Create Your First Monster

This guide walks you through creating a brand-new monster species using the Monster Creator Wizard. By the end, you will have a fully configured monster that can appear in battles, the dex, and the overworld.

Using the Monster Creator Wizard

MCE includes a dedicated editor window for creating monsters without touching code.

1. Open the wizard: MCE > Tools > Monster Creator.
2. The MonsterCreatorWindow will open as a dockable editor panel.

The wizard walks you through each step of monster creation. Let us go through each section.

Step 1: Basic Information

Fill in the foundational fields:

Field	Description	Example
Name	The species name displayed in-game	Flameleon
Dex Number	Unique identifier in your database	152
Category	Short species descriptor	Fire Lizard
Description	Dex entry text	A small lizard whose tail burns brighter when excited.

Dex Numbering

The included 151 monsters use dex numbers 1-151. Start your custom monsters at 152 or higher to avoid conflicts. You can also use a completely separate numbering scheme if you are building an original game.

Step 2: Types

Assign one or two types to your monster:

• Primary Type (required) -- The main type. Example: Fire.
• Secondary Type (optional) -- The secondary type for dual-typing. Example: None or Flying.

Types determine damage effectiveness in battle. You can view and customize the full type chart with the Type Chart Editor (MCE > Tools > Type Chart Editor).

Step 3: Base Stats

Configure the six base stats that determine your monster's capabilities:

Stat	Description	Typical Range
HP	Hit points	30-120
Attack	Physical attack power	30-130
Defense	Physical defense	30-130
Special Attack	Special attack power	30-130
Special Defense	Special defense	30-130
Speed	Turn order priority	30-130

The Base Stat Total (BST) is shown at the bottom. For reference:

• Early-game monsters: BST around 300-350
• Mid-game monsters: BST around 400-480
• Fully evolved monsters: BST around 500-540
• Legendary monsters: BST around 580-680

Step 4: Learnable Moves

Configure which moves your monster can learn and when:

• Level-Up Moves -- Moves learned at specific levels. Add entries like Level 1: Tackle, Level 7: Ember.
• TM/HM Moves -- Moves learnable from items.
• Egg Moves -- Moves inherited through breeding.
• Tutor Moves -- Moves taught by NPCs.

Move Database

MCE includes 668+ moves out of the box. You can browse them in the Database Browser (MCE > Tools > Database Browser) or create new ones as Move ScriptableObjects.

Step 5: Abilities

Assign up to three abilities:

• Primary Ability -- The default ability most specimens will have.
• Secondary Ability -- An alternative ability some specimens can have.
• Hidden Ability -- A rare ability obtainable through special means.

Step 6: Evolution

Configure how this monster evolves (if it does):

1. Select an Evolution Type from the dropdown. MCE supports 30+ types, including:

   • EvolveByLevel -- Evolves at a specific level.
   • EvolveByFriendship -- Evolves when friendship is high enough.
   • EvolveOnItemUse -- Evolves when a specific item is used on it.
   • EvolveWhenTraded -- Evolves during a trade.
   • And many more (see Evolution Guide).

2. Set the Target Species -- The monster it evolves into.

3. Configure any conditions specific to the evolution type (level threshold, required item, etc.).

Step 7: Sprites and Visuals

Assign the visual assets for your monster:

Sprite	Usage	Recommended Size
Front Sprite	Battle view (opponent side)	96x96 px
Back Sprite	Battle view (player side)	96x96 px
Icon	Party menu, PC boxes	32x32 px
Overworld / Follower	Walking behind the player	32x48 px (4-direction sheet)
Shiny Front	Shiny variant front	96x96 px
Shiny Back	Shiny variant back	96x96 px

Drag your sprite assets into the corresponding fields. All sprites should use the Point (no filter) filter mode and Sprite texture type with Pixels Per Unit set to match your game's scale (typically 16 or 32).

AI Art Generation

If you have Basic tier or above, you can generate sprites using the Art Studio (MCE > Tools > Art Generator). It supports PixelLab, Nano Banana 2, and OpenAI image generation. See the Art Studio Guide for details.

Step 8: Create and Verify

1. Click Create Monster at the bottom of the wizard.
2. The wizard will generate a MonsterEntry ScriptableObject in your database folder.
3. Open the Database Browser (MCE > Tools > Database Browser) and search for your monster to verify it appears.
4. Open the MonsterDex in play mode to see your monster's dex entry.

Testing Your Monster

To see your monster in action:

1. Wild Encounter -- Add your monster to an encounter table on an EncounterTile in your map. Enter the grass and you will eventually find it.
2. Direct Spawn -- In the Inspector, find any Roster component and add your monster directly to a trainer's party.
3. Debug Tools -- Use MCE > Debug > Give Monster (if available) to add it to the player's party at runtime.

The MonsterEntry ScriptableObject

Under the hood, the wizard creates a MonsterEntry ScriptableObject. If you prefer working directly with SOs instead of the wizard, you can create one manually:

Assets > Create > OpenMon > Monster Entry

The key fields on a MonsterEntry are:

// Core identity
string MonsterName;
uint DexNumber;
MonsterType Type1;
MonsterType Type2;

// Stats
int BaseHP, BaseAttack, BaseDefense;
int BaseSpAttack, BaseSpDefense, BaseSpeed;

// Data by form (supports multiple forms/variants)
DataByFormEntry[] DataByForm;

// Evolution
EvolutionData[] Evolutions;

// Sprites per form
Sprite FrontSprite, BackSprite, IconSprite;

The DataByFormEntry structure allows a single species to have multiple forms (e.g., regional variants, Mega forms, seasonal forms) with different stats, types, and sprites per form.

Next Steps

• Set Up Your First Battle -- Test your monster in combat.
• Types Guide -- Understand the type effectiveness system.
• Evolution Guide -- Configure complex evolution chains.