OGL question

[johnsemlak]

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but what's teh OGL status of Monsters like Orcus, which are printed as OGC (I think) in d20 products but reprinted in a WotC product (this case, BoVD, AFAIK)?

 

[Drawmack]

If anything appears as OGC then it remains OGC when reprinted by wizards. The book should have a notice in it that states what is OGC. Unless the monster is from the SRD then they won't bother to tell you.

 

[Robbert Raets]

Are you even sure the stats and abilities are the same in the different sources you mention? Lizards' aren't know for their copy-paste style of writing...

 

[johnsemlak]

Well, I don't have access to both sources you mention right now, I Beleive I've read somewhere right here that Monte Cook's Orcus (in BoVD) and the NG Orcus (in ToH and Rappan Athuk III) have different stats, though.

 

[Robbert Raets]

Well, if a third-party publisher concocted their own version of Orcus (or whomever), then it's OGC under the OGC/D20 license. Apart from the flavour text, it's all yours to (ab)use.

But, as t3h Ranger says, IANAL.

 

[The Sigil]

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but what's teh OGL status of Monsters like Orcus, which are printed as OGC (I think) in d20 products but reprinted in a WotC product (this case, BoVD, AFAIK)?

The answer is simple: Look at the OGL of the product in question. Even though the name is the same it may not be a re-print.

To use your example, let's look at Orcus - printed in Necromancer Games' Tome of Horrors. IIRC, the entirety of the Orcus entry save for the "Credit" (which tells you that Orcus first appeared in the first edition Monster Manual) is designated as OGC.

That means that the stats, description, name, et al is OGC (again, this is from memory - consult the Tome of Horrors to make sure I'm correct).

Now look at the BoVD. Do you see a designation of OGC there? No. (Nothing in the BoVD is OGC). You cannot re-print the BoVD stats, description, etc.

If the stats/description happen to have overlap, you're clear to use the overlapping material. Why? Because you're using OGC (from the Tome of Horrors). That it happens to appear in a WotC closed product is immaterial.

As I recall, they do not have the same stats, BTW.

To date, WotC has released ZERO Open Game Content outside of the SRDs (the "regular" SRD and the Modern SRD) with the exception of two reprinted monsters from the Creature Collection found at the back of the Monster Manual II. That means they have not re-printed others' material - rather, there has been parallel development.

What parallel development means is that there are two versions, possibly identical, that were developed "independently," i.e., without one looking at/inspired by/copied by the other. If one happens to be OGC, that does not automatically make the other one OGC. Even if they are identical. You have to have the "open version" to copy from and credit, not the "closed one" if you decide to re-use.

--The Sigil

 

[Grazzt]

Re: Re: OGL question

To use your example, let's look at Orcus - printed in Necromancer Games' Tome of Horrors. IIRC, the entirety of the Orcus entry save for the "Credit" (which tells you that Orcus first appeared in the first edition Monster Manual) is designated as OGC.

That means that the stats, description, name, et al is OGC (again, this is from memory - consult the Tome of Horrors to make sure I'm correct).


--The Sigil

You are most correct. EVERYTHING in the Tome, except the artwork and the text in the Credits section (where we mention specific WotC products and the original creator's name) is OGC. Monster names, stats, fluff text, abilities, etc....all OGC. Anyone can use it however they want....including Orcus.

 

[Voadam]

Orcus can be created from scratch by anybody (WotC, Necromancer Games, SSS) because the name Orcus is public domain (he was a roman death god). WotC's stats for Orcus are not released under the OGL. Necromancer Games' are. so you can use the Necromancer games one as OGC but not WotC's version, or you can create your own.

 

[Staffan]

Re: Re: Re: OGL question

You are most correct. EVERYTHING in the Tome, except the artwork and the text in the Credits section (where we mention specific WotC products and the original creator's name) is OGC. Monster names, stats, fluff text, abilities, etc....all OGC. Anyone can use it however they want....including Orcus.

By the way, what does that mean for critters that refer to other critters that are *not* OGC? I don't have the book here to check at the moment, but I remember there's one monster that's supposed to be an evolved carrion crawler (carrion moth or something like that) as well as a bunch of beholder variants and slaadi lords.