Introduction
An overview of the ARDEM modding system and what you can build with Unreal Engine 5 C++.
Welcome to the ARDEM Modding Documentation. ARDEM is built on Unreal Engine 5, and its modding system exposes a C++ plugin API that lets mod creators hook into game systems, spawn items, respond to world events, and build entirely new gameplay features.
What Is ARDEM Modding?
ARDEM mods are Unreal Engine 5 plugins that compile against the game's public module API. Your mod's C++ code runs natively inside the game process, giving you full access to UE5 primitives while the ARDEM API layer provides stable, versioned access to game-specific systems.
What You Can Build
- Custom items with unique stats, class names, spawn codes, and crafting recipes
- Game event listeners using UE5 delegates (player death, item pickup, zone enter, etc.)
- World modifications — weather control, zone definitions, loot table overrides
- Custom ActorComponents and GameplayAbilities using the Gameplay Ability System (GAS)
- Server-side automation via dedicated server modules
- Full mod packages distributed via the ARDEM Workshop
Technology Stack
| Technology | Version | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Unreal Engine | 5.3+ | Core engine — renderer, physics, networking |
| C++ | C++17 | Primary modding language |
| Gameplay Ability System | Built-in | Ability and effect authoring |
| Unreal Build Tool (UBT) | UE5 | Compiles mod plugins against the game |
| Enhanced Input | Built-in | Input binding for UI mods |
Blueprint Support
Core systems are exposed to Blueprints via UFUNCTION(BlueprintCallable) macros on the API classes. If you prefer visual scripting, you can author Blueprints inside your plugin instead of (or alongside) C++.
Getting Help
Join the #modding channel on our Discord server for community support, code snippets, and announcements about API updates. Bug reports for the modding API can be submitted through the bug tracker.