I'm pretty sure the OGL wont allow this, but are there any plans to update the base classes from other sources? Looking forward to intergrating the Alpha rules into my AOW campaign, however I have a Warlock and a Knight, and they are going to feel left behind (screwed) with the first round of intergration. Any ideas out there?
Due to copyright issues, the Warlock and Knight are certainly out, as I imagine would be just about any other non-SRD class. If Paizo wants to expand past the base classes, they'll need to created their own.
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
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Actually, it depends on what you want to do. You certainly can't use a non-SRD class with the same mechanincs, but WOTC doesn't have any copyright on the concept of a knight, ninja, scout, etc., and all of these could be developed with brand new mechanics, even if they had similar roles in the game (since that is part of the definition of the word, a knight is a heavily armored fighter, a ninja is supernatually stealthy and dresses in black, etc.)
Just an update to what has happened. We are now using Alpha 3 playtest rules. Our Warlock has remained such, and we are looking at balancing his class with the new classes. The knight took a look at the fighter, and asked (and was allowed) to become a straight fighter. She is going to continue to play her character as the knight (issuing challenges, forgoing the flanking bonus) just have the fighter abilities instead. The party's rogue is playing arround with maybe taking some cleric levels down the road, and the fighter/paladin is now just a paladin. So far, game play is smoother, and everyone seems to be happier with their characters.
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because they aren't OG content, Paizo couldnt use them in the same capacity as character classes.
My suggestion would be to make them Prestige classes. It would be easy enough to do that and make the requirements fairly low so you caould change at maybe 3rd level....
Or if the wanted to do them as full classes, change the name a bit...
Wilderness Scout
Clan Ninja
Knight of the Realm
There are ways and there are ways yanno
You don't even have to change the name
Wizards can't copyright the words "Knight" or "Scout".
it is entirly possible for paizo to use some of their ideas and alter them. I'm not sure many folk here have noticed, but Sorceror blood-lines aren't OGL, specialist wizard powers appeared in PH2 before Paizo, bonded items exsited in DMG2 etc. Paizo can still use them because they altered the names/descriptions/had them as class features rather than feats etc.
So yes, non OGL classes are viable....Paizo just need to be make sure they aren't too similier to the 3.5 versions.
Game rules and mechanics are no copyrightable. Straight from the U.S. Copyright Office:
The idea for a game is not protected by copyright. The same is true of the name or title given to the game and of the method or methods for playing it.
Copyright protects only the particular manner of an author’s expression in literary, artistic, or musical form. Copyright protection does not extend to any idea, system, method, device, or trademark material involved in the development, merchandising, or playing of a game. Once a game has been made public, nothing in the copyright law prevents others from developing another game based on similar principles.
Some material prepared in connection with a game may be subject to copyright if it contains a sufficient amount of literary or pictorial expression. For example, the text matter describing the rules of the game, or the pictorial matter appearing on the gameboard or container, may be registrable.
See: http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html
Mike
Monster Characters - are they going to be reborn?
I noticed that the bestiary is coming out shortly and was wondering if Pathfinder will go back and revise the idea behind the savage species book to make non-standard races more comparable and functional for those who want to play them. I for one enjoy playing the occassional monster every now and then, but they left things really difficult to transfer from 3.0 to 3.5. The monster class idea was a good way to include those characters in a begining campaigne without the level adjustment issues, but they were still so underpowered when compared to a true class. It would be nice to see monster classes with a few minor tricks here and there or multiclassing options to help them stand on their own as part of the party without throwing the balance off completely.