System Reference Documents

This is a collection of notes and files related to the various System Reference Documents released under the WotC Open Gaming License. As of February 2012, this includes a number of rules sets from several different companies: the Fantasy SRD (versions 3 and 3.5), the Pathfinder SRD, the Modern SRD, the Fudge SRD, the Action-Oriented SRD, the True SRD (both Generic and Romantic Fantasy versions), the FATE SRD, the Perfect20 rules, and the Runic SRD.

Each of these was released under the WotC Open Gaming License, but often are not available in an editable, human-readable form which can be browsed or cut-and-pasted into other documents. Thus, I have collected here documents for each of these which are in HTML and/or plain-text.

Revised (v3.5) SRD: This is the revised (v3.5) SRD -- as released in July 2003 -- converted into HTML by Imad Hussain, with some formatting touch-ups by myself. There are several people who have done similar conversions which may be more extensive or better formatted -- see the Links section below.

SRD Modern: This is the Modern SRD (released Nov 2002) converted into HTML format, including regularizing all special characters and converting all tables. It is not yet hyperlinked but that would be a logical next step. In addition, I have links below for conversions of the Modern SRD done by others.
PDF format , iSilo format for Palm , MSWord format

The Action-Oriented SRD: This is a cinematic universal rules set with an emphasis on action, unrelated to the Fantasy or Modern SRDs. It uses 3d6 rules, and has a system of "Action Points" which can modify rolls and damage.

The True SRD, Generic Edition: This is a streamlined variant of the fantasy SRD.

The True SRD, Romantic Fantasy Edition: This is a streamlined variant of the fantasy SRD, which was originally created for the Romantic Fantasy genre.

The Anime d20 SRD (at opengamingfoundation.org): A variant of the fantasy SRD intended for emulating Japanese animation genres, created by the makers of the Big Eyes, Small Mouth RPG.

The Runic SRD: This is a gritty fantasy-genre rules system which is based on percentile skill rolls. It features a Runic magic system in the core rules from which it is named. See also the MRQ Wiki. The legal status has been disputed because Mongoose Publishing lost their licensing agreement to Chaosium's D100 system.

The D100II SRD: A variant of the Runic SRD. Also available as download in MSWord and PDF formats. The legal status has been disputed because Mongoose Publishing lost their licensing agreement to Chaosium's D100 system.

OpenQuest Developer's Kit (at D101 Games): A free, text-only version of OpenQuest, which is a small-press variant of the D100 rules. The legal status has been disputed because Mongoose Publishing lost their licensing agreement to Chaosium's D100 system.

The Perfect 20 System: This is an open-source archive of the Perfect 20 system, by Levi Kornelsen.

Other Rules-Lite D20 Variants: There are a number of very simple variants of the D20-based SRD, mostly still focused on fantasy. These include:
Microlite20
EZ20
Simple20
The Basic Fantasy RPG
Quick20 (commercial product)

Fudge SRD (on Omar's Fudge Page): This is an open-source SRD for the Fudge system by Steffan O'Sullivan, on an external site.

Six-sided Fantasy SRD (on John Payne's sycarion.com): This is an open-source SRD for the Six-sided Fantasy system, based on the six-sided dice pool system from West End Games, on an external site.

FATE: Fantastic Adventures in Tabletop Entertainment: This is an open-source SRD for the FATE system based on Fudge.

SotC SRD (on Nick's zork.net site): This is an open-source SRD for the revised FATE system used in the Spirit of the Century game.

The Traveller SRD (): The rules system from the Traveller RPG.

The Wanton Role-Playing (WaRP) System (at Atlas Games): The rules system from the Over the Edge RPG, released as an OGL system by Atlas Games.

SRD Monsters: This includes a complete parsing of the monsters from the original fantasy SRD, made available as XML and also available for browsing as a MySQL database. Note that my XML parsing is out of date with the revised edition (v3.5). For that, I recommend andargor's data (in XML and SQL) -- cf. my links section below.

