Within the Savage Worlds Adventurer’s Guild (commonly called SWAG) you will find—and create—new and original content by individuals across all genres and from around the world for the Savage Worlds roleplaying game. Feel something is missing, or have a sparkling idea? Take the opportunity to publish it!

Creators can make and sell their own Savage Worlds creations with the public on those platforms without going through our normal official licensing program. That program continues with our approved partners and licensees, while “SWAG” is primarily for new creators to have a platform where they can actually sell their work.

Some key changes in the Savage Worlds Adventurer’s Guild that distinguish it from other “community content” programs include:

• Creators retain the rights to their published products. Savage Worlds has never been an “open” license, and Pinnacle does not want to assume ownership for the creativity and hard work of contributing members of the SWAG community.
• Creators keep 60% of the gross sales (between OBS’ hosting royalty and PEG‘s 10%).
• Creators have access to create homebrew content for Savage Worlds rules, but not any settings like Deadlands, Rifts® for Savage Worlds, The Goon™, Fear Agent™, etc.
• For further information please visit our SWAG page at OneBookShelf.com.

Creators going this route are still required to place the following notice in a legible format and a conspicuous location: “This game references the Savage Worlds game system, available from Pinnacle Entertainment Group at www.peginc.com. Savage Worlds and all associated logos and trademarks are copyrights of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Used with permission. Pinnacle makes no representation or warranty as to the quality, viability, or suitability for purpose of this product.”

If you’d like to create media materials or content for public use like actual play streams and podcasts, interviews and discussions about our game or settings (or blogs and other forms of expression), you can use the “Savage Worlds Media Network” logo. There is no cost to this, and you don’t need to submit anything for approval.

Media Network members may email PEGlicensing@gmail.com to join an exclusive Discord server and Google Group for networking and to gain access to giveaways from Pinnacle.

In using Savage Worlds for media materials or content, you agree to the following terms and conditions:

This agreement grants to the licensee the non-exclusive, non-assignable license to reference the Savage Worlds rule system and related settings, including for streaming video services (including Twitch, YouTube, third party websites, applications, and other video platforms), in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

Licensees may not require payments, surveys, downloads, subscriptions, or email registration to access the Media Content, cannot sell or license the Media Content to any third parties, and the Media Content must be free for others to view, access, share, and use without approval, credit, or compensation.

Media Content may generate income via sponsorships, ad revenue, and donations as long as such methods do not block or interfere with free public access.

The licensee agrees to use, unaltered in size or dimension, the “Savage Worlds Media Network” logo in the opening credits and any associated web page or interface, where applicable. ( A media friendly image of the logo can be downloaded here )

The licensee agrees to place the following notice in a legible format in the end credits, and where possible, upon any dedicated web pages or interfaces:

“This game references the Savage Worlds game system, available from Pinnacle Entertainment Group at www.peginc.com. It is unofficial Media Content permitted under the Media Network Content Agreement. This content is not managed, approved, or endorsed by Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Certain portions of the materials used are the intellectual property of Pinnacle, and all rights are reserved. Savage Worlds, all related settings, and unique characters, locations, and characters, logos and trademarks are copyrights of Pinnacle Entertainment Group.”

Licensee indemnifies Licensor and holds them harmless against all loss, damage, injury, and expense, including reasonable attorney’s fees resulting from the production or creation of its Media Content.

Pinnacle Entertainment Group reserves all rights to its Intellectual Properties, including those used as examples or illustrations in the Savage Worlds and related settings books, promotional material, or published works. The user of the license agrees to be responsible for obeying the laws regarding the Intellectual Property of any other entity.

Pinnacle Entertainment Group reserves the right to revoke or alter any aspect of this license as it deems necessary, per licensee or Media Content, as it deems necessary.

If you want to sell your work, you must apply with an email to PEGlicensing@gmail.com. Once we grant your company the license, you can make whatever you want without submitting it for further approval, as long as you follow the guidelines below.

