D20 System Trademark Guide

The official Wizards of the Coast d20 System Trademark Guide version 5.0

Introduction:

This d20 System Trademark Guide ("Guide") describes a set of rules for the correct use of the d20 System logo, (the "d20 System Logo") and includes the content restrictions and limitations that you agree to abide by when using the d20 System trademark.

Per the terms of the d20 System License version 6.0, ("License"), incorporated herein by reference, you agree to abide by all the terms and conditions described in this Guide.

These instructions supercede any previous instructions for the use of the Licensed Articles and determine the way in which they are to be utilized.

Licensees are entitled to display and use the d20 System Logo in accordance with these guidelines read together with the d20 System License version 6.0.

Conditions of Publication:

This document is subject to change without notice. If updated or revised, new versions of this Guide will contain a different version number.

Warning:

This document will mainly be distributed as a .rtf file. This could result in some unreadable parts/characters due to unavailable character sets on the viewing platform and/or due to limitations of the printer used.

Contact Addresses:

Wizards of the Coast. Inc.

c/o Publishing Division

Attn: Roleplaying Games Department

PO Box 707

Renton, WA 98057-0707

(425) 226-6500

www.wizards.com/d20

Rights Licensed:

This Guide provides guidelines and instructions for the use of the following copyrights and/or trademarks, which are and shall remain the sole property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

• d20 System
• The d20 System Trademark logo
• Dungeons & Dragons
• d20 Modern
• Urban Arcana
• Wizards of the Coast

By accepting the terms of the License and this Guide, you agree not to contest Wizards of the Coast's ownership of the Licensed Articles. You further agree and accept that the above enumerated Licensed Articles constitute Product Identity as that term is defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, incorporated herein by reference thereto.

The use of any other company's trademark or copyright in this Guide is not intended as a challenge to the ownership of those trademarks or copyrights.

General Definitions:

• ". pdf file": means a software file containing content using or compatible with the Portable Document Format specification created by Adobe Systems.
• "ASCII text file": means a software file containing data that consists of text characters without formatting or graphic displays.
• “Core Book” means any combination of the words “Core” and “Book”, and including synonyms of “Book” such as “Rulebook”, “Handbook”, “Rules”, “System”, “Material”, etc.
• "Covered Product": means any release of material using the d20 System License, including:
  • a box containing one or more volumes of material
  • a book or flyer
  • any collection of material marketed as a unit with a single price
  • a collection of material physically combined using packaging including shrink wrap or adhesive tape
  • a computer file or combination of computer files combined into an archive
  • a web page.
• "Interactive Game": means a piece of software that is designed to accept inputs from human players or their agents, and use rules to resolve the success or failure of those inputs, and return some indication of the results of those inputs to the users. Success and failure includes any determination wherein one outcome is preferable to another. This includes the random determination of hit points, ability scores, and the like.
• “Miniature”: Means a three-dimensional sculpture of a figure or creature, composed of plastic, metal, resin, stone, rubber, or fiberglass or similar material. Paper representations of figures or creatures are not considered “miniatures” under this definition.
• "Open Game Content": refers to material designated as Open Game Content as defined in the Open Game License.
• "Open Game License": refers to the Open Game License, version 1.0a.
• "Product Identity": refers to material designated as Product Identity as defined in the Open Game License.
• "Web Site": means the data transmitted from one computer to another using the HyperText Transport Protocol (HTTP) or variations of that protocol for the purpose of displaying multimedia content, and the various software files used to create that display.
• "Web Page": means the output of a web server when displayed on a web browser in response for a specifically requested Uniform Resource Locator (URL).

Throughout this document the terms D&D and Dungeons & Dragons refer to both the original third edition (v.3.0) and the revised third edition (v.3.5) of the Dungeons & Dragons game unless a version number is specified.

Defined Game Terms: If a definition is specific to one game it will be indicated in brackets after the term.

