Modding:Creating mods

Modding index

Basic Tutorials

Tutorials for basic components of BG3 Modding. You will likely need to understand all of these before you start modding.

• Getting Started with BG3 Modding
• Understanding Mod Folder Structure
• Creating your Meta.lsx
• Unpacking and Converting Files
• Dependencies
• Packaging Mods for install
• Working with LSX files ( example with Progressions.lsx )

General Tutorials

General tutorials for modding BG3, or tutorials that encompass multiple categories.

• Custom Polymorphing
• Custom Dye Mod Guide by AstralSprout
• Add your custom hair to BG3 in 10 minutes or less by EmeraldTechno

Mesh-Related Tutorials

Mesh encompasses visible assets like clothing, armor, weapons, hair, heads, etc. Most of these tutorials use Blender as their program of choice.

• Fixing neck seams
• Fixing UV errors
• Fixing bone errors
• Head Conversion
• Padme4000's YouTube tutorials
  • Adding New Colors to Character Creation
  • Creating Hairs Post Patch 9
  • Joining Different Meshes Into One
  • Editing Heads
• Adding New Hairs to Character Creation
• Hair Thinning Begone by mocia
• Making Custom Armor - Part 1 by Druundev
• Custom Hair Highlight/Ombre

Learning Blender

These tutorials are not directly BG3-related, but are a great stepping stone into using Blender and working with meshes.

• Donut Tutorial (Blender 3.0) by Blender Guru
• Donut Tutorial (Blender 4.0) by Blender Guru
• Learn Shape Keys In Under 5 Mins by PIXXO 3D
• Fix your SHAPE KEYS! - Blender 2.8 tutorial by Danny Mac 3D

Texture-Related Tutorials

Texturing is usually applied on top of a mesh to make it appear a certain way.

• Texture Formatting
• Making Custom Armor - Part 2 by Druundev
• How to add texture to a 3D model using Blender, an iPad, and UV Mapping

VFX-Related Tutorials

Creating Custom Visual Effects in-depth guide by ImmortalRDI

Scripting Tutorials

• Getting Started with Scripting

Tools

Some extremely useful tools that will make your BG3 modding life so much easier.

• Lslib
  • Needed for many types of conversations necessary for modding.
• BG3 Multi-Tool
  • Allows you to pack and unpack mods, search the game’s asset files, and more!
• BG3 Mini tool
  • Has a variety of helpful functions including creating your Meta.lsx file for you.
• BG3 Creator's Cauldron
  • Dive into the world of BG3 homebrewing with Creator's Cauldron! From custom magical armor to powerful spells, this tool makes creating your own BG3 content a breeze.

• Dice Sprite Generator
  • These tools allow you to generate 25 ANIMATED dice sprites needed for your dice in one click!

Blender Plugins

• Mesh import/export plugin
  • You’ll need this if you want to work with .GR2 files (that’s what BG3 uses) in Blender.

• Padme’s Addons
  • Includes addons for Head Export Order, Easy LOD Creation, Normal Map Transfer, Quick UV Buttons and Reset Transforms.
• Armature Plugin
  • Blender addon which helps to edit the skeleton for BG3 models.
• Outfit Builder
  • Given armor in a base body (e.g. HUM_F) and body variants of HUM_F (e.g. HUM_FS, or some body mod here), generate meshes of the armor for those body variants.
• Volnos Texture Toolbox
  • A modding resource containing a collection of tools for modifying BG3'ss skin textures, as well as a recreation of Baldur’s Gate 3’s skin shader.

References

Baldur’s Gate 3 has a LOT of files. It can be very difficult to find the specific asset you’re looking for. The pages in this section should help you find the files you’re looking for as you’re modding!

• Bg3 CC Modding Library by Weeviljester
• Asset Prefix References
• Hiding skin/outfit parts: Vertex Color Mask Slots
• Hair/Beard Meshes
  • BG3 Hair Reference Spreadsheet (WIP) by EmeraldTechno
• Head Models
• Face and Body Textures
• Colour Maps
• Examples of dyes on clothing/armor

Code Snippets

Code snippets and IDs that are often used, collected here to make your life easier.

