If you’ve been using AI roleplay bots for a while, you’ve probably come across “character cards.” These are the files that tell the AI who it’s supposed to be: their name, personality, backstory, and maybe a greeting to kick off the chat.
The original format — let’s call it V1 — was simple. It had six basic parts: name, description, personality, scenario, greeting, and example messages. That was enough to get things going. But now there’s a V2 spec, and it adds a whole lot more. So what’s new? What’s it for? And do you need to care?
Let’s break it down in plain language.
TL;DR: V2 adds optional tools to make characters deeper, more flexible, and easier to organize — without breaking anything from V1.
The Core: What V1 Already Had
Here’s a quick refresher on the basics from V1:
- name – What the character is called.
- description – A short summary of who they are.
- personality – Traits, quirks, or behaviors they should show.
- scenario – The starting situation or setting.
- first_mes – The bot’s opening line to start the chat.
- mes_example – Sample chats showing how the character talks.
That was enough for most bots. But there were limits. You couldn’t explain subtle context. You couldn’t tell the bot what to always do after history. You couldn’t make the greeting change. V2 fixes that.
What V2 Adds — One by One
✅ spec and spec_version
These are technical — they just say “this is a V2 card” and “it’s version 2.0.” Nothing to worry about here.
🧠 creator_notes
This is text just for the user — not the AI. It’s where creators can explain how to use the character, what the vibe is, or give warnings. Think of it like a “behind the scenes” note.
💬 system_prompt
This one matters.
If you’ve ever tweaked the “system prompt” in your RP app, this field lets the character override it.
But here’s the twist: it still respects your default. You can use {{original}} inside it to blend your prompt with the character’s needs.
Example:
“ This character refuses to fight under any circumstances.”
So now the bot still uses your usual rules — but adds this extra trait.
📜 post_history_instructions
Same idea, but this controls the message that comes after your chat history. It can tweak behavior, jailbreaks, or reinforce traits after memory is loaded in.
Again, {{original}} works here too.
👋 alternate_greetings
Finally, swipeable greetings! Instead of being stuck with just one “hello,” you can add multiple intros for variety. Many frontends now show them as “swipes” before chat starts.
Great for characters with mood swings, multiple forms, or RP settings that start in different ways.
📚 character_book
This is where V2 really powers up.
The character book is like a personal lorebook that travels with the card. You can add:
- trigger words
- optional insertion settings
- token budgets
- always-included facts
- entries that scan the chat and inject info
It works like a memory system, but just for that character. You can now teach your vampire the rules of their coven, or your cyborg the layout of their ship, and it all stays with the character.
Bonus: it doesn’t replace your usual lorebook — it adds to it.
🏷️ tags
Tags are just for sorting and organizing. Think: “sci-fi,” “villain,” “tsundere,” etc. It helps apps filter cards or build search features.
Not used by the AI.
👤 creator
This is your name or alias. It doesn’t affect the bot, but it lets people give credit or find more of your stuff.
🔁 character_version
This helps you keep track of updates. Like “v1.0” or “April 2025 revamp.” It’s for users — not the AI.
🧩 extensions
This is a catch-all space for anything custom. Apps can store extra settings here without messing up other tools. Nothing here is used directly in prompts, unless a frontend builds a feature around it.
It’s like a junk drawer for data — but an organized one.
Does V2 Break V1?
Nope. Everything from V1 is still there. In fact, a V2 card is just a V1 card with more fields added. If a frontend doesn’t understand the new stuff, it can safely ignore it.
That means you can use V2 cards anywhere that supports V1 — you just won’t get the extra features unless your app knows how to read them.
Should You Use V2?
If you just want to make a basic character and get chatting — V1 is fine.
But if you want to:
- Add lore directly into the character
- Control system prompts and jailbreaks without touching app settings
- Give the user multiple greetings to pick from
- Leave behind creator notes or version info
- Organize with tags
Then V2 is worth using. Most editors now support it, and more frontends are catching up fast.
Final Thoughts
V1 made it possible to share AI roleplay characters in the first place. But V2 makes it easier to go deeper, stay organized, and have more control without needing a custom app or hacks.
It’s optional — but if you care about detailed characters, V2 is the way forward.