Kenshi Character Presets ^hot^ Full May 2026

Finding the perfect look in Kenshi’s brutal, post-apocalyptic world can be a challenge. While the base game offers deep slider-based customization, many players seek character presets to bypass the "potato-face" look and dive straight into the action. How to Use Character Presets in Kenshi

Kenshi saves custom character looks as .bod2 files. You can easily share these files or download them from the community.

Importing a Preset: On the character creation screen, click the "Import" button. You must browse to the folder where your .bod2 files are stored—typically Kenshi\data\character\bodies\export.

Exporting Your Creation: Once you’ve perfected a character, use the "Export" button to save their physical data as a .bod2 file for future playthroughs or to share with others.

Applying Changes Mid-Game: If you’ve already started your journey, you can change your appearance (including importing presets) by visiting a Plastic Surgeon. These are commonly found in Thieves Guilds or bars in major cities for a small fee. Essential Mods for Better Presets

Because the vanilla character editor has limitations—especially regarding face types and skin tones—most "full" presets require specific mods to look as intended. The Ultimate Kenshi Character Creation Guide

One of the most interesting "features" of character presets is that they aren't just for visuals—they reflect the world's brutal environment through a system of visual character development.

As your character progresses, their physical appearance changes dynamically to reflect their stats and history. For example:

Muscularity: Characters with high Strength will physically bulk up, while those who are starving will look visibly emaciated.

Body Type Changes: Factors like Athletics and Swimming also influence muscle tone and definition.

Survival Scars: Characters can lose limbs in combat, which are then replaced by robotic prosthetics, permanently altering their "preset" look. Key Preset & Customization Features

In-Depth Sliders: You can independently adjust chest broadness, shoulder width, arm bulk, hand size, neck length, and even posture, which ranges from "hunchback" to "English gentleman".

Character Sharing: You can export and import character presets as small files, allowing you to share your unique creations with other players or save them for future playthroughs.

Modded Expansion: The community has created massive preset overhauls like Radiant Better Faces & Eyes

, which adds 101 reworked faces and custom textures for unique recruits like and . kenshi character presets full

Plastic Surgeons: If you're unhappy with your look later, you can find "Plastic Surgeons" in bars across the world to completely re-open the character creation menu for a small fee. AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more

The Ultimate Kenshi Character Creation Guide - Steam Community

, character presets (often called templates) allow you to save and load specific physical appearances so you don't have to manually adjust sliders every time you start a new game or recruit someone. How to Use Presets

You can manage your character's look through the Character Customization screen. This screen appears at the start of a new game or when visiting a Plastic Surgeon in-game.

Saving a Preset: Once you’ve perfected your character's look, click the Export button in the top left. This saves the body and face slider data as a .body file in your game directory.

Loading a Preset: To apply a saved look, click Import and select your file from the list.

Default Templates: The game includes several default NPC looks. To find these, click the small triangle next to the file path in the Import menu to navigate to the game's internal preset folders. Where to Find More Presets

Since Kenshi doesn't have a built-in "gallery," players share their creations on community hubs:

Steam Workshop: You can find mods like Advanced Character Creation that add new sliders or Unique NPCs that provide pre-made high-quality appearances.

Lo-Fi Games Forum: There is a dedicated character repository where veteran players upload .body files for others to use.

Reddit & Community Guides: Many users share templates like the Beautiful Wahmen template or discuss their setups in the Steam Character Creation Guide. Important Tips The Ultimate Kenshi Character Creation Guide

, character presets are saved as files, which store all the slider settings, skin tones, and hairstyles you’ve configured for a character. How to Use and Manage Presets You can find the standard character design options on the Character Design page at the start of a new game or by visiting a Plastic Surgeon

: To save a design, type a name in the character's name field and click the [ Export ] : To load a design, click [ Import ]

and select the desired file. Note that face types sometimes do not save correctly in the .bod2 file and may need to be manually re-selected after importing. File Location Finding the perfect look in Kenshi ’s brutal,

: By default, presets are stored in your Kenshi directory at: ..\Kenshi\data\character\bodies\export Kenshi Wiki Available Customization Options

The game features a deep slider-based system for multiple races, including Greenlanders, Scorchlanders, Shek, Hivers, and Skeletons. Steam Community Body Sliders

: Manage chest broadness, shoulder width, arm bulk, hand size, neck length, and head size. Lower Body

: Adjust overall height, posture (from hunchback to upright), frame bulk (fat/musculature), leg length, and hip size. Unique Features

: Female characters include specific sliders for breast size and shape. Hair & Face

: Players can choose from approximately 40 hair types and several face types, with adjustable hue, saturation, and brightness for hair color. Enhancing Presets with Mods

If you are looking for more variety than the vanilla options provide, many players use mods found on the Steam Workshop Nexus Mods Character Customization | Kenshi Wiki | Fandom

Finding the perfect look in Kenshi’s brutal, post-apocalyptic world can be just as challenging as surviving a Beak Thing attack. While the vanilla character creator offers a decent amount of sliders, many players find themselves searching for Kenshi character presets to skip the tedious fine-tuning and get straight to the gameplay with a hero (or villain) that looks the part.

Whether you are looking for a grizzled veteran, a hive-queen aesthetic, or a sleek martial artist, here is the full breakdown on how to find, install, and use character presets in Kenshi. Why Use Character Presets in Kenshi?

Kenshi’s art style is intentionally rugged. Without a bit of help, characters often end up looking like "potato people"—disproportionate, strangely textured, or just generic. Presets allow you to:

Save Time: Jump into a new save in minutes rather than hours.

Achieve Specific Aesthetics: Create characters that look like famous icons or specific sub-races.

Consistency: Keep your squad looking like a cohesive unit rather than a random assortment of drifters. Where to Find the Best Character Presets

Since Kenshi doesn't have an in-game "gallery" like The Sims, you have to look toward the community. 1. Nexus Mods include sample fields: name

The Nexus is the gold standard for Kenshi presets. Look for "Body Preset" or "Character Sculpt" files. Most of these come in the form of .bod files or instructions for specific mod requirements (like High Quality Textures or Faces+). 2. Steam Workshop (Sub-Race Mods)

While the Workshop doesn't host standalone "preset files" as easily as Nexus, it hosts Sub-Race Mods. Mods like Junior’s Race Presets or Beautiful Face add new baseline faces to the character creator that act as permanent presets. 3. Kenshi Community (Reddit/Discord)

The r/Kenshi subreddit is a goldmine for "sliders." Users often share screenshots of their slider settings, which you can manually copy to achieve a specific look. How to Install and Use Presets

Using a preset isn't always as simple as clicking "import." Here is the step-by-step process: Download the Preset: Usually, these are .bod files.

Place the File: Drop the file into your Kenshi directory: Kenshi/data/character/presets/.

Open the Game: Start a new game or visit a Plastic Surgeon in-game (found in most bars).

Load Preset: In the character creation screen, look for the "Export/Import" buttons at the bottom. Click "Import" and select your file.

Note: If the preset was made using a specific mod (like Community Part Map), you must have that mod installed, or the character's face may glitch or look "melted." Essential Mods to Enhance Your Presets

To get the most out of a "full" preset list, you should have these foundational mods installed:

Faces+: Adds dozens of new face meshes that presets rely on.

Kenshi Architecture/Beauty Mods: Enhances skin textures so your presets don't look muddy.

Community Part Map: A backend mod that allows presets to use more complex facial structures. Creating Your Own "Full" Preset Library If you want to build a library of your own looks: Spend time perfecting a character at a Plastic Surgeon. Hit the "Export" button. Name the file (e.g., "Holy_Nation_Inquisitor_Look").

You can now instantly apply this look to any new recruit you find in the wasteland, ensuring your faction always looks top-tier.

Kenshi is a game about your story. Whether you start as a starving vagabond or a legendary warrior, having a character preset that fits your vision makes the journey through the Burning Forest and the Ashlands that much more immersive.

3. How to Install and Use Presets

9. Example .kenspreset (abbreviated)

Provide a compact gzipped JSON following the data model; include sample fields: name, author, attributes, skills, equipment list, tags, mods_required.

Part 2: The Vanilla "Full" Library (What You Already Have)

Before installing mods, master the base game. Here is the complete breakdown of vanilla Kenshi character presets full by race.