Be aware that we’re looking for HIGH production values–meaning great art, trade dress, and professional layout–as much as we are great content. We recommend an introductory email with a link to a file containing sample layout and art with any new Edges, Hindrances, or Setting Rules in it, as well as a few sample characters. See Some Initial Advice below for more details.

This copy of the license is for display only. Once you are approved you will sign and file the official agreement with these same terms.

1. Pinnacle Entertainment Group grants to the licensee the non-exclusive, non-assignable license to reference the Savage Worlds Rule System in their original game and derivative product; hereafter the “Licensed Products.”
2. The licensee agrees to use the “Savage Worlds Official Licensed Product” logo on the “front” of the Licensed Product, including packaging and promotions, in a conspicuous and legible format. A high-res PSD of the logo can be downloaded here: SW Official Licensed Product Logo
3. The licensee agrees to place the following notice in a legible format and a conspicuous location within two pages of the “cover” and on any promotions soliciting crowdfunding or similar sites and materials:“This game references the Savage Worlds game system, available from Pinnacle Entertainment Group at www.peginc.com. Savage Worlds and all associated logos and trademarks are copyrights of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Used with permission. Pinnacle makes no representation or warranty as to the quality, viability, or suitability for purpose of this product.”
4. Licensee indemnifies Licensor against all loss, damage, injury, and expense, including reasonable attorney’s fees, from any breach of this Agreement, including but not limited to intellectual property laws.
5. The licensee agrees not to reproduce unauthorized material from the Savage Worlds rulebook or any other copyrighted work without the express written consent of Pinnacle Entertainment Group or the copyright holder. For a detailed list of Authorized Material from Pinnacle Entertainment Group, see Licensee Authorized Material.
6. Pinnacle Entertainment Group reserves all intellectual property rights to Savage Worlds, including, but not limited to, all copyrights, trademarks, hobby game, publishing, entertainment, licensing and merchandising rights. This license does not allow derivative works based on other Pinnacle products, lines, settings, or properties (such as Deadlands, Weird Wars, Necessary Evil, etc). Nor does the license allow works based on licensed properties published by Pinnacle (such as Lankhmar™, Flash Gordon™, Rifts®, or any other). Pinnacle Entertainment Group reserves all rights to its Intellectual Properties, including those used as examples or illustrations in the Savage Worlds rule book, promotional material, or published works.
7. The licensee agrees to pay a 10% net royalty on all Licensed Products published on or after September 4th, 2018, on One Book Shelf-affiliated sites (such as DriveThruRPG, RPGNOW, etc), using the automated tools therein. No royalties are due on Licensed Products sold elsewhere, such as crowdfunding platforms, the licensee’s own website, physical product, etc.
8. Licensee agrees to send Pinnacle Entertainment Group one complimentary copy of each Licensed Work in digital format (PDF). Pinnacle shall have no right to sell, share, or distribute the Licensed Product outside of its company or assigns.
9. Pinnacle Entertainment Group may, from time to time, share information marked CONFIDENTIAL with licensee. Confidential material may include game designs, rules, expansions, marketing, business policies or practices, release dates, and settings. Licensee agrees not to share, recite, post, or reveal such information outside of its development staff, until such time as Pinnacle expressly allows, it becomes publicly available, or in accordance with judicial or governmental order.
10. If either party employs attorneys to enforce any rights arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys’ fees. This Agreement shall be construed and controlled by the laws of the State of Arizona, and both parties further consent to the exclusive jurisdiction by the state and federal courts sitting in the State of Arizona, County of Maricopa.
11. Pinnacle Entertainment Group reserves the right to revoke or alter any aspect of this license as it deems necessary.

Before Applying to be an Ace: Some Initial Advice

The first questions most potential new licensees ask are usually pretty similar. Here’s some advice to help you down the path a little quicker. It’s especially helpful if you have all the below in a nice tidy package with your application email to PEGlicensing@gmail.com.

Start by telling us about your setting. Don’t go into much detail—just give us the gist of what it is so we can look for any red flags like it being too close to an existing setting or too graphic/mature for our fans.

