This concept has been bouncing around in my head for nearly 10 yrs, since shortly after 5E was released. It is powered from a simple, yet compelling concept;
What if you play D&D with only the materials provided for FREE by Wizards of the Coast?
I know the first question most people are going to ask is, Why?
There are many Socio-Economic reasons why this may be a reality for any number of people out there;
- This hobby is not cheap. While I definitely think Wizards of the Coast (WotC) makes a number of fine, fairly priced products, and I encourage the purchase of many of them to meet your needs. I also recognize that many, ranging from young people who aren't yet in control of their financial destiny, to those who struggle to provide for themselves and those around them, will not be able to purchase the many products put out by WotC.
- Some fans and players may live in parts of the world where a fairly priced product becomes unattainable due to factors beyond their control. Logistic costs, tariffs, copyright, and even internet access could hinder some peoples access to the Intellectual Property which drives this game.
- Others may just like the simplicity of the minimalistic restriction, a way to avoid the book bloat that often accompanies each edition.
Just to be clear, I think you should pay what is asked and fair for what you make use of. Stealing is generally bad, and before you make use of a seemingly free material, please make an informed decision about the legalities wherever you hail from. In short, just because you found it on the internet doesn't mean its Free of being distributed legally.
Long story short, I am proud to announce the Free &D Homepage!
In the sort term, I will be reviewing the Playtest Materials as they are released, with an eye for how they serve to shape Game governed by Free. In the Long term, I plan to launch a specific YouTube channel on this subject, and hope to publish Pay What you Want materials in this vein of thought.
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