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Recipe: Add a Gameplay Effect

Goal: Create a Gameplay Effect that modifies attributes and applies tags.

Prerequisites: An Attribute Set with the target attributes. See Add an Attribute.

Steps

1. Create the Asset

  1. In Content Browser, right-click in your GAS/Effects/ folder
  2. Select Gameplay > Gameplay Effect (or Blueprint Class > GameplayEffect)
  3. Name it with the GE_ prefix: GE_Buff_SpeedBoost

2. Set Duration Policy

Open the effect and find Duration Policy:

Policy When to Use
Instant One-time attribute change (heal, damage via modifier)
Has Duration Temporary buff/debuff that expires
Infinite Persists until explicitly removed

For a speed buff: Has Duration, then set Duration Magnitude to your desired seconds (e.g., 5.0).

3. Add Modifiers

In the Modifiers section, click + to add:

Field Example Value Notes
Attribute MyAttributeSet.MoveSpeed The attribute to modify
Modifier Op Multiply Additive See Modifier Formula
Modifier Magnitude > Type Scalable Float Simplest option
Scalable Float Value 0.3 +30% speed (for Multiply Additive)

Common modifier ops:

  • Add (Base): Flat addition to base value
  • Multiply Additive: Additive percentage (0.3 = +30%)
  • Multiply Compound: Multiplicative stacking (1.3 = 130%)

4. Configure Tags (via GE Components)

In 5.3+, tags are managed through GE Components. The key ones:

TargetTagsGameplayEffectComponent -- tags granted to the target while the effect is active:

  • Add Buff.SpeedBoost (identifies this buff)
  • Add State.Sprinting (if appropriate)

AssetTagsGameplayEffectComponent -- tags on the effect itself (for querying):

  • Add Effect.Type.Buff

TargetTagRequirementsGameplayEffectComponent -- requirements for the effect to apply/stay active:

  • Application Tag Requirements: Tags the target must/must-not have for the effect to apply
  • Ongoing Tag Requirements: Tags the target must have for the effect to remain active (removed if requirements fail)

5. (Optional) Set Stacking

If the buff can stack:

Field Example
Stacking Type Stack Per Target
Stack Limit Count 3
Stack Duration Refresh Policy Refresh On Successful Application
Stack Expiration Policy Clear Entire Stack

See Stacking for all options.

6. (Optional) Add a Cue

Add the GameplayCue GE Component and set the cue tag:

  • GameplayCue.Buff.SpeedBoost

For Duration/Infinite effects, this triggers Add when applied and Remove when expired/removed.

7. Apply from an Ability

In your ability's event graph: 

Make Outgoing Gameplay Effect Spec (class: GE_Buff_SpeedBoost)
  → Apply Gameplay Effect Spec to Owner


FGameplayEffectSpecHandle Spec = MakeOutgoingGameplayEffectSpec(
    SpeedBuffClass, GetAbilityLevel());
ApplyGameplayEffectSpecToOwner(CurrentActivationInfo, Spec);

8. Test

  1. PIE
  2. Activate the ability that applies this effect
  3. showdebug abilitysystem -- confirm the effect appears under Active Effects
  4. Verify attribute changes (check the attribute values)
  5. Wait for duration to expire and confirm the effect is removed

Checklist

  • Asset created with GE_ prefix
  • Duration policy set
  • Modifiers configured with correct attribute and operation
  • Tags granted via TargetTagsGameplayEffectComponent
  • Application requirements set (if needed)
  • Stacking configured (if applicable)
  • Cue tag set (if visual feedback needed)
  • Applied from ability code
  • Tested in PIE with ShowDebug