With the release of the new D&D Core Rulebooks, Wizards of the Coast has published the System Reference Document 5.2 (SRD 5.2). The SRD 5.2 provides materials that creators can use to publish D&D 2024 compatible content. It was released on April 22, 2025, under the Creative Commons license. We've put together some FAQ below to help you understand how to create within the parameters of the latest version of the SRD.
What is the D&D SRD?
The SRD contains the base game rules for Dungeons & Dragons, with some exclusions. It is used by third-party creators and publishers to sell content using the D&D ruleset without requiring further licensing agreements with Wizards of the Coast.
Only the content within the SRD may be utilized in commercial products. If content is official Wizards IP but not provided in the SRD, it may not be used.
For example, Beholders and other iconic D&D monsters are part of Wizards’ official IP, but they are not included in the SRD license. By default you can’t use them in your product. If you want to include Beholders or other classic D&D settings and content, you can publish under the DMsGuild license instead.
What's Changing from SRD 5.1 to SRD 5.2?
SRD 5.2 makes it easy for creators to update their content written for the 2014 rules under Open Gaming License, Version 1.0a, to the 2024 rules under the new SRD 5.2 using the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (“CC-BY-4.0”).
Wizards will be publishing a “Conversion Guide” to assist third-party publishers in updating/balancing their creations for the new ruleset. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
Here’s some guidance from Wizards on when to use SRD 5.1, SRD.2 and when to license Wizards’ intellectual property through DMsGuild.
SRD 5.2 and the Errata Process
SRD 5.2 will be regularly updated to incorporate the latest errata for the new core rules.
When errata is released for rules within SRD 5.2, the SRD will later reflect these changes, and its version number will be updated (e.g., SRD 5.2.1, 5.2.2, etc.). All future versions of the SRD will be released exclusively under Creative Commons (CC-BY-4.0) for consistency and broader compatibility.
What’s the difference between publishing on DMsGuild, DTRPG, and Roll20?
The SRD license only lets you use a subset of rules and mechanics. You can’t reference many of the established D&D worlds, creatures, or characters, and you’re fully responsible for managing your own publishing rights. The marketplace on DriveThruRPG and Roll20 are great options to list these creations. DriveThruRPG allows you to sell your creations as PDFs, print-on-demand titles, or as Roll20 VTT products while Roll20’s marketplace focuses only on products for the VTT.
However, DMsGuild is the best place to publish settings guides, adventures, subclasses, maps, and other tools that include Wizards IP. That means you can write adventures set in iconic locations like Barovia, use classic monsters like Beholders, or build stories around named characters and lore from official D&D books. You can sell your DMsGuild creations as PDFs, print-on-demand titles, or as Roll20 VTT products. You get to create directly in the D&D multiverse, and we handle the licensing and royalties with Wizards. You can even set up royalty sharing with multiple contributors to your content. Simple as that.
What is the difference between the Free Rules and SRD 5.2?
Although you will find overlap between the existing Free Rules (2024) and SRD 5.2, only SRD 5.2 is being released under a Creative Commons license.
The Free Rules currently listed on our compendium, character builder, and sheets cannot be used in commercial content creation.
What Is Creative Commons?
Creative Commons (CC) is a nonprofit licensing framework that allows creators to share their work freely while retaining certain rights. Publishing the core game mechanics of Dungeons & Dragons under a Creative Commons license provides a legally binding promise that essential parts of D&D will remain free to use, remix, and build upon, in perpetuity.
Start Publishing Today
The 2024 D&D core rules are now part of the SRD 5.2 under a Creative Commons license — meaning anyone can create and publish compatible content, freely and forever. There's never been a better time to start building your own adventures, rulebooks, or supplements!