After that, we like to see some sample text. If you have new Edges, Hindrances, or Setting Rules, that’s a good place to start. We can see your writing style and make sure you “get” our rules system.* It also gives us an indication of your ability to self-edit.

Now you’ll likely have to spend a little money. We want to see that your product will have professional production values. We’re looking for representative art, trade dress, and layout.

• Art: If you can’t afford your favorite, well-known artist at this point, you might want to check out sites like www.deviantart.com. There are lots of amazing artists out there who haven’t been discovered yet and may work with a new company.

• Layout and Trade Dress: You should be doing your layout in InDesign or Quark. If you don’t have that ability (or have a friend with those skills), you might try contacting a company like Sigil Entertainment, who has done both Art Direction and Layout for other companies. We only need to see a few pages here—not a complete, final product.

If you are thinking about converting existing game material from another system, there are a few things to keep in mind. A good conversion is not about a 1:1 tradeoff of this ability to that Edge. Capture the feel of the setting, not the mechanics. Each game system has an inherent philosophy, and ours is Fast! Furious! Fun!. If the rule doesn’t fit all three, it needs to be fixed.

What happens next varies depending on your strengths and plans, but these first steps are pretty common for everyone. If you have any questions, contact PEGlicensing@gmail.com. And thanks for keeping it SAVAGE!

* Designing rules to be streamlined and clear for the user is harder than it might look on the surface. Look at the Chase Rules, for example. They’re a page long and quite simple when you read them. But designing them took a long time and a lot of playtests. They handle everything from a foot chase to battles between fleets of star cruisers. And they work pretty well, too. Even Edges & Hindrances are like that.

Authorized Material

The Savage Worlds license now grants licensee companies the right to reprint certain pre-authorized material from Pinnacle’s core products—after all, we aren’t going to refuse permission to use the zombie stat block and description from Savage Worlds. Zombies are everywhere!

Please note this list allows ONLY licensed companies to reprint Authorized Material—not Fan-made products.

If you have a question about material not listed below, such as any of our setting books, adventures, GM Screens, or anything that isn’t the core rulebook or a Companion, please email Pinnacle Licensing.

Please keep reprinted Authorized Material to no more than 20% of the total licensed product. What we don’t want are collections or compendiums of our stats, skills, monsters, etc, in any format. Including some in an appropriately themed product is fine, of course.

Here’s a detailed list of Authorized Material:

Savage Worlds core rules, Companions products, and Showdown rules

• Archetype names, descriptions, and stat blocks. Ex: Mage, Martial Artist, Pirate, etc.
• Race names, descriptions, and Edges/Hindrances that are used to create them. Ex: Atlantean, Advanced Civilization, Aquatic, etc. Please note this does not include Making Races from Savage Worlds or Custom Races from the Science Fiction Companion.
• Skill names and descriptions
• Edge names and descriptions. Please note this does not include powers. See below for powers.
• Hindrance names and descriptions
• Gear and Vehicle names, descriptions, and stat blocks. Ex: Double-Barrel shotgun (Range 12/24/48, Damage 1-3d6, RoF 1-2, Shots 2), Jeep (Acc/TS 10/40, Toughness 7(1), Crew 2+3, Four Wheel Drive), etc. Please note this does not include Size, Critical Hits, or Modification tables such as found in Starships in the Science Fiction Companion, but does allow reprinting of names, descriptions, and stat blocks for Stock Starships. You may of course create or add your own Critical Hit Tables, Modifications, and the like.
• Power titles and trappings. Ex: Bolt, colored bolts, insects. Please note this does not include Rank, Power Points, Range, Duration, or descriptions of how the powers work mechanically. Again, you may of course create your own powers.
• Creature names, descriptions, and stat blocks. Ex: Alligator/Crocodile, its stat block including Special Abilities, and the copy used to describe them. (You can use the short form description, just like we do in our stat blocks) Please note this does not include the descriptions of Special Abilities from Monstrous Abilities, such as the Size Toughness Modifiers table.