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Compendiums are "books" of indexed and categorized series of webpages devoted to a particular RPG rule system. It behaves and is designed similarly to a mini wiki. A Compendium can be browsed outside the VTT, but it also can be used within it for quick rule searches and populating fields on your character sheets like equipment and spells via drag and drop capability.
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{{revdate}}{{HCbox|{{hc|articles/360039178694-Compendium Here}} }}{{clear}}{{SidebarNav}}
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[[File:Compendium-tab.png|thumbnail|right|230px|The <span style="font-family:Pictos;">i</span> '''Compendium'''-tab, as viewed inside a game]]
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'''Compendiums''' are "books" of indexed and categorized series of webpages devoted to a particular RPG rule system. It behaves and is designed similarly to a mini wiki. A Compendium can be browsed outside the VTT, but it also can be used within it for quick rule searches and populating fields on your character sheets like equipment and spells via drag and drop capability. [[Compendium Sharing|These can be shared with other users inside a campaign]].
  
There are Compendiums that are freely available to use due to their OGL status (I.e. D&D 5th Edition SRD and Pathfinder SRD), but we also offer unlockable licensed material via our Marketplace like Wizards of the Coast's ''[[Volo's Guide to Monsters]]''.  
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There are Compendiums that are freely available to use due to their OGL or CCPL status (I.e. D&D 5th Edition SRD, Pathfinder SRD, Dungeon World), but Roll20 also offer unlockable licensed material via the Marketplace like Wizards of the Coast's ''[[Volo's Guide to Monsters]]'' and ''[[Monster Manual]]'', or Kobold Press' ''{{market|compendiumexpansion/3/tome-of-beasts Tome of Beasts}}''.  
  
Knowledgeable of a certain OGL ruleset? Are you familiar with HTML text editing? Interested in building your own Compendium for the Roll20 community? [https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/4314710/help-us-create-more-compendium-options Read here to learn how  to become a volunteer!]
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=External Compendium=
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{{Main|External Compendium}}
  
=The Compendium Tool=
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The Roll20 compendium can also be viewed when not inside a game.
You can access the available Compendiums by going to the website's main navigation bar and selecting '''Tools''' -> '''Compendium'''. This brings you to the [https://roll20.net/compendium/ Compendium Page] where you can choose the Compendium you wish to browse.
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==Browsing a Compendium==
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=In-Game Compendium=
Once you've selected a Compendium to browse, you'll first have a search bar available followed with an index of categories. Depending on the game ruleset in question, the available categories may be different, but what you will likely see are ones such as: Rules, Races, Classes, Items, Equipment, Spells, and Monsters. Underneath these categories are subpages and in some instances those subpages may be broken down into even further subpages. For instance, in the D&D 5th Edition SRD Compendium, the Spells category has subpages for each Class and each one of these pages is a list of spells which have their own dedicated page.
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[[File:Compendium Tab2.png|framed|right|The [[Sidebar]]'s <span style="font-family:Pictos;">i</span> '''Compendium'''-tab, with the D&D 5th Edition SRD Compendium loaded.]]
 
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If a Compendium is enabled inside a game, it can be accessed through the [[Sidebar]]'s '''<span style="font-family:Pictos;">i</span> Compendium'''-tab.
No matter which page of a Compendium you're on, there is a search bar directly above that allows you to look up for more entries at any time. The search looks for keywords used in the headers and subheaders of the entry.
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==Adding a Compendium to your Game==
 
