Tool (Buddy) Dat Editor (2026)

I decided to make this tool to make dat editing easier — so you don’t need full BnS Buddy just for .dat work.

It still works the same overall idea as BnS Buddy, but you pick paths yourself.

2026 update: Dat handling now uses the same Pilao / bnscompression engine as BnSBuddy2.
AES keys, RSA signatures, 32/64-bit, compression, and BXML version are detected automatically from each .dat.
You no longer need to configure region keys, XOR, or era presets.

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Spoiler: Preview

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How to use (File Select + Editor)

1. Open the FILE SELECT tab
2. Press BROWSE → choose the folder that contains your .dat files
3. Pick the .dat from the dropdown
4. Wait for the tree to load (status will show something like Loaded · AES=…; bitness shows as 32-bit / 64-bit)
5. Click a file in the tree (.xml / .x16 / .txt)
6. Edit in the EDITOR tab
7. Ctrl+S to save (writes the file and repacks the dat with the detected settings)

Done.

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Export / Import (full unpack / repack)

Same as before, on the EXPORT/IMPORT tab:

• Browse to dat → Unpack → gets yourfile.dat.files
• Edit files on disk if you want
• Browse to folder → Repack

Keys are still auto-detected; optional Auto Delete Dat / Auto Clean Folder still work.

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Tips

• Right-click the tab bar / use the context menu → Show detected settings to see AES, signature, BXML, compression, and 64-bit for the current dat
• First open of a large dat extracts to %TEMP%\<datname>\ (same idea as Buddy)
• Client *64.dat files (e.g. xml64.dat, config64.dat) are treated as 64-bit archives

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Requirements

• 64-bit Windows (the app is x64; bnscompression.dll is x64-only)
• .NET Framework 4.7.1+
• Redistribute the whole package (DatEditor.exe + bnscompression.dll if present next to the exe)

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What’s new (vs old Dat Editor)

┌──────────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Old │ Now │
├──────────────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Keys & XOR tab / region radios │ Removed — not needed │
├──────────────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Manual AES / XOR / 32–64 toggles │ Auto-detect on open / unpack / repack │
├──────────────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ DatEditingDll + Ionic.Zlib │ bnscompression only (Pilao engine) │
├──────────────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Easy to pick the wrong key │ Wrong-key issues mostly gone for supported live dats │
└──────────────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

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Notes / disclaimer

• Editing client data can break the game or violate the ToS of your region. You are responsible for what you do with this tool.
• Prefer repairing/restoring official files if something goes wrong.
• Private servers with custom keys may still fail if the key isn’t in the known set.

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Download:

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I am currently trying to properly unpack both the english and taiwanese local dat file.

My questions is: On the Keys & XOR tab, assuming I am unpacking for english, do I use the Only can be used with 2020 -> NA/EU? or as it is 2021, do I use Only to be used with 20+? If it's the latter, do I pick Old Xor or do I pick the New Xor? Similarly in the same vein for the taiwanese dat file, which process should I follow to avoid file corruption.

Thank you,

 

I am currently trying to properly unpack both the english and taiwanese local dat file.

My questions is: On the Keys & XOR tab, assuming I am unpacking for english, do I use the Only can be used with 2020 -> NA/EU? or as it is 2021, do I use Only to be used with 20+? If it's the latter, do I pick Old Xor or do I pick the New Xor? Similarly in the same vein for the taiwanese dat file, which process should I follow to avoid file corruption.

Thank you,

20+ is 2021
And use new xor for latest xor on the files.
some 2020 files use the old xor and prior.

 

Figured as much, thank you. Good news it doesn't seem like your program is the reason for the file corruption; rather it seems to be bnsdattool, possibly because the AES for the regions is likely outdated.

 

Figured as much, thank you. Good news it doesn't seem like your program is the reason for the file corruption; rather it seems to be bnsdattool, possibly because the AES for the regions is likely outdated.

i would think so yea

 

Hey thanks for sharing this. What if nothing is show when we choose config64 or xml64 in the main windows? I mean that i choose my data folder path but nothing After... In your tool.

 

Hey thanks for sharing this. What if nothing is show when we choose config64 or xml64 in the main windows? I mean that i choose my data folder path but nothing After... In your tool.

There's presets to use specifically for that.

 

There's presets to use specifically for that.

I know, I try New xor, old xor, ru/kr/... NA, EU, nothing.... It won't load what it have in dat on the 1st tab in the tools, nothing in edit tab too

 

I know, I try New xor, old xor, ru/kr/... NA, EU, nothing.... It won't load what it have in dat on the 1st tab in the tools, nothing in edit tab too

restart the dat tool on every preset you try.

 

restart the dat tool on every preset you try.

I find the error that my dat files was named like Config64.XML... swaped to config64.xml work.

Thanks for your responses

 

can unpack XML on private server

 

can unpack XML on private server

unless they use a custom key

 

unless they use a custom key

Ideas on how to find the key?

 

Ideas on how to find the key?

let it run in xdbg and do a memory search of string 16 of length, should be one of those

 

let it run in xdbg and do a memory search of string 16 of length, should be one of those

after string is found how can i use that in your dat tool?

 

after string is found how can i use that in your dat tool?

you need to replace the values in the dll

 

I am also playing on a private server. I have no experience in decompiling. Is there no other good way for me to decompress the xml.dat file? I want to modify the logic of using some skills.

 

I am also playing on a private server. I have no experience in decompiling. Is there no other good way for me to decompress the xml.dat file? I want to modify the logic of using some skills.

what server?

 

什么服务器？

There are many private servers in CN area. My friends and I usually play for a while and then switch to another one. It is not fixed.

 

Can this tool be used on a Russian server called Freebns?

 

Can this tool be used on a Russian server called Freebns?

It previously was. Not sure if they changed keys or such