Guide sections

Game system rules

Import sourcebook rules, add house rules, use the table roller, and keep AI prompts aligned with your game system.

How it works

When you import a PDF as a Sourcebook, Campaign Familiar uses AI to read the text and pull out five types of structured content:

What Gets ExtractedExamples
TablesRandom encounter tables, weather tables, loot tables, name generators
RulesTravel pace, forced march DCs, resting mechanics, crafting rules
ProceduresScouting (Perception check with 4 outcome tiers), navigation, foraging
EnvironmentsNamed regions with terrain types, tier ranges, and travel modifiers
ReferencesEquipment lists, mount stats, spell components, general reference prose

Once imported, this content appears in your campaign dashboard and is automatically included when the engine generates encounters, NPCs, sessions, and other content.

Because the engine reads the rulebook for you, sourcebook extraction is an AI feature and needs an AI subscription (Companion or Power).

Step by step

1. import a sourcebook

  1. Open the Library from the sidebar
  2. Click Import from PDF
  3. Select your PDF file
  4. On the category screen, choose Sourcebook (not Adventure)
  5. The wizard will analyze the document and show you a page preview
  6. Select which pages to include (or keep the default selection of all pages)
  7. Click Confirm to start extraction

The engine will process the PDF in batches. For a large rulebook (150+ pages), this can take a while - you’ll see a progress spinner while it works. When it finishes, you’ll see a summary of what was extracted.

Importing a sourcebook adds it to your library, but you need to tell Campaign Familiar which campaign uses which rules:

  1. Open your campaign
  2. Go to Campaign Context (the settings panel)
  3. Scroll down to Game System Rules
  4. Check the box next to each sourcebook that applies to this campaign
  5. Click Save

You can select multiple sourcebooks - for example, a core rules PDF plus a supplemental book. Content from all selected sources is combined.

3. add house rules (optional)

Below the sourcebook list, there’s a House Rules & Variant Mechanics text box. Use this for anything your table does differently:

  • “Critical hits deal max weapon damage plus a normal damage roll”
  • “We use flanking rules: +2 to attack, not advantage”
  • “Short rests are 10 minutes, long rests are 8 hours in a safe location only”

This text is included alongside the extracted rules when the engine generates content, so it respects your table’s specific mechanics.

Using your rules content

Table roller

Once sourcebooks are linked to a campaign, the Table Roller panel appears in your dashboard sidebar.

  • Browse tables grouped by type (Encounter, Weather, Loot, etc.)
  • Click a table to see its entries
  • Hit Roll to get a random result - the die type and ranges come directly from your rulebook
  • Your last 50 rolls are saved in the session for reference

System reference panel

The System Reference panel lets you browse all extracted content:

  • Rules - Look up mechanics without opening the PDF
  • Procedures - See structured skill checks with their outcome tiers
  • Environments - Browse regions with terrain and travel info
  • References - General reference material from your books

Use the search bar to quickly find specific rules or content.

Full-page views in the library

The Table Roller and System Reference also have full-page versions in the Library, alongside your imported sources. The dashboard panels are handy mid-prep; the Library pages give you more room to browse a big rulebook’s tables and reference entries.

AI-assisted generation

This is where it all comes together. When you ask the engine to draft material, it automatically includes relevant rules from your sourcebooks:

  • Generating an encounter? The engine sees your encounter tables, combat rules, and environment data
  • Creating an NPC? It pulls name tables, heritage options, and social rules
  • Planning a session? Everything is available - tables, rules, procedures, environments, and references
  • Building a location? It uses scenery tables, weather, and travel rules

You don’t need to do anything special - just draft material as normal, and the engine will reference your game system automatically.

Tips

  • Start with your core rulebook. You can always add supplemental books later.
  • Sourcebook vs Adventure: Use “Sourcebook” for rules references (core rules, supplements, setting guides with mechanics). Use “Adventure” for narrative content with NPCs, locations, and encounters you want imported as creations.
  • Multiple systems: If you run campaigns in different systems, each campaign can link to different sourcebooks. Your D&D campaign uses D&D books; your Pathfinder campaign uses Pathfinder books.
  • House rules matter. The text box is small but powerful - even a few lines of house rules helps the engine draft material that matches your table’s style.
  • Re-import if needed. If extraction missed something, you can delete the source and re-import. System content is replaced cleanly.

Troubleshooting

”no sourcebooks available” in campaign context

You need to import at least one PDF with the Sourcebook category selected. PDFs imported as Adventures won’t appear in this list.

Extraction takes a long time

Large rulebooks (150+ pages) are processed in batches of about 10 pages each. A 180-page book might take 30-60 minutes. The progress spinner will keep spinning - the app hasn’t frozen.

Some tables or rules are missing

AI extraction is best-effort. Dense or unusually formatted content may be missed. You can supplement with house rules text, or re-import after deleting the source to try again.

Table roller or system reference not showing

Make sure you’ve linked at least one sourcebook to your campaign in Campaign Context. These panels only appear when a rules source is assigned.