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The wad-make utility creates a League of Legends WAD archive from a directory structure, typically one that was previously extracted with wad-extract.

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Syntax

wad-make <input-directory> <output.wad>

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Arguments

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input-directory
string
required
Directory containing the files to pack. Must have the proper structure with OBSIDIAN_PACKED_MAPPING.txt.
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output.wad
string
required
Path for the output WAD file. Usually ends with .wad.client.

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Requirements

The input directory must contain:
  1. OBSIDIAN_PACKED_MAPPING.txt - Hash mapping file from extraction
  2. Proper directory structure - data/, assets/, or levels/ folders
  3. Valid game files - Assets in their original or modified formats

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Behavior

The tool:
  1. Reads the directory structure and mapping file
  2. Compresses and packs all files into WAD format
  3. Creates a .wad.client file ready for use

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Examples

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Pack modified champion assets

wad-make ./Ahri-modified ./Ahri-custom.wad.client
Creates a WAD file from your modified Ahri assets.

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Create WAD for mod distribution

wad-make ./my-skin-files ./custom-skin.wad.client

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Typical Workflow

1

Extract original WAD

wad-extract original.wad.client ./working-directory
2

Modify files

Edit textures, models, or configuration files in the extracted directory.
3

Pack modified files

wad-make ./working-directory ./modified.wad.client
4

Import into mod

Use the WAD file with mod-tools or add to a mod folder:
mod-tools import ./modified.wad.client ./MyMod

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Output Format

The created WAD file:
  • Uses the .wad.client format compatible with League of Legends
  • Contains compressed asset data
  • Can be used with cslol-manager or mod-tools
  • Is ready for distribution as part of a Fantome mod

wad-extract

Extract WAD files to directories

mod-tools import

Import WADs directly into mod folders

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Best Practices

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Preserve the mapping file

Never delete or modify OBSIDIAN_PACKED_MAPPING.txt. This file is essential for correct hash mapping during packing.

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Maintain directory structure

Keep the same folder structure as the extracted WAD: 
working-directory/
├── data/
├── assets/
├── levels/ (if applicable)
└── OBSIDIAN_PACKED_MAPPING.txt

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File naming

Output WAD files should use the .wad.client extension for compatibility.

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Troubleshooting

The directory must contain the mapping file created during extraction. If you lost it:
  1. Re-extract the original WAD
  2. Copy the mapping file to your working directory
  3. Try packing again
  • Verify the directory structure matches the original extraction
  • Ensure modified files are in valid formats (.dds, .skn, etc.)
  • Check file permissions and paths
  • Try importing the WAD through mod-tools instead of using it directly
  • Ensure all files are in the correct subdirectories
  • Check that file names match the mapping file entries
  • Verify files aren’t corrupted or in the wrong format

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Notes

  • Packing large directories may take time depending on file count and size
  • The tool automatically compresses files during packing
  • Output WADs can be significantly smaller than the extracted directory
  • Packed WADs are not directly usable by the game - they must be loaded through cslol-manager or mod-tools

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