D&D (2024) WotC Announces April 22 Release For 2024 System Reference Documents

The System Reference Document 5.2--the tool which helps developers create third-party content using the Dungeons & Dragons core rules engine--will be released under the Creative Commons license on April 22nd.

Additionally, Wizards of the Coast will publish a Conversion Guide for updating game content from the 2014 edition to the 2024 edition. This guide will arrive at a later date.

The Free Rules document on D&D Beyond will also be updated with new D&D Beyond Basic Rules (2024).

The older 5.1 SRD, which is based on the 2014 edition of D&D, will also remain available under both Creative Commons and the Open Game License (OGL).

More information will be available on April 22nd, when the new SRD is released.

A copy of each System Reference Document is stored independently at A5ESRD.com, which includes the 5.1 SRD, the revised 3.5 SRD, and other System Reference Documents (including the enormous A5E SRD).

 

[Christian Hoffer]

The new version of the System Reference Document, which provides guidelines on how to make material compatible with D&D's revised 5th edition, is coming out next week. Wizards of the Coast announced that the System Reference Document 5.2, better known as the SRD 5.2, will be released under Creative Commons license on April 22nd. The new SRD will include weapon mastery rules, the new exploration rules and the revised rules glossary. Other parts of the new rules revision, including bastions, were not mentioned in the announcement of the new SRD. A conversion guide designed to help update content made using the SRD 5.1 to the SRD 5.2 will also be released next week.

The SRD 5.1 was at the center of 2023's Open Gaming License controversy, which saw Wizards of the Coast attempt to revoke the OGL in favor of a more restrictive licensing policy. Fans and third-party creators revolted at the changes, leading to Wizards moving the SRD 5.1 to a Creative Commons license, thus ensuring that parts of D&D would remain free to use in the third-party content indefinitely.

Wizards has also discussed making older SRD editions usable under a Creative Commons license. No update was provided about these efforts.

 

[Clint_L]

Glad to see they are following through on this, now that the three core books are published. It's a vital resource for 3PP.

 

[mearls]

It's great news. I really, really love the commitment to update it with errata. Plus, using the same license just keeps things super easy.

 

[Reynard]

To bad they are not supporting the OGL anymore. I would have preferred to continue to use the OGL. It is mute point if the put the 3e SRD in CC, but there was not mention of that.

Out of curiosity, what about it being released under the OGL is preferable for you? Is it to be able to use it will other OGL material?

 

[Micah Sweet]

To bad they are not supporting the OGL anymore. I would have preferred to continue to use the OGL. It is mute point if the put the 3e SRD in CC, but there was not mention of that.

Technically, you can still use the OGL. Nothing official or otherwise legal has happened to it.

 

[Aldarc]

Wizards has also discussed making older SRD editions usable under a Creative Commons license. No update was provided about these efforts.

But would that include even 4e D&D?

 

[Alzrius]

Out of curiosity, what about it being released under the OGL is preferable for you? Is it to be able to use it will other OGL material?

I'd say that's a big part of it, yes. Even if you add the 3.5 SRD to the CC, you can't use (for example) any PF1-compatible Open Game Content with it unless Paizo releases that under the CC as well (and even the PF1 Core Rulebook has OGC from material besides the 3.5 SRD, which would have to be itself released before they could release anything for PF1).

 

[dave2008]

Technically, you can still use the OGL. Nothing official or otherwise legal has happened to it.

Sure, but nothing going forward is going to be released under the OGL

 

[dave2008]

Out of curiosity, what about it being released under the OGL is preferable for you? Is it to be able to use it will other OGL material?

Familiarity mostly. I know the OGL, I don't know CC. I would rather stick with what I know. Also, IIRC, it is trickier to exclude things from CC than it is the OGL.

 

[dave2008]

But would that include even 4e D&D?

I seriously doubt it (4e) or 1e or 2e will get SRDs and ported to CC. To much work involved.