Open license / usage question (help?)

[Blue_eyed_paladin]

I'm just working on writing my own stuff, and I'm getting a little confused by the definitions of what's SRD or usable or not usable.

At uni currently, we're studying quoting and bibliography (vaguely).

If I reference a feat/ability/whatever from (say) Complete Mage or Slayer's Guide to Pseudonatural Porcupines which isn't open content, listing only the direct stuff, not the entire feat or text (like in an adventure, "the relevant details are printed below") can I still get away with it, or am I only able to use directly declared open license and SRD stuff, and thus is WotC going to send their "spooky lawyers" around to drag me away if I use a feat from Complete Mage in my book?

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated, please.

[TJakobsen]

If you are using material from, or even just referencing books that are not permitted to be used in that manner, you are violating the terms of the D20 STL.

If I remember right, you are only allowed to mention that you product requires a D&D core book. You are not allowed to reference D&D products by name in your material at all.

The only material you are allowed to use is that which WotC and other licensees have declared open content (WotC does this by adding material to the SRD, on their website, if it's not there, it's not open. It's best to ignore their books when looking for open content and use only what is in the SRD. Other companies use different methods for marking what is open in their material, usually painfully obvious or explained on either their title or contents page, or with the licenses.)

You should try and avoid using material that isn't open unless you can secure a separate license to do so. You can also attempt to create clone material, capturing the essence of the thing you are trying to use without copying it outright, but you'd better have a copyright lawyer on your payroll when doing so, because by using the OGL and D20 STL, you've agreed not to challenge WotC's claims about their copyrights and trademarks.

Teresa Jakobsen,
US Army, Ret.

[Blue_eyed_paladin]

Thankyou very much Teresa.

As I said, greatly appreciated.

Have a great day.

[Doug Sundseth]

Note that the reason you can't reference these feats is that you've agreed to a contract that says you won't by accepting the OGL. This is not a copyright or trademark issue.

If you choose not to accept the OGL, your rights and obligations may be very different. If you choose that route, depending on fair use and the like to protect any references, I'd recommend that you talk to a copyright and trademark lawyer. The law is not intuitive.