Examples

Worked entries you can paste and adapt. All of them go under [AbilityEditor.X2DLCInfo_AbilityEditor] in XComAbilityEditor.ini. They all edit abilities that already exist; for making new ones, see Create an ability.

Rework Slash

Slash no longer ends the turn for soldiers with Blademaster, gains 5 charges, and takes a 5-turn cooldown that also puts Blademaster on a 3-turn cooldown.

+AbilityEdits=( \\
    Ability=SwordSlice, \\
    Costs=( \\
        ( \\
            Class="X2AbilityCost_ActionPoints", \\
            SetNumPoints=true, \\
            NumPoints=1, \\
            SetConsumeAllPoints=true, \\
            ConsumeAllPoints=true, \\
            DoNotConsumeAllSoldierAbilities=(Blademaster) \\
        ), \\
        ( \\
            Class="X2AbilityCost_Charges", \\
            SetNumCharges=true, \\
            NumCharges=1 \\
        ) \\
    ), \\
    Charges=( \\
        Class="X2AbilityCharges", \\
        SetInitialCharges=true, \\
        InitialCharges=5 \\
    ), \\
    Cooldown=( \\
        Class="X2AbilityCooldown", \\
        SetNumTurns=true, \\
        NumTurns=5, \\
        AdditionalCooldowns=( \\
            ( \\
                AbilityName=Blademaster, \\
                SetNumTurns=true, \\
                NumTurns=3 \\
            ) \\
        ) \\
    ) \\
)

Split a cooldown between XCOM and the AI

Aid Protocol on a 9-turn cooldown for the player, 1 turn for the AI.

+AbilityEdits=( \\
    Ability=AidProtocol, \\
    Cooldown=( \\
        Class="XComGame.X2AbilityCooldown_PerPlayerType", \\
        SetNumTurns=true, \\
        NumTurns=9, \\
        SetNumTurnsForAI=true, \\
        NumTurnsForAI=1 \\
    ) \\
)

Because Class names a different class than the ability's current cooldown, the cooldown object is replaced - so every field you care about must be set explicitly.

Add a cost without disturbing the others

Set CostMode away from its default and use Mode=eACEM_AddOnly on the entry.

+AbilityEdits=( \\
    Ability=ScanningProtocol, \\
    CostMode=eACEM_Merge, \\
    Costs=( \\
        ( \\
            Class="X2AbilityCost_Charges", \\
            Mode=eACEM_AddOnly, \\
            SetNumCharges=true, \\
            NumCharges=1 \\
        ) \\
    ) \\
)

Both modes are needed. CostMode=eACEM_Merge stops the wipe; the per-entry Mode also defaults to ReplaceAll, which once the outer mode is Merge would skip a cost that isn't already present.

Edit an effect and restrict its targets

Make Combat Protocol's damage effect deal 3 guaranteed damage, and restrict the ability to robotic targets.

+AbilityEdits=( \\
    Ability=CombatProtocol, \\
    Effects=( \\
        ( \\
            Class="X2Effect_ApplyWeaponDamage", \\
            Slot=eAES_Target, \\
            Mode=eAEM_Merge, \\
            WeaponDamageValue=( \\
                SetDamage=true, \\
                Damage=3, \\
                SetSpread=true, \\
                Spread=0 \\
            ) \\
        ) \\
    ), \\
    TargetConditions=( \\
        ( \\
            Class="X2Condition_UnitProperty", \\
            Mode=eAEM_Merge, \\
            SetExcludeOrganic=true, \\
            ExcludeOrganic=true \\
        ) \\
    ) \\
)

The template-level TargetConditions edits the existing X2Condition_UnitProperty in place if the ability has one - changing only the fields you Set - and adds a new one otherwise.

Change how much damage burning does

Damage-over-time effects are two objects, not one. X2Effect_Burning is the state — how long it lasts, what removes it — while the damage itself lives in an X2Effect_ApplyWeaponDamage nested in the parent's ApplyOnTick list. Editing the burning effect directly only reaches the first half.

ApplyOnTickClass redirects an entry at the child, so the rest of the entry edits that instead:

+AbilityEdits=( \\
    Ability=ThrowMolotov, \\
    Effects=( \\
        ( \\
            Class="X2Effect_Burning", \\
            Mode=eAEM_Merge, \\
            SetNumTurns=true, \\
            NumTurns=3 \\
        ), \\
        ( \\
            Class="X2Effect_Burning", \\
            Mode=eAEM_Merge, \\
            ApplyOnTickClass="X2Effect_ApplyWeaponDamage", \\
            ApplyOnTickMode=eAEM_Merge, \\
            WeaponDamageValue=( \\
                SetDamage=true, \\
                Damage=5, \\
                SetSpread=true, \\
                Spread=2 \\
            ) \\
        ) \\
    ) \\
)

Two entries for one effect: the first sets the duration on the burning state, the second reaches through it to the damage. Both name the same Class, because both are addressing the same parent — the second just redirects before editing.

This works for any persistent effect with a tick child, not just burning. Poisoned and bleeding use X2Effect_ApplyWeaponDamage the same way; Steady Hands nests an X2Effect_PersistentStatChange, and Void Conduit an X2Effect_VoidConduit. Whatever the child class is, it is dispatched to its own editor, so it accepts that class's fields.

Crit and graze are suppressed on tick damage

The game branches on ApplyOnTickIndex when applying damage, so damage delivered by a tick never crits or grazes. Setting crit fields on a tick child will not do what the same fields do on a normal damage effect.

Tweak aim and targeting shape

Give an ability +15 built-in aim and widen its cone. No Class on either block, so both edit whatever the ability already has.

+AbilityEdits=( \\
    Ability=SomeConeAbility, \\
    ToHitCalc=( \\
        SetBuiltInHitMod=true, \\
        BuiltInHitMod=15 \\
    ), \\
    MultiTargetStyle=( \\
        SetConeEndDiameter=true, \\
        ConeEndDiameter=20.0, \\
        SetConeLength=true, \\
        ConeLength=28.0 \\
    ) \\
)

Omitting Class means these are no-ops if the ability has no to-hit calc or multi-target style at all - which is silent. Check the log if nothing changes.