• ability check: A check of 1d20 + the appropriate ability modifier vs. a DC.
• ability modifier: The bonus or penalty associated with a particular ability score.
• alignment: One of the nine descriptors of morality and ethics: lawful good (LG), neutral good (NG), chaotic good (CG), lawful neutral (LN), neutral (N), chaotic neutral (CN), lawful evil (LE), neutral evil (NE), and chaotic evil (CE).
• Armor Class (AC) [D&D]: A number representing a creature’s ability to avoid being hit in combat. An opponent’s attack roll must equal or exceed the target creature’s Armor Class to hit it.
• attack of opportunity: A single extra melee attack per round that a combatant can make when an opponent within reach takes an action that provokes attacks of opportunity.
• blinded [D&D v.3.0]: Unable to see. A blinded character suffers a 50% miss chance in combat, loses any Dexterity bonus to AC, moves at half speed, and suffers a ‑4 penalty on Search checks and on most Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks. Any skill check that relies on vision automatically fails. Opponents of a blinded character gain a +2 bonus to their attack rolls, since they are effectively invisible.
• blinded [D&D v.3.5]: Unable to see. A blinded character takes a –2 penalty to Armor Class, loses his or her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any), moves at half speed, and takes a –4 penalty on Search checks and on most Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks. All checks and activities that rely on vision (such as reading and Spot checks) automatically fail. All opponents are considered to have total concealment (50% miss chance) relative to the blinded character.
• blinded [d20 Modern]: The character can’t see at all, and thus everything has total concealment to the character. The character has a 50% chance to miss in combat. Furthermore, a blinded character has an effective Dexterity of 3, along with a –4 penalty on the use of Strength-based and Dexterity-based skills. This –4 penalty also applies to Search checks and any other skill checks for which sight is important. The character cannot make Spot checks or perform any other activity (such as reading) that requires vision.
• charisma (Cha): An ability. Charisma measures a character’s force of personality, persuasiveness, personal magnetism, ability to lead, and physical attractiveness. It represents actual personal strength, not merely how one is perceived by others in a social setting.
• chaotic evil: A chaotic evil character does whatever his greed, hatred, and lust for destruction drive him to do. He is hot-tempered, vicious, arbitrarily violent, and unpredictable.
• chaotic good: A chaotic good character acts as his conscience directs him with little regard for what others expect of him. He makes his own way, but he’s kind and benevolent.
• chaotic neutral: A chaotic neutral character follows his whims. He is an individualist first and last.
• constitution (Con): An ability. Constitution represents a character’s health and stamina.
• cowering: The character is frozen in fear, loses any Dexterity bonus, and can take no actions. In addition, the character takes a –2 penalty to Defense.
• dazed: Unable to act normally. A dazed character can take no actions, but can defend against attacks normally.
• dazzled: Unable to see well because of over stimulation of the eyes. A dazzled creature suffers a –1 penalty on attack rolls until the effect ends.
• DC: Difficulty Class.
• deafened: Unable to hear. A deafened character suffers a –4 penalty to initiative, automatically fails Listen checks, and has a 20% chance of spell failure when casting spells with verbal components.
• Defense [d20 Modern]: A number representing a creature’s ability to avoid being hit in combat. An opponent’s attack roll must equal or exceed the target creature’s Defense to hit it
• dexterity (Dex): An ability. Dexterity measures hand-eye coordination, agility, reflexes, and balance.
• Difficulty Class (DC): The target number that a player must meet or beat for a check or saving throw to succeed.
• entangled: Entanglement impedes movement, but does not entirely prevent it unless the bonds are anchored to an immobile object or tethered by an opposing force. An entangled creature moves at half speed, cannot run or charge, and suffers a –2 penalty to attack rolls and a –4 penalty to its effective Dexterity score. An entangled character who attempts to cast a spell must make a Concentration check (DC 15 + the spell’s level) or lose the spell.
• exhausted: Tired to the point of significant impairment. A fatigued character becomes exhausted by doing something else that would normally cause fatigue. An exhausted character moves at half normal speed and suffers an effective ability decrease of –6 to both Strength and Dexterity. After 1 hour of complete rest, an exhausted character becomes fatigued.
