Modify Your Save, Recover Trinkets, Quirks, Etc

I found these instructions when I was searching for how to add a trinket back that was lost in a save file. Somehow I got 2 Dismas's Heads when one of them should have been a different trinket, so I imagine it was a corrupted save. These instructions helped me get my trinkets back, and can probably modify whatever else you need in a save too.

I don't take credit for either the instructions, nor for the save editor. I'm just reposting what someone else wrote as a reply, but should have made their own guide for (if they did then I haven't seen it and I'll take this down mb).

The Good Stuff

Originally posted by Ichthyic:
well, since nobody actually answered your question, I will.

savegame editor download:

https://github.com/robojumper/DarkestDungeonSaveEditor/releases

your savegames will be sorted by "profile" in your save directory, numbered for each campaign you have running.

go to the directory where your profiles are, which will be something like:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\[Steam User ID #]\262060\remote

and you will see folders like "profile_1"

make a backup folder somewhere (I just make a "backup" folder on my desktop) and copy your current profile there. alternatively, you can use the editor itself to make a backup (you will see a button just for this when you run it).

install the editor, and start it.

after the "game data directory", click the browse button and browse to the directory where your game is installed (it will be in Steam/common/applications/darkest dungeon - or similar).

after the "save file directory" box, click on the "browse" button and browse to the folder I identified earlier. pick the profile number that associates to the campaign save game you want to edit, and click "open".

this will load your current save game into the editor.

you will see a bunch of tabs of information appear in the large box at the bottom of the screen. each of these controls one set of resources for the game.

the tab you want to click on is:

persist.roster.json

scroll to the very top of that list of text, and you will see where it starts listing all the heroes in your roster.

example:

"hero_file_data" : {
"raw_data" : {
"base_root" : {
"roster.status" : 3,
"roster.before_on_start_town_visit_status" : 3,
"roster.missing_duration" : 0,
"roster.story_variation" : 0,
"roster.missing_from" : 0,
"roster.building_name" : "",
"roster.timestamp" : 1222106904,
"actor" : {
"name" : "Sobek O'thoth",

and it continues on from there.

scroll through until you see the name of the hero you want to edit.

as you scroll down past the name, you will see every single aspect of the hero that is currently applied, from health, to number of monsters killed, to buffs and debuffs, to quirks, and finally what trinkets they have currently equipped.

to edit a trinket, find the section that highlights the trinkets currently equipped:

"trinkets" : {
"items" : {
"0" : {
"id" : "com_hel_thirsting_blade",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
},
"1" : {
"id" : "cc_set_hel_lioness_warpaint",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
},
"2" : {
"id" : "cc_set_hel_mark_of_the_outcast",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
},
"3" : {
"id" : "boots_of_much_kicking",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
}
}

and you can see the codenames for all the trinkets. you can see each trinket has a special code in front of the name that denotes whether it is basic (no code like "boots_etc"), crimson court ("cc_set_etc"), or the last dlc ("com_hel_etc").

to find the trinket name of the trinket you want, you will need to open the relevant trinket file in any text editor and search for the name.

to find that, go to where the game is installed, and then into the "DLC" folder using windows browser. you will see 4 folders, each corresponding with the appropriate DLC. it's pretty obvious.

for crimson court trinkets, select ...\Darkest Dungeon The Color of Madness\dlc\580100_crimson_court\features\crimson_court\trinkets

and open the file "crimson_court.entries.trinkets.json" in any text editor.

there you will find a list of all the crimison court trinkets, with the code for each and the buffs they give (which, btw, you can also edit). anywho, find the code for the one you want.

example:

"cc_rat_carcass"

is obviously the code for the rat carcass that prevents death from wasting from vampirism.

now, copy that codename and go back to the editor, to the exact trinket you want to change on your charcter, and paste THAT name over the one that is there.

that's all there is to it.

Now, if you just want to add a new trinket to your estate inventory (your chest), then instead of persist.roster.json, you will select "persist.estate.json" from the tabs.

the estate file has everything you own in the game listed.

this time, start at the BOTTOM of the list, and scroll up until you start seeing the trinkets you own listed.

example:
...

