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D&D and RPG Content Publishing Guide

11 min read

A comprehensive resource for dungeon masters and RPG creators looking to publish content commercially. Covers marketplaces, licensing options, legal restrictions, revenue models, and strategic recommendations.

Platform Comparison

Overview Table

PlatformRevenue SplitIP ControlContent AllowedBest ForPrint Options
DMs Guild50% to creatorWotC owns contentD&D 5e only, approved settingsUsing WotC IP (Forgotten Realms, etc.)Via DriveThruRPG
DriveThruRPG65% to creator (70% exclusive)Full creator ownershipAny RPG systemOriginal content, IP controlYes (POD)
itch.io0-10% to platform (your choice)Full creator ownershipAny contentExperimental, indie, PWYWPhysical games supported
Kickstarter~5% fees + payment processingFull creator ownershipAny contentPre-funding large projectsYou arrange
Patreon5-12% to platformFull creator ownershipOngoing contentRecurring subscription incomeYou arrange

DMs Guild

What It Is: Official partnership between Wizards of the Coast and OneBookShelf for D&D 5e community content.

Allowed Content:

  • Adventures set in approved settings (Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, Ravnica, Theros, Arcavios/Strixhaven, Spelljammer, Dragonlance)
  • Setting-neutral adventures and supplements
  • Subclasses, monsters, magic items, spells
  • Access to restricted monsters (beholders, mind flayers, displacer beasts) and NPCs

Restrictions:

  • D&D 5th Edition only
  • No homebrew settings
  • No other editions or systems
  • Content becomes WotC property
  • Cannot republish elsewhere, even if removed
  • PG-rated content only

Revenue:

  • 50% royalty on all sales
  • Paid directly to creator account
  • Lower than DriveThruRPG but access to larger D&D-specific audience

Best Use Case: When you want to create content using official D&D IP (specific settings, trademarked monsters, established NPCs) and are willing to trade IP ownership for market access.

DriveThruRPG

What It Is: Largest general RPG marketplace, hosting PDFs and print-on-demand for all systems.

Allowed Content:

  • Any RPG system (D&D, Pathfinder, indie systems, homebrew)
  • Original settings and worlds
  • Must use appropriate open licenses (OGL, ORC, Creative Commons) if using D&D mechanics
  • Cannot use WotC Product Identity (see Licensing section)

Restrictions:

  • No WotC-specific IP without license
  • Must comply with open licenses used
  • Follow platform content guidelines

Revenue:

  • 65% base royalty (publisher keeps 65%, platform takes 35%)
  • 70% for exclusive products
  • Print-on-demand available with variable costs

Best Use Case: Original content, homebrew settings, or when you want full IP control and ability to republish elsewhere (Amazon, Kickstarter fulfillment, etc.).

Tools & Features:

  • Robust analytics and marketing tools
  • Integration with Roll20 for VTT compatibility

itch.io

What It Is: Indie-friendly marketplace with pay-what-you-want flexibility and creator-first economics.

Allowed Content:

  • Any RPG system or format
  • Experimental and avant-garde designs
  • NSFW content (with appropriate tagging)
  • Physical games supported

Restrictions:

  • Minimal content restrictions (follow platform guidelines)
  • Must respect licenses if using open content

Revenue:

  • Pay what you want model: creators set platform cut (default 10%, can go to 0%)
  • Keep 90-100% of sales
  • Optional revenue sharing with platform

Best Use Case: Experimental designs, building audience for unconventional content, or pay-what-you-want pricing models. Strong indie RPG community.

Kickstarter

What It Is: Crowdfunding platform for pre-funding projects before production.

Key Stats:

  • 80%+ success rate for tabletop games
  • Average successful RPG campaign: 50,000
  • Platform takes ~5% + payment processing (~3%)

Best Use Case: Funding production of larger projects (hardcover books, boxed sets, premium content) before investing in inventory. Validates market demand.

Requirements:

  • Must have existing audience or marketing plan
  • Strong visual presentation (mockups, art samples)
  • Realistic budget and timeline
  • Fulfillment plan (shipping, digital delivery)

Patreon

What It Is: Subscription platform for ongoing creator support.

Revenue Model:

  • Recurring monthly subscriptions
  • 5-12% platform fee (depending on tier)
  • Predictable income stream

Best Use Case: Ongoing content production (monthly maps, adventures, resources) for established creators with dedicated audiences. Works well alongside other platforms.

Common Tier Structure:

  • $3-5/month: Digital content (PDFs, maps)
  • $10-15/month: Higher-quality content, VTT files
  • $25+/month: Print items, exclusive access, custom work

Note: success on Patreon requires consistent, disciplined output — subscribers expect regular value delivery, making this model best suited for creators committed to sustained content-production schedules.

