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Understanding the OGL and SRD

Posted in DnD, Dnd 5e, OGL, OpenDND with tags , , on January 21, 2023 by dommillar

I’ve been asked to explain the OG and SRD recently. Here’s a quick summary.

Dungeons & Dragons has recently been at the centre of a debate over its Open Game License (OGL). The OGL is a legal tool that allows other companies and individuals to create and publish their own products using the rules and settings of the game.

The debate began in 2000, when Wizards of the Coast (the company that owns Dungeons & Dragons), released the Third Edition of the game. Along with the new edition, they introduced the OGL, which allowed other companies and individuals to use the game’s rules and settings to create their own products. This was a significant change from the previous editions of the game, which had been tightly controlled by Wizards of the Coast.

The OGL ahas been essential for the growth and evolution of the game and has allowed for a wide variety of new products to be created, including new adventures, campaign settings, and even entire new versions of the game. It has also allowed for a more diverse and inclusive community to form around the game, as new creators have been able to bring their own unique perspectives and ideas to the game.

The System Reference Document (SRD) is a reference document for the D&D. It is a comprehensive guide to the rules, races, classes, and other mechanics of the game. The SRD is based on the Open Game License (OGL), which is a legal tool that allows other companies and individuals to create and publish their own products using the rules and settings of the game. The SRD is a subset of the full D&D rules, and it includes only the parts of the game that are covered by the OGL.

The SRD is a free resource that is available to anyone who wants to use it. It provides a detailed explanation of the game’s rules and mechanics, as well as information on the various races, classes, and other elements of the game. It is often used as a resource for game masters and players who want to create their own adventures and campaign settings. It also helps third-party publishers to create compatible products with the rules of the game.

Hope that helps explain