The Lock On Mod
The Lock On Mod gives Forge players on Minecraft 1.12.2 a targeting system that locks the camera and reticle onto a nearby enemy.
What it does
Players press R to lock onto the nearest enemy and press R again to release it. Q and E cycle between targets within range. The Lock On Mod was written to fill a gap in 1.12.2, where no targeting mod was widely available, and the author notes it is intended for use alongside combat mods.
Targeting covers a range of 5 to 50 blocks and a detection angle of 15 to 180 degrees. Entities can be filtered as hostile, neutral or passive, and an intelligent camera can switch to third-person view while locked, with smoothness and movement limits set in the configuration. The three-page configuration screen also holds individual volume sliders for four sound types.
The Lock On Mod runs on Forge 14.23.5.2859 or newer with Java, and needs no other mods. Either side can run it, and neither needs it. Files target 1.12.2 only, with 1.1.0 as the latest Forge file, published 2025-05-24. The mod is not open source; it is released under All rights reserved, and public links exist for its source code.
Key features
Animated reticles
Targeting reticles show real-time health bars, distance and entity identification, and they can be scaled in the settings.
Damage prediction
A lethal indicator highlights targets that the player's expected damage would defeat, helping players judge attacks before swinging.
Audio feedback
Separate sounds mark locking, switching, releasing and errors, each with its own volume control.
Smart HUD placement
Reticle and status positioning avoids cutting off at the screen edges, so information stays visible near the borders.
Entity filtering
Targets can be restricted to hostile, neutral or passive entities, so a lock does not land on the wrong kind of mob.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Use cases
Who it’s for: Players on Minecraft 1.12.2 with Forge who want a lock-on system for combat, and modpack or server builders who want targeting in multiplayer, where the mod runs with optimized performance.
How it compares
Target Lock-On is a Forge mod for 1.16.5 – 1.20.6, client-side only and open source under the MIT License, so it does not cover 1.12.2. Pingaland - LockTFOn is a Forge client-side mod for 1.20.1 under All rights reserved and not open source. Way Too Many Locks is a Forge mod for 1.20.1 that runs on client and server and is also under All rights reserved, so it needs both sides installed.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Lock On Mod | Forge | 1.12.2 | Client or server, optional | 2025-05-24 |
| Target Lock-On | Forge | 1.16.5 – 1.20.6 | Client-side only | 2026-06-06 |
| Pingaland - LockTFOn | Forge | 1.20.1 | Client-side only | 2026-01-10 |
| Way Too Many Locks | Forge | 1.20.1 | Client and server | 2025-06-22 |
Questions
Does The Lock On Mod need any other mods?
Does the server need the mod installed?
Which Minecraft version does the mod support?
In the catalog
The Lock On Mod is one of 29,952 Game mechanics mods on ModsFinder, and one of 13,316 Game mechanics mods for Forge. 2,920 mods support Minecraft 1.12.2.
Similar mods
What the author says
Transform your Minecraft combat with modern targeting mechanics, complete audio feedback, and intelligent visual cues. 🎮 Key Features 🎨 Advanced Visuals Animated Targeting Reticles with real-time health bars Damage Prediction & Lethal Highlighting - Know when enemies are in kill range Smart HUD Positioning …
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/the-lock-on-mod
- Owner
- Bigtreeman-669
- Published
- 2025-05-24
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2025-05-24
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15