Fear of Anything
by Sylsatra
Fear of Anything lets server owners and modpack builders define which mobs flee from which blocks, items and entities, with trauma that can pass between generations of mobs.
What it does
The mod is a Forge server-side rule system for mob behavior. A rule set names the mobs in a group, the things that scare them and the conditions under which the fear applies. Fear can be triggered by blocks, items, nearby entities and fire-related blocks, and mobs can be targeted down to NBT data, such as a zombie with a given name wearing a given armor set. Rules can be written in TOML files or added as datapacks, and both methods can be combined.
Mob trauma works in stages. Early stages apply simple reactions, such as a cow avoiding fire-based blocks at stage 0, while later stages add conditions, for example a cow that is hit by a player and then flees nearby cows. Intergenerational trauma is enabled by default, so a fear can be inherited by offspring. Cooldowns and proximity checks are configurable to limit the performance cost of many rules.
Fear of Anything runs on client and server, so the server and every player need it. It is published for Forge only, across nine game versions 1.18 – 1.20.1, and the latest file is 4.1.6 for 1.20.1. The code is under the GNU General Public License v3.0 only, and the source code, issue tracker and wiki are public.
Key features
Fear by block and item
Selected mobs flee configurable blocks and items, so a creeper can be made to avoid flowers and a zombie to run from a golden sword.
Mob targeting with NBT
Rules can match a mob by NBT data, including name, armor and block states, for precise control over which mobs react.
Staged trauma
Groups of mobs progress through trauma stages, with simple early reactions and conditional later ones.
TOML and datapack configuration
Fear rules can be written in TOML files or as datapacks, which suits both server configuration and pack-based setups.
Cooldowns and proximity checks
Cooldowns and distance checks limit how often fear is evaluated, which helps keep large mob counts efficient.
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
1.20.x1 of 1 version with builds
1.19.x5 of 5 versions with builds
1.18.x3 of 3 versions with builds
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
How it compares
Custom Mob Targets is server required with the client optional, under the MIT License, and is published for 1.20.1 on Forge. The ultimate CowMod is client and server, under the MIT License, and also targets 1.20.1 on Forge, but changes cow behavior rather than defining general fear rules. Farm Friendly Mob Stacking is server required and client optional, under All rights reserved, and covers Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt for 1.21.6 – 26.2, so it does not target the same versions.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fear of Anything | Forge | 1.18 – 1.20.1 | Client and server | 2026-02-21 |
| [CMT] Custom Mob Targets (Muddy Port) | Forge | 1.20.1 | Server required, client optional | 2026-03-09 |
| The ultimate CowMod | Forge | 1.20.1 | Client and server | 2024-08-21 |
| Farm Friendly Mob Stacking | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt | 1.21.6 – 26.2 | Server required, client optional | 2026-08-12 |
Questions
Does Fear of Anything need to be installed on clients?
Which loaders does Fear of Anything support?
Can fear rules be written without Java?
In the catalog
Fear of Anything 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 Sylsatra
Similar mods
What the author says
Are you tired of predictable mob behavior? Do you want to build a truly unique base defense or design a complex, automated mob farm? From the creator of Fear of Fire, Fear of Anything evolves the concept into a powerful, universal tool that puts you in complete control of mob AI. This server-side mod allows you to…
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/fear-of-anything
- Owner
- Sylsatra
- Published
- 2025-03-04
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2026-02-21
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15