The PRD is available online to meet the OGL requirements. Traits are the property of Paizo, they're not open gaming content.
...but could easily be made such, which is what I think the OP was requesting.
Actually, the trait mechanics (which is pretty much everything in the traits doc) are OGC. I have all of them, along with every other trait released by Paizo to date, in my character sheet (see link under my profile).
Director of Brand Strategy
|
The PRD is available online to meet the OGL requirements. Traits are the property of Paizo, they're not open gaming content.
I can't think of any rules content Paizo has released since the magazines ended that isn't open gaming content. The only elements of any traits that aren't are proper nouns from the Pathfinder Chronicles setting that may be contained in a trait's title or flavor text (such as the name of a nation or deity).
I can't think of any rules content Paizo has released since the magazines ended that isn't open gaming content. The only elements of any traits that aren't are proper nouns from the Pathfinder Chronicles setting that may be contained in a trait's title or flavor text (such as the name of a nation or deity).
I always thought that the traits were classified as product identity under the OGL (at least, that is my interpretation from the legal jargon at the front of their Trait Web Enhancement which is free to download). I'd be more than happy to be proven wrong here, though.
|
Director of Brand Strategy
|
Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters, deities, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, characters, artwork, and trade dress. (Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game Content or are in the public domain are not included in this declaration.)
Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of this Paizo Publishing game product are Open Game Content, as defined in the Open Gaming License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission.
Since the traits themselves are game mechanics and are not trademarks, registered trademarks, proper nouns, plots, dialogue, storylines, locations, characters, artwork, or trade dress, they are open gaming content.
If a trait were called "Irori's Fist," then the title and any reference to Irori would not be open content, because it uses a proper noun from the Pathfinder Chronicles campaign setting. But the mechanics for the trait would be open. Another publisher would just need to call it something else if they were republishing those rules (unless they were operating under a separate license like the Community Use Policy).
|
Director of Brand Strategy
|
Trait mechanics are open content. However, Paizo did state that these are intended for Golarion-related stuff, hence no traits in Core Rulebook. Perhaps they will appear in Gamemastery Guide/APG.
The also didn't appear in the Core Rulebook because it was already nearly 600 pages long with just (most of) the information from the SRD. If they were to add in a whole new rules subset, it would extend the book to an even larger size and make people question even more why such-and-such prestige class was left out while traits got put in.
You are free to use any of mine for your campaign if you feel they suit your needs:
I can't think of any rules content Paizo has released since the magazines ended that isn't open gaming content.
I think the deep crow and the couerl are not open content, which is because Paizo doesn't own those critters, they just were allowed to use them.
The PRD is available online to meet the OGL requirements.
Since when do you need an OGL? I think the PRD is available online more because Paizo is a bunch of nice guys and gals. (Or because of ulterior motives, them being a company and all)
|
Director of Brand Strategy
|
I think the deep crow and the couerl are not open content, which is because Paizo doesn't own those critters, they just were allowed to use them.I can't think of any rules content Paizo has released since the magazines ended that isn't open gaming content.
This is true. I forgot about these. But other than that, it's all open.
Since when do you need an OGL? I think the PRD is available online more because Paizo is a bunch of nice guys and gals. (Or because of ulterior motives, them being a company and all)
Paizo uses the OGL to publish its d20 system game, the Pathfinder Chronicles. The OGL was originally published in 2000 by Wizards of the Coast as a means to license their D&D game, but also to allow developers to publish their SRD and derivative works under the d20 system trademark.
Thus any game published under the OGL needs to identify its Product Identity and separate it from its Open Gaming Content in order to maintain the d20 system trademark and protections. The PFR documents make available all of the stuff Paizo has identified as OGC as per the terms of the OGL, and thus can't identify as product identity.
So Paizo put out the PFR documents as part of the OGL, but also (probably) because they're cool people.
Weren't too excited about the Pathfinder Wiki, though, which contained some of the PI. At least, they're tone did not suggest amusement (at least on the developer's Blog).
|
Director of Brand Strategy
|
Weren't too excited about the Pathfinder Wiki, though, which contained some of the PI. At least, they're tone did not suggest amusement (at least on the developer's Blog).
Can you clarify this? PathfinderWiki operates under the Community Use License, so I don't understand why the inclusion of Paizo's product identity would be a problem. Who is it that wasn't too excited about it, and to whose blog are you referring?
By the way, you can see some of the Traits on d20pfsrd.com here.
It's sort of a non-issue. I read the post a long time ago and interpreted it a different way.
"While, of course, we don't condone verbatim copies of our products being regurgitated in a public forum" when I read it (back in March) seemed slightly irked despite their endorsement. It's been a while, forgive me. I was trying to exemplify difference between the way Paizo treats OGC versus PI on the web.
Sorry again.
Since when do you need an OGL? I think the PRD is available online more because Paizo is a bunch of nice guys and gals. (Or because of ulterior motives, them being a company and all)Paizo uses the OGL
I did write OGL there, didn't I? Why did I do that? I have to remember to ask myself.
What I wanted to ask was "Since when did they need an online reference?" I know you need to have some open content in there, and you need to add the OGL, but I think that's it.
its d20 system game, the Pathfinder Chronicles.
Actually, Chronicles is their campaign world. Pathfinder RPG is their game.
I know, I'm a pedant. And I did have a slip of the tongue, or rather fingers, just there, but still. Cannot help myself.
Actually, Chronicles is their campaign world. Pathfinder RPG is their game.
The Pathfinder RPG is a d20 system game, then, excuse me.
As for the online reference, WotC did something similar with their d20 system reference documents. A private project also made the d20 system available in hypertext format. The PFR documents could be in keeping with an industry level of quality, or it could just be because the folks at Paizo are nice people. I leave that decision up to you.
The PFR documents could be in keeping with an industry level of quality
Hardly. They put that industry level to shame. wizards SRD wasn't that great. Bunch of text files. It took d20srd.org to make it useful. And even then they kept stuff back.
The Pathfinder Reference Document has all the stuff wizards never shared, like all monsters and character creation and advancement rules.
The nice people part goes without saying.
I mean, JJ may be an even greater dwarf hater than me. That guy must be aces in any book!