diff --git a/profiles/_default.json b/profiles/defaults/_default.json
similarity index 100%
rename from profiles/_default.json
rename to profiles/defaults/_default.json
diff --git a/profiles/defaults/creative.json b/profiles/defaults/creative.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9174ed6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/profiles/defaults/creative.json
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+{
+    "modes": {
+        "self_preservation": false,
+        "unstuck": false,
+        "cowardice": false,
+        "self_defense": false,
+        "hunting": false,
+        "item_collecting": false,
+        "torch_placing": false,
+        "elbow_room": true,
+        "idle_staring": true,
+        "cheat": false
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/profiles/defaults/god_mode.json b/profiles/defaults/god_mode.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6cecd8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/profiles/defaults/god_mode.json
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+{
+    "modes": {
+        "self_preservation": false,
+        "unstuck": false,
+        "cowardice": false,
+        "self_defense": false,
+        "hunting": false,
+        "item_collecting": false,
+        "torch_placing": false,
+        "elbow_room": false,
+        "idle_staring": true,
+        "cheat": true
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/profiles/defaults/survival.json b/profiles/defaults/survival.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4504bf9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/profiles/defaults/survival.json
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+{
+    "modes": {
+        "self_preservation": true,
+        "unstuck": true,
+        "cowardice": false,
+        "self_defense": true,
+        "hunting": true,
+        "item_collecting": true,
+        "torch_placing": true,
+        "elbow_room": true,
+        "idle_staring": true,
+        "cheat": false
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/settings.js b/settings.js
index 89dbd11..3b6c903 100644
--- a/settings.js
+++ b/settings.js
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ export default
     "mindserver_host": "localhost",
     "mindserver_port": 8080,
     
+    // the base profile is shared by all bots for default prompts/examples/modes
+    "base_profile": "./profiles/defaults/survival.json", // also see creative.json, god_mode.json
     "profiles": [
         "./andy.json",
         // "./profiles/gpt.json",
@@ -23,6 +25,7 @@ export default
         // "./profiles/deepseek.json",
 
         // using more than 1 profile requires you to /msg each bot indivually
+        // individual profiles override values from the base profile
     ],
     "load_memory": false, // load memory from previous session
     "init_message": "Respond with hello world and your name", // sends to all on spawn
diff --git a/src/models/prompter.js b/src/models/prompter.js
index 5295653..7b293f2 100644
--- a/src/models/prompter.js
+++ b/src/models/prompter.js
@@ -24,12 +24,22 @@ export class Prompter {
     constructor(agent, fp) {
         this.agent = agent;
         this.profile = JSON.parse(readFileSync(fp, 'utf8'));
-        this.default_profile = JSON.parse(readFileSync('./profiles/_default.json', 'utf8'));
+        let default_profile = JSON.parse(readFileSync('./profiles/defaults/_default.json', 'utf8'));
+        let base_fp = settings.base_profile;
+        let base_profile = JSON.parse(readFileSync(base_fp, 'utf8'));
 
-        for (let key in this.default_profile) {
-            if (this.profile[key] === undefined)
-                this.profile[key] = this.default_profile[key];
+        // first use defaults to fill in missing values in the base profile
+        for (let key in default_profile) {
+            if (base_profile[key] === undefined)
+                base_profile[key] = default_profile[key];
         }
+        // then use base profile to fill in missing values in the individual profile
+        for (let key in base_profile) {
+            if (this.profile[key] === undefined)
+                this.profile[key] = base_profile[key];
+        }
+        // base overrides default, individual overrides base
+
 
         this.convo_examples = null;
         this.coding_examples = null;