The Ability files are used to identify and implement the individual class/racial abilities that make up each character.
The first field is the Ability Name, this is a required field and does not have a tag.
This section is broken into three subsections. The first, the Ability File Tags subsection, lists the new ability file tags, the second subsection, Global Ability Tags, and the third subsection, Other Ability Tags, lists the tags located else where in the PCGen documentation.
*** Added 5.11.x
Tag Name: ADDSPELLLEVEL:x
Variables Used (x): Number (Increase in spell slot level)
What it does:
This tag is used in metamagic abilities to denote how much higher the spell levelslot requires.
Example:
ADDSPELLLEVEL:2
A spell with this metamagic ability applied to it takes up a slot two levels higher than the normal spell.
*** New 5.15.2
Tag Name: ASPECT:x|y|z|z
Variables Used (x): Text (Name of Aspect)
Variables Used (y): Text (Value of Aspect)
Variables Used (z): Number or Formula (Optional. Used for substitutions in y)
What it does:
DESC
tag:
%CHOICE
- Will replace the first associated choice in the object.%LIST
- Will substitute all choices comma separated into that parameter.%NAME
- The OUTPUTNAME
or name of the object this DESC
tag is in.ASPECT
tags can be modified by .MODing the ability and inserting a new ASPECT
tag. Since each aspect name can hold only one value per ability, .MODing a new ASPECT
tag will
overwrite the only value of the aspect by that name in the ability.Example:
ASPECT:Action Type|Standard Action
Identifies the "Action Type" of an action performed as part of the associated ability as a "Standard Action".
ASPECT:Attack Type|Melee weapon
Identifies the "Attack Type" of an attack performed as part of the associated ability as a "Melee weapon" attack.
ASPECT:Target|One creature
Identifies the "Target" of an action performed as part of the associated ability as "One creature".
ASPECT:Attack|Strength vs. AC
Identifies an "Attack" performed as part of the associated ability as "Strength vs. AC".
ASPECT:Attack Type|Ranged %1|PowerRange
Identifies the "Attack Type" of an attack performed as part of the associated ability as a "Ranged" attack with a range equivalent to the "PowerRange" variable.
ASPECT:Effect|Double damage to %CHOICE creatures
Identifies the "Effect" of an action performed as part of the associated ability as "Double damage" to the creature chosen by the associated chooser.
*** Added 5.11.x
Tag Name: BENEFIT:x
Variables Used (x): Text (benefit text)
Variables Used (x): .CLEAR
Variables Used (x): .CLEAR.text (regular expression)
What it does:
BENEFIT
tag.BENEFIT
tags per line are allowed with all qualifying BENEFIT
tags being
concatonated for output and separated by commas (,)..CLEAR
will clear all BENEFIT
tags..CLEAR.(regular expression match)
will clear specific instances.BENEFIT
tags will take variable substitution.
BENEFIT
.%NAME
- The name of the object this BENEFIT
tag is in.%FEAT
- Will substitute the descriptions of feats within the object that match the associated preqrequisites.%CHOICE
- Will replace the first associated choice in the object.%LIST
- Will substitute all choices into that parameter as a comma-delimited list.BENEFIT:.CLEAR..*
,
or clear all exceptional abilities by doing BENEFIT:.CLEAR.\(Ex\)
, or clear everything
that's non-numeric with BENEFIT:.CLEAR.[A-Za-z]
.Example:
BENEFIT:This is sample text for the example purposes
Adds ability benefit.
BENEFIT:Kick Butt (level 3)|PRELEVEL:3
Adds ability description only if the PC is level 3 or higher.
BENEFIT:Assembly ~ 1 table|PREVAREQ:AssemblyTables,1
BENEFIT:Assembly ~ %1 tables|AssemblyTables|PREVARGTEQ:AssemblyTables,2
Adds an ability description which is dependent upon the value of the variable AssemblyTables.
BENEFIT:You get a +2 bonus on all %1 saving throws|%CHOICE
Adds ability description and replaces %1 with the first choice made.
BENEFIT:You get a +3 bonus on all checks involving %1|%LIST.
Adds ability description, replacing %LIST with all choices made.
BENEFIT:%3 Sneak Attacks per day for +%1d%2 damage|SneakAttack|SneakAttackDie|SneakAttackTimes
Adds ability description, substituting the variables from the positions specified.
Advanced Combat Martial Arts.MOD <tab> BENEFIT:.CLEAR <tab> BENEFIT:When the character scores a critical hit on an opponent with an unarmed strike, the character deals triple damage
Changes the ability description, substituting the specified text.
*** Updated 5.13.6
Tag Name: CATEGORY:x
Variables Used (x): Text (Ability category)
What it does:
This is the Ability Category that the ability belongs to. The ability category is a broad group of abilities, defined in the game mode. An ability's key name need only be unique within its category.
Examples:
CATEGORY:SpecialAttack
This ability is part of the "SpecialAttack" ability category.
CATEGORY:Feat
This ability is part of the "Feat" ability category, which is a special case of abilities that can be selected as feats.
CATEGORY=Talent|Uncanny Dodge II.MOD <tab> PRE:.CLEAR
This ability is part of the "Talent" ability category, which is aimed at the feat of "Uncanny Dodge II" so that it can be modified by removing the PRExxx.
