodman games, only you three can make third party support. Go ye forth and create.... So like semi-OGL. I personally do not want to see the 3e glut of crap again from ten thousand developers.

 

[Nemio]

Whether it's good for the new edition depends on whether or not these books are any good.

Whether it's good for WotC depends on whether or not they embrace the OGL (and allow these books to be printed with the D&D logo on the cover).

So why not talk with Wotc first since now they're kind of trying to force them?
I imagine Mike Mearls & Co will not like this.
What happens when Wotc doesn't cooperate?

Or am I interpreting the things that are going on behind the screens incorrectly?

 

[GX.Sigma]

So why not talk with Wotc first since now they're kind of trying to force them?
I imagine Mike Mearls & Co will not like this.
What happens when Wotc doesn't cooperate?

Or am I interpreting the things that are going on behind the screens incorrectly?

My interpretation: Necro was going to do this no matter what, and from their perspective it makes sense to do it sooner rather than later. They don't need any cooperation from WotC; they can just use the existing OGL.

This also sends a message to WotC: "We are making 5e content with the OGL, and so are a lot of other companies. It's happening. We are profiting from it. Whether you embrace it is up to you, but you can't stop it."

 

[Mistwell]

Whether it's good for the new edition depends on whether or not these books are any good.

Whether it's good for WotC depends on whether or not they embrace the OGL (and allow these books to be printed with the D&D logo on the cover).

The OGL was never really about printing books with the D&D logo on the cover.

 

[Abstruse]

I'd like to point out that you can't co-opt material from 5e under the OGL because that license doesn't cover 5e. 5e has no licensing agreements (outside those closed licenses announced for Kobold Press and Trapdoor Technologies).

However, rules mechanics cannot be protected with copyright. Only the specific presentation of rules can be. This legal loophole is the reason for the existence of OSR as Basic/1st/2nd Ed were not part of the OGL license either.

What's going to be interesting is the specific presentation of these books. They'll have to skirt a fine line to maintain compatibility while not violating Wizards of the Coast trade dress. That said, while OGL covers nothing from 5e, Necromancer is free to put anything THEY create under OGL.

I think it's a very bold and potentially risky move on Necromancer's part, depending on how WotC reacts. They might have a case on the tagline "5th Edition Rules, 1st Edition Style", but that's not clearcut. Nothing else in the Kickstarter seems to be in violation, but like I said, it depends on the text itself and how it's presented. Depending on how WotC reacts, this may end poorly in terms of relationships with the company itself for those involved regardless of any legal complications. But the rewards may be worth it, beating other companies to market with material for a new edition has always done well for third party companies. The biggest I remember was when Sword and Sorcery Studios got their monster book on the market before WotC got out the official Monster Manual back with 3rd Edition's release.

 

[GX.Sigma]

The OGL was never really about printing books with the D&D logo on the cover.

That's true. There's just a lot of things that will go smoother. If there's no official open license for 5e, third party products will have to carefully skirt the edge of WotC's trademarks. If there is, they can go nuts and feel more like an official product.

 

[Nebulous]

This also sends a message to WotC: "We are making 5e content with the OGL, and so are a lot of other companies. It's happening. We are profiting from it. Whether you embrace it is up to you, but you can't stop it."

I don't understand this. I thought they could only make 3rd edition stuff under the OGL.

 

[Halivar]

I think it's a very bold and potentially risky move on Necromancer's part, depending on how WotC reacts.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but WotC hasn't been as litigious as TSR was back in the day. Combined with the general congeniality that seems to be the case between WotC, Paizo, and the various big-name freelancers, I wouldn't expect this to change.