So, the B*h*ld*r is no longer OGC...

[Eternalknight]

BEHOLODER

Hmm, holographic beholders.... hmmmm....

 

[Anubis]

Time to cut back on the caffeine, guy. Please don't swear on these message boards.

Remember, these "corporate bastards" have put a system in place that assures that D&D is never going to go away. Not only that, they're allowing 3rd party publishers to support it, and believe me when I say they didn't have to do that.

So a few monsters can't have books published for them. It isn't the end of the world, and nothing is stopping anyone from using them for home games.

Look, sorry about that . . . I just don't like Indian Givers!

Some of those are what I consider core monsters, meaning they take some of the stuff that is the meat of things out. I know it'll never effect me as I don't make 3rd party products or use most of them, but it's the ideal that I object to.

They basically start saying that they'll do one thing, then they do another. Like politicians. I just don't like it.

 

[Alchemist]

Look, sorry about that . . . I just don't like Indian Givers!

Some of those are what I consider core monsters, meaning they take some of the stuff that is the meat of things out. I know it'll never effect me as I don't make 3rd party products or use most of them, but it's the ideal that I object to.

They basically start saying that they'll do one thing, then they do another. Like politicians. I just don't like it.

Hrm.

Did they actually come out and tell us they were going to open everything up when they started all this? Or is this just an assumption that we've had since they made the rules open? I know I assumed that if they made the rules open, they'd make the monsters open too. That is apparently not the case. Did they lie, or did we assume too much? I suspect the latter even though I don't know what Wizards said when they announced the whole open-game deal.

But I don't know. Somebody (like a publisher) would know more.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Personally I was extremely (and pleasantly) surprised when they made the monsters open in the first place - I expected that maybe there would be a couple of examples for figuring out tricky CR's, and that would be it. You'd be expected to work out your own critters or buy a MM (is that a MM or an MM?).

So you can't publish something that contains illithids, and you can't use an illithid unless you get the MM or d20m. Big deal. I'm sure that most DM's have enough imagination to make up a creature which fills the slot (and does it better for their own campaign).

After all, those same DM's are having to work without experience charts (which surprised me with it's exclusion...)

 

[Dinkeldog]

The gentleman's agreement version of the SRD included everything (I think) in the MM, but definitely did include beholders, mind flayers, and yuan-ti. Now they pull them out as being intellectual property for some reason.

My only real question is why. Sure they have the right to, but they've stated that they're not planning to be in the business of creating adventures (now that the adventure path is out) save maybe two mega-adventures a year. So what do they gain?

 

[whatisitgoodfor]

(which surprised me with it's exclusion...)

The experience chart falls under the category of creating or advancing characters, which is a big no-no under the d20STL. So that's why the chart was excluded from the SRD.

As for some of the monsters not being included in the SRD, what's the big deal. So Wizards decided to hold back some of the unique monsters that have been created for DnD over the last 20 years and help to define the unique aspects of the world(s) that they have crafted.

If anyone else had done it, it would just be called designating PI.

 

[Piratecat]

So what do they gain?

I'm honestly not sure. If the yuan to weren't included, I would say that they're protecting those monsters whose very appearance is Intellectual Property - maybe for the new campaign setting, maybe for the FR TV show. But yuan ti? Snakemen aren't too original, and aren't unique. That muddies the water a little.

Anubis, no worries. I know where you're coming from.

 

[Kevin O'Reilly]

As far as I can tell, most of the monsters removed have miniatures developed for them. The exception is the drow which already belongs to the public domain.

My guess, as others have commented, is that the removal from SRD probably is do with protecting the IP for minis game.

You know I would be surprised if the mini game is call Forgotten Realms Miniature Game and ties into the FR TV.

Think Yu Gi Oh

 

[Anubis]

Hrm.

Did they actually come out and tell us they were going to open everything up when they started all this? Or is this just an assumption that we've had since they made the rules open? I know I assumed that if they made the rules open, they'd make the monsters open too. That is apparently not the case. Did they lie, or did we assume too much? I suspect the latter even though I don't know what Wizards said when they announced the whole open-game deal.

But I don't know. Somebody (like a publisher) would know more.

Their actions IMPLIED that they meant to open everything from the base rules (except for the core system itself) to the public. It has nothing to do with assuming to much, it has to do with the spirit of the agreement. The fact that they even do this in the first place attests to that.

My argument is one of principle. Their actions implied one thing, but then they turned around and did something totally different. It's no different then a politician making a campaign promise and then breaking it. Sure he has a right to, but one would think that he or she would not. Same thing here.

 

[LGodamus]

My concern now is for a Green Ronin book I was looking forward to.......a races of renown book similar to plot & poison but about Illithids.... I wonder if it will still be released?