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This tutorial will go through how to replace the UE5 Mannequin in the Third Person Shooter template with a PolyMate Modular Character. Every PolyMate is rigged to the UE5 Mannequin. This makes the process clean, safe, and animation-friendly.

We’ll walk through replacing the default mannequin in the Third Person template with a 5‑part PolyMate modular character (Head, Torso, Hands, Legs, Feet), while reusing the existing UE5 animation blueprint.

Step 1: Import the PolyMate Modular Character

You can do that in your desired way, either by

1. Downloading the character from FAB Marketplace, or…
2. Add it to your project via the FAB plugin or import manually

Step 2: Update the Third Person Character Blueprint

Open Third Person Character blueprint, name and location may vary slightly depending on template, but in the Third Person Template it’s located in:

Content → ThirdPerson → Blueprints → BP_ThirdPersonCharacter

Select the Mesh component (the default mannequin)

Replace the Skeletal Mesh:

• Set it to your Head skeletal mesh
• Keep the Animation Mode as:
  • Use Animation Blueprint
• Set Anim Class to:
  • ABP_Manny (or the default UE mannequin AnimBP)

Step 3: Add the Modular Parts

In the Character Blueprint, click Add Component → Skeletal Mesh. Make sure it’s a child of the Mesh component where we selected the Head.

Add components for:

• Torso
• Hands
• Legs
• Feet

For each part make sure to:

• Assign the correct Skeletal Mesh.
• Set Animation Mode to: Use Animation Blueprint
• Set Anim Class to the same AnimBP used by the Head

Because all parts share the same skeleton, animations will stay perfectly synced.

Step 4: Ensure Mesh Component Settings Are Correct

To ensure one better performance and no animation drift, we need to set the leader pose in the construction script.

Add a Leader Pose Component and set to the Mesh (Head).
Then set the Target to Torso, Hands, Legs, and Feet. Like shown in the image below.
Compile and Save.

⚠️Please note
In older UE version this component was called Master Pose Component

Test Animations and Gameplay

Press Play and verify that your character moves correctly, animations play properly, no mesh separation or lag, and no T‑pose issues.

Common Issues & Fixes

If character is in T-Pose:
Check that Anim Blueprint is assigned and ensure the skeleton matches UE5 mannequin.

Parts Not Moving Together:
Make sure the Leader/Master Pose Component is set, and confirm all parts use the same skeleton.

If you face any issue, feel free to reach out to us on Discord (link at top) or by contacting us using our form on the homepage.

Why do PolyMate use UE5 Mannequin Rig?

By choosing a PolyMate character rigged to the UE5 mannequin, you get instant compatibility with Third Person Template as well as FAB Marketplace animations that uses UE5 Mannequin Rig.

No retargeting setup will be required. It will allow for faster iteration and prototyping. Making the character swapping easier later in development.