Licensing Landscape

Open Gaming License 1.0a (OGL)

What It Is: License created by Wizards of the Coast in 2000 allowing use of D&D 3rd Edition game mechanics.

Status in 2026:

  • Still legally usable (irrevocable)
  • Community trust damaged by 2023 attempted revocation (OGL 1.1 controversy)
  • Many publishers migrating to ORC License as preferred alternative

What You Can Use:

  • Game mechanics (d20 system, ability scores, skills, combat rules)
  • SRD 5.1 content (basic classes, races, monsters, spells)

What You Cannot Use (Product Identity):

  • Setting names (Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, Eberron)
  • Trademarked monsters (beholders, mind flayers, displacer beasts)
  • Character names (Mordenkainen, Bigby, Tasha)
  • D&D logo and trade dress

How to Comply:

  • Include full OGL 1.0a license text in your product
  • List “System Reference Document 5.1” in Section 15 (copyright notice)
  • Clearly mark what is Open Game Content vs. Product Identity

ORC License (Open RPG Creative)

What It Is: Modern open license created by Paizo and others as response to OGL 1.1 controversy. Launched January 2023, now administered by independent non-profit (Azora Law).

Key Features:

  • Irrevocable: Cannot be taken back or modified
  • Universal: Not tied to specific publisher or edition
  • Lawyer-vetted: Clear legal language, designed for interoperability
  • Open: No registration required

What You Can Use:

  • Any game content licensed under ORC
  • Paizo’s Pathfinder/Starfinder mechanics (if marked as ORC)
  • Growing ecosystem of ORC-licensed content

How to Comply:

  • Include ORC Notice (short paragraph)
  • Attribute source materials used
  • Mark your licensed content clearly
  • No need to include full license text (it’s referenced, not embedded)

Current Adoption: Growing rapidly. Kobold Press, Chaosium, Green Ronin, and others have adopted. Some D&D creators using it as OGL alternative.

Creative Commons Licenses

What It Is: WotC released SRD 5.1 under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) in January 2023 as response to OGL 1.1 backlash.

What’s Included:

  • Core game mechanics
  • Basic classes and spells from SRD 5.1
  • Monster stat blocks in SRD

What’s NOT Included:

  • Product Identity (same restrictions as OGL)
  • Content from supplements beyond SRD 5.1

How to Comply:

  • Attribute source: “Based on the System Reference Document 5.1, © Wizards of the Coast LLC”
  • Link to CC BY 4.0 license
  • Indicate if you modified content

Comparison to OGL: Simpler compliance, no embedded license text required. Equivalent mechanical coverage to OGL.

Comparison Table

LicenseCreated ByIrrevocable?CoverageUse Case
OGL 1.0aWotC (2000)YesD&D mechanics (SRD 5.1)Traditional option, established ecosystem
ORCPaizo et al. (2023)YesUniversal (content varies by source)Modern alternative, growing adoption
CC BY 4.0WotC (2023)YesSRD 5.1 onlySimple attribution, no legal boilerplate
DMs Guild LicenseWotC/OneBookShelfSpecialD&D IP + mechanicsTrade IP ownership for access to official settings

Content Types & Restrictions

What’s Always Safe

Game Mechanics:

  • d20 roll resolution
  • Ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, etc.)
  • Armor Class, Hit Points
  • Skill checks, saving throws
  • Class features in SRD

Rules Language: Phrases like “roll 1d20 and add your modifier” are functional descriptions, not copyrightable.

What Requires a License

Trademarked Terms:

  • “Dungeons & Dragons,” “D&D”
  • Specific monster names (beholder, mind flayer, displacer beast, githyanki)
  • Spell names tied to characters (Bigby’s Hand, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter)

Proprietary Content:

  • Setting lore (Forgotten Realms history, Eberron dragonmarks)
  • Adventures from published books
  • Copyrighted art or maps

DMs Guild Special Access

Only on DMs Guild can you use:

  • Official D&D settings (Waterdeep, Barovia, Sharn)
  • Restricted monsters (beholders, illithids, displacer beasts)
  • Named NPCs (Drizzt, Strahd, Mordenkainen)

Trade-off: Content becomes WotC property.

Compatible Content Without License

You can create content “compatible with D&D 5th Edition” without using any license IF:

  • You don’t copy rules text verbatim
  • You don’t use Product Identity
  • You describe compatibility (“compatible with the world’s most popular roleplaying game”)
  • You use your own original content and mechanics descriptions

Example: A monster stat block with AC, HP, and attacks is functional game data, not copyrightable. The descriptive text and lore are copyrightable—make them your own.

