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Obsidian - Templates

Josh Plunkett·
4 min read

Based on Josh Plunkett's video on YouTube. If you like this content, support the original creators by watching, liking and subscribing to their content.

TL;DR

Enable the Templates core plugin in Obsidian, then create a dedicated templates folder for your template notes.

Briefing

Obsidian templates turn repetitive RPG prep into a fast, structured workflow: once a template is set up and bound to a hotkey, it can instantly generate fully formed notes—complete with placeholders, metadata, and even plugin-ready markup—so content creation stops being a blank-page scramble. The practical payoff is speed and consistency: instead of retyping quest sections, NPC fields, or stat-block syntax from memory, a user selects a template and fills in the blanks.

Setup begins with enabling Obsidian’s built-in Templates core plugin. After checking the Templates option under Core Plugins, the next step is creating a dedicated templates folder (the example uses a folder named “z_underscore templates” to keep it out of sight). The configuration also includes choosing a date format and assigning a hotkey for “Insert template” (the example uses Alt plus T). With that in place, templates become available on demand through the hotkey menu.

The transcript then shows how RPG-flavored templates can be built and imported in bulk. The creator replicates a set of “story/world” templates and “mechanics gallery” items by exporting snippet content from Realm Works. A key detail: Realm Works removes empty snippets during export, so every snippet/topic is filled with placeholder text before export. After importing into the Obsidian vault using “Realm Works Output Formatter,” the result is a library of templates organized into folders, including a quest template with sections like overview, profile, beginning, relationships, and completion.

To demonstrate the workflow, the user creates a new note and triggers the template picker with the hotkey. Selecting an “individual” template instantly inserts a structured NPC sheet. The example NPC (“Bob,” a neutral male human bard) is filled in quickly—showing how templates reduce friction from template-to-content.

Beyond story notes, templates also support mechanical and plugin-driven content. The transcript highlights a “custom monster” template copied from the help file of the “ttrpg stat block plugin,” then customized with fields like size/type, alignment, AC, health, hit dice, and speed. Similarly, an “encounter” template can bring multiple creatures into combat, and a “rollable table” template provides ready-to-edit syntax so users don’t have to remember the exact format.

The same approach extends to other tools: an “insert map” template is created by copying text from Leaflet-related plugin help files and adjusting the referenced plugin targets and IDs. The end result is a reusable library of placeholders for both narrative elements and mechanical components—organized in folders, pre-tagged with metadata, and ready to generate content with a single hotkey press.

Cornell Notes

Obsidian templates provide a hotkey-driven way to insert structured RPG notes and mechanical snippets without retyping everything. After enabling the Templates core plugin, users create a dedicated templates folder, set a date format, and assign a hotkey to “Insert template” (Alt plus T in the example). The workflow is demonstrated with an NPC “individual” template that instantly generates fields like name, alignment, role, and status, then gets filled in quickly. Templates can also be built from plugin help files—such as stat-block formatting from the ttrpg stat block plugin—plus encounter and rollable-table examples, and even map insertion templates based on Leaflet help text. The main value is efficiency and consistency through reusable placeholders and metadata.

What exact steps make Obsidian templates usable, and what role does the hotkey play?

Templates are enabled by turning on the Templates option under Core Plugins. A templates folder must exist where template notes will live (the example uses “z_underscore templates” to keep it organized and out of the way). Settings also include a date format choice. Finally, the “Insert template” hotkey is configured (Alt plus T in the example). Once configured, pressing the hotkey opens a list of available templates so a user can insert a chosen template into a new note instantly.

Why does the Realm Works export process require placeholder content in every snippet?

Realm Works removes empty snippets during export. To preserve the full set of topics/snippets when exporting, the workflow fills every snippet with placeholder text before exporting. That ensures the exported package contains all the template sections the user wants to import into the Obsidian vault.

How does the transcript show templates speeding up NPC creation?

After creating a test note, the user triggers the template picker with Alt plus T, selects the “individual” template, and the NPC structure appears immediately. The example NPC (“Bob,” a neutral male human bard) is then filled in by editing fields like name, alignment, class/role, challenge rating, and condition. The point is that the template handles the structure; the user only supplies the specific content.

How can templates incorporate mechanical formatting from plugins?

A “custom monster” template is created by copying a stat-block template directly from the help file of the ttrpg stat block plugin. The user then replaces placeholder values with actual monster data (e.g., AC, health, hit dice, speed, and type/alignment). This approach lets templates act as preformatted, plugin-compatible scaffolding rather than plain text.

What other RPG mechanics can templates generate besides story notes?

The transcript includes templates for an encounter (bringing multiple creatures into combat) and a rollable table (providing example syntax that can be adapted). It also mentions an insert map template built from Leaflet-related help text, where the user updates IDs and plugin references so the map insertion works in their own realm.

Review Questions

  1. What settings must be configured in Obsidian before templates can be inserted with a hotkey?
  2. How does adding placeholder text to Realm Works snippets affect what gets exported and imported into Obsidian?
  3. Give two examples of how templates can be used for mechanical content (not just narrative notes) and what plugin/help text they rely on.

Key Points

  1. 1

    Enable the Templates core plugin in Obsidian, then create a dedicated templates folder for your template notes.

  2. 2

    Configure the “Insert template” hotkey (Alt plus T in the example) so templates can be inserted instantly while writing.

  3. 3

    Bulk-build RPG templates by exporting from Realm Works, but fill every snippet with placeholder text so nothing gets removed during export.

  4. 4

    Use templates to generate structured narrative content quickly, such as an NPC “individual” sheet with predefined sections and fields.

  5. 5

    Create mechanical templates by copying plugin help-file markup (e.g., ttrpg stat block plugin stat blocks) and replacing placeholders with your own values.

  6. 6

    Templates can also generate encounters, rollable tables, and even map insertion scaffolding by adapting plugin help text and IDs.

Highlights

Once the Templates plugin is enabled and Alt plus T is set for “Insert template,” selecting a template instantly generates a structured RPG note you can fill in.
Realm Works exports can drop empty snippets—so placeholder content is required to preserve every template section during import.
Mechanical templates work by reusing plugin-ready markup from help files, such as stat-block formatting from the ttrpg stat block plugin.

Topics

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