diff --git a/src/lib/components/Header.svelte b/src/lib/components/Header.svelte
index aeb040d..a35b0d2 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/Header.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/Header.svelte
@@ -6,13 +6,19 @@
 	import { encodeCharacterURL } from '$lib/sharing';
 	import { slugify } from '$lib/utils/slugify';
 	import CharacterSwitcher from './CharacterSwitcher.svelte';
+	import TemplatePicker from './TemplatePicker.svelte';
 	import Modal from './Modal.svelte';
 
 	let shared = $state(false);
 	let confirmDelete = $state(false);
+	let showPicker = $state(false);
 
-	async function createCharacter() {
-		await roster.create(presets[0]);
+	function createCharacter() {
+		if (presets.length === 1) {
+			roster.create(presets[0]);
+		} else {
+			showPicker = true;
+		}
 	}
 
 	async function share() {
@@ -82,6 +88,10 @@
 </div>
 </header>
 
+{#if showPicker}
+	<TemplatePicker onClose={() => { showPicker = false; }} />
+{/if}
+
 {#if confirmDelete && roster.active}
 	<Modal onClose={() => { confirmDelete = false; }}>
 		<h2 class="font-semibold mb-2">Delete Character</h2>
diff --git a/src/lib/components/SchemaForm.svelte b/src/lib/components/SchemaForm.svelte
index 544aa61..5e959c9 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/SchemaForm.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/SchemaForm.svelte
@@ -1,12 +1,88 @@
 <script lang="ts">
-	import type { Character } from '$lib/types';
+	import type { Character, Template } from '$lib/types';
 	import { roster } from '$lib/state.svelte';
+	import { presets } from '$lib/presets';
+	import { slugify } from '$lib/utils/slugify';
 	import RecordCard from './RecordCard.svelte';
 
 	let { character }: { character: Character } = $props();
+
+	let dismissed = $state<string | null>(null);
+
+	let speciesKey = slugify('Species');
+
+	let suggestion = $derived.by((): { template: Template; reason: string } | null => {
+		const currentSpecies = character.data[speciesKey] as string | undefined;
+		if (!currentSpecies) return null;
+
+		const current = character.template;
+
+		// Current template is species-specific but doesn't match selected species
+		if (current.species?.length && !current.species.includes(currentSpecies)) {
+			// Find a template that matches, or fall back to a general one
+			const specific = presets.find((p) =>
+				p.species?.includes(currentSpecies) && p.id !== current.id
+			);
+			const general = presets.find((p) => !p.species && p.id !== current.id);
+			const better = specific ?? general;
+			if (better && better.id !== dismissed) {
+				return {
+					template: better,
+					reason: `The ${current.name} template isn't designed for this species.`
+				};
+			}
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		// Current template is general, but a species-specific one exists
+		if (!current.species) {
+			const specific = presets.find((p) =>
+				p.species?.includes(currentSpecies) && p.id !== current.id
+			);
+			if (specific && specific.id !== dismissed) {
+				return {
+					template: specific,
+					reason: `A ${specific.name} template is available for this species.`
+				};
+			}
+		}
+
+		return null;
+	});
+
+	function switchTemplate(template: Template) {
+		character.template = $state.snapshot(template);
+		roster.scheduleSave(character);
+		dismissed = null;
+	}
 </script>
 