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==="Why isn't there an entry for (Spell, Rule, Monster, Etc.) in here?"===
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While it is possible that a Compendium could be missing content, especially in the case of newly built Compendiums, it's important to note that an OGL version of a rule system may not cover the entirety of the published rule system it's based from. For instance, the D&D 5th Edition OGL SRD does NOT have entries on ''Displacer Beasts'' or ''Mind Flayers'', nor do they cover any other feats beyond ''Grappler''. That is because they were purposely not included in the SRD (System Reference Document) when the publisher designed it. If something is missing from a Compendium, you should first check to see if that entry is actually part of the OGL SRD. If something is missing, contact the volunteers of that Compendium via the [https://app.roll20.net/forum/category/277980 Character Sheets & Compendium forum].
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==Adding a Campaign to your Game==
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[[File:Compendium Tab.png|framed|right|The Compendium Tab with the D&D 5th Edition SRD Compendium Loaded]]
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Where the versatility of Compendiums truly shines is when one is attached to a game so that it can be utilized within the VTT. GMs and players can look up rules on the fly during their game and the GM can take whole entries from the Compendium and drag them to the tabletop to create a handout with the information contained within. While editing a character journal, the GM and players can drag items, spells, and other abilities from the Compendium into their character sheet to auto-complete elements on it. Monster entries will even create and populate entire NPC journals automatically and come with a linked token (when available) when the GM drags its entry to the Tabletop.
 
Where the versatility of Compendiums truly shines is when one is attached to a game so that it can be utilized within the VTT. GMs and players can look up rules on the fly during their game and the GM can take whole entries from the Compendium and drag them to the tabletop to create a handout with the information contained within. While editing a character journal, the GM and players can drag items, spells, and other abilities from the Compendium into their character sheet to auto-complete elements on it. Monster entries will even create and populate entire NPC journals automatically and come with a linked token (when available) when the GM drags its entry to the Tabletop.
  
Compendiums are tied to Character Sheets. A community sheet must be designed by its author to point to a particular Compendium first before VTT/Compendium functionality is available. For instance, choosing a D&D 5th Edition character sheet will automatically assign and enable the 5th Edition Compendium to be used in your game as well as Pathfinder sheets linking to the Pathfinder Compendium. You can choose a character sheet at game creation or by going to the Game Settings page at any time afterwards.
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Compendiums can be tied to a community Character Sheet. A community sheet must be designed by its author to point to a particular Compendium first before VTT/Compendium functionality is available. For instance, choosing a D&D 5th Edition character sheet will automatically assign and enable the 5th Edition Compendium to be used in your game as well as Pathfinder sheets linking to the Pathfinder Compendium. You can choose a character sheet at game creation or by going to the Game Settings page at any time afterwards.
  
Once added, a new tab will be added on the Sidebar placed between the Journal tab and the Jukebox tab. This is the Compendium tab. Browsing and searching for entries within the Compendium Tab behave exactly as the webpage version. The only difference here is that the entries will pop up in their separate window when you select them from the tab.
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Once added, a new tab will be added on the [[Sidebar]], placed between the <span style="font-family:Pictos;">N</span> [[Journal]]-tab and the <span style="font-family:Pictos Custom;">u</span> [[Jukebox]]-tab. This is the Compendium tab. Browsing and searching for entries within the Compendium Tab behave exactly as the webpage version. The only difference here is that the entries will pop up in their separate window when you select them from the tab.
  
==Drag and Drop Functionality==
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If you're not relying on a Character Sheet to load a desired Compendium, you'll want to go to the [[Game Settings Page]] and choose the Compendium you want to use.
===Non-Monster Entries===
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===Entry List Data In-App===
===Monster Entries===
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[[File:Viewing_Compendium_Attribute_Data_In-App_v2.gif|framed|right|Viewing attribute info of D&D 5E Monster entries within the Roll20 App]]
===Character Sheet Integration===
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When browsing entries that have a List Page (like Spells or Monsters from the 5E SRD Compendium) on the external Compendium, you can pull down the same block of data that displays underneath the search filters within the VTT.
  
=Building A Compendium=
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While looking through a listed category on the <span style="font-family:Pictos;">i</span> Compendium Tab, a down arrow icon will appear when you mouse-over over an entry. It will appear to the left of the entry name or token graphic (when available). Clicking on this icon will roll out that entry's info block. You can roll out as many entries in this fashion as you want on the <span style="font-family:Pictos;">i</span> Compendium Tab.
As of December 1st, 2016, Roll20 has opened the ability for community members to build their own Compendiums for available OGL systems outside of D&D 5th Edition SRD and the Pathfinder SRD. A volunteership program is now available for potential members to volunteer to become a Compendium Editor. These new Compendiums will have all of the features of the original two Compendiums, including Character Sheet integration and drag and drop functionality. Editors will be working to help push content to our users and are expected to respect the rules of the site and the game they are working on - any violation or vandalism of the Compendium will result in removal from the project team.
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Editors should have a firm grasp of the rule system they would like to prepare and ideally have some familiarity with HTML, wiki writing, and/or authoring Structured Data. Structured data is strongly required to begin a Compendium, however we will consider manual submissions if the data is not available.
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To hide the block of information again, mouse-over the entry and the arrow icon will point up instead of down. Clicking on this icon will hide the info block.<br />
  
