Unearthed Arcana XP and the d20 License

[Alzrius]

Hi everyone,

It was mentioned elsewhere on EN World that WotC's Unearthed Arcana includes an alternate table and method for gaining experience (having only briefly glanced over that chapter of the book, I think that's correct).

The question that arises from this is, can other publishers use that portion of the book (which is OGC) in their d20 License products? The d20 License states you may not include alternate methods of character creation or gaining/using experience...so it seems rather conflicting.

Can anyone enlighten me on how this would work?

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Hi everyone,

It was mentioned elsewhere on EN World that WotC's Unearthed Arcana includes an alternate table and method for gaining experience (having only briefly glanced over that chapter of the book, I think that's correct).

The question that arises from this is, can other publishers use that portion of the book (which is OGC) in their d20 License products? The d20 License states you may not include alternate methods of character creation or gaining/using experience...so it seems rather conflicting.

Can anyone enlighten me on how this would work?

First, the d20 license does not preclude the creation of an experience table. You simply may not describe the process for applying experience and levelling up.

Second, it's possible for something to be Open Content and at the same time, prohibited by the d20 license.

Consider the case of an OGL only work-- say, Mutants and Masterminds, which is OGL but not d20-- and which contains rules for character creation. Just because that content is open does not mean you could use it under the d20 license.

Wulf

 

[jmucchiello]

It's a bit more subtle than just XP tables. The alternate damage systems are also not available with the d20 license since they redefine reserved terms that the d20 license makes forbidden to redefine: dying, unconscious, dead, etc. So don't expect to see Vitality and Wound points in a d20 product outside the Star Wars line.

Edit: Whoops, my bad, those aren't reserved.

 

[cybermonkey]

So... basically you can create a game with an alternative XP table, character creation and damage system while utilizing the OGL, but you can't attach a d20 label to it?

 

[Sledge]

The D20 license does allow Vitality and Wound points iirc as this does not change the definition of the term "Hit Points". I'm pretty sure this is covered in a FAQ.

And yes a non d20, but ogl product could include chargen information. Even the same mechanics could be used as long as the text isn't copied.

All of these questions are covered in detail on the wizards d20 license site of course. There is a wide margin for what you can do with d20, and no real limit to what you can do with ogl.

 

[Golem2176]

Well then what about Everquest? It is not officially a WotC licensed product.

 

[Cergorach]

Well then what about Everquest? It is not officially a WotC licensed product.

*picks up an Everquest book, turns it around*
Where's the D20 logo? It's OGL, so it can use whatever it wants from other OGC designated material.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

It's a bit more subtle than just XP tables. The alternate damage systems are also not available with the d20 license since they redefine reserved terms that the d20 license makes forbidden to redefine: dying, unconscious, dead, etc. So don't expect to see Vitality and Wound points in a d20 product outside the Star Wars line.

Joe, you're among the most informed on the license that I know...

But I can't find dying, unconscious, or dead in the list of terms that cannot be redefined or extended.

The only death-related term I could find was stable.

Help me out?

Wulf

 

[kingpaul]

I just did a search through the current d20 SG and found dying and unconscious listed in defined terms, but I could find them as defined terms.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I just did a search through the current d20 SG and found dying and unconscious listed in defined terms, but I could find them as defined terms.

Right. They are not defined terms-- as far as I can tell.

Certainly we don't want to extend the list of defined terms to include all words actually used in the definitions OF the defined terms.