I have some questions concerning what WOC and Paizo will allow people to post on websites.
I have been playing and DMing for many year now (started when AD&D was all the rage) and have amassed quite a bit of player and DM materials. I realize that I cannot take other author's adventures and source books and post them on my web site, but what is allowable (for example, Lilith's monster lists - do you have to be careful about listing certain creatures and races?)
Also, can I post links to many of the other excellent sites on the web, such as the aforementioned Lilith's and the Paizo and WOC sites? Is there guidelines somewhere on what I can and cannot do?
If anyone has any input on this it would be appreciated.
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I know WotC has some strict guidelines. Those can be found on their website. Posting links, though, isn't generally a problem, unless it is in the context of posting as an advertisement.
Paizo has some guidelines to be found in the "FAQ" tab on the left of the main messageboard page. Links are fine.
I don't know how kosher this idea is, but I've always been a fan of the "polite and respectful rule". You post things trying to be as polite and respectful as possible, but what you need in order to put out in order to provide the information you wish. If the owning parties wish you to remove something, they have but to inform you as to what needs removed (hopefully politely and respectfully) understanding that what you do helps promote and bolster their product as a free service (how many companies get that?) and you politely and respectfully remove those things they ask you remove.
If more of the net could just live by these simple rules?
It's a tricky area, and one to step very carefully about. The "polite and respectful" rule is one I try to follow very carefully - if someone wants it removed, I'll remove it. (Note that I have not received any requests to do so as yet.) The monster lists are just that - lists.
I think, and this is totally my opinion about the matter, that WotC is most interested in protecting their intellectual property - that which makes Eberron Eberron, the Realms the Realms, and Greyhawk Greyhawk. Is it the mechanics? I don't think it is. It's the little details about the setting that do. Again, just my opinion.
As far as my own website is concerned, there are a couple of grey areas. On the generator page, I've compiled a couple of the "100" lists and made them randomly generate. Although I have queried Paizo about it, Mr. Mona kindly pointed me in the direction of WotC concerning the issue - unfortunately I've never heard back from WotC whether or not this is considered a fair use of their material. Until such a time as I hear from them, I make sure to include the Author's name and origin of the generator. Other grey areas are the explanation of a stat block's special abilities - is it okay to list the details, or is a page reference more suitable? I'm going with the former, as for the most part, explanation of a class/race's abilities doesn't necessarily infringe on the intellectual property of WotC/Paizo. Again, the "polite and respectful" rule applies. If anything, for me, it has generated additional interest in the books that other people use in their stat blocks and makes me want to purchase the book.
Part of the reasons that I made it so that stat blocks would be sortable by Sourcebook is so that it won't automatically reveal stat blocks that use sourcebooks that you don't have. (Not to mention it's really handy.)
Anyway, my rambling and my advice - don't use anything verbatim out of a book. Paraphrase and summarize. Be sure to give your props out to where things came from. Above all, be respectful of the material you may be using.