At present, Roll20 will be limiting one Editor per game system Compendium. After an initial Compendium project is completed, an Editor may be considered to help contribute towards other future Compendiums in collaborative projects.
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===Book Expansion Sources===
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While viewing Compendium entries in-app, a publisher icon and a book title abbreviation will be listed on the entry's far right to signify where this info is sourced from. For instance, an entry from the ''Monster Manual'' expansion will have the Dungeons and Dragons ampersand logo as well as the abbreviation, '''MM1''', underneath it. Kobold Press' ''Tome of Beast'' expansion entries will have a kobold logo icon and the abbreviation, '''TOB''', underneath it.
  
==How to Become a Volunteer==
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'''5E Sources'''
If you are interested in volunteering to help, please email team@roll20.net and provide the following information:
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{| style="width:25%; padding: 5px;" class="wikitable" align="center"
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|-
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! Source Book Name !! Publisher !! Icon !!
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|-
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| ''5E SRD'' || Wizards of the Coast || [[File:DungeonsDragonsIcon.png]]<br /><span style="color:#333; ">SRD</span>
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|-
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| ''Monster Manual'' || Wizards of the Coast || [[File:DungeonsDragonsIcon.png]]<br /><span style="color:#38546f; ">MM1</span>
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|-
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| ''Volo's Guide to Monsters'' || Wizards of the Coast || [[File:DungeonsDragonsIcon.png]]<br /><span style="color:#6c1f31; ">VG1</span>
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|-
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| ''Tome of Beasts'' || Kobold Press || [[File:KoboldPressIcon.png]]<br /><span style="color:#33224f; ">TOB</span>
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|-
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| ''Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus'' || Wizards of the Coast || [[File:DungeonsDragonsIcon.png]]<br /><span style="color:#00008B; ">DIA</span>
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|}
  
<pre>Subject: New Compendium Volunteer
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==[[Compendium Sharing]]==
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{{main|Compendium Sharing}}
  
