ChainmailSieve

ChainmailSieve is a lightweight Paper plugin that gives chainmail helmets a special survival mechanic.

When a player wearing a chainmail helmet is hit on the head by a falling block of sand, red sand, or gravel, the block breaks instantly instead of placing normally. The block drops as an item, the helmet loses durability, and a small impact effect is played using in-game particles and block break sounds.

No client-side mod is required.

Features

• Breaks falling SAND, RED_SAND, and GRAVEL on contact with a chainmail helmet
• Drops the broken block as an item instead of placing it in the world
• Damages the helmet using normal Minecraft durability behavior
• Plays falling_dust particles and the matching block break sound
• Supports permission-based control through standard Bukkit permission nodes
• Works with permission managers such as LuckPerms without requiring a direct dependency

How It Works

If a falling supported block collides with the helmet area of a player wearing a chainmail helmet:

1. The falling block is removed before it can place normally
2. The corresponding block item is dropped
3. The helmet loses durability
4. Visual and sound effects are played at the impact point

Configuration

The plugin creates a config.yml file automatically on first startup.

Default config:

enabled: true

debug:
  enabled: false

durability-cost: 1

supported-materials:
  - SAND
  - RED_SAND
  - GRAVEL

permissions:
  use: chainmailsieve.use
  bypass: chainmailsieve.bypass
  admin: chainmailsieve.admin

effects:
  particles:
    enabled: true
    count: 18
    offset: 0.18
    extra: 0.0
  sound:
    enabled: true
    volume: 1.0
    pitch: 1.0

messages:
  reloaded: "&aChainmailSieve config reloaded."
  no-permission: "&cYou do not have permission to use this command."
  usage: "&eUsage: /chainmailsieve reload"

Config Options

• enabled: Enables or disables the entire mechanic
• debug.enabled: Enables debug logging for troubleshooting
• durability-cost: How much durability is consumed per impact
• supported-materials: List of falling block types that can be broken by the helmet
• permissions.*: Permission nodes used by the plugin
• effects.particles.*: Controls the falling_dust impact effect
• effects.sound.*: Controls the block break sound effect
• messages.*: Messages used by the reload command

Commands

• /chainmailsieve reload
• Alias: /cms reload

Reloads the plugin configuration without restarting the server.

Permissions

• chainmailsieve.use Allows the mechanic for a player. Default: true
• chainmailsieve.bypass Prevents the mechanic from affecting a player. Default: false
• chainmailsieve.admin Allows use of the reload command. Default: op

LuckPerms

ChainmailSieve uses normal Bukkit permission nodes, so it works with LuckPerms out of the box.

Example:

/lp user Steve permission set chainmailsieve.use true
/lp user Steve permission set chainmailsieve.bypass false

Compatibility

• Minecraft: 1.21.11
• Server software: Paper
• Likely compatible with modern Paper forks such as Purpur and Pufferfish, but officially developed and tested for Paper
• Not designed for Spigot, CraftBukkit, or Folia
• Java: 21+

Installation

1. Download the plugin jar
2. Put it into your server's plugins folder
3. Start or restart the server
4. Edit plugins/ChainmailSieve/config.yml if needed
5. Use /chainmailsieve reload after changing the config

Notes

• The mechanic only works when the player is actually wearing a chainmail helmet
• Players with the bypass permission are ignored by the mechanic
• If you are using a permission plugin, make sure chainmailsieve.bypass is not granted by mistake