Balanced Minecraft Hardcore
Balanced Minecraft Hardcore, shortened to BMH, replaces the usual hardcore death rule with a difficulty that players can adjust.
What it does
BMH is a server-side only Forge mod for Minecraft 1.20.2 – 1.20.4, released as open source under the Apache License 2.0. Only the server needs it, so players join without installing anything. Its aim is a middle ground between normal survival and hardcore play, with difficulty settings that change the consequences of dying.
Key features
Adjustable difficulty
Difficulty settings can be tuned to choose how harsh a world feels, sitting between normal and hardcore Minecraft.
Replaced death penalty
Death is handled by different rules than in hardcore, so a loss does not always end the world for the player.
Distant respawn
The respawn point can be placed at a distance from where the player died, changing how a lost run resumes.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
How it compares
The Eternal Weapons (WIP) is a Forge mod for 1.20.1 that players and servers both run, under All rights reserved and not open source. ExtraLives is a Forge mod for 1.20 – 1.20.2 that also needs both sides, released under the MIT License and open source.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced Minecraft Hardcore | Forge | 1.20.2 – 1.20.4 | Server-side only | 2024-03-06 |
| The Eternal Weapons (WIP) | Forge | 1.20.1 | Client and server | 2025-10-18 |
| ExtraLives | Forge | 1.20 – 1.20.2 | Client and server | 2026-01-28 |
Questions
Does BMH need to be installed on the client?
In the catalog
Balanced Minecraft Hardcore is one of 17,631 Equipment mods on ModsFinder, and one of 9,216 Equipment mods for Forge. 13,907 mods support Minecraft 1.20.4.
Similar mods
What the author says
Balanced Minecraft Hardcore (BMH) gives you flexibility in difficulty by replacing death by distant respawn based on your difficulty and Eternal Items possessed. BMH is the perfect middle ground between normal Minecraft gameplay and hardcore Minecraft gameplay. Do not play on hardcore Minecraft, the mod work only on…
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/balanced-minecraft-hardcore
- Owner
- MrOrnithorynque1
- Published
- 2024-03-04
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2024-03-06
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15