I'm not sure where else to post this, so if I need to move it, kindly point me in the right direction.
Some of the NPCs in a project I am working on would benefit nicely from some published feats that are not OGC (as far as I can tell). Can I safely use the names of the feats if I don't include their mechanics?
Also, while looking for OGC feats, I have found places like "The Grand OGL Wiki" and D&D Wiki, which houses the Netbook Of Feats. Is there any consensus on the suitability of material from sites such as these for balanced games?
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Some of the NPCs in a project I am working on would benefit nicely from some published feats that are not OGC (as far as I can tell). Can I safely use the names of the feats if I don't include their mechanics?
I'd be extremely leery unless they were very generic (e.g., Cut, Thrust, Bludgeon, etc.)
Also, while looking for OGC feats, I have found places like "The Grand OGL Wiki" and D&D Wiki, which houses the Netbook Of Feats. Is there any consensus on the suitability of material from sites such as these for balanced games?
Yes. Basically, "let the buyer beware" stuff. Some of the feats are stupendously powerful, others are not.
So I guess using Dash and Open-minded are right out...
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So I guess using Dash and Open-minded are right out...
You mean these?
From the Wizard of the Coast site:
Dash CW 97 You can move faster than normal.
Dash MH 25 You can move faster than normal.
Dash SaS 38 You move faster than normal for your race.
Open Minded XPH 48 You are naturally able to reroute your memory, mind, and skill expertise.
Open Minded CAd 111 You are naturally able to reroute your memory and skill expertise.
Right, those. As far as I can tell, they are not OGC. If I am publishing a project, can I use those names in the Feats list and attributes of the NPCs? That's the re-wording of my first question, I guess. If not, the two online resources I named have feats that accomplish pretty much the same thing mechanically with feats that *are* OGC.
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Right, those. As far as I can tell, they are not OGC. If I am publishing a project, can I use those names in the Feats list and attributes of the NPCs? That's the re-wording of my first question, I guess. If not, the two online resources I named have feats that accomplish pretty much the same thing mechanically with feats that *are* OGC.
I'd go with the latter if they're OGC.
That's kinda where I was leaning, too.
Related question on feats. One of the OGC sources has a number of feats that allow a character to treat 5 thematically linked skills or 3 skills of their choice as class skills. Does the community at large find this to be acceptably balanced or no?
Right, those. As far as I can tell, they are not OGC. If I am publishing a project, can I use those names in the Feats list and attributes of the NPCs? That's the re-wording of my first question, I guess. If not, the two online resources I named have feats that accomplish pretty much the same thing mechanically with feats that *are* OGC.I'd go with the latter if they're OGC.
I concur (just to give a second opinion). Part of the OGL is the concept of a "safe harbor". Real generally, a publisher clearly states "if you use X but stay away from Y, I won't sue you". So you may be trading off some fair use rights in exchange for deeper access to other material. Plus it turns a lot of grey areas into distinctly black and white - use or don't use.
So to keep the "safe harbor" safe, it's best to treat non-OGC material as utterly nonexistent when it comes to re-use (and unless it's in the SRD or certain portions of Unearthed Arcana, then WotC hasn't opened it up). There is what WotC and other publishers clearly say is okay to use, and everything else shouldn't even be mentioned.
Sometimes it takes some creativity and it can be disappointing because there is a lot of very nice material that will never be OGC, but a huge portion is, and unlike in 4e, many, many other publishers have added to the OGC well.
P.S. Oh, if you stuck with this long-winded explanation, I just checked, and you are safe to use Open Minded or to go the original source here in the Psionic Feats file. Personally, I'd download all of those RTFs and check in there first to see if they are OGC or not.
Right, those. As far as I can tell, they are not OGC.
On the contrary; Open Minded is in the Psionic SRD. And while Dash may not be Open Content, the very similar PFRPG feat "Fleet" is.
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#openMinded
http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/feats.html#fleet
And this is why I came to the Paizo boards. :D
Thanks guys - I had totally forgotten Open Minded was in Psionics and thus might be in the SRD. Even worse, I had failed to look at the Pathfinder material to see what open content was there that I could use. SHAME ON ME!
You guys rock.
I'll be back later... I have a PRD to read. Again.