• Race UUIDs
• Interactable Item UUIDs
• All items UUIDs
• Enemy types
• Treasure Table Spreadsheet

Sample Mods

One of the most helpful things you can do when you’re starting out with modding is to take a look at sample mods that actually work and start from there. Here are a collection of Sample Mods designed to help you create a finished product.

• Padme's BG3 Tutorials and Modding Resources by Padme4000
  • Includes Eye Color Template, Hair Color Template, New Head Template, Tattoo and Makeup Template, and Localization Template.
• Sample 3D Edited Equipment Mod by AnteMaxx
• Sample Magic Ring Mod by AnteMaxx
• Sample Equipment Mod by AnteMaxx
• Add Scars to Your Character by labotor
• Dye Template as Optional File by Padme4000
• Custom Race Template by Tripsadin
• Hair Template by Padme4000
• Kay's CC Icon Template by perseidipity
• Sample VFX Mod by Shivero

Other Resources

• UUID Generator
• Making armour icons by AnteMaxx
• Custom Backdrops for Character Creation and Level Up by AnteMaxx
• Materialize

Colour

• Colouring cheat sheet
• ColourMath Colour Converter Use sRGB 0-1 for the vec3 value.
• RGB Color Picker

Folder Structure

• Mod Name (root folder)
  • Generated
    • Public
      • Mod Name
        • [PAK]_Mod_Name <- models and textures
  • Localization
    • Language <- usually English
      • Mod_Name.xml <- text for items and spells
  • Mods
    • Mod Name
      • meta.lsx <- Created manually or automatically with the BG3 Mini Tool
  • Public <- use one of the Sample Mods above as a template for this folder
    • Game <- icons and other UI elements
    • Mod Name <- mod files in plain-text or XML

Example meta.lsx

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<save>
    <version major="4" minor="0" revision="8" build="612"/>
    <region id="Config">
        <node id="root">
            <children>
                <node id="Dependencies"/>
                <node id="ModuleInfo">
                    <attribute id="Author" type="LSString" value="AUTHOR NAME HERE"/>
                    <attribute id="CharacterCreationLevelName" type="FixedString" value=""/>
                    <attribute id="Description" type="LSString" value=""/>
                    <attribute id="Folder" type="LSString" value="MOD FOLDER NAME HERE"/>
                    <attribute id="LobbyLevelName" type="FixedString" value=""/>
                    <attribute id="MD5" type="LSString" value=""/>
                    <attribute id="MainMenuBackgroundVideo" type="FixedString" value=""/>
                    <attribute id="MenuLevelName" type="FixedString" value=""/>
                    <attribute id="Name" type="LSString" value="MOD NAME HERE"/>
                    <attribute id="NumPlayers" type="uint8" value="4"/>
                    <attribute id="PhotoBooth" type="FixedString" value=""/>
                    <attribute id="StartupLevelName" type="FixedString" value=""/>
                    <attribute id="Tags" type="LSString" value=""/>
                    <attribute id="Type" type="FixedString" value="Add-on"/>
                    <attribute id="UUID" type="FixedString" value="UUID HERE"/>
                    <attribute id="Version64" type="int64" value="36029237253119790"/>
                    <children>
                        <node id="PublishVersion">
                            <attribute id="Version64" type="int64" value="36028797018963968"/>
                        </node>
                        <node id="TargetModes">
                            <children>
                                <node id="Target">
                                    <attribute id="Object" type="FixedString" value="Story"/>
                                </node>
                            </children>
                        </node>
                    </children>
                </node>
            </children>
        </node>
    </region>
</save>

Gallery

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  Collada/DAE export settings for Blender 2.79b

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  Collada/DAE export settings for Blender 2.93

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  DDS export settings for GnuIMP 2.10

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  Export settings for Blender 2.79b with LaughingLeader's GR2 Export Plugin (1)

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  Export settings for Blender 2.79b with LaughingLeader's GR2 Export Plugin (2)

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  Export settings for Blender 2.79b with LaughingLeader's GR2 Export Plugin (3)