How to Make a SillyTavern / Tavern
Character Card (Beginner Fields)

You do not need twenty-eight expression sprites to start. A Tavern character card is mostly words: who the character is, how they talk, where the scene begins, and what they say first. This guide is the beginner path — fill the fields that matter, export a portable file, then (if you want) bring that PNG into AIME on your phone.

We build AIME and the AIME Character Atlas. Field names below follow the community Character Card V2 shape described in public tutorials (for example Sillycard’s file/spec overview and TavernSprite’s creation guide, checked 2026-10-26 Asia/Shanghai). We are not inventing a private schema. How SillyTavern labels a box can depend on your ST build; how AIME imports a card is documented in our import guide.

If you still need a file to study first, see where to find SillyTavern character cards — study structure, do not copy someone else’s work without permission.

What a character card is (30 seconds)

A character card is a portable definition file. The common share format is a PNG portrait with character JSON embedded inside it (often in a text chunk named chara; newer cards may use ccv3 / V3-compatible embeds). Some tools also use plain JSON.

Under the community V2 shape, look for:

spec: "chara_card_v2"
spec_version: "2.0"
data: { name, description, personality, … }

If there is no spec, older guides treat the file as V1-style flat fields. V2/V3 are what AIME’s product copy says Character Atlas supports.

Important: a card is not a chat. You still need a front-end — SillyTavern, another importer, or AIME via Atlas.

Fields that matter first

Write these before you touch advanced prompts or expression packs.

name

Display name. Keep it short and stable. Other fields may refer to the character with {{char}} placeholders.

description

Who they are: appearance, job, relevant background — what the model should know by default. Prefer concrete details over a novel-length biography.

personality

How they behave. Specific beats vague (“sarcastic but protective of regulars” beats “kind and funny”). Community guides often recommend writing with {{char}} rather than first person “I am…”, so the model does not confuse identities.

scenario

Where and when the roleplay starts: place, relationship, situation. Optional for a tiny card; very helpful for immersion.

first_mes (first message)

The opening line when a new chat starts. Spend time here. A flat “Hi.” teaches the model almost nothing about voice; a short scene that shows tone and relationship does more work than any other single field.

Optional but useful

Advanced (skip on day one)

system_prompt, post_history_instructions, extensions, and optional nested character_book (lorebook / world info inside the card) exist in the V2 outline. You do not need them for a first playable card. For what lorebooks are conceptually, see our lorebook guide — or keep world facts in description / scenario for now. AIME does not claim a separate lorebook editor UI on public pages as of this writing; Card studio may preserve embedded data already inside a PNG (see the import guide).

A minimal V2-shaped example

Illustrative structure only — adapt in your editor; this is not a drop-in production card:

{
  "spec": "chara_card_v2",
  "spec_version": "2.0",
  "data": {
    "name": "Aiko",
    "description": "{{char}} is a 24-year-old barista at a late-night cafe. Short black hair, tired eyes, pen tucked behind one ear.",
    "personality": "{{char}} is sarcastic but quietly protective of regulars they trust. Deflects compliments with jokes.",
    "scenario": "{{user}} is a regular who always arrives just before closing.",
    "first_mes": "\"You again? We close in twenty minutes.\" She's already reaching for your usual cup. \"Sit down before you fall down.\"",
    "mes_example": "",
    "creator_notes": "Slice-of-life; keep replies short.",
    "tags": ["original", "slice-of-life"],
    "creator": "YourName",
    "character_version": "1.0",
    "extensions": {}
  }
}

Multi-line strings inside raw JSON need \n. Most people never hand-edit JSON — they use SillyTavern’s character editor or another card editor, then export.

How to write and export

Option A — SillyTavern’s character editor

Create or edit a character in SillyTavern, fill the fields above, and export a card. Prefer PNG if you plan to share or import elsewhere. We do not maintain SillyTavern; follow official docs for your build.

Option B — Other card editors

Browser-based editors and community tools exist. Only use tools you trust. Whatever you use, aim for a PNG with embedded character data if your destination is AIME Card studio.

Goal format for AIME

AIME’s documented import path today is Tavern PNG (chara / ccv3 style embeds), via Card studio, with sign-in. Details and failure cases: How to Import a SillyTavern / Tavern Character Card into AIME.

After the card — use it on your phone

1. Import the PNG in Atlas Card studio (guide above).
2. Continue in the AIME app (iOS 15+ / Android per 365aime.com).
3. For non-AIME phone paths, see SillyTavern cards on iPhone & Android.

Product map: What Is AIME Character Atlas?.

Publishing on Atlas (honest short note)

AIME’s product copy says creators can publish characters to the public catalog. Visibility options live in studio / import flows — follow the live UI and the import guide rather than a second invented walkthrough here.

A longer “how to get exposure after publish” playbook is still a future topic on our content board (#10). Creator cash withdrawals were marked coming soon on the Creator earnings page as of our 2026-10-25 Atlas article check — open the live Creator page for current rules. Only publish cards you have rights to share.

FAQ

Do I need SillyTavern to make a card?

No. SillyTavern is a convenient editor/exporter, not the only way. You need some tool that writes a valid card file. AIME imports the PNG result; it is not an official SillyTavern mobile client.

PNG or JSON?

PNG is the usual share format (image + data together) and what AIME Card studio emphasizes. JSON is handy for raw editing and version control. SillyTavern generally imports both.

Which fields are required?

For a first playable card: name, description, personality, and a strong first_mes. Add scenario when the setting matters. Everything else can wait.

How do I import into AIME?

Use Card studio with a Tavern PNG, then follow the import guide.

What about expressions / sprites?

Optional visual polish in SillyTavern’s expression extensions (often discussed as ~28 emotion images). They are not required for a text-first card or for AIME import. Skip them on day one if they block you.

Can I publish on Character Atlas?

Yes in product terms — publish to the public catalog when the UI allows. Steps and rewards: live studio / Creator pages. We are not promising payouts in this article.

Next step

1. Write name / description / personality / first_mes (and scenario if needed).
2. Export a PNG card.
3. Open Card studio and follow the import guide.
4. Browse public examples on Character Atlas — or find cards to study structure.
5. Chat in AIME: download (prices in the store).