 <div class="flex flex-col gap-4">
+	{#if suggestion}
+		<div class="rounded border px-4 py-3" style="border-color: var(--accent); background: var(--bg-card);">
+			<p class="text-sm mb-2">
+				{suggestion.reason}
+				Switching will keep your existing data.
+			</p>
+			<div class="flex gap-2">
+				<button
+					onclick={() => switchTemplate(suggestion!.template)}
+					class="px-3 py-1 rounded text-sm border hover:opacity-80"
+					style="border-color: var(--accent); color: var(--accent);"
+				>
+					Switch to {suggestion.template.name}
+				</button>
+				<button
+					onclick={() => { dismissed = suggestion!.template.id; }}
+					class="px-3 py-1 rounded text-sm hover:opacity-80"
+					style="color: var(--text-muted);"
+				>
+					Dismiss
+				</button>
+			</div>
+		</div>
+	{/if}
+
 	{#each character.template.records as record}
 		<RecordCard
 			{record}
diff --git a/src/lib/components/TemplatePicker.svelte b/src/lib/components/TemplatePicker.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5089c74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/components/TemplatePicker.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+<script lang="ts">
+	import type { Template } from '$lib/types';
+	import { presets } from '$lib/presets';
+	import { roster } from '$lib/state.svelte';
+	import Modal from './Modal.svelte';
+
+	let { onClose }: { onClose: () => void } = $props();
+
+	async function pick(template: Template) {
+		await roster.create(template);
+		onClose();
+	}
+</script>
+
+<Modal {onClose}>
+	<h2 class="font-semibold mb-3">New Character</h2>
+	<div class="flex flex-col gap-2">
+		{#each presets as preset}
+			<button
+				onclick={() => pick(preset)}
+				class="text-left px-3 py-2 rounded border hover:opacity-80"
+				style="border-color: var(--border);"
+			>
+				<span class="font-medium text-sm">{preset.name}</span>
+				{#if preset.description}
+					<span class="block text-xs" style="color: var(--text-muted);">{preset.description}</span>
+				{/if}
+			</button>
+		{/each}
+	</div>
+</Modal>
diff --git a/src/lib/data/parse.ts b/src/lib/data/parse.ts
index b16377a..b8011ba 100644
--- a/src/lib/data/parse.ts
+++ b/src/lib/data/parse.ts
@@ -107,11 +107,13 @@ export function parseTemplate(xml: string, id: string): Template {
 		fields: r.field.map(parseField)
 	}));
 
+	const speciesAttr = root['@_species'];
 	return {
 		id,
 		name: root['@_name'],
 		description: root.description ?? '',
 		schemaVersion: Number(root['@_schemaVersion'] ?? 1),
+		...(speciesAttr && { species: speciesAttr.split(',').map((s: string) => s.trim()) }),
 		records
 	};
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/types.ts b/src/lib/types.ts
index 1873ce1..7af977d 100644
--- a/src/lib/types.ts
+++ b/src/lib/types.ts
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ export interface Template {
 	name: string;
 	description: string;
 	schemaVersion: number;
+	species?: string[];
 	records: RecordDef[];
 }
 
diff --git a/src/routes/+page.svelte b/src/routes/+page.svelte
index 7d4f34e..8ae07f9 100644
--- a/src/routes/+page.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/+page.svelte
@@ -6,9 +6,11 @@
 	import ImportModal from '$lib/components/ImportModal.svelte';
 	import { roster } from '$lib/state.svelte';
 	import { presets } from '$lib/presets';
+	import TemplatePicker from '$lib/components/TemplatePicker.svelte';
 
 	let importData = $state<string | null>(null);
 	let mobileView = $state<'edit' | 'preview' | 'split'>('split');
+	let showPicker = $state(false);
 
 	onMount(() => {
 		const hash = window.location.hash.slice(1);
@@ -86,12 +88,18 @@
 		<main class="flex-1 flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-4">
 			<p style="color: var(--text-muted);">No characters yet.</p>
 			<button
-				onclick={() => roster.create(presets[0])}
+				onclick={() => {
+					if (presets.length === 1) roster.create(presets[0]);
+					else showPicker = true;
+				}}
 				class="px-3 py-1 rounded text-sm border hover:opacity-80"
 				style="border-color: var(--border);"
 			>
 				Get Started
 			</button>
 		</main>
+		{#if showPicker}
+			<TemplatePicker onClose={() => { showPicker = false; }} />
+		{/if}
 	{/if}
 </div>