Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana Compendium PDF

[BoldItalic]

You have misunderstood the concept of copyright.

You have republished WotC's material. You aren't allowed to do that. That's what copyright is all about. Only WotC has the right to publish its own material. No-one else is allowed to do it without a licence from WotC, and you haven't got one.

It has nothing to do with money. The fact that you are giving away pirate copies of someone else's material doesn't make it legal. The argument that you are only doing it to be helpful doesn't make it legal. You are a copyright thief, pure and simple.

Just take it down.

 

[Kor]

Here's another idea to help make it easier to reference the contents of the Unearthed Arcana material while perhaps not challenging any IP / Copyright protections.

What if I just posted my glossary as a webpage, and then hyperlinked all the items to the corresponding PDF?

I believe if I wrote and published an article about one of their PDF's, I can talk about the contents as long as I don't repeat the game mechanics: (i.e The "Kill Everything" feat in the "New Combat Options" of the latest Unearthed Arcana article seems well balanced and will likely be a favored feat for all fighters). So for my idea, I would only be mentioning the name of the feat. Additionally, I would be referencing my source, as the hyperlink would go back to the official PDF.

Although the above seems like an acceptable use to me, I suspect there might still be a concern, since I have not seen any websites that reference of the Spell names, Feat names, or Archetype names from any 5e source (other than those from the basic game). That tells me if people can't even post a list of available 5e archetypes from all the published sources, then likely my glossary doing the same thing from their free PDF's would also be restricted.

I'm probably better off sending my proposed plan to WotC to confirm what is acceptable, but since there seems to be some very knowledgeable folks here, I thought I might throw the idea out here first before I bother them with it.

Thanks.

 

[Billy Rigby]

I really like what you did here. I think Hasbro might have a problem with it, not WotC. But, having all this is one place is great, just remember that in November it will all be printed in their new supplement. So, you might want to take it down before then. I hate having to click through their site just to check out new UA material. Maybe that's the way they want it, more clicks, more views, more profits.

Though I don't agree with pirating material I don't see this a big no no like having a PHB or DMG for pdf download. Regardless, this is what I was looking for today. Just something I can print out until that book comes out.

 

[guachi]

It's not relevant if the content is being published later or not. Nor is it pirating to download something freely available.

The only issue, as previously mentioned, is that the content is under copyright and I don't know what WotC's policy is on reprinting their free UA articles elsewhere on the internet.

 

[Hussar]

It's not relevant if the content is being published later or not. Nor is it pirating to download something freely available.

The only issue, as previously mentioned, is that the content is under copyright and I don't know what WotC's policy is on reprinting their free UA articles elsewhere on the internet.

You do realize that price is not the determining factor in piracy right? Even if it is available for free, you still cannot freely distribute something that is copyright. End of story.

Not that I really have a horse in this race, and I don't really care in this particular instance, but, it is infringing on copyright.

 

[guachi]

You can freely distribute something under copyright if given permission. So your blanket statement is wrong. End of story.

I am aware that price isn't a determining factor in whether it's piracy or not. I don't need a condescending "you do realize".

 

[Hussar]

You can freely distribute something under copyright if given permission. So your blanket statement is wrong. End of story.

I am aware that price isn't a determining factor in whether it's piracy or not. I don't need a condescending "you do realize".

Yes, that's absolutely true. Completely irrelevant to the case at hand, but, absolutely true. So, yup, you're technically correct. And, as everyone knows, that's the best kind of correct.

 

[gyor]

You have misunderstood the concept of copyright.

You have republished WotC's material. You aren't allowed to do that. That's what copyright is all about. Only WotC has the right to publish its own material. No-one else is allowed to do it without a licence from WotC, and you haven't got one.

It has nothing to do with money. The fact that you are giving away pirate copies of someone else's material doesn't make it legal. The argument that you are only doing it to be helpful doesn't make it legal. You are a copyright thief, pure and simple.

Just take it down.

Call him a thief is idiotic, you can't steal what someone gave away for free, no matter what none sense is in copy right law.

He just reorganized it.

 

[BoldItalic]

Call him a thief is idiotic, you can't steal what someone gave away for free, no matter what none sense is in copy right law.

He just reorganized it.

Wrong. WotC have not given away the copyright, whether for free or not. Giving away copies of a work does not constitute giving away the copyright. The right to distribute those copies remains with the copyright owner. The OP does not have permission to redistribute the material.

By claiming the right to distribute the material himself, he is attempting to seize the copyright. It isn't his. He has stolen it.

But, it's not my problem if you don't understand that.

 

[Morrus]

you can't steal what someone gave away for free

Of course you can.