SillyTavern Character Card Download Guide

SillyTavern does not ship a built-in character library. A usable card is usually a PNG with embedded JSON or a standalone JSON file. The model only sees personality, greeting, and example dialogue after you import it. Field reference: SillyTavern · Characters.

Check three things before import:

1. Format: Prefer V2 / V3 PNG. JSON must match your SillyTavern version.
2. Companions: Complete releases often include a Preset and World Info. PNG-only installs underperform.
3. Source: Author pages or large community channels. Skip unmarked zip archives.

Public websites

English-language search is strongest here. Filter Chinese cards by title and tags. Some sites require login; treat NSFW sections according to local law.

Site	Notes	Link
Chub AI	Largest catalog; tags, ratings, search	chub.ai/characters
JanitorAI	Try the bot on-site, then export a card	janitorai.com
AI Character Cards	Smaller library, higher upload bar	aicharactercards.com
Character Tavern	Browse and create; PNG download	character-tavern.com
RisuRealm	RisuAI library; V2/V3 PNG works in SillyTavern	realm.risuai.net

Volume → Chub. Trial chat → JanitorAI. Less noise → AI Character Cards or RisuRealm. After download, reject files that are tiny (corrupt) or unusually large (extra payload).

Reddit

Useful for discovery and sanity checks, weak as a primary library. Versioning and non-English search are poor. Treat threads as an index, then download from a site or Discord.

Place	Use	Link
r/SillyTavernAI	Card requests, site talk, import errors	reddit.com/r/SillyTavernAI
Request-thread comments	Site lists change over time	Example: Best sites to download character cards

Search character card, chub, png. Follow author pages or Chub / GitHub links. Do not grab drive links from comments.

Discord

Chinese high-quality cards, presets, and lorebooks are mostly distributed in Discord, not on public pages. Creators use channels and quizzes to limit resale.

Server	Notes	Invite
Leina / ΟΔΥΣΣΕΙΑ	One of the largest Chinese SillyTavern communities (~300k users); cards, presets, lore, guides	discord.gg/odysseia
Journey / ΟΡΙΖΟΝΤΑΣ	Newer releases; separate rules	discord.gg/elysianhorizon
Official SillyTavern Discord	English: app, extensions, character sharing	Invite via GitHub · SillyTavern

Download only from official channels. Do not buy “account registration” services or open DMs with zip files.

Authors also publish card packs on GitHub (check commits) and on Patreon / Ko-fi / personal sites under their license.

Make your own

If the public libraries have no match, write a card. It is structured text—no art pipeline or model training required.

Tool	Use	Link
SillyTavern editor	Full official fields; chat immediately after save	Docs · Characters
MiniTavern Chrome extension	Pull metadata from card images on the web	Chrome Web Store
Text editor	Fine-tune Description / Example dialogue in JSON	Any editor, then re-import

Minimum: Name, Description, Personality, First message, a few Example dialogue lines. Define motive and voice before lore. Test one opening with the model you actually use.

Import: desktop SillyTavern and MiniTavern

The same PNG works on multiple clients.

1. Save PNG or JSON.
2. SillyTavern: Characters → Import. Add preset and World Info if the author provides them.
3. Phone: You can skip hunting files. MiniTavern (iOS / Android) ships characters in-app—no extra download required to start. New users get a free quota. Community PNGs import the same way; point the API at Ollama, LM Studio, or an OpenAI-compatible endpoint.

If quality drops, check model vs author recommendation and whether preset / World Info loaded before swapping cards.

Quality filter

• Description and First message are complete, not a five-line stub.
• Recommended model, context length, and preset are listed.
• Version notes exist (e.g. V2 personality, V3 World Info).
• Comments discuss character and prose, not “jailbreak packs.”

Path cheat sheet

Need	First stop
English cards, tag search	Chub
Chinese cards and presets	Leina Discord
Try chat, then export	JanitorAI
“Where do people get cards now?”	r/SillyTavernAI
No public match	SillyTavern editor or Chrome extension
Play on phone immediately	MiniTavern in-app cards (free quota for new users)

Note: skip unofficial “card pack” shops

Reports from community users are consistent: marketplace packs (including Taobao / Xianyu-style listings) often strip Personality, Scenario, and Example dialogue, or merge several cards into a broken JSON. SillyTavern will import the file; the character is empty. You also cannot verify the author or whether the file was altered. Most of that content is already free on Discord and Chub. Use the sources above, or write the card yourself.