• extraordinary ability (Ex): A nonmagical special ability (as opposed to a spell-like or supernatural ability).
• fatigued: Tired to the point of impairment. A fatigued character can neither run nor charge and suffers an effective ability decrease of –2 to both Strength and Dexterity. After 8 hours of complete rest, fatigued characters are back to normal.
• flat-footed: Especially vulnerable to attacks at the beginning of a battle. Characters are flat-footed until their first turns in the initiative cycle. Flat-footed creatures cannot use their Dexterity bonuses to AC/Defense or make attacks of opportunity.
• Fortitude save: A type of saving throw, related to a character’s ability to withstand damage thanks to his physical stamina.
• frightened: Fearful of a creature, situation, or object. Frightened creatures flee from the source of their fear as best they can. If unable to flee, they may fight, but suffer a –2 morale penalty to all their attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and saving throws.
• helpless: Paralyzed, held, bound, sleeping, unconscious, or otherwise completely at an opponent’s mercy. A helpless target is treated as having a Dexterity of 0 (–5 modifier). Melee attacks against a helpless target get a +4 bonus. An attacker can use a coup de grace against a helpless target.
• hit points (hp): A measure of character health or object integrity. Damage decreases current hit points, and lost hit points return with healing or natural recovery. A character’s hit point total increases permanently with additional experience and/or permanent increases in Constitution, or temporarily through the use of various special abilities, spells, magic items, or magical effects (see temporary hit points and effective hit point increase).
• hp: Hit points.
• incorporeal: Having no physical body. Incorporeal creatures are immune to all nonmagical attack forms. They can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, +1 or better magical weapons, spells, spell-like effects, or supernatural effects. Even when struck by spells, magical effects, or magic weapons, however, they have a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source. In addition, rogues cannot employ sneak attacks against incorporeal beings, since such opponents have no vital areas to target. An incorporeal creature has no natural armor bonus, but does have a deflection bonus equal to its Charisma modifier or +1, whichever is greater. Such creatures can pass through solid objects at will, but not through force effects. Therefore, their attacks negate the bonuses provided by natural armor, armor, and shields, but deflection bonuses and force effects (such as mage armor) work normally against them. Incorporeal creatures move silently, so they cannot be heard with Listen checks unless they wish it.
• intelligence (Int): An ability. Intelligence determines how well a character learns and reasons.
• lawful evil: A lawful evil villain methodically takes what he wants within the limits of his code of conduct without regard to whom it hurts.
• lawful good: A lawful good character acts as a good person is expected or required to act.
• lawful neutral: A lawful neutral character acts as law, tradition, or a personal code directs her. Order and organization are paramount to her.
• masterwork: Exceptionally well-made, generally adding +1 to attack rolls (if the item is a weapon), reducing the armor check penalty by 1 (if the item is armor), or adding +2 to relevant skill checks (if the item is a tool). A masterwork weapon’s bonus to attack rolls does not stack with enhancement bonuses.
• melee attack roll: 1d20 + base attack bonus + Strength modifier + size modifier. The attack hits if the result is at least as high as the target’s Armor Class/Defense.
• natural ability: A nonmagical capability, such as walking, swimming (for aquatic creatures), and flight (for winged creatures).
• nauseated: Experiencing stomach distress. Nauseated creatures are unable to attack, cast spells, concentrate on spells, or do anything else requiring attention. The only action such a character can take is a single move (or move-equivalent action) per turn.
• neutral: A neutral character does what seems to be a good idea. She doesn’t feel strongly one way or the other when it comes to good vs. evil or law vs. chaos. Most neutrality is a lack of conviction or bias rather than a commitment to neutrality. Some neutral characters, on the other hand, commit themselves philosophically to neutrality. They see good, evil, law, and chaos as prejudices and dangerous extremes. They advocate the middle way of neutrality as the best, most balanced road in the long run.
• neutral evil: A neutral evil villain does whatever she can get away with.
• neutral good: A neutral good character does the best that a good person can do.
• nonintelligent: Lacking an Intelligence score. Mind-affecting spells do not affect nonintelligent creatures.
• nonlethal damage [D&D v.3.5]: Damage typically resulting from an unarmed attack, an armed attack delivered with intent to subdue, a forced march, or a debilitating condition such as heat or starvation.
• panicked [D&D]: A panicked creature must drop anything it holds and flee at top speed from the source of its fear, as well as any other dangers it encounters, along a random path. In addition, the creature suffers a –2 morale penalty on saving throws. If cornered, a panicked creature cowers and does not attack, typically using the total defense action in combat.
• panicked [d20 Modern]: A panicked character flees as fast as possible and cowers (see Cowering) if unable to get away. The character defends normally but cannot attack.
• paralyzed: Unable to move or act physically. Paralyzed characters have effective Dexterity and Strength scores of 0 and are helpless.
• petrified: Turned to stone. Petrified characters are considered unconscious. If a petrified character cracks or breaks, but the broken pieces are joined with the body as it returns to flesh, the character is unharmed. Otherwise, there is some amount of permanent hit point loss and/or debilitation.
• prone [D&D]: Lying on the ground. An attacker who is prone has a –4 penalty to melee attack rolls and cannot use a ranged weapon (except for a crossbow). Melee attacks against a prone defender have a +4 bonus, and ranged attacks against a prone character have a –4 penalty.
• prone [d20 Modern]: An attacker who is prone (lying on the ground) takes a –4 penalty on melee attack rolls and can’t use bows or thrown ranged weapons. The character gains a +4 bonus to Defense against ranged attacks, but takes a –4 penalty to Defense against melee attacks.
• ranged attack roll: 1d20 + base attack bonus + Dexterity modifier + size modifier + range penalty. The attack hits if the result is at least as high as the target’s Armor Class/Defense.
• Reflex save: A type of saving throw, related to a character’s ability to withstand damage thanks to his agility or quick reactions.
• saving throw (save): A roll made to avoid (at least partially) damage or harm.
• shaken: Mildly fearful. A shaken character takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
• skill: an ability or area of knowledge or expertise which can be improved over time.
• Sickened: Mildly ill. A sickened character takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
• spell-like ability (Sp): A special ability with effects that resemble those of a spell. In most cases, a spell-like ability works just like the spell of the same name.
• stable: Unconscious and having a current hit point total between –1 and –9, but not dying. A dying character who is stable regains no hit points, but stops losing them at a rate of 1 per round.
• staggered [D&D v.3.5]: Having nonlethal damage exactly equal to current hit points. A staggered character may take a single move action or standard action each round (but not both, nor can she take fullround actions).
• staggered [D&D v.3.0]: Having subdual damage equal to current hit points. Staggered characters can only take partial actions. Characters are no longer staggered once their current hit points exceed their subdual damage.
• strength (Str): Strength measures a character’s muscle and physical power.
• stunned [D&D v.3.0]: A stunned creature can’t take actions and loses any positive Dexterity modifier to AC. Each attacker gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against that creature. In addition, stunned characters immediately drop anything they are holding.
• stunned [D&D v.3.5, d20 Modern]: A stunned creature drops everything held, can’t take actions, takes a –2 penalty to AC/Defense, and loses his Dexterity bonus to AC/Defense (if any).
• subdual damage [D&D v.3.0]: Nonlethal damage typically resulting from an unarmed attack, an armed attack delivered with intent to subdue, a forced march, or a debilitating condition such as heat or starvation.
• supernatural ability (Su): A magical power that produces a particular effect, as opposed to a natural, extraordinary, or spell-like ability. Using a supernatural ability generally does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Supernatural abilities are not subject to dispelling, disruption, or spell resistance. However, they do not function in areas where magic is suppressed or negated, such as inside an antimagic field.
• take 10: To reduce the chances of failure on certain skill checks by assuming an average die roll result (10 on a 1d20 roll).
• take 20: To greatly reduce the chances of failure for certain skill checks by assuming that a character makes sufficient retries to obtain the maximum possible check result (as if a 20 were rolled on 1d20).
• Will save: A type of saving throw, related to a character’s ability to withstand damage thanks to his mental toughness.
• wisdom (Wis): Wisdom describes a character’s willpower, common sense, perception, and intuition.

