How Karsus Codex Works

Create custom Baldur's Gate 3 items without touching the modding toolkit. Pick an item, add effects, download a ready-to-use .pak file.

Video tutorial coming soon

Step by Step

1

Choose a base item

Start with any weapon, armor, ring, amulet, or accessory from the game. We have hundreds of items in our catalog - from simple longswords to legendary artifacts.

2

Add recipes and effects

Apply pre-built recipes like elemental damage, stat bonuses, or special abilities. Or use the custom effects builder to add specific passives from the game.

Fire Damage +2 Strength Arcane Acuity Burning Fury
3

Build and download

Click "Build Mod" and we generate a .pak file ready to drop into your game. No toolkit installation, no XML editing, no UUID management.

Installing Your Mod

Drop the .pak file into your BG3 Mods folder:

Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\Mods
macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Larian Studios/Baldur's Gate 3/Mods

Then enable it in your mod manager (Vortex, BG3 Mod Manager, or the in-game mod menu). Your custom item will appear in a tutorial chest near the Nautiloid starting area.

Recipes vs Custom Effects

Recipes

Pre-built effect packages that are tested and balanced. Great for common modifications.

  • Elemental damage conversions
  • Stat bonuses (+STR, +DEX, etc.)
  • Weapon enchantments
  • Armor effects

Custom Effects

Direct access to game passives. More powerful but requires knowing what you want.

  • Arcane Acuity, Arcane Synergy
  • Burning Fury, Cat's Grace
  • Any passive from the game
  • Searchable catalog

Tips for Good Mods

  • Start simple: Add one or two effects first, test in-game, then iterate.
  • Check compatibility: Some effects only work on certain item types (weapon-only, armor-only, etc.).
  • Use the tutorial chest: Your items spawn there - no need to use console commands.
  • Version your mods: Each rebuild creates a new version you can compare.
  • Share your creations: Make your mod public so others can use or remix it.

Ready to create?

Sign In to Start