Tag Name: CHOOSE:SKILLSNAMEDTOCCSKILL|x
Variables Used (x): Text (Skill name)
Variables Used (x): Text% (Start of skill name)
Variables Used (x): TYPE=Text (Skill type)
Variables Used (x): ALL (Displays all skills)
Variables Used (x): CLASS (Displays all class skills)
Variables Used (x): CROSSCLASS (Displays all cross class skills)
Variables Used (x): EXCLUSIVE (Displays all exclusive skills)
What it does:
CHOOSE
tag to define the number of "selections" that can be made.Example:
CHOOSE:SKILLSNAMEDTOCCSKILL|CLASS
This will display a list of all the characters class skills and allow them to select a skill to be made a cross class skill.
Where it is Used:
Ability Files
Tag Name: CHOOSE:SKILLSNAMEDTOCSKILL|x
Variables Used (x): Text (Skill Name)
Variables Used (x): Text% (Start of skill name)
Variables Used (x): TYPE=Text (Skill type)
Variables Used (x): ALL (Displays all skills)
Variables Used (x): CLASS (Displays all class skills)
Variables Used (x): CROSSCLASS (Displays all cross class skills)
Variables Used (x): EXCLUSIVE (Displays all exclusive skills)
What it does:
CHOOSE
tag to define the number of "selections" that can be made.Example:
CHOOSE:SKILLSNAMEDTOCSKILL|CROSSCLASS
This will display a list of all the characters cross class skills and allow them to select a skill to be made a class skill.
Where it is Used:
Ability Files
*** Added 5.11.x
Tag Name: COST:x
Variables Used (x): Number (ability point cost)
What it does:
This is how many ability points the ability costs. A decimal value, as the example below, would mean that it only costs 1/2 an ability point.
Example:
COST:1
Ability costs one ability point.
COST:.5
Ability costs half a ability point.
Default Value:
1
Deprectated 5.15.6 - Remove 6.0
Tag Name: MODIFYABILITYCHOICE:x
Variables Used (x):Text (ability name)
Variables Used (x):TYPE=Text (ability type)
What it does:
Example:
MODIFYABILITYCHOICE:TYPE=NinjaMonkeySchool
An ability with this tag will allow the selection of a new school from a list of schools of type 'NinjaMonkeySchool' to replace a previously selected one.
MODIFYABILITYCHOICE:Ninja Monkey Primary Weapon Reselection
Allows a ninja monkey to select a new primary weapon, replacing an earlier selected primary weapon.
*** Added 5.11.x
Tag Name: MULT:x
Variables Used (x): Boolean ('YES' or 'NO')
What it does:
This determines if an ability can be taken multiple times. If the value is set to 'YES', then you MUST also use a 'CHOOSE' tag.
Example:
MULT:YES
This Ability can be taken multiple times.
Default Value:
NO
*** Added 5.11.x
Tag Name: STACK:x
Variables Used (x): Boolean ('YES' or 'NO')
What it does:
This tells PCGen if the ability benefits may be stacked on one another.
Example:
STACK:YES
The benefits for this ability stack with it self if taken multiple times.
Default Value:
NO
Tag Name: TEMPLATE:x|x
Variables Used (x): Text (Template Name)
What it does:
This is a pipe-delimited (|) list of templates that are granted by the ability.
Example:
TEMPLATE:Incorporeal|Undead|Celestial
The ability applies the "Incorporeal", "Undead" and "Celestial" templates.
Tag Name: TEMPLATE:ADDCHOICE:x|x
Variables Used (x): Text (Template Name)
What it does:
TEMPLATE:CHOOSE
tag.TEMPLATE:ADDCOICE
tag as part of a .MOD
of a
Race object that containes multiple TEMPLATE:CHOOSE
tags, all instances
of the TEMPLATE:CHOOSE
tag will be modified.Example:
TEMPLATE:ADDCHOICE:Demihuman|Beast
The ability can choose previously defined templates plus the "Demihuman" or "Beast" templates.
Tag Name: TEMPLATE:CHOOSE:x|x
Variables Used (x): Text (Template Name)
What it does:
TEMPLATE:CHOOSE
tags can be used in the same LST object
but PCGen's current Data Standard os to include no more that one in each LST object.Example:
TEMPLATE:CHOOSE:Celestial|Outsider
The ability allows the selection of either the "Celestial" or "Outsider" template.
*** Added 5.11.x
Tag Name: VISIBLE:x
Variables Used (x): YES (Default)
Variables Used (x): NO
Variables Used (x): DISPLAY
Variables Used (x): EXPORT
What it does:
YES
- Shows the ability name in PCGen and on export to a character sheet.NO
- Hides the ability name in PCGen and on export to a character sheet.DISPLAY
- Displays the ability name in PCGen but not on the character sheet.EXPORT
- Hides the ability name from PCGen but displays it on the character sheet.Example:
VISIBLE:YES
Shows the ability name in PCGen and on the Output sheet.
These are not true global tags as the tags in the previous section are. Though they occur in other files, they have an impact on abilities and are being included here to make them easier to locate and understand.