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Spells and Items

Prerequisites​

Ensure you have done the initial setup.

Overview​

DDB Importer imports many things into Compendiums.

This guide will take you over importing Spells and Items into Compendiums.

You should Munch in the following order:

  1. Spells
  2. Items
  3. Monsters

Open the DDB Muncher​

On the right hand side of Foundry click the Compendium section (looks like a book with a world on it). Then click DDB Muncher.

Muncher Location

The Muncher will check that it can authenticate you to D&D Beyond, sometimes this screen won't open, see the FAQ for a fix.

General Settings​

Muncher Settings

  • Update Existing Things? If checked DDB Importer will update any existing items already imported, otherwise it will just create missing items.
  • Faster Updates? This option will make updates faster, but it will delete your existing compendium items rather than updating them. Useful if you have not made any changes.
  • Use inbuilt icons? This will add icons to imported things (monster features, items, spells), from a built in dictionary. Highly recommended.
  • Use SRD icons? This will use icons from the SRD Compendiums. This can add a considerable time to your import. Some people have problems with this feature.
  • Cauldron of Plentiful Resources automation? This will replace effects with those from the popular Cauldron of Plentiful Resources module. This is a high automation module that is often not compatible with the latest Foundry or D&D system version. Please read about it and understand what it does before you install and enable this module.
  • Legacy postfix? Adds (Legacy) to the end of Legacy monsters, spells and items.
  • Add DDB Snippets to Activities? Adds D&D Beyond's short snippet to newly imported activity cards. Re-import to add or remove snippets.

Filtering Sources​

You can filter the scope of the content imported using the Settings -> Sources tab:

Muncher Sources

  • Included Flavour Profiles (Categories) These are the Source categories in DDB, they often contain multiple books. Categories selected here will be included. The 2024 PHB, MM and DMG are "5.5e Core Rules", the 2014 books are "5e Core Rules", and books like Xanathar's Guide to Everything are "Expanded Rules". The Legacy/Noncore category is not 2014 content, but content that has been outright replaced, such as that in Monsters of the Multiverse.
  • Currently Included Categories and Books lists every released book in the selected categories. Click Show covers to switch between book names and covers. Click What book is in what category? to browse all the categories and books, and select a book to add or remove its category.

Next to each Munch button is a Sources and Cache button. Hover over it to preview the sources the munch will use, or click it to open the Sources and Cache window.

Sources and Cache

The Cache Management tab lists the downloads from D&D Beyond that are kept in your browser and reused by later munches until they expire. You can expire a single download, a group, or click Clear Cache to clear everything.

Cache Management

Filtering by individual book on the Deprecated tab is not recommended, as D&D Beyond marks content as coming from the first book it appeared in.

Spell Options​

The first step is to munch spells.

Click on the Munch -> Spells tab and you should see a screen like this:

Spell Munch Settings

  • Spell Search Filter Only import spells matching this name. Leave it blank to import all spells.
  • Exact name match? Only import spells that exactly match the name in the search filter, otherwise similar names will match too.
  • Use D&DBeyond spell school icons? If DDB Importer can't find an icon match, use the spell school icon.
  • MidiQoL automation effects for spells? This will add high level automation effects that require third party modules such as Midi-QoL. You can ignore these settings if it's your first time using Foundry.
  • Include homebrew? This will include homebrew spells in your campaign or account. Note for spells to be imported they need to be added to a Class spell list (not a sub-class).
  • Only import homebrew? Import only homebrew spells.

Import Spells​

Click the Spell Munch button to import spells to your compendium.

Item Settings​

The second step is to munch items.

Click on the Munch -> Items tab and you should see a screen like this:

Item Muncher Settings

  • Item Search Filter Only import items matching this name. Leave it blank to import all items.
  • Exact name match? Only import items that exactly match the name in the search filter, otherwise similar names will match too.
  • Use D&DBeyond item images? This uses item images for items if they are available in the metadata. These don't always show up.
  • Use D&DBeyond generic item images? This will fallback to the generic item images on DDB if DDB Importer cannot find a match.
  • Use MidiQOL automation effects to equipment? If you're using modules such as Midi-QoL for high levels of automation.
  • Include homebrew? This will include homebrew items in your campaign or account.
  • Only import homebrew? Import only homebrew items.

Import Items​

Click the Item Munch button to import items to your compendium.

Next Steps​

You can now perform a Monster Munch.