  Do you have experience with basic html text editors?
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==Drag and Drop Functionality==
  What game would you like to bring to the Compendium?
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When added to a game, a Compendium can speed up the process of content generation for a GM. Not only can you use the <span style="font-family:Pictos;">i</span> Compendium tab to look something up in the rulebook without opening a physical book or switching to another browser tab, but you can click and drag on a Compendium entry to pull it out of the <span style="font-family:Pictos;">i</span> Compendium tab for various automated purposes listed below.
  Does the game have an OGL? (Please share a link to the OGL)
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===Non-Monster Entries===
  In 2 to 3 sentences, please describe your experience with these games.
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Compendium entries that aren't designed as a complete NPC sheet (Rules, Races, Classes, Items, Spells, etc) will add a [[Journal#Handout|Handout]] to the <span style="font-family:Pictos;">N</span> [[Journal]] tab containing all the text and images from the provided Compendium entry after dragging and dropping the entry to the Tabletop. When in handout form, the GM can share this out to other players. This method is how you can grant players access to purchased Marketplace content like ''[[Volo's Guide to Monsters]]''.
  Are you familiar with Structured Data?
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  Do you know how to obtain the Structured Data for the game you are considering?
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  Please share your Roll20 account email.</pre>
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Upon approval, editors will be connected to their Compendium teams & the Roll20 staff via email to help facilitate organization and discuss any roadblocks. All approved volunteers will receive a special account badge.
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===Monster Entries===
==Page Creation==
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If you look up a Monster/Beast/NPC entry in your Compendium and then drag and drop it to the tabletop, so long as you are using a [[Character Sheet]] that has this enabled, a Character Journal will be automatically created and statted using the content from the Compendium entry to fill out the various attributes and abilities.
Once selected by the Roll20 team as a Compendium Editor, you will be given access to a blank Compendium book to start editing and fill with content. During the process of creating the staging area for the book, you'll want to assemble a list of Categories needed for your game system (Rules, Monsters, Items, Spells, etc). You will want to have the organization structure straightened out before work on the Compendium begins.
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Once you're given the URL for the new Compendium book by the Roll20 Team, you create new pages by tacking on the name of the new page at the end of the URL in the address bar and hitting Enter. (example: ''<nowiki>https://roll20.net/compendium/MyBook/</nowiki>''Test Page) For special characters like spaces, parenthesis, and apostrophes, once you hit Enter, the page name will be adjusted to use HTML Code for the needed ASCII characters automatically.
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Since the page does not yet exist, the Compendium will display a page that says:
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<pre>Not Found: [page name]
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We don't currently have a page that matches that name. Try again?
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Or maybe you'd like to create this page?</pre>
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Below this will be a drop down menu for the Category you wish to add the page to.
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If this is the very first page, you'll not have any available Category to choose from in the drop-down other than '''Miscellaneous''' to start with, so this is where you should start adding your own Categories.
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Once you've set or added a Category to the page, click on the blue '''Create Page''' button to create it. This will drop you onto the newly created page to start editing it.
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==Editing a Page==
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Once created, a Compendium page will be split up into two distinct parts: A '''Text Editor''' and then an '''Attributes''' table underneath.
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===Text Editor===
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The text editor can switch between a WYSIWYG and an HTML version by clicking on the <code></></code> button which is the last button on the right side of the text editor's toolbar. You may find that writing your documentation in HTML may make Sheet integration easier as you won't get tripped over by unseen/unexpected formatting when working in the WYSIWYG editor. The text editor is where you would include monster/class/race bios, feats, and abilities. Any data that can not be contained in a single input field should be placed here. Use heading tags (<nowiki><h1>, <h2>, <h3>, Etc.</nowiki>) in a consistent manner to split your content up for efficient integration. It is incredibly important that text formatting is also kept consistent throughout the entirety of the Compendium book.
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====Dynamic Linking====
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You do not need to manually create page links within the text copy of your Compendium pages. Page linking is done automatically after Roll20 initiates a Compendium build. This automated process scans through the text contents of every single entry of the Compendium to match strings up with any available page titles. When a match is found, the string is automatically hyperlinked to the matched page.
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====Creating Category List Pages====
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Once the individual entries of a Category are created, creating index pages (I.e. ''Monsters by Name'', ''Equipment by Type'', ''Spells by School'', etc) are automatically generated by simply adding this search template in the HTML editor for the desired index page and saving it down.
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<pre>{{SearchIndex|***filter parameters***|}}</pre>
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You can use multiple of the following filtering parameters all at once. Simple separate the filters apart with a space as you list them between the two vertical bars.
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:'''Category:''' Assigning the Category attribute will list all entries under the specified Category. The entries will be listed by their entry names in Alphanumerical order.
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::Example: <pre>{{SearchIndex|Category:Monsters|}}</pre> This will list every single entry that is under the "Monsters" category.
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===Character Sheet Integration===
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Some [[Character Sheets]], such as [[D&D 5E by Roll20]] or [[PF2E|Pathfinder Second Edition by Roll20]], have Compendium integration that enables you to drag-n-drop entries from the Compendium, or use the info in a Charactermancer.
  
