ValheimWeaponClasses

ValheimClassObelisk - Developer README

1. Overview

Class Obelisk is a Valheim mod (BepInEx plugin, built on the Jotunn modding library) that adds a craftable "Class Obelisk" piece. A player interacts with the Obelisk to choose from 10 combat classes:

SwordMaster, Archer, Crusher, Assassin, Brawler, Wizard, Lancer, Bulwark, Executioner, Warlock

Each class deals bonus damage with its associated weapon type and gains XP from combat. Classes level from 1 to 50, unlocking a passive perk every 10 levels (10 / 20 / 30 / 40 / 50).

Plugin identity (BepInEx):

| Field | Value | |---|---| | GUID | com.bunzboi.valheimweaponclass | | Name | ValheimWeaponClasses | | Version | 1.1.0 |

2. Requirements / Dependencies

• .NET Framework 4.7.2
• BepInEx + 0Harmony (referenced from the local Steam Valheim install)
• Jotunn (declared as a hard dependency via [BepInDependency(Jotunn.Main.ModGuid)]) — used for prefab cloning, the piece/build system, and all custom GUI (the class-selection window)

The .csproj references game/BepInEx/Jotunn DLLs via HintPaths pointing at a local Steam install (Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Valheim\...). If you're setting this up on a new machine, update those HintPaths (or your Steam install path) if the build fails to find references.

A Newtonsoft.Json.dll is vendored under Libs/ but is not currently used for anything - all save data goes through Unity's own JsonUtility instead.

3. Project Layout

ClassObeliskMod.cs          Plugin entry point (BaseUnityPlugin). Creates the
                             Obelisk piece and contains the entire class-
                             selection GUI (built with Jotunn's GUIManager).

Utilities/
    PlayerClass.cs             The PlayerClass enum + PlayerClassHelper
                                (display names, internal names, weapon-type
                                lookups).
    PlayerClassManager.cs      Per-player class data (PlayerClassData) and
                                the static registry (PlayerClassManager).
                                Also contains the Save/Load Harmony patches.
    ClassCombatManager.cs      Weapon-type detection (is this a sword? a
                                bow? etc.) and class damage multipliers.
    ClassDamageBonusSystem.cs  Generic per-level damage bonus (separate
                                from ClassCombatManager - see section 5).
    XPSystemManager.cs         XP awarding, leveling curve, and the Harmony
                                patches that hook combat events for XP.
    AnimationSpeedManager.cs   Reusable stacking multiplier utility for
                                attack/animation speed (used by some perks).
    SEUtils.cs                 Helpers for inspecting vanilla StatusEffects
                                (poison/burning/frost stacks, timers, etc.)

PerkManagers/                One file per class, each implementing that
                             class's level 10/20/30/40/50 passive perks
                             (SwordMasterPerkManager.cs, ArcherPerkManager.cs,
                             CrusherPerkManager.cs, AssassinPerkManager.cs,
                             BrawlerPerkManager.cs, WizardPerkManager.cs,
                             LancerPerkManager.cs, BulwarkPerkManager.cs).
                             This is where you go to add or tune a specific
                             class's abilities.

TestingResources/            Debug-only console commands (API discovery,
                             bow testing, general debug utilities). Not part
                             of the intended production feature set.

Resources/Icons/             Embedded .rgba icon assets used by some perk
                             status effects.

Libs/                        Vendored third-party DLLs (Newtonsoft.Json,
                             AnimationSpeedManager).

4. How Class Selection Works

1. The player crafts the Class Obelisk with a Hammer. It's built by cloning the vanilla piece_workbench prefab and stripping its CraftingStation component, so it's purely an interactable piece, not a crafting station (see ClassObeliskMod.AddClassObelisk / CreateClassObeliskPrefab).

1. Interacting with it (E) calls ClassObeliskInteract.Interact, which opens a class-selection window built entirely with Jotunn's GUIManager (no Unity prefab/asset UI) - a grid of class buttons, a description panel populated from the hardcoded ClassDescriptions dictionary in ClassObeliskMod.cs, and a "Select Class" button.

1. Clicking "Select Class" calls:

   PlayerClassManager.SetPlayerActiveClass(player, className)

which resolves the class and calls PlayerClassData.SetActiveClass, replacing any currently active class - by default only one class can be active at a time.

> Note: PlayerClassData.CanSelectSecondClass() returns true once any class reaches level 50, implying a second, simultaneously-active class is intended at that point. The selection GUI currently always calls the single-class "replace" path rather than an "add second class" path, so dual-classing appears to be a planned but not fully wired-up feature.

5. Where Class Settings Live

There is no external data file (no JSON/YAML) for class definitions - everything is hardcoded in C#:

• Utilities/PlayerClass.cs — the PlayerClass enum (the 8 classes) plus PlayerClassHelper, which maps each class to a display name, an internal/save name, and a weapon-type description.
• ClassObeliskMod.cs (ClassDescriptions dictionary) — flavor-text descriptions of each class's perks, shown in the selection GUI. This is display text only, not mechanics.