Can't figure out making an Array based off of a Class - arrays

Question

What I'm trying to do is create an array from a Class that holds a list of information.
What I've tried so far is this - First, create the Class:
Public Class PowerArray
Public Name As String
Public Action As String
Public Cost As Integer
Public Pool1 As String
Public Pool2 As String
Public Range As String
Public Duration As String
Public Tags As ArrayList = New ArrayList
Public Desc As String
End Class
Then, define a new object that uses PowerArray as type, contained in a Public Class so it can be called in any sub:
Public Class GVar
Public Shared CharPowers(100) As PowerArray
Public Shared PCount As Integer = 0
End Class
But when I try to write to that object, it keeps throwing a Null Reference Exception.
Example:
Trying to write an entry to CharPowers(GVar.Pcount) (where PCount is currently 0, and "txt.PowerName.Text" is any string):
GVar.CharPowers(GVar.PCount).Name = txtPowerName.Text
...throws the exception. This happens no matter which value I try to write to.
I haven't had any major hangups going this route when defining a new object inside a sub using that type (not as an array, but just a simple object), so I'm guessing it's the object being an array that's throwing a fit. I just can't figure out how or why. It clearly exists, it's defined on startup.

Answer 1

Your array in GVar is an array of elements typed as PowerArray with a value of Nothing. You must create an instance of PowerArray and assign it to an element is the array before you can set a field of a PowerArray object.
Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
Dim PA As New PowerArray
GVar.CharPowers(GVar.PCount) = PA
GVar.CharPowers(GVar.PCount).Name = TextBox1.Text
MessageBox.Show(GVar.CharPowers(GVar.PCount).Name)
End Sub
Are you planning on incrementing PCount? You would not need to keep track of where you are in the array if you used List(Of PowerArray).
EDIT
Public Class PowerArray
Public Property Name As String
Public Property Action As String
Public Property Cost As Integer
Public Property Pool1 As String
Public Property Pool2 As String
Public Property Range As String
Public Property Duration As String
Public Property Tags As New List(Of Object)
Public Property Desc As String
End Class
Public Class GVar
Public Shared Property CharPowers As New List(Of PowerArray)
End Class
Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
Dim PA As New PowerArray
PA.Name = TextBox1.Text
GVar.CharPowers.Add(PA)
For Each item As PowerArray In GVar.CharPowers
MessageBox.Show(item.Name)
Next
End Sub

Answer 2

Seems I tripped over an answer. In particular:
Public Class GVar
Public Shared CharPowers(100) As PowerArray
Public Shared PCount As Integer = 0
Shared Sub New()
For i = 0 To CharPowers.GetUpperBound(0)
CharPowers(i) = New PowerArray
Next
End Sub
End Class