:'''GroupBy:''' This filter is typically used alongside the Category filter to help sort the resulting list. This will assemble the entries into groups. An example from the D&D 5th Edition SRD is listing Monsters by their Type (aberration, goblinoid, ooze, etc) or Challenge Rating. Entries within a group will then be listed alphanumerically.
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When filling out a character sheet, if enabled by the Sheet Author, a player can drag and drop Items, Equipment, Abilities, Spells, and other entry types directly to the character sheet to automatically fill them out with the information provided by the Compendium entry. The range of interactivity depends on the Sheet's design.
::Example: <pre>{{SearchIndex|Category:Monsters GroupBy:Type|}}</pre> This will list the various Monster Types available and then sort the Monster entries via their "Type" Attribute.
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 +
=Requested Feature: Custom Compendium=
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{{main|Custom Compendium}}
  
:'''Source:''' If there's a Compendium that is comprised of multiple books, a "Source" Attribute will likely be created to designate which book an entry page is being pulled from. This makes you able to create an index strictly listing content only from a designated source.
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You can't edit or create Custom Compendiums, but it's a popular suggestion.
::Example: <pre>{{SearchIndex|Category:Monsters GroupBy:Type Source:Bestiary2|}}</pre> This will generate a list of entries under the "Monsters" category, grouped by their "Type" attribute, and will only use entries listed with the "Source" Attribute "Bestiary2".
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===Attributes Table===
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=See Also=
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* [[Marketplace]]
 +
* [[Character Sheets]]
  
==Designing for Sheet/Compendium Integration==
 
In order to design the best sheet integration, it is recommended that a Compendium editor reaches out to the sheet Author(s) currently maintaining Sheets for their given system. In order for a Compendium to integrate with a Character Sheet, the Compendium should be using matching Attributes used by the Sheet. Also, the Sheet must be scripted to take advantage of the Compendium so that it can correctly format the Compendium's content into attack rolls, items, spell slots, feats, and the like. [[https://app.roll20.net/forum/category/277980 The Character Sheet & Compendium forum]] was designed intentionally so that Sheet and Compendium authors would have an easier time collaborating with one another.
 
  
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The other tabs in the [[Sidebar]]:
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* <span style="font-family:Pictos;">q</span> [[Text Chat]]
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* <span style="font-family:Pictos;">P</span> [[Art Library]]
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* <span style="font-family:Pictos;">N</span> [[Journal]]
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* <span style="font-family:Pictos;">y</span> [[Compendium]]
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** [[Compendium Sharing]]
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* <span style="font-family:Pictos Custom;">u</span> [[Jukebox]]
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* <span style="font-family:Pictos;">l</span> [[Collections]]
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* <span style="font-family:Pictos;">y</span> [[My Settings]]
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<br>
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<br>
 
[[Category:Docs]]
 
[[Category:Docs]]
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[[Category:Sidebar]]
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[[Category:Compendium]]

Latest revision as of 17:19, 25 October 2021

Attention: This page is community-maintained. For the official Roll20 version of this article, see the Help Center for assistance: Here .

The i Compendium-tab, as viewed inside a game

Compendiums are "books" of indexed and categorized series of webpages devoted to a particular RPG rule system. It behaves and is designed similarly to a mini wiki. A Compendium can be browsed outside the VTT, but it also can be used within it for quick rule searches and populating fields on your character sheets like equipment and spells via drag and drop capability. These can be shared with other users inside a campaign.

There are Compendiums that are freely available to use due to their OGL or CCPL status (I.e. D&D 5th Edition SRD, Pathfinder SRD, Dungeon World), but Roll20 also offer unlockable licensed material via the Marketplace like Wizards of the Coast's Volo's Guide to Monsters and Monster Manual, or Kobold Press' Tome of Beasts(Market).

Contents

[edit] External Compendium

Main Page: External Compendium

The Roll20 compendium can also be viewed when not inside a game.

[edit] In-Game Compendium

The Sidebar's i Compendium-tab, with the D&D 5th Edition SRD Compendium loaded.

If a Compendium is enabled inside a game, it can be accessed through the Sidebar's i Compendium-tab.

[edit] Adding a Compendium to your Game

Where the versatility of Compendiums truly shines is when one is attached to a game so that it can be utilized within the VTT. GMs and players can look up rules on the fly during their game and the GM can take whole entries from the Compendium and drag them to the tabletop to create a handout with the information contained within. While editing a character journal, the GM and players can drag items, spells, and other abilities from the Compendium into their character sheet to auto-complete elements on it. Monster entries will even create and populate entire NPC journals automatically and come with a linked token (when available) when the GM drags its entry to the Tabletop.

