Some stuff that clutters my mind

[Liquide]

Well I'm currently making sure some of my own writing will put down into a little PDF that I will release as a little d20 item

But I managed to mind-wrestle myself a little bit too much, when I had written near to 90 pages worth of content something struck me.

I'm essentially writing rules on how to create monsters from scratch, I started to think about this and after a while my mind told me that this was almost as making rules on how you create a character (only in this case you apply a blueprint to the creature.).

Even though I havn't said how you generate ability scores nor how you apply skills I felt a bit worried.

Does this interfere with the "I cannot supply any rules for character creation" in order to release it as a d20 product?

If anything is unclear in the above post just let me know and I'll clarify.

 

[digitaldark]

(This is in no way to be considered Legal advice...naturally )


If you approach the abilities more like "Template A has these abilities scores...and you have "monster creation feat" or something like that you might have a Strong Monster feat that gives a creature a +2 to strength each time it is taken.." This would take it out of the realm of character creation and make it more like a toolkit.

You could also have it set up like a CR based system. Where CR 1 creatures get X amount of Monster Creation Feats to be custimized with. With the feats themselves costing 1 - 3 feat "points" to take. Set it up like a "Monster" class...perhaps like Natural 20 Press did with the Hero Class...(using monster points)

Just don't inculde how to determine experience, how to apply the experience or a method of creating actual unique characters.

Check out some of the Class Creation Toolkits, you could do something like that for monsters as well.

Just a few suggestions...hope they help.

 

[jmucchiello]

It really depends on how you wrote it. Read the description of character creation carefully and point by point decide if you are or are not doing these steps. If you cannot decide you will need to find a lawyer to help you since no one on these boards is going to give you legal advice.

 

[Damon Griffin]

Fantasy Flight Games "Monster's Handbook"

You may want to take a look at the "Monster's Handbook" from Fantasy Flight. The first couple of chapters cover Modifying Monsters and Monster Tactics, respectively. The remaining chapters are devoted to specific classes of creature (aberrations, dragons, elementals, etc.)

Since your concerns relate to what may be okay when monster creation starts to feel like character creation, let's see what they have in the chapter on Humanoids & Monstrous Humanoids:
some general advice on things to think about when selecting a CR range, classes, levels, skills and equipment, magic and magic items; two prestige class writeups; 10 new feats; two humanoid templates (Dire and Swarm); and some rules for modifying creatures to add a natural weapon (fangs, claws, horns), tailor the creature for some environment (arctic) or give the creature some other useful body feature (wings, gills, or an increased stat bonus).

(That last paragraph isn't meant to be particularly informative, except it that it may help you decide whether or not you need to look at this FFG book.)

 

[Alzrius]

There's another option beyond what people have mentioned.

If you feel that your product does indeed supply rules for character creation (or gives alternate rules for character advancement), then just don't declare it as a d20 product.

Instead, market it directly under the OGL. It's what SSS did with their EverQuest RPG book. It's what Monte's doing with his new Arcana Unearthed line. Thats the way to go if you want to avoid the stringencies of the d20 license but still produce things compatible with 3E.

Of course, I have no idea what intricacies are involved with that (beyond basic things like not being allowed to use anything from the SRD), but with all the people on this board, you're sure to find someone who does know them.

 

[tensen]

I'm essentially writing rules on how to create monsters from scratch, I started to think about this and after a while my mind told me that this was almost as making rules on how you create a character (only in this case you apply a blueprint to the creature.).

This all depends on how you present the materials.
In most senses it is the same as creating a new race... which is allowed under the license. But I can see a ways you could go about the process which might be very close to "creating a character". Your task is to make sure you don't make the rules that way.

 

[storyguide3]

Of course, I have no idea what intricacies are involved with that (beyond basic things like not being allowed to use anything from the SRD), but with all the people on this board, you're sure to find someone who does know them.

Just to point out, releasing under the OGL still allows you to use the SRD. The SRD is released under the OGL and does not require the d20STL to use. If that WERE the case, the OGL games you mentioned would never have happened.

Brad