Tool Scaling
by jacobaccio
Tool Scaling lets players upgrade tools at an anvil, moving them up a material tier instead of crafting replacements.
What it does
Tool upgrades are placed in an anvil: the tool goes in the left slot and the upgrade material in the right, for example iron, then diamond. The upgraded tool keeps its enchantments and durability, and the result takes the progress of the old tool rather than starting over. Each material moves a tool up exactly one level: wooden to stone via cobblestone or blackstone, stone to iron via iron ingots, iron to golden via gold ingots, golden to diamond via diamonds, and diamond to netherite via the vanilla smithing table with a netherite upgrade template.
The mod also keeps custom names, lore and NBT data through an upgrade. Other mods and datapacks can add their own upgrade recipes through the extensible recipe system, so modders can define new tool tiers without changing the code. Tool Scaling runs on client and server, so the server and every player need it. Builds exist for Forge and NeoForge across 1.20.1 – 1.21.11, released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 only and open source.
Key features
Anvil tool upgrades
Tools are upgraded in an anvil by combining them with an upgrade material, instead of crafting a new tool.
Durability transfer
The upgraded tool keeps its durability percentage, so wear carries over from the old tool to the new one.
Data preservation
Enchantments, custom names, lore and NBT data are carried across each upgrade.
Datapack recipes
Other mods and datapacks can add upgrade recipes, and wooden, stone, iron, golden, diamond and netherite tiers are all defined as recipes.
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
1.21.x11 of 11 versions with builds
1.20.x6 of 6 versions with builds
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Use cases
Long survival progression
A tool built early in a world can be upgraded step by step as new materials are found, without losing its enchantments.
Modpacks with custom tiers
Pack authors can add tiers for new materials through datapacks, using the same anvil flow.
Who it’s for: Players who want tools to grow with their progress, and modpack authors who want to define custom upgrade paths through datapacks.
How it compares
Better Tool Treatment is a Forge and NeoForge mod for 1.20.1 – 1.21.1, with client and server environment and all rights reserved, so it is not open source. EvolveEquipment is a NeoForge-only mod for 1.21.1, with client and server environment and all rights reserved. Tool Scaling covers a wider loader and version set and is open source under the GNU General Public License v3.0 only.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tool Scaling | Forge and NeoForge | 1.20.1 – 1.21.11 | Client and server | 2026-02-03 |
| Better Tool Treatment | Forge and NeoForge | 1.20.1 – 1.21.1 | Client and server | 2025-10-10 |
| EvolveEquipment | NeoForge | 1.21.1 | Client and server | 2026-08-03 |
Questions
Does Tool Scaling need to be installed on the server?
Which loaders does Tool Scaling support?
Are enchantments kept when a tool is upgraded?
In the catalog
Tool Scaling is one of 36,990 Utility mods on ModsFinder, and one of 14,575 Utility mods for Forge. 19,862 mods support Minecraft 1.21.11.
Similar mods
What the author says
A Minecraft Forge mod that adds anvil-based tool upgrading with durability and enchantment preservation. Normal Tier Progression (1 material, 1 level): - Wooden → Stone (cobblestone, blackstone, etc.) - Stone → Iron (iron ingot) - Iron → Golden (gold ingot) - Golden → Diamond (diamond)
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/tool-scaling
- Owner
- jacobaccio
- Published
- 2026-01-07
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2026-02-03
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15