Definition of Character Creation:

Character creation means the process of generating and assigning initial scores to abilities, selecting a race, selecting a starting class, assigning initial skill points, selecting initial feats, selecting initial talents, selecting an occupation, and picking an initial alignment. You may, at your option, refer readers to the section on Character Creation in the Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook or d20 Modern Roleplaying Game, including references to any of the named steps in the process for character creation. Character creation does not include creating or modifying the description of a race, a class, a skill, a talent or a feat.

You may indicate that a player should use a race, class, ability, etc., presented in a Covered Product in addition to, or exclusive of, those presented in the Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook or d20 Modern Roleplaying Game. In no way should this paragraph be construed to allow you to present the process for creating a character as defined in the previous paragraph.

Definition of Applying the effects of Experience to a Character:

Applying the effects of Experience to a Character means the process for comparing the accumulated experience point total of a character to a chart to determine if the character's level should be incremented. If the experience level of a character exceeds threshold values as defined by the chart, the character is modified in a specified fashion.

Specifically, Applying the effects of Experience to a Character means incrementing the character level of a character by incrementing a class level by one rank, or by adding a new class at first level, and describing how to allocate new skill points, select new feats, select new talents, or gain new class-level linked abilities.

Applying the effects of Experience to a Character does not include creating or modifying an experience point chart or defining a new class (including describing what benefits that class provides at each level).

Quality Standards

In determining whether a product complies with community standards of decency, Wizards of the Coast uses, but is not limited to the following. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Wizards of the Coast reserves the right to determine, in its sole discretion, whether a product complies with community standards of decency.

Violence and Gore – Descriptions of combat are acceptable in a Covered Product. However art or text depicting excessively graphic violence or gore is not acceptable.

Sexual Themes - Sexual situations—including abuse and pornography—may not appear graphically in art or text. When depicting the human form—or creatures possessing humaniform features—gratuitous nudity, the depiction of genitalia, bare female nipples, and sexual or bathroom activity is not acceptable. While sensuality and sexuality may appear in a Covered Product, it must not be the focus nor can it be salacious in nature.

Prejudice - Covered Products can not depict existing real-world minorities, nationalities, social castes, religious groups, genders, lifestyle preferences, or people with disabilities as a group inferior to any other group. Current, real-world religions and religious groups and/or practices will not be portrayed in any way that promotes disrespect for these religions or their participants. A Covered Product can not endorse or promote any specific religion or religious practice.

Mandatory Restrictions:

No Covered Product may contain rules or instructions of any kind that:

• Describe a process for Creating a Character
• Describe a process for Applying the Effects of Experience to a Character

No Covered Product may change or extend the definition of any Defined Game Term as enumerated in this Guide.

No Covered Product may include “Miniatures.”

No Covered Product may use the term “Core Book” on its cover, title, advertising, or self-reference.

No Covered Product may be an "Interactive Game" as defined in this Guide.

Mandatory Requirements:

All Covered Products must comply with Quality Standards as described above and in the d20 System License.

A minimum of 5% of the text (word count or letter count) of a Covered Product must be Open Game Content and must comply with the terms of the Open Game License version 1.0a.

All Covered Products must display the d20 System Logo, or in the specific case of an ASCII text file, include the words “A d20 System Licensed Product.”

All Covered Products must include the following text block:

'd20 System' and the 'd20 System' logo are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and are used according to the terms of the d20 System License version 6.0. A copy of this License can be found at www.wizards.com/d20.

Permission is granted to translate this text into a non-English language, provided that the English text is also included, and that the translated text is identified as non-official.

