D20 System Trademark License

The d20 System Trademark License (STL or d20 STL) is the now-defunct license that allowed third-party publishers to use the d20 System name and logo in their d20-derivative works and to state that these works required the use of the Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook by Wizards of the Coast. The STL is associated with, but is legally distinct from, the Open Game License (OGL). The d20 System Trademark Guide provides further information on the (now historical) use of the STL.

The STL includes several stipulations regarding content that cannot be included in STL-compliant works. Notably, such works cannot include rules for generating ability scores during character creation or for character advancement via experience points; over time, these restrictions forced a growing number of publishers to simply abandon the STL in favor of advertising that their works were instead compliant with the OGL or compatible with the System Reference Document. The STL was eventually further revised to forbid the inclusion of "adult" content, principally as a reaction to the then-incipient publication of the Book of Erotic Fantasy.

The d20 STL has long since been rescinded by Wizards of the Coast, and thus new works cannot make use of the d20 System name or logo, nor can they refer to Dungeons & Dragons in any context. However, the OGL remains intact, and OGL-compliant products derived from the d20 SRD can still be published. Some time after the released of the 5th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons, Wizards created the Dungeon Masters Guild program to allow third-party publishers to release their books directly under the D&D name in exchange for granting Wizards a substantial cut of all revenues.

d20 System Trademark License
The D20 System Trademark License version 6.0

By downloading the enclosed graphic files and/or by returning the Confirmation Card as presented in the file "card.pdf," the Licensee ("You") accept to be bound by the following terms and conditions:

1. Copyright & Trademark

Wizards of the Coast, Inc. retains title and ownership of the d20 System trademark logos, the d20 System trademark, and all other copyrights and trademarks claimed by Wizards of the Coast in The Official Wizards of the Coast d20 System Trademark Guide found at www.wizards.com/d20 (the “d20 System Guide”), incorporated here by reference.

2. License to use

You are hereby granted the non-transferable, non-exclusive, non-sublicensable, royalty-free license to use the d20 System trademark logos, the d20 System trademark, and certain other trademarks and copyrights owned by Wizards of the Coast (the "Licensed Articles") in accordance with the conditions specified in the current version of this License and the d20 System Guide.

3. Agreement not to Contest

By making use of and/or distributing material using the d20 System trademark under the terms of this License, You agree not to contest the ownership of the Licensed Articles.

4. Quality Standards

The nature of all material You use or distribute that incorporates the Licensed Articles must comply with all applicable laws and regulations, as well as community standards of decency, as further described in the d20 System Guide. You must use Your best efforts to preserve the high standard and goodwill of the Licensed Trademarks. In order to assure the foregoing standard and quality requirements, Wizards of the Coast shall have the right, upon notice to You, to review and inspect all material released by You that uses the Licensed Articles. You shall fully cooperate with Wizards of the Coast to facilitate such review and inspection, including timely provision of copies of all such materials to Wizards of the Coast. Wizards of the Coast may terminate this License immediately upon attempted notice to you if it deems, in its sole discretion, that your use of the Licensed Articles does not meet the above standards.

5. Termination for Breach

In the event that You fail to comply with the terms of this License or the d20 System Guide, You will be considered to be in breach of this License. Wizards of the Coast will attempt to notify you in writing by sending a letter to the address listed on the most recent Confirmation Card on file, if any. Except as otherwise specified herein, you will have 30 days from the date of the notice (the "cure period") to cure the breach to the satisfaction of Wizards of the Coast. If no Confirmation Card is on file, you will be considered to be in breach of this License immediately. If, at the end of the cure period, the breach is not cured, Wizards of the Coast may terminate this License without further written notice to You.

6.  Effects of Termination

Upon termination, You shall immediately stop all use of the Licensed Articles and will destroy any inventory or marketing material in Your possession bearing the d20 System trademark logos. You will remove any use of the d20 System trademark logos from your advertising, web site, letterhead, or any other use. You must instruct any company or individual that You are or become aware of who is in possession of any materials distributed by You bearing the d20 System trademark logos to destroy those materials. You will solely bear any costs related to carrying out this term of the License.

In Wizards sold discretion, Wizards may allow You to continue to use the License for Licensed Articles which otherwise comply with the terms of the License.

7. Penalty for Failure to Comply with Termination Instructions

If You fail to comply with the Effects of Termination, Wizards of the Coast may, at its option, pursue litigation, for which You shall be responsible for all legal costs, against You to the full extent of the law for breach of contract, copyright and trademark infringement, damages and any other remedy available.

8. Updates

Wizards of the Coast may issue updates and/or new releases of the d20 System trademark logos without prior notice. You will, at the earliest possible opportunity, update all material distributed by You to use the updated and/or new version of the d20 System trademark logos. You may continue to distribute any pre-existing material that bears an older version of the d20 System trademark logo.

9. Changes to Terms of the License

Wizards of the Coast may issue updates and/or revisions to this License without prior notice. You will conform in all respects to the updated or revised terms of this License. Subsequent versions of this License will bear a different version number.

10. Updates of Licensee information

You may transmit an updated version of the "card.pdf" Confirmation Card at any time to Wizards of the Coast.

11. Notices to Licensor:


 * Wizards of the Coast
 * c/o Publishing Division
 * Attn: Roleplaying Games Department
 * PO Box 707
 * Renton, WA 98057-0707

12. No maintenance or support

Wizards of the Coast shall have no obligation whatsoever to provide You with any kind of maintenance or support in relation to the d20 System trademark logos.

13. No Warranty / Disclaimer

THE D20 SYSTEM TRADEMARK LOGO FILES ARE MADE AVAILABLE ON AN "AS IS" BASIS. WIZARDS OF THE COAST DOES NOT MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, USE OR MERCHANTABILITY. WIZARDS OF THE COAST MAKES NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY THAT THE D20 SYSTEM TRADEMARK LOGO FILES ARE ERROR-FREE.