One Hand Better Combat
by Bareneil
With One Hand Better Combat installed on a server, two-handed weapons can be held in one hand so the off hand stays free for a totem or shield.
What it does
The mod changes how weapons that normally use both hands are held, letting players use them with one hand. The off hand stays available for a shield, a totem of undying or another item, even when the same weapon type is in the main hand. Some weapons also gain new attacks, and specific weapons receive extra damage.
The axe has a third attack that deals 25% additional damage and plays its own animation. Installation requires Better Combat on the Fabric, Forge and NeoForge loaders, or the Data pack form on a server platform. The server must run the mod, while players may add it on their client for the full experience.
Builds cover 1.20 – 26.3 across 24 release versions, with the latest file 1.1+mod for 26.3 dated 2026-09-24. Snapshot builds are published. The mod is released under All rights reserved and is not open source.
Key features
One-hand weapon use
Weapons that normally need both hands can be wielded in a single hand, leaving the off hand free.
Off-hand items
A shield, totem of undying or other item can sit in the secondary hand while a weapon is in use.
Weapon-specific attacks
Some weapons gain new attacks, and certain weapons receive additional damage when used this way.
Axe third attack
The axe adds a third attack with 25% additional damage and its own distinctive animation.
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
26.x5 of 5 versions with builds
1.21.x12 of 12 versions with builds
1.20.x7 of 7 versions with builds
This mod also publishes snapshot builds. Snapshots are not shown in the matrix.
Use cases
Shield with a greatsword
A player can hold a two-handed sword in the main hand and a shield in the off hand during a fight.
Totem on a server
Server players can carry a totem of undying alongside a weapon without giving up the second hand.
Who it’s for: Players and server owners who want two-handed weapons to work with off-hand items on Minecraft Java Edition versions from 1.20 onward. Because the mod is server required, server owners install it first and players add it on the client if they want the full experience.
How it compares
Better Combat Disabler runs client-side only and is published for Fabric and NeoForge across 1.21.1 – 26.2, under the MIT License. HandBind is client-side only, covers Fabric for 1.19.2 – 26.1.2, and is licensed as All rights reserved. Born In Configuration is server-side only and open source under the MIT License, targeting Forge and NeoForge for 1.20.1 – 1.21.1.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One Hand Better Combat | Fabric, Forge and NeoForge | 1.20 – 26.3 | Server required, client optional | 2026-09-24 |
| Better Combat Disabler | Fabric and NeoForge | 1.21.1 – 26.2 | Client-side only | 2026-09-06 |
| HandBind | Fabric | 1.19.2 – 26.1.2 | Client-side only | 2026-04-11 |
| Born In Configuration | Forge and NeoForge | 1.20.1 – 1.21.1 | Server-side only | 2026-10-07 |
Questions
Does One Hand Better Combat need another mod?
Does the client need the mod installed?
Which game versions are supported?
In the catalog
One Hand Better Combat is one of 29,952 Game mechanics mods on ModsFinder, and one of 19,630 Game mechanics mods for Fabric. 8,071 mods support Minecraft 26.3.
More from Bareneil
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What the author says
This Datapack/mod of Better Combat causes several weapons that are used to 2 hands can be used with one hand (enabling being able to use totem, shield or other item in the secondary hand, even the same weapon in the secondary hand) Now some weapons have some new attacks and, depending on the weapon, some may do more…
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/one-hand-better-combat
- Owner
- Bareneil
- Published
- 2025-03-21
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2026-09-24
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15
