Cite-first prep
One primary SRD link, one attribution checklist, and a Product Identity reminder—before you paste anything.
Open-rules reference desk
How to read an SRD without drowning in legalese—or inventing permissions
SRD Crate is for GMs and creators who need clean reference habits: what an SRD usually is, how attribution tends to work, and where to look for primary documents. We teach literacy. We do not invent licenses, claim partnerships, or offer legal advice.
Start with Getting Started, skim the Guides hub, or browse Resources when you need outbound references like System Reference Document.
What this desk is for
Open-rules work stalls when people confuse a public SRD with a blank check, or paste Product Identity into a homebrew doc. We write plain habits for those traps.
Prefer primary documents over anonymous mirrors. Useful public doors include 5th Edition SRD reference and publisher legal pages when they are public. Wikipedia lineage pages help with history—not with permission.
If a cite is fuzzy, stop and find the primary text. Speed-running attribution is how tables and publishers both get burned.
Guides, Glossary, and Resources go deeper. Sibling desks cover fifth-edition play and related SRD reading lists when you need table craft versus document craft.
How we write
Date your house-rule citations and which SRD revision you used. Guest GMs and co-authors should inherit a trail, not a vibe.
Marketplace blogs show publishing trends; they are not counsel. Email info@srdcrate.com for corrections to our pages; see Contact and About. We are not your lawyer.
Need a human? Email info@srdcrate.com. Also see Contact and About.
Related desks in this neighborhood
SRD sibling desks cover epics, fast reference, and extended reading—plus fifth-edition crate neighbors.