Better Combat
Better Combat replaces the default melee behaviour of weapons with a combat system borrowed from Minecraft Dungeons, once its required libraries are installed.
What it does
Weapon behaviour in Better Combat is defined in JSON data files rather than code. A file can give any weapon from any mod a custom combo, a wider sweep or a different attack range, and the same file format covers both unique and out-of-the-box behaviour. Files are read when a world loads, and the mod writes its default server configuration the first time a world is opened.
Cloth Config API, Fabric API, Player Animation Library and playerAnimator are required dependencies. Client settings are opened from the game's mod list, and the server settings file is created with default values. The project publishes Fabric, Forge and NeoForge builds for 1.18.2 – 26.3 under All rights reserved, with the source code, issue tracker and wiki linked from the project page.
Key features
Data-driven weapon behaviour
Weapon attacks are described in JSON, so new behaviour can be added without writing a Java mod for each weapon.
Modded weapon support
Weapons added by other content mods can receive combat behaviour through data files, without changes to those mods.
Automatic default config
The server configuration is written with default values the first time a world is loaded, so it can be edited afterwards.
Partner mod integrations
The author lists partner mods that were built against the JSON API to use its features fully.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
26.x5 of 5 versions with builds
1.21.x9 of 9 versions with builds
1.20.x4 of 4 versions with builds
1.19.x5 of 5 versions with builds
1.18.x1 of 1 version with builds
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Requirements
Dependencies declared by the latest file for each loader.
Required 3
Required by 68 mods
Use cases
Modpack combat tuning
A modpack author can give weapons from several mods a shared combat style by editing data files instead of patching each mod.
Server-side weapon balance
Server owners can change the server configuration to adjust how weapons behave for every player on the server.
Who it’s for: Pack makers and server owners who run several weapon mods and want their melee combat to follow one system.
How it compares
Expanded Combat is a Forge and NeoForge mod for 1.19.4 – 1.21.1, and it runs client and server under All rights reserved. Spartan Weaponry Addon Toolkit is an open source Forge and NeoForge mod for 1.18.2 – 1.20.1 under the MIT License, also client and server. Spartan Weaponry is open source under the Apache License 2.0 for Forge and NeoForge, covering 1.12.2 – 1.20.1, and it adds weapons rather than a combat system.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Better Combat | Fabric, Forge and NeoForge | 1.18.2 – 26.3 | Client and server | 2026-09-17 |
| Expanded Combat | Forge and NeoForge | 1.19.4 – 1.21.1 | Client and server | 2026-01-01 |
| Spartan Weaponry Addon Toolkit | Forge and NeoForge | 1.18.2 – 1.20.1 | Client and server | 2025-08-08 |
| Spartan Weaponry | Forge and NeoForge | 1.12.2 – 1.20.1 | Client and server | 2025-08-03 |
Questions
Which loaders does Better Combat support?
Does Better Combat need Fabric API on every loader?
Does a server need Better Combat for players to use it?
In the catalog
Better Combat is one of 3,514 Library mods on ModsFinder, and one of 2,348 Library mods for Fabric. 8,071 mods support Minecraft 26.3.
More from ZsoltMolnarrr
Similar mods
What the author says
Super easy to add dedicated compatibility, support via Discord for partnering modders. Add uniquely created or out of the box behaviour to any weapon from any mod, by just creating JSON data files.
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/better-combat
- Owner
- ZsoltMolnarrr
- Published
- 2022-07-04
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2026-09-17
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15