[Guide] 3.3.3a Detailed Spell Swapping Guide

[Subset]

Hey guys, enagic here. Not a picture guide. Hope you like. In fact, it's been made to highlight key words in this.

I am going to make an easy to understand guide on spell swapping if you know the basics. I'd like to thank Zombiemold for some spell.dbc help.

First of all you need these tools:
MPQ Editor
MWS, DBC Editor
WoW Model Viewer
BLP2PNG for Icon Reskinning

Now when you got that done, here are the MPQs you are going to get the DBCs from:

patch-enUS-3.mpq or patch-enGB-3.mpq
locale-enUS.mpq or locale-enGB.mpq

When you got this information down, you will extract these files from patch-enUS-3.mpq or enGB-3.mpq:

spell.dbc
spellicon.dbc

You will not be extracting any files from locale-enUS/GB.mpq, but refering to it.

Spell.dbc
What you want to know first about this are the important field values. They are:

ID refers to spellid, look up spells on wowhead.
Field 131 refers to the spell visual.
Field 133 refers to the spell icon.
Field 136 refers to the spell name.
Field 153 refers to spell rank. (not so useful)
Field 170 refers to spell description.

So how do you change the spell? Simple. Just switch values. Here is an example:

Spell A has a value of 151 in field 131 and 233 in field 133.
Spell B has a value of 29 in field 131 and 42 in field 133.

Field 133 is refering to the spellicon, which you can refer to in spellicon.dbc, but we'll talk about that later.

Now you want Spell A to look like Spell B, icons and spell effect. So you swap the values! Duh!

Now Spell A has a value of 29 in field 131 and 42 in field 133.

Problems:

Problem: I can't find the icon I want! or I want a different icon!
Solution: First, look in MWS, open locale-enUS/GB.mpq, and go to Interface\Icons. Look for your spell icon there. Write the file name down in notepad when you get it. Now open spellicon.dbc and look for that spellicon by looking for the path you just wrote down. It's in alphabetical order so you shouldn't have any trouble finding it. Now when you find it, the id value should be the spellicon value you want. Replace field 133 of the spell you are editing to that id.

Problem: I can't find the visual effect of the spell I want on wowhead!
Solution: This is a trial and error basis, but works eventually with success. First, you will get the icon value from spellicon.dbc (refer to above if you don't know how to get this value). Then you will sort Field 133 in spell.dbc and look for that icon value. Now you will read the spell names (field 153) with those icons, and then look for the description (field 170). Now look at the description of the spell(s). Look for the one that matches what you are trying to find, and then write down the spellvisual value (field 131) in notepad or such. Now refer to the spell you are editing and change values.

Problem: My DBC Editor freezes when I save it!
Solution: It takes a while to save, just wait you loser.

Icons:

Q: How do I make my own icon?
A: Easiest way is to get any icon from locale-enUS/GB.mpq and extract an Icon from Interface\Icons. Then drag that blp into the BLP2PNG. Open the newly created PNG and do what you want. Save it, don't change the dimensions, and redrag it into the BLP2PNG. Rename to whatever you are changing.

Q: Reskin icons?
A: I use PS and the Color Replacement tool :P easy.

Finished?
Now when you are done with whatever you are swapping/editing with spell.dbc, create a new mpq with Ladik's MPQ Editor, and then drag the folder in your MPQ Editor's work directory called DBFilesClient into the MPQ Editor, then close it, and make sure the MPQ is renamed to patch-x.mpq or something. Put in WoW Directory's Data folder, make sure you don't have patches with duplicate names. Make sure you restart WoW if it's open. Test the spell. If it worked, you did it right. If it didn't, you are doing it wrong!

README: IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU GET SPELL.DBC FROM patch-enUS/GB-3.MPQ ONLY AS IF YOU DON'T, WOW WILL NOT START UP WHEN APPLYING PATCH AND OTHER VALUES ARE OFF.

[Reflection]

Approved. Looks really good! I'm sure a lot of people will find an use for this.

[Toyoka]

Nice guide, will come in real handy

[vonkova]

thanx for the guide
this will help those who may need it :P
Keep up the good work.

[Subset]

glad you like it, will get some pictures for the baddies

[oobkb]

awesome! will be useful!

[Subset]

Now our bads will not need to PM!

[hovinko]

When I try to save my edited Spell.dbc file in DBC Editor i get this error. It isnt in english i know, anyone might still be able to figure out where does the problem come form and how to solve it.

Informace o vyvolání ladění JIT najdete na konci této zprávy,
nikoli v tomto dialogovém okně.