SRD Spells: This includes a complete parsing of the spells from the original fantasy SRD, made availabe as XML and also available for browsing as a MySQL database. Note that my XML parsing is out of date with the revised edition (v3.5). For that, I recommend andargor's data (in XML and SQL) -- cf. my links section below.

A List of Games Using the SRD System: This is simply a list for reference of many games which use the same core system as the SRD.

Sleeping Imperium (Removed 12/28/03): There had been an archive of the Sleeping Imperium material created by Kenneth Hood, a science fantasy setting with adaptations for d20 and FUDGE. However, the author has requested it to be taken off the web since the site could cause difficulty in finding a publisher for fiction based on the same material.
Opening the Dark (at Scribd): An attempt at a clone of the Storyteller system. The legality is unclear since the cloned system is not open license.

Alternate Licenses

The Arcanum, 30th anniversary edition (at Zila Games): The 1984 fantasy game, by Stephan Michael Sechi and Vernie Taylor. Released under the Creative Commons Attributes ShareAlike 4.0 International license (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Links

RPGnet Wiki: Open Game Systems: A listing of open game systems from various authors.
Official Pathfinder SRD: The official version from Paizo.
d20pfsrd.com: An unofficial SRD of Pathfinder material, including OGL material from hundreds of products by a variety of publishers.
Official SRD v3.5: The official published version of the fantasy-genre SRD, version 3.5.

The Hypertext d20 SRD: A full HTML version of the v3.5 d20 SRD.
Modern SRD Home: A hyperlinked, HTML version of the Modern SRD, formatted by Corey Reid, and hosted by 12 to Midnight, Inc.
SwoRD - The System wide-open Reference Document: A full HTML version of the v3.5 d20 SRD, provided by Behemoth3.
System Reference Documents: Several full HTML versions of the v3.5 d20 SRD, available online or as zipped HTML.
The OSRIC Project: OSRIC ('Old School Reference and Index Compilation') is an effort to make an OGL version of the 'old school rules' without violating copyright. i.e. Where the WotC fantasy SRD is third edition, OSRIC is first edition.
D20wiki: An unofficial wiki serving as a repository of OGL material for the D20 System.
Complete SRD: A wiki hosted on wikidot that serves as a repository for OGL material.
Andargor's Home: A source for the fantasy SRD v3.5 spells and monsters in MySQL and XML format, along with miscellaneous other software utilities for D&D.
Unofficial OGF-D20 FAQ: An FAQ on the subject of the WotC OGL and the d20 trademark license, written by Faustus von Goethe.
The Prometheus Gaming System: This is the start of an effort to make the SRD system into a modular game system, which unfortunately seems to be very slow in development.
PCGen: A popular character generator and maintenance program aimed at supporting any and all SRD-based roleplaying games.
Luke Jones' RPM program: "Role Playing Master" -- a reference source and helper program.
Yahoo d20-xml Group: This is a discussion group for encoding the SRD in XML.
The Free Gaming Association: The small group that has produced the Prometheus system as well as logos for use in open development. Members include Managing Director Michael Cortez along with Christina Stiles (Marketing and Communications), Tom Caudron (Systems Development), Robert Lowry (Operations and Research), and Doug Meerschaert (Public Relations).
Open Gaming License Engine: A sourceforge project.
Open Gaming Exchange: This is a project to make the SRD the basis for an entirely open network of gaming.
http://www.rpgobjects.com/bs/: Standalone toolkit for d20 space adventure.
Open Gaming Foundation: A website run by former WotC executive Ryan Dancy, through which the original draft SRD was released.
Castle Steelstone: Various D&D material including OGL contributions, notably a psionics supplement ("Craft of the Mind").
Scott Greene's Creature Collection: Converted and new monsters.
Yahoo D20 System Group: A general mailing list for discussion of the D20 system.
Yahoo D20 Modern Group: A mailing list for discussion of the D20 Modern system.
Mongoose Publishing's OGL Rulebooks: This is a series, including three "pocket book" format books much cheaper than the full core books from Wizards of the Coast.

J. Hanju Kim <hanjujkim-at-gmail-dot-com>

Last modified: Fri Mar 2 11:23:40 2012