System Reference Document
Encyclopedia
The System Reference Document, or SRD, is a set of reference role playing game mechanics licensed under the Open Game License by Wizards of the Coast
(or WotC) and based upon their Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game
. The SRD forms the basis of WotC's various d20 System
role-playing games, including the d20 System itself, d20 Modern
and d20 Future
. The SRD is also the basis for role-playing games published by companies other than WotC; these include Mutants & Masterminds, Arcana Evolved, Labyrinth Lord
, and OSRIC
, among others. Some other game systems (such as FATE) have also released their own mechanics under OGL-licensed "System Reference Documents" of their own; however, this article discusses specifically the d20 System SRD.
documents. It is also available from a variety of other sources which provide alternate formats and/or additional OGL material (see References).
A 4th Edition SRD is available as well.
names, there's no mention of Greyhawk
or other copyrighted works by WotC. There are also no rules for character creation, for advancing characters in level, calculating experience, or anything else related to the topics forbidden by the d20 System License. Certain monsters - most notably Illithid
s (Mind Flayers) and Beholder
s - were also left out of the SRD.
Characters are further customized with skills (such as "climb" and "diplomacy") and feats (such as "two-weapon fighting" and "diehard"). Certain classes also gain the ability to manipulate magical spells or psionic (mental) powers.
The referee (called a "dungeon master") is presented with mechanics for resolving character actions and combat, as well as a large list of "monsters" (which generally means any creature, sapient or otherwise, which is of a race other than those available to player characters, although, creatures of these 'civilized' races often make the most formidable and challenging 'monsters') and treasures with which to reward the players.
game is difficult (e.g. Mutants & Masterminds).
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
(or WotC) and based upon their Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
. The SRD forms the basis of WotC's various d20 System
D20 System
The d20 System is a role-playing game system published in 2000 by Wizards of the Coast originally developed for the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons...
role-playing games, including the d20 System itself, d20 Modern
D20 Modern
d20 Modern is a roleplaying game designed by Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, and Charles Ryan. It was published by Wizards of the Coast in November 2002, and uses the d20 System...
and d20 Future
D20 Future
d20 Future is an accessory for the d20 Modern role-playing game written by Christopher Perkins, Rodney Thompson, and JD Wiker. It facilitates the playing of campaigns in the far future, using elements such as cybernetics, mecha, mutations, robotics, space travel, starships, and xenobiology...
. The SRD is also the basis for role-playing games published by companies other than WotC; these include Mutants & Masterminds, Arcana Evolved, Labyrinth Lord
Labyrinth Lord
Labyrinth Lord is a fantasy role-playing game written and edited by Daniel Proctor and published by Goblinoid Games. It emulates the rules and feel of classic era Dungeons & Dragons using the Open Game License from Wizards of the Coast...
, and OSRIC
OSRIC
OSRIC, short for Old School Reference and Index Compilation, describes itself as "a compilation of rules for old school-style fantasy gaming...intended to reproduce underlying rules used in the late 1970s to early 1980s" . It is a role-playing game...
, among others. Some other game systems (such as FATE) have also released their own mechanics under OGL-licensed "System Reference Documents" of their own; however, this article discusses specifically the d20 System SRD.
Formats
The SRD is freely available from the WotC website as a series of Rich Text FormatRich Text Format
The Rich Text Format is a proprietary document file format with published specification developed by Microsoft Corporation since 1987 for Microsoft products and for cross-platform document interchange....
documents. It is also available from a variety of other sources which provide alternate formats and/or additional OGL material (see References).
A 4th Edition SRD is available as well.
Scope
The SRD specifies the skeleton rules and mechanics—including races, classes, feats, skills, spells, magic items and monsters—compatible with the d20 System version of Dungeons & Dragons editions 3.0 - 3.5 (the 4th edition represents a substantial revision) and various other roleplaying games from Wizards of the Coast. It is continually updated to comply with errata issued by WotC. Compared to the published source books for the Dungeons and Dragons game, the SRD provides the same basic rules but lacks "flavour" elements. There are no named gods, none of the spells have significant NPCNon-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
names, there's no mention of Greyhawk
Greyhawk
Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
or other copyrighted works by WotC. There are also no rules for character creation, for advancing characters in level, calculating experience, or anything else related to the topics forbidden by the d20 System License. Certain monsters - most notably Illithid
Illithid
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, illithids are monstrous humanoid aberrations with psionic powers. In a typical Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting, they live in the moist caverns and cities of the enormous Underdark...
s (Mind Flayers) and Beholder
Beholder
The beholder is a fictional monster in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It resembles a floating orb of flesh with a large mouth, single central eye, and lots of smaller eyestalks on top with deadly magical powers....
s - were also left out of the SRD.
Absence of Greyhawk references
As mentioned above, a spell such as "Mordenkainen's Sword" becomes "Mage's Sword" in the SRD due to the omission of D&D's default setting which is a simplified version of the Greyhawk campaign setting. Greyhawk's rich history also provides many of the magic items, artifacts and flavour of the core rules, and each of those have either been left out of the SRD or changed to more generic names. This was done as the proper names of the items are the intellectual property of Wizards of the Coast. If they had been published within the SRD (or later the RSRD for D&D3.5), then they would have become part of the Open Gaming Content that any company could use, subject to the terms of the Open Gaming License.Overview of the system
The SRD presents a class-based game system, which is to say that it presents a set of mechanics for describing archetypical characters. A player may select such fantasy standards as the "fighter" or "wizard" and then customize their character as needed. It also presents a level-based game system, which is to say that characters progress by increasing their archetypical class's "level", gaining new abilities as they do so.Characters are further customized with skills (such as "climb" and "diplomacy") and feats (such as "two-weapon fighting" and "diehard"). Certain classes also gain the ability to manipulate magical spells or psionic (mental) powers.
The referee (called a "dungeon master") is presented with mechanics for resolving character actions and combat, as well as a large list of "monsters" (which generally means any creature, sapient or otherwise, which is of a race other than those available to player characters, although, creatures of these 'civilized' races often make the most formidable and challenging 'monsters') and treasures with which to reward the players.
Genre
While the SRD presents a distinctly fantasy-themed set of rules, the mechanics which it outlines were designed to be adaptable to nearly any genre. However, there are limitations. Because of the focus on classes, adapting the system to highly variable settings such as a superheroSuperhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
game is difficult (e.g. Mutants & Masterminds).