Compendiums can be tied to a community Character Sheet. A community sheet must be designed by its author to point to a particular Compendium first before VTT/Compendium functionality is available. For instance, choosing a D&D 5th Edition character sheet will automatically assign and enable the 5th Edition Compendium to be used in your game as well as Pathfinder sheets linking to the Pathfinder Compendium. You can choose a character sheet at game creation or by going to the Game Settings page at any time afterwards.

Once added, a new tab will be added on the Sidebar, placed between the N Journal-tab and the u Jukebox-tab. This is the Compendium tab. Browsing and searching for entries within the Compendium Tab behave exactly as the webpage version. The only difference here is that the entries will pop up in their separate window when you select them from the tab.

If you're not relying on a Character Sheet to load a desired Compendium, you'll want to go to the Game Settings Page and choose the Compendium you want to use.

[edit] Entry List Data In-App

Viewing attribute info of D&D 5E Monster entries within the Roll20 App

When browsing entries that have a List Page (like Spells or Monsters from the 5E SRD Compendium) on the external Compendium, you can pull down the same block of data that displays underneath the search filters within the VTT.

While looking through a listed category on the i Compendium Tab, a down arrow icon will appear when you mouse-over over an entry. It will appear to the left of the entry name or token graphic (when available). Clicking on this icon will roll out that entry's info block. You can roll out as many entries in this fashion as you want on the i Compendium Tab.

To hide the block of information again, mouse-over the entry and the arrow icon will point up instead of down. Clicking on this icon will hide the info block.

[edit] Book Expansion Sources

While viewing Compendium entries in-app, a publisher icon and a book title abbreviation will be listed on the entry's far right to signify where this info is sourced from. For instance, an entry from the Monster Manual expansion will have the Dungeons and Dragons ampersand logo as well as the abbreviation, MM1, underneath it. Kobold Press' Tome of Beast expansion entries will have a kobold logo icon and the abbreviation, TOB, underneath it.

5E Sources

Source Book Name Publisher Icon
5E SRD Wizards of the Coast DungeonsDragonsIcon.png
SRD
Monster Manual Wizards of the Coast DungeonsDragonsIcon.png
MM1
Volo's Guide to Monsters Wizards of the Coast DungeonsDragonsIcon.png
VG1
Tome of Beasts Kobold Press KoboldPressIcon.png
TOB
Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus Wizards of the Coast DungeonsDragonsIcon.png
DIA

[edit] Compendium Sharing

Main Page: Compendium Sharing

[edit] Drag and Drop Functionality

When added to a game, a Compendium can speed up the process of content generation for a GM. Not only can you use the i Compendium tab to look something up in the rulebook without opening a physical book or switching to another browser tab, but you can click and drag on a Compendium entry to pull it out of the i Compendium tab for various automated purposes listed below.

[edit] Non-Monster Entries

Compendium entries that aren't designed as a complete NPC sheet (Rules, Races, Classes, Items, Spells, etc) will add a Handout to the N Journal tab containing all the text and images from the provided Compendium entry after dragging and dropping the entry to the Tabletop. When in handout form, the GM can share this out to other players. This method is how you can grant players access to purchased Marketplace content like Volo's Guide to Monsters.

[edit] Monster Entries

If you look up a Monster/Beast/NPC entry in your Compendium and then drag and drop it to the tabletop, so long as you are using a Character Sheet that has this enabled, a Character Journal will be automatically created and statted using the content from the Compendium entry to fill out the various attributes and abilities.

[edit] Character Sheet Integration

Some Character Sheets, such as D&D 5E by Roll20 or Pathfinder Second Edition by Roll20, have Compendium integration that enables you to drag-n-drop entries from the Compendium, or use the info in a Charactermancer.

When filling out a character sheet, if enabled by the Sheet Author, a player can drag and drop Items, Equipment, Abilities, Spells, and other entry types directly to the character sheet to automatically fill them out with the information provided by the Compendium entry. The range of interactivity depends on the Sheet's design.

[edit] Requested Feature: Custom Compendium

Main Page: Custom Compendium

You can't edit or create Custom Compendiums, but it's a popular suggestion.

[edit] See Also


The other tabs in the Sidebar: