diff --git a/client/menu_scenes/main_menu.hpp b/client/menu_scenes/main_menu.hpp
index 272408c..433c419 100644
--- a/client/menu_scenes/main_menu.hpp
+++ b/client/menu_scenes/main_menu.hpp
@@ -56,5 +56,5 @@ protected:
 	Button startButton;
 	Button optionsButton;
 	Button quitButton;
-	TextBox textBox;
+	TextBox<> textBox;
 };
diff --git a/common/graphics/text_box.cpp b/common/graphics/text_box.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 4fdefa4..0000000
--- a/common/graphics/text_box.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,56 +0,0 @@
-/* Copyright: (c) Kayne Ruse 2013-2015
- * 
- * This software is provided 'as-is', without any express or implied
- * warranty. In no event will the authors be held liable for any damages
- * arising from the use of this software.
- * 
- * Permission is granted to anyone to use this software for any purpose,
- * including commercial applications, and to alter it and redistribute it
- * freely, subject to the following restrictions:
- * 
- * 1. The origin of this software must not be misrepresented; you must not
- * claim that you wrote the original software. If you use this software
- * in a product, an acknowledgment in the product documentation would be
- * appreciated but is not required.
- * 
- * 2. Altered source versions must be plainly marked as such, and must not be
- * misrepresented as being the original software.
- * 
- * 3. This notice may not be removed or altered from any source
- * distribution.
-*/
-#include "text_box.hpp"
-
-#include <stdexcept>
-
-TextBox::TextBox() {
-	//
-}
-
-TextBox::~TextBox() {
-	//
-}
-
-void TextBox::DrawTo(SDL_Renderer* renderer, int posX, int posY, int pointSize) {
-	for (std::list<TextLine>::iterator it = lineList.begin(); it != lineList.end(); it++) {
-		it->DrawTo(renderer, posX, posY);
-		posY -= pointSize;
-	}
-}
-
-void TextBox::PushLine(SDL_Renderer* renderer, TTF_Font* font, std::string str, SDL_Color color) {
-	lineList.emplace_front(renderer, font, str, color);
-}
-
-void TextBox::PopLine(int num) {
-	//prevent underflow
-	num < lineList.size() ? num : lineList.size();
-
-	for (int i = 0; i < num; ++i) {
-		lineList.pop_back();
-	}
-}
-
-void TextBox::ClearLines() {
-	lineList.clear();
-}
diff --git a/common/graphics/text_box.hpp b/common/graphics/text_box.hpp
index 89d90a6..c4992b2 100644
--- a/common/graphics/text_box.hpp
+++ b/common/graphics/text_box.hpp
@@ -29,10 +29,22 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <list>
 
+/* DOCS: TextBox is a templated class to allow additional data, read more
+ * As long as the class given as an argument meets these requirements, this
+ * should work:
+ * 
+ *   Constructor(SDL_Renderer*, TTF_Font*, std::string, SDL_Color)
+ *   DrawTo(SDL_Renderer*, int posX, int posY)
+ * 
+ * The class should also clean up after itself.
+*/
+
+//template class definition
+template<typename Line = TextLine>
 class TextBox {
 public:
-	TextBox();
-	~TextBox();
+	TextBox() = default;
+	~TextBox() = default;
 
 	void DrawTo(SDL_Renderer*, int posX, int posY, int pointSize);
 
@@ -41,5 +53,35 @@ public:
 	void ClearLines();
 
 private:
-	std::list<TextLine> lineList;
-};
\ No newline at end of file
+	std::list<Line> lineList;
+};
+
+//method definitions
+template<typename Line>
+void TextBox<Line>::DrawTo(SDL_Renderer* renderer, int posX, int posY, int pointSize) {
+	//NOTE: pointSize should match the font's size, but may be negative to give a dialog effect
+	for (typename std::list<Line>::iterator it = lineList.begin(); it != lineList.end(); it++) {
+		it->DrawTo(renderer, posX, posY);
+		posY += pointSize;
+	}
+}
+
+template<typename Line>
+void TextBox<Line>::PushLine(SDL_Renderer* renderer, TTF_Font* font, std::string str, SDL_Color color) {
+	lineList.emplace_front(renderer, font, str, color);
+}
+
+template<typename Line>
+void TextBox<Line>::PopLine(int num) {
+	//prevent underflow
+	num < lineList.size() ? num : lineList.size();
+
+	for (int i = 0; i < num; ++i) {
+		lineList.pop_back();
+	}
+}
+
+template<typename Line>
+void TextBox<Line>::ClearLines() {
+	lineList.clear();
+}