Trademark Use in Marketing:

Permission is granted to use the d20 System Logo for the purposes of marketing a Covered Product.

When doing so, the marketing content must include the following text:

'd20 System' and the d20 System logo are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. in the United States and other countries and are used with permission.

You may also use the text described in the "Mandatory Trademark Use" section in your marketing materials, provided that you also include the appropriate trademark ownership statement provided in that section as well.

Permission is granted to translate this text into a non-English language, provided that the English text is also included, and that the translated text is identified as non-official.

Mandatory Trademark Use:

You must include, on the cover or back cover (or title page of works without covers) of the Covered Product, one or more of the following text blocks:

"Requires the use of the Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook, Third Edition, published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.”

or

“Requires the use of the Dungeons & Dragons, Third Edition Core Books, published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.”

You may also list Psionics Handbook and/or Epic Level Handbook after Third Edition Core Books in the above text block.

or

“Requires the use of the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game, published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.”

or

“Requires the use of the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game and the Urban Arcana Campaign Setting, published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.”

or

“Requires the use of a Roleplaying Game Core Book published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.”

If you incorporate material from the revised Dungeons & Dragons game (v.3.5) you may use this text block along with one of the above text blocks on the cover, back cover, or title page of the Covered Product:

“This product utilizes updated material from the v.3.5 revision.”

Elsewhere in the work you must include the following legal text block:

"Wizards of the Coast is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. in the United States and other countries and is used with permission."

If you use any required notice that contains any of the following trademarks: Dungeons & Dragons, Player's Handbook, d20 Modern, Psionics Handbook or Urban Arcana, you must list them prior to “Wizards of the Coast in the above notice.

Example:

“d20 Modern, Dungeons & Dragons, and Wizards of the Coast are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. in the United States and other countries and are used with permission.”

Permission is granted to translate this text into a non-English language, provided that the English text is also included, and that the translated text is identified as non-official.

Text Block Usage Requirements

All text blocks required by this Guide must be a reasonably legible font and color. Text blocks used in a Covered Product must be the same font, color, and size as the surrounding text. Text blocks used on the front or back cover, or title page must be no smaller than 10-point and no larger than 12-point.

d20 System Trademark Logo Usage Requirements:

You may not alter the color, typography or design of the d20 System Logo, nor stretch or distort the dimensions. You may not allow any part of the Logo to be overprinted by another graphic. The d20 System Logo must be reproduced at least once at a size no smaller than one-half inch in height. Additional reproductions of the d20 System Logo may be smaller than one-half inch in height.

Citations of other Wizards of the Coast products in Covered Works:

You may refer to the Player’s Handbook by title or as the PHB. You may refer to the Dungeon Master’s Guide only as the DMG and the Monster Manual only as the MM. You may refer to the Psionics Handbook only by title. You may refer to the Epic Level Handbook by title or as the ELH. You may refer to the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game only by title. You must not cite page number references, because pagination may change in future printings. You may cite chapter, heading, and subheading titles from the PHB, the DMG, the MM, the Psionics Handbook, the Epic Level Handbook, or the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game. If it is necessary to distinguish between versions you may place “v.3.0” or “v.3.5” after the product’s title or abbreviation.

Example:

“See DMG v.3.5, Chapter 8, Special Abilities, Charm and Compulsion for more information.”

At this time, you may not make reference to any other Wizards of the Coast products.

References to the Game System

A Covered Product may refer to the general game as a "d20 System™ game". This may be prefaced with "modern" or "fantasy" if further differentiation is necessary.

Example:

“This product provides additional combat rules for your fantasy d20 System game.”

Restricted Trademark Use:

Except as specifically required or permitted by this Guide you may not use Dungeons & Dragons, d20 Modern, Urban Arcana, d20 System, Player’s Handbook, Wizards of the Coast, or any other Wizards of the Coast trademark in a Covered Product, in its advertising, or in any marketing in support of the Covered Product, or in any other use in conjunction with a Covered Product.

External links

• d20 System Trademark FAQ