sgt scott wrote:Hi-

I would like to create NPC's for DM's who lack the time to do such things, kinda like Just in Time when you order products and my question is:

Would I be violating copy rights? It would be just a word document with no art, just a stat block.

thanks

Scott

Hey Sgt. Scott, welcome to the forum  :) . As long as your are creating NPC's on your own of your own imagination (or own die rolls for that matter) and not stealing ones that have already been created and printed in written form by WotC or anybody else, then you would not be violating any copyrights.

sgt scott wrote:Hi-

Thanks for the reply; my plan is to create NPC's for the hurried DM from scratch and at a nominal fee. Then I'll e-mail the documents in word format. So for example, lets say joe snuffy requests 10 special NPC's for his game, I check to see if I have the books I will need to hand craft such NPC's and then e-mail Joe Snuffy back that it can or can not be done plus my fee if it can be done.

No art work, just detailed stat blocks of requested NPC. I figure, I have some time on my hands, why not make a few bucks making time consuming NPC stat blocks for other people.

Scott

Just as a note though, and even though we talk a lot about Ebay's inaction on a lot of things, it is against Ebay's rules to sell things and sending them out by emails. They probably would never even notice or even care if they did notice, but you never can tell with Ebay .

sgt scott wrote:Hi ya-

Nope, no ebay involved here, all I would do is advertise on verious D&D boards see'ing if anybody would like such a service.

I avoid eBay sellers with tons of negs like the plague, I dont care how low the price is.

anyway take care

Scott

In that circumstance you shouldn't have any problems at all  :D ,

Hi-

Well, if I saw a service asking to make custome NPC's, heck I'd jump on it in a hart beat. BUT the service has to be within SRD standards, no selling of WoTC materiel outside of their published SRD.

Also, its not that DM's are lazy, its that D&D 3.5 is very complicated.

Scott

mbassoc2003 wrote:

sgt scott wrote:Hi-

Well, if I saw a service asking to make custome NPC's, heck I'd jump on it in a hart beat. BUT the service has to be within SRD standards, no selling of WoTC materiel outside of their published SRD.

Also, its not that DM's are lazy, its that D&D 3.5 is very complicated.

Scott

I know a lot of the members here are active xD&D players and DM's. How many or you guys would order a block of NPCs for an online retailer?

Alas, I do not play at the moment. It's been a while.

ROLL UP AN NPC??!!!

its role-play my friends - i adlib all the way - far less hassle and far quicker. The NPC's serve a purpose for me and then go their merry lil ways

good idea tho - should i ever need some, i will mail scott and sort something.

As long as you work within the framwork fo the SRD then you should have n oproblem because you are using Open Source material. Conversely, you coudl instead claim you are actually selling services as a consultant for D&D groups, and making NPCs falls within your duties.

If the Copyright thing were to come up.

sgt scott wrote:Hi-

I would like to create NPC's for DM's who lack the time to do such things, kinda like Just in Time when you order products and my question is:

Would I be violating copy rights? It would be just a word document with no art, just a stat block.

thanks

Scott

Please go visit OPEN GAMING FOUNDATION and read the document for yourself.

In short, you can copyright your own character descriptions.  The stat blocks are part of the Open Gaming License.

Using any copyrighted material such as the Forgotten Realms or Grayhawk is not permitted under the Open Gaming License.  Ask the folks at Fast Forward Entertainment, who were given a Cease, Desist & Destroy order concerning the violating books and now have NO gaming releases on their schedule at all.  

You would also be required to include a copy of the D20 license with each product--even if it's just an NPC stat block.

I don't even understand what you're talking about when you say "private transaction."  If you make a product that is a derivative work of an intellectual property (as in making an NPC for the D&D game), that's your business.  If this product (it's now a product because it's on paper or in eletronic form) changes hands in exchange for cash or product received, then it is a commercial transaction by definition.  That's exactly what you're describing.

Offering a service that includes a violation of the law is also illegal.  

I recommend you consult an attorney if you're really interested in following the law.  Asking strangers at random on a bulletin board doesn't offer any liability protection.