Revenue Models & Economics

Pricing Strategies

Low Entry Products (4.99):

  • Short adventures (4-10 pages)
  • Single encounters or dungeons
  • Map packs or item collections
  • Good for building audience and reviews

Mid-Range Products (14.99):

  • Full adventures (20-50 pages)
  • Supplement books (new subclasses, spells, items)
  • Campaign supplements
  • Most sales volume occurs here

Premium Products (50+):

  • Campaign books (100+ pages)
  • Setting guides
  • Hardcover print-on-demand
  • Requires established reputation

Economics by Platform

DMs Guild:

  • 50% royalty (4.99 product)
  • Larger audience (D&D-focused), more competition
  • Community bundle opportunities

DriveThruRPG:

  • 65% royalty (4.99 product) or 70% exclusive
  • Print-on-demand revenue varies by production cost
  • Example: 5-7 after printing

itch.io:

  • 90-100% depending on your platform share setting
  • Strong pay-what-you-want culture
  • Lower traffic than DMs Guild but dedicated indie audience

Kickstarter:

  • Project funding minus ~8% fees and production costs
  • Must factor fulfillment, shipping, taxes
  • Example: 27,600 after fees → minus printing, shipping, art costs

Patreon:

  • Recurring revenue: 100 patrons × 450/month
  • Predictable income but requires consistent content production

Market Realities

Average Product Performance:

  • Most DMs Guild products sell <100 copies
  • Top 10% of products drive majority of revenue
  • Building audience takes time (6-12 months to see traction)

Success Factors:

Strategic Recommendations

For First-Time Publishers

Start small:

  1. Choose one platform (recommend DMs Guild for beginners—built-in audience)
  2. Create first small product (4.99 range)
  3. Start building social presence (Reddit, Twitter, blog)
  4. Publish, learn, iterate
  5. Build toward larger projects as you prove market fit

Learn by doing: Publish a 10-page adventure to understand workflow before committing to a 200-page campaign.

For Original Content Creators

Use DriveThruRPG or itch.io:

  • Keep full IP ownership
  • Choose ORC or CC BY 4.0 for licensing (simpler than OGL)
  • Build your own setting and brand
  • Option to expand to Kickstarter once audience is established

For Creators Using Official D&D IP

Use DMs Guild:

  • Accept IP trade-off for access to Forgotten Realms, official monsters, established audience
  • Focus on strong execution and niche topics
  • Participate in community bundles
  • Consider migrating to original content once you have audience

For Established Creators

Multi-platform strategy:

  • Patreon for recurring income (monthly content)
  • DriveThruRPG for premium products (print options)
  • Kickstarter for major releases (hardcovers, boxed sets)
  • itch.io for experimental or PWYW content

Licensing Decision Tree

  1. Do you need official D&D settings or trademarked monsters?

    • Yes → DMs Guild (trade IP for access)
    • No → Continue to #2

  2. Do you need D&D 5e mechanics?

    • Yes → Use ORC, CC BY 4.0, or OGL 1.0a with DriveThruRPG/itch.io
    • No → Publish without license

  3. Do you want to keep full IP ownership?

    • Yes → DriveThruRPG, itch.io, Kickstarter, Patreon
    • No → DMs Guild is an option

Common Pitfalls

Using Product Identity Without License:

  • Don’t use “beholder” or “mind flayer” outside DMs Guild
  • Don’t reference Forgotten Realms locations without permission
  • Use generic alternatives or create original content

Poor License Compliance:

  • Forgetting to include OGL text in OGL products
  • Not attributing sources for CC BY or ORC content
  • Mixing incompatible licenses

Unrealistic Revenue Expectations:

  • First products rarely earn significant income
  • Building audience takes time (6-12 months minimum)
  • Most creators treat this as supplemental income, not full-time work

Skipping Editing and Layout:

  • Poor presentation reduces sales dramatically
  • Invest in proofreading and basic graphic design
  • First impression matters—cover art is critical

Ignoring Community:

  • Not engaging on Reddit, Twitter, or Discord
  • Not responding to feedback or reviews
  • Publishing in isolation limits discoverability
  • For systematic approaches to content distribution and community building, see social media automation strategies

Resources

Official Documentation

Licensing:

Platforms:

Creator Guides

Getting Started:

Advanced Publishing:

Community & Discussion

  • Reddit: r/DnD, r/UnearthedArcana, r/DMAcademy, r/RPGcreation
  • EN World Forums: Publisher discussions, licensing Q&A
  • Discord: DMs Guild Creator Community, Indie RPG communities

Summary

The tabletop RPG market is growing ($1.9-2.0 billion in 2024), with strong crowdfunding success rates (80% for tabletop on Kickstarter). There’s room for quality content creators who understand licensing, price strategically, and build communities around their work.

Key Takeaways:

  • DMs Guild = Trade IP for access to official D&D content
  • DriveThruRPG = Keep ownership, use open licenses
  • itch.io = Indie-friendly, experimental
  • Kickstarter = Pre-fund large projects
  • Patreon = Recurring income for established creators

Start simple: Publish one small product, learn the workflow, build from there.

See Also

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