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Create your own custom skins and modifications for League of Legends using the mod creation tools built into cslol-manager.

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Overview

There are several ways to create a mod:
  • From RAW folder - Start with custom asset files
  • From WAD files - Use extracted or modified WAD archives
  • From scratch - Create an empty mod and add files later

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Creating a New Mod

1

Open the New Mod Dialog

Click the New Mod button in cslol-manager’s toolbar.This opens the mod creation interface where you’ll define your mod’s metadata.
2

Fill in Mod Information

Provide the following details:
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Name
string
required
The display name of your mod (e.g., “Dark Star Ahri”)
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Version
string
required
Semantic version number (e.g., “1.0.0”)
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Author
string
required
Your name or username
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Description
string
A brief description of what your mod does
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Home
string
URL to your mod’s homepage or download page
3

Add a Preview Image

Upload a preview image (PNG format recommended) to help users identify your mod.The image will be saved as META/image.png in your mod directory.
4

Save the Mod

Click Save to create the mod structure.The mod will be created with the filename format:
ModName V1.0.0 by Author

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Adding Content to Your Mod

After creating the basic mod structure, you need to add game files.

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Method 1: Add WAD Files

1

Edit Your Mod

Right-click your mod in the list and select Edit Mod.
2

Add WAD File

Click Add WAD and select:
  • A .wad or .wad.client file
  • An unpacked WAD directory
3

Configure Import Options

Choose whether to:
  • Rebase against game - Recommended to reduce file size
  • Remove unknown entries - Strips files not present in the base game
4

Wait for Processing

The tool will:
  • Import the WAD contents
  • Compare against game files
  • Strip duplicate/unmodified entries
  • Save optimized output to WAD/ directory

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Method 2: Use CLI Tools

For advanced workflows, use the mod-tools command-line interface: 
# Create a mod from a RAW folder
mod-tools import ./MyRawAssets ./installed/MyMod --game:/path/to/league

# Add a WAD to an existing mod
mod-tools addwad ./modified.wad ./installed/MyMod --game:/path/to/league --removeUNK
See the CLI Commands documentation for full details.

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Working with WAD Files

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Extracting Game WADs

Before you can modify game assets, you need to extract them:
1

Locate Game WAD Files

Game WADs are located in:
League of Legends/Game/DATA/FINAL/Champions/
2

Extract the WAD

Use the extraction command:
wad-extract input.wad.client ./output-directory
3

Modify Files

Edit textures, models, or other assets in the extracted directory.
4

Create Mod from Modified Files

Import the modified directory:
mod-tools import ./output-directory ./MyMod --game:/path/to/league

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Understanding WAD Structure

Extracted WAD directories typically contain: 
Champion.wad.client/
├── data/
│   └── characters/
│       └── champion/
│           ├── skins/
│           │   └── skin01.dds
│           └── animations/
├── assets/
└── OBSIDIAN_PACKED_MAPPING.txt

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Mod Metadata Format

The META/info.json file contains mod information: 
{
  "Name": "My Custom Skin",
  "Version": "1.0.0",
  "Author": "YourName",
  "Description": "A beautiful custom skin for Champion X",
  "Home": "https://example.com/mods",
  "Heart": ""
}
All fields are automatically validated and populated with defaults if missing.

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Exporting Your Mod

Once your mod is ready to share:
1

Select Your Mod

Right-click the mod in the mod list.
2

Choose Export

Select Export from the context menu.
3

Save Location

Choose where to save the .fantome or .zip file.
4

Wait for Export

The export process will:
  • Optimize the mod against game files
  • Package all files into an archive
  • Apply TFT filtering if enabled
The exported file can be shared with other users or published to mod repositories.

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Best Practices

Follow the MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH format:
  • MAJOR: Breaking changes or complete overhauls
  • MINOR: New features, backwards compatible
  • PATCH: Bug fixes and small tweaks
This ensures:
  • Smaller mod file sizes
  • Compatibility with game updates
  • Faster overlay building
Always test your mod:
  1. Create a test profile
  2. Add only your mod
  3. Run the game and verify changes
  4. Check for conflicts or errors
A good preview image helps users:
  • Identify your mod quickly
  • Understand what the mod changes
  • Make informed decisions about installation

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Troubleshooting

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Mod Creation Failed

If mod creation fails:
  • Check that the installed/ directory is writable
  • Ensure mod name doesn’t contain invalid characters
  • Verify anti-virus isn’t blocking file operations

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WAD Import Errors

If adding WAD files fails:
  • Verify the WAD file isn’t corrupted
  • Ensure the League path is correctly configured
  • Check that cslol-tools/mod-tools.exe exists
  • Review log.txt for detailed error messages

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Changes Not Appearing In-Game

If your mod doesn’t work:
  • Verify the profile is running (green indicator)
  • Check for mod conflicts in the overlay build log
  • Ensure you’re modifying the correct champion WAD
  • Try rebuilding the profile with --ignoreConflict

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Next Steps

WAD Files Guide

Deep dive into WAD file operations

CLI Tools

Master the command-line tools

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

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