Combat Circle
by Jackiecrazy
Combat Circle changes how hostile mobs approach the player, so that groups of them spread out and surround a target instead of queuing in one line.
What it does
Horde mobs keep out of attack range until they are ready to strike, and when several mobs chase the same target they avoid bunching up. The result is a group that fans out and closes in from several sides, cutting off escape routes once the player is near enough. Ranged mobs position themselves to avoid shooting through their allies.
The mod adds this encirclement behavior to existing mob AI through a goals system, and it also lets pack makers write their own mob attack behavior in JSON, in the same build-and-customize style as Origins powers and Psi spells. The wiki explains how to write mob AI for the mod. Combat Circle is published for Forge only, for Minecraft 1.20.1, and runs on client and server, so the server and every player need it. It requires Footwork, and the code is open source under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later.
Key features
Encirclement AI
Mobs spread out while chasing the same target and begin surrounding the player, cutting off escape once close enough.
Range keeping
Mobs stay outside attack range until preparing an attack, then move in.
Friendly fire avoidance
Ranged mobs position their shots to avoid hitting other mobs in the group.
JSON attack behavior
Mob attack AI can be customized in JSON, with documentation on the wiki for writing new behavior.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Requirements
Dependencies declared by the latest file for each loader.
Required 1
How it compares
Baby Horde Moon is a Forge mod for 1.20.1 – 1.20.6, with a client and server environment and all rights reserved, so its code is not open source. The Hordes covers Forge and NeoForge for 1.12.2 – 1.21.1 under the GNU Lesser General Public License v2.1 only, and it is open source. Mebahel's Zombie Horde is published for Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt for 1.19.2 – 1.21.3, with all rights reserved.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat Circle | Forge | 1.20.1 | Client and server | 2026-02-01 |
| Baby Horde Moon | Forge | 1.20.1 – 1.20.6 | Client and server | 2026-01-25 |
| The Hordes | Forge and NeoForge | 1.12.2 – 1.21.1 | Client and server | 2026-09-09 |
| Mebahel's Zombie Horde | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt | 1.19.2 – 1.21.3 | Client and server | 2026-10-05 |
Questions
Does Combat Circle need Footwork?
Does Combat Circle have to be installed on the server?
Where can the mob AI syntax for this mod be found?
In the catalog
Combat Circle is one of 11,058 Mobs mods on ModsFinder, and one of 6,527 Mobs mods for Forge. 34,764 mods support Minecraft 1.20.1.
More from Jackiecrazy
Similar mods
What the author says
In addition, and perhaps more importantly, this mod allows you to use Json to customize mob attack AI. The process works similarly to other "build-your-own-behavior" mods, and can be described as writing Origins powers or Psi spells for mobs. For more information regarding how to write mob AI, consult the wiki. Those…
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/combat-circle
- Owner
- Jackiecrazy
- Published
- 2026-02-01
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2026-02-01
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15