Isle of Berk Variant Loader
by Nord_Act
Isle of Berk Variant Loader lets data packs define new dragon variants for the Isle of Berk mod on Forge 1.18.2, with their own eggs, breeding odds and nametag rules.
What it does
Variant Loader is a library that reads data-driven dragon variants for Isle of Berk. Once a variant is defined in a data pack, eggs can carry it as NBT, and the dragon hatched from that egg takes the variant. Variant inheritance works for every dragon, and it can be turned off by setting the assign egg variant options on breeding and on placed to false in the config.
Spawn odds for variant dragons and the chance of getting them from breeding can differ from the base mod. The mod does not add spawns in any biome by itself; a variant restricted to a biome is only obtainable there, through spawning or hatching. Isle of Berk is required, and the library is required by Archipelago Additions and No Tidal Class Buoyancy!. Both sides need it: the server and every player run it, and Variant Loader is published for Forge 1.18.2 only, with the latest file 2.7.0 dated 2026-08-08. It is released under the MIT License and is open source.
Key features
Data-driven variants
Variants are defined in data packs, so new dragon looks and traits need no code changes.
Egg variant NBT
Every egg can store a variant tag that decides which variant hatches from it.
Adjustable spawn and breeding odds
Odds for wild spawns and breeding results can be set separately from the base mod.
Glowing layer toggle
A config option removes the glowing layer from textures, and it is off by default.
Nametag display control
Variant display through nametags can be disabled, and the original variant name can be forced into tooltips.
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
Required by 2 mods
Use cases
Packs with custom dragons
Pack authors add variants with textures and spawn rules, shipping them as a data pack and resource pack.
Nametag-only variants
A variant with no spawn entry can only be reached by renaming a dragon, and its nametag access can be turned off.
Who it’s for: Data pack and resource pack authors for Isle of Berk, and server owners who want custom dragon variants on Forge 1.18.2.
How it compares
Dragon Compass is client and server on Forge 1.18.2 under All rights reserved, so it is closed source. Dragon Eye is also client and server on Forge 1.18.2, with a closed license. Dragon Feed is the same environment and version with All rights reserved, so it is closed source too. Variant Loader differs from these by being open source under the MIT License and by focusing on data-driven variants rather than items or features.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isle of Berk Variant Loader | Forge | 1.18.2 | Client and server | 2026-08-08 |
| Dragon Compass | Forge | 1.18.2 | Client and server | 2026-01-14 |
| Dragon Eye | Forge | 1.18.2 | Client and server | 2024-07-26 |
| Dragon Feed | Forge | 1.18.2 | Client and server | 2026-01-14 |
Questions
Does Variant Loader need Isle of Berk?
Do variant dragons spawn in specific biomes automatically?
Can a variant be obtained only by breeding?
Why are Speed Stinger variants not spawning?
In the catalog
Isle of Berk Variant Loader is one of 3,514 Library mods on ModsFinder, and one of 1,576 Library mods for Forge. 9,044 mods support Minecraft 1.18.2.
More from Nord_Act
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What the author says
Q: Do I need to add default textures to resource pack?\ A: No! This is only adding to the size of the pack and also may cause conflicts with other packs that rely on texture replacement. Such practice has no benefit Q: Does adding variant spawn also makes dragon spawn in specific biome(s)?\ A: No, mod does not…
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/isle-of-berk-variant-loader
- Owner
- Nord_Act
- Published
- 2023-08-30
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2026-08-08
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15