Skill Creation Basics

RPG MAKER WITH's Skill Database allows users to create or edit Skills. Read on to learn more about creating or changing Skills using the Database.

How to Create Skills

Add Strategic Depth and Skill Variety

Though you can use the pre-existing Skills from the RPG MAKER WITH's Skill Database, there is also an option to create new ones. This is helpful when you want to create Skills with different effects, damage calculation, and animation.

You might also create a new one to fit with your RPG. For instance, the Skills in your game might not need a TP. You can create new Skills or edit existing ones to remove their TP Gain. Let's learn how to create Skills in this guide.

Skill Creation Basics

Basic Settings

1	To create or edit Skills, press the ZL Button and select "Go to Database."
2	From the Database screen, select "Skills" and choose an empty slot. For this example, we chose "0004."
3	Starting with the "Basic Settings," you can edit the "Name," "Icon," "Description," "Type," "MP cost," "TP cost," "Range," and "Occassion." For this example, we made a basic healing spell with a 5 MP cost, which only targets allies.

Activate Skill

Correct Speed	The Correct Speed or casting time is set to 0, which means there is no added multiplier to a character's agility when determining the turn order.
Success Rate	The Success Rate or hit rate is 100%, since this is only a basic spell. A more powerful Skill might have a lower hit rate to balance its power.
Repeats	This indicates the number of times a Skill will activate. In this case, Healing Pulse will activate once.
TP Gain	Some actions gain TP. Healing Pulse's TP Gain is set to 0, which means there is no TP gained after using this Skill.
Hit Type	This determines the probability a character can hit an enemy. Healing Pulse is set to "Certain Hit," which means this spell will always hit.
Animations	This determines the animation of a Skill during a battle. Healing Pulse's animation is set to "0045 Cure One 1." You can choose various animations depending on the spells or Skills you design.

Set Skill Messages

You can also set a message when a character uses a Skill. The three boxes below allow you to automatically create a message. For instance, %1 casts %2!. In battle, %1 will be replaced by the character using the Skill and %2 will be replaced by the Skill name.

For example, we manually set the message "Honey uses Healing Pulse!"

Set Required Weapons

You can set one or two weapon types to use a Skill. For example, Healing Pulse can only be used when a character equipped a Staff.

Set Skill Damage

Types	This indicates the Skill's type of damage. You can set it to "None," "HP Damage," "MP Damage," "HP Recover," "MP Recover," "HP Drain," or "MP Drain." Since the example is a healing spell, its damage type is none.
Element	This sets the elemental type of a Skill. You can choose between fire, ice, thunder, water, earth, wind, light, and dark. You can create your own element in the Database by selecting "Types" and adding it under the "Element" section.
Formula	This sets the formula for damage calculation
Variance	This sets the value of the final damage according to percent. For example, setting it to 20% will cause a Skill to deal between 80% and 120% of damage.
Critical Hits	Enables a Skill to critically hit a target. If you enable it, critical hits will happen based on the attacker's critical hit rate and the target's critical evasion rate.

Damage Formula Basics

Set Skill Effects

Recovery	Sets the type of recovery and the amount a character can recover. For example, Healing Pulse will heal 20% of the target's max HP + 10 HP.
States	Sets the Skill to add or remove a status effect i.e. burn, paralyze, or blind.
Parameter	Sets the Skill to add or remove a buff or a debuff.
Other	Sets a Skill to activate a "Special Effect," "Grow," "Obtain Skill," and "Common Events."

Skill Creation Tips

Prepare Your Skill List

Preparing your Skill list in advance can save time during Skill creation. You can get easily bogged down by the numerous ways of editing and creating Skills. For example, you might spend some time on the name or elemental attribute of a single Skill while editing in the Database. You can write down your list of Skills and then put them in the Database to save time and effort.

How to Make Skill Types

Start with the Basics

Creating a simple Skill first will help you understand how to create and edit Skills. This prepares you for making more complicated Skills in the future. For example, you can initially use an "Attack Enemy" formula for your sword attack to understand damage calculation, then create your own formula once you get the gist of it. This helps you familiarize yourself with creating and editing Skills.

How to Set Skill Effects

RPG MAKER WITH Related Guides

All Intermediate Guide Articles

Core Guides
Intermediate Guide Part 1	Intermediate Guide Part 2

Supplementary Guides
How to Outline Your Game	Creating Your Main Character and Party Members
How to Create a Village	Creating Inns and Shops
How to Create a Party Recruitment Event	Getting a Vehicle
How to Create a Dungeon	How to Use Self Switches
How to Make a Locked Door	How to Make a Yes/No Player Option
Skill Creation Basics	How to Set Skill Effects
How to Make Skill Types	How to Set Skill Types
Traits Explained	Character Creation Settings Explained
Character Class Settings Explained	Damage Formula Basics
Parameter Curve Explained	How to Make Elements
Equipment Creation Basics	How to Make Items

Tips and Tricks
How to Make a Switch	How to Use Map Foregrounds and Backgrounds
How to Change Event Text Color