"285" : {
"id" : "cc_set_abom_wrought_osmond_chains",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
},
"286" : {
"id" : "ancestors_pen",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
},
"287" : {
"id" : "madman_3",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
}

...


you can either modify the trinkets by pasting the name of a trinket you want, over one you don't, or ADD a new trinket by copying one of the old entries, then changing the number and name:



"285" : {
"id" : "cc_set_abom_wrought_osmond_chains",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
},
"286" : {
"id" : "ancestors_pen",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
},
"286" : {
"id" : "ancestors_pen",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
},
"286" : {
"id" : "ancestors_pen",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
},
"286" : {
"id" : "ancestors_pen",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
},
"287" : {
"id" : "madman_3",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
}



note I have added 3 more "286" entries.

change them to sequential numbers:

"285" : {
"id" : "cc_set_abom_wrought_osmond_chains",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
},
"286" : {
"id" : "ancestors_pen",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
},
"287" : {
"id" : "ancestors_pen",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
},
"288" : {
"id" : "ancestors_pen",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
},
"289" : {
"id" : "ancestors_pen",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
},
"290" : {
"id" : "madman_3",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
}

and now you have 4 ancestor pens in your chest instead of 1.

change any of the ancestor to anything else you like:

"285" : {
"id" : "cc_set_abom_wrought_osmond_chains",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
},
"286" : {
"id" : "ancestors_pen",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
},
"287" : {
"id" : "cc_set_hel_lioness_warpaint",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
},
"288" : {
"id" : "cc_set_hel_lioness_warpaint",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
},
"289" : {
"id" : "ancestors_pen",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
},
"290" : {
"id" : "madman_3",
"type" : "trinket",
"amount" : 1
}



etc.

notice that a comma "," ends each entry other than the very last one.

the editor will show you by a red highlight if you have screwed up the syntax by either not adding a comma for any regular entry, or if you accidentally leave a comma on the last one, as the last entry marks the end of that set of items.

...and that's basically it. it might sound complicated at first, but it's really easy as pie and you'll get the idea quick enough.

I think there might be some tutorials linked on the editor site as well.

editor works perfectly, have never had a single issue with it.

have fun!



oh, don't forget to click on the "save all" button at the bottom of the editor when you are done with your changes.

and don't edit a save while you are IN the game, or it will be overwritten by the game as soon as you do anything.

edit games while at the main menu, or when the game is not running at all.

Credits

To @Ichthyic for writing down the reply
To robojumper (idk his steam name) for the editor on github.
Thank's a lot :D

[gamingcactis]

To revive a character, go to persist.roster, find your character, and change their health to 1.0, their roster status to 2, and their roster.before_on_start_town_visit_status to 0. I revived characters that had just died, so I didn't need to change their roster.before...status so I'm not entirely sure that it matters.

[Bill Cipher]

guys does anyone know how to edit town events?

[aspen_099]

Do you know how to edit specific hero quirk? Like the ones already recruited. Edit: nevermind figured it out

[DanielVector99910103]

How do I add hero? I have many hero mods and I want to add two heroes that has been not popping up in the stage. How do I add the heroes?

[leshless]

While editing persist.roster.json: Illegal unqouted character (CTRL -CHAR code 30): has to be escaped using backlash to be included to string value. This error pops up for EVERY file edit.

[diziothevoice]

...as you preffer
Anybody...?

[Yes, I have a Mic.]

Ew. Filthy cheater.

[diziothevoice]

unexpected character ('k' (code 75)) was expecting comma to separate object entries
...it happens when I modify EVERYTHING!
it's not a syntax error for me.

[diziothevoice]

Does anybody knows how to revive an character?

[Colva_Moon123]

Okay, real smooth brain question, but, how do I START the editor. Downloaded it, but now there's a bunch of folders, and I have no idea how to start it up. (Just to be clear, I learn best by watching videos, and there isn't one on the save editor)