Posts from Several changes.

I want to create my own mod and start with a few changes.
First, I would like to make the acid breath ability reduce armor.
From what I remember, among creature abilities, only Plague Zombies can permanently reduce armor. My assumption was that I would simply duplicate this ability, remove the visual effect, set the attack reduction parameter to 0, and set the armor reduction to 4 or 5. I would then give this ability to Green and Emerald Dragons.
I found "Weakening Strike" in the gamemechanics folder, and I was surprised to find that there were no settings for numerical values there. Only visual effects. Does this mean I have to go into the executable file?

Second, I want to take the "Lay on Hands" ability from Paladins and give it to Inquisitors. By default, this ability does not have an icon. If I put it in the spellbook and copy the code lines responsible for adding the icon, will it work?

well, you can't duplicate abilities, so we'll start with a failure right away

but you can add an icon, check out the Polish Chaos Theory, there are added icons, the files are somewhere in GameMechanics/Spell/CreatureAbility or something like that

What if I replace the content of the config file for one ability with the content of another, will it work?
Do I understand correctly that I can add an active ability of Paladins to the spellbook?

The abilities don't have a config file; everything is hardcoded into the game engine. You can only change some numerical values in DefaultStats.

You can grant them to anyone.

Then what are these files located at this address? data.pak\GameMechanics\Spell\Creature_Abilities\Ne cropolis 
And is DefaultStats a line in a document or the document itself? If so, where can I find it? 

in \GameMechanics\Spell\ lie the standard files with paths to icons, descriptions, names, and visual effects; the mana and resource costs are also specified there, and sometimes the damage

\GameMechanics\RPGStats\DefaultStats.xdb  line 295 <ZombieWeakeningStrike>2</ZombieWeakeningStrike> this is where the strength is changed

To clarify: I can't replace one ability slot with another, right? Meaning, I can't copy the code of one and put it in place of another?
Thanks, I already found it. And damn, you can't separately adjust the attack and defense modifiers. So, to change that, I'd have to delve into the executable file, right?
Maybe there's already a mod that has an effect that simply reduces armor per hit?

You need to delve into the executable file; I haven't seen any mods like that.

You need to delve into the executable file; I haven't seen any mods like that.

Well, for example, I use this one if I don't need to test a battle. For testing a specific unit in battle, I use the "Duel" map. In special cases, I create my own maps.

Thank you. That's just what I needed. And happy holidays.
Another question: how do I swap the positions of creatures on the recruitment screen? Say, I placed genies in tier 4 and mages in tier 5. How do I make it so that on the recruitment screen genies come before mages? 

This depends not on the creature level, but on the building level

Academy buildings are located in \GameMechanics\TownBuildingSharedStats\Academy

for example, the Mage Tower

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<TownBuildingSharedStats ObjectRecordID="1000133">
    <NameFileRef href="/Text/Game/TownBuildings/Academy/Dwelling_4/Name.txt"/>
    <DescriptionFileRef href="/Text/Game/TownBuildings/Academy/Dwelling_4/Description.txt"/>
    <Type>TB_DWELLING_4</Type> - this is responsible for the position in the recruitment list, as well as in the building queue
    <Upgrade>BLD_UPG_1</Upgrade>
    <Cost>
        <Wood>0</Wood>
        <Ore>10</Ore>
        <Mercury>0</Mercury>
        <Crystal>0</Crystal>
        <Sulfur>10</Sulfur>
        <Gem>5</Gem>
        <Gold>2200</Gold>
    </Cost>
    <ModObjectName>MageTower</ModObjectName>
    <dependencies/>
    <Creature>CREATURE_MAGI</Creature>
    <DevLevelNeeded>6</DevLevelNeeded>
    <UIObjectName>Dwelling_4</UIObjectName>
    <UIStackPosition>0</UIStackPosition>
    <Icon href="/UI/TownHall/academy/128/d5.xdb#xpointer(/Texture)"/>
</TownBuildingSharedStats>

that is, you need to rewrite this line for both Mage Huts and both Genie Huts

then you need to configure their placement in the recruitment window

\UI\TownBuildNew\Towns
file academy.(TownBuildDefinition).xdb

look for 2 lines of TB_DWELLING_4 and 2 lines of TB_DWELLING_5 there, rewrite them

Excellent, although I didn't understand what the last step does. In UI\TownBuildNew\Towns

The hiring order changes anyway.

If you don't do this, the buildings on your construction screen will swap places in some spots.