************** Text výjimky **************
System.OutOfMemoryException: Byla vyvolána výjimka typu System.OutOfMemoryException.
   v System.String.Concat(String str0, String str1, String str2)
   v DBC_Editor.DBCFile.SaveFile(FileStream s)
   v DBC_Editor.MainWnd.saveAsToolStripMenuItem_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)
   v System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripItem.RaiseEvent(Object key, EventArgs e)
   v System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem.OnClick(EventArgs e)
   v System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripItem.HandleClick(EventArgs e)
   v System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripItem.HandleMouseUp(MouseEventArgs e)
   v System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripItem.FireEventInteractive(EventArgs e, ToolStripItemEventType met)
   v System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripItem.FireEvent(EventArgs e, ToolStripItemEventType met)
   v System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mea)
   v System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripDropDown.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mea)
   v System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)
   v System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
   v System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Message& m)
   v System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip.WndProc(Message& m)
   v System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripDropDown.WndProc(Message& m)
   v System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
   v System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
   v System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)


************** Načtená sestavení **************
mscorlib
    Verze sestavení: 2.0.0.0
    Verze Win32: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
    Základ kódu: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v2.0.50727/mscorlib.dll
----------------------------------------
DBC Editor
    Verze sestavení: 0.1.0.0
    Verze Win32: 0.1.0.0
    Základ kódu: file:///C:/Users/Kuba/Desktop/Nov%E1%20složka/Ladik's%20MPQ%20Editor/Work/DBFilesClient/DBC%20Editor.exe
----------------------------------------
System.Windows.Forms
    Verze sestavení: 2.0.0.0
    Verze Win32: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
    Základ kódu: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll
----------------------------------------
System
    Verze sestavení: 2.0.0.0
    Verze Win32: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
    Základ kódu: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Drawing
    Verze sestavení: 2.0.0.0
    Verze Win32: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
    Základ kódu: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Configuration
    Verze sestavení: 2.0.0.0
    Verze Win32: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
    Základ kódu: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Configuration/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Configuration.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Xml
    Verze sestavení: 2.0.0.0
    Verze Win32: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
    Základ kódu: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Xml/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Xml.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Windows.Forms.resources
    Verze sestavení: 2.0.0.0
    Verze Win32: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
    Základ kódu: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms.resources/2.0.0.0_cs_b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.resources.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Data
    Verze sestavení: 2.0.0.0
    Verze Win32: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
    Základ kódu: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_32/System.Data/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Data.dll
----------------------------------------
mscorlib.resources
    Verze sestavení: 2.0.0.0
    Verze Win32: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
    Základ kódu: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v2.0.50727/mscorlib.dll
----------------------------------------

************** Ladění JIT **************
Aby bylo povoleno ladění JIT, musí konfigurační soubor
pro tuto aplikaci nebo počítač (machine.config) mít
v oddílu system.windows.forms nastavenou hodnotu njitDebugging.
Aplikace rovněž musí být kompilována s povoleným
laděním.

Příklad:

<configuration>
    <system.windows.forms jitDebugging="true" />
</configuration>

Je-li ladění JIT povoleno, budou všechny neošetřené výjimky
odeslány ladicímu programu JIT, který je registrován v počítači,
a nebudou zpracovány tímto dialogovým oknem.

[Subset]

Its either you are changing values that you shouldn't or you are using a bad Spell.dbc.
Make sure you use patch-enUS-3 or GB-3.mpq
The others don't work.

[Greener]

man!! mad awesome simple guide !!...now is there one for model swapping as easy as this one? dont know were to find one for druid shapeshifting forms cause idk either creature or character but still havent found a good guide :P

[Subset]

I could help you out there, but there is a guide that is exactly what I am doing.
Here

Though it does say mount swapping, the same thing applies to creatures. So say Mount A wants to be Mount B. Mount A = CreatureModel A and Mount B = CreatureModel B.

Ill post a guide if you cannot successfully do it.

[Greener]

thnx i dint know that was a 3.3.3guide but thnx gonna use it now....also why isnt my spell swap working when i do a lot of spell swaps? is it the mpq size or something? i do all steps exactly...im using a new dbc editor wich is fast....i used the new one for swapping kick to shockwave and it worked but some other too but when i do like a lot in one patch idk it doesnt work....also i can give you the names of what im trying to swap....also how do you put the 131column near the 136column its annoying moving the bar from one way to another just to luk at a number xD!

[Alnop]

i dont undertsand it :> can you help me ? i need holy light max rang to eye beam on the target who got the heal ( the spell from illidan ).. i am realy happy if you can maek it =(

[Alnop]

any1 can make it ?

[ssenomed]

how do i edit values? it's not letting me edit it.