This plugin attempts to help players create reliable and efficient mob switches.
What is a mob switch?
Mob switches are a construct that allows players to conditionally limit the natural spawning of new types of mobs in the world. When activated, the mob switch prevents new mobs from spawning. When deactivated, normal mob spawning occurs. The mechanisms are well documented in the community, but the basic mechanics are to create a large number of mobs of the needed type in a single chunk, manipulate them so that they will not despawn, and then to force that chunk to stay loaded while you wish mob spawning disabled. LogicalGeekBoy has an excellent video on creating a mob switch to disable monster spawning in the overworld.
How does this plugin help with mob switches?
This plugin does not solve the problem of creating a large number of mobs or how to keep them from despawning (again, LogicalGeekBoy's video is helpful here). However, it does improve the reliability of mob switches by keeping the chunk loaded without the need to create a separate chunk loader. It also reduces the server load introduced by mob switches in two ways. First, it eliminates the need for a portal-based chunk loader. Second, when activated, the mob switch deactivates the AI and awareness of the monsters in the chunk. This substantially reduces the server load. Indeed, having a mob switch activated can now be a net-improvement in server performance.
How do I create the mob switch?
Assuming that you have already generated the monsters you will need and gathered them into a single chunk, place a redstone lamp in that chunk. Place an item frame on the redstone lamp. Finally, place a respawn anchor in the item frame. If done correctly, the item frame should disappear so that it will appear that the respawn anchor is attached directly to the lamp. You have now constructed the mob switch. To activate the switch, apply redstone power to it. The simplest way is to place a lever directly on the switch. When powered, the plugin will disable the monsters and keep the chunk loaded. This should be immediately noticeable in that the monsters in the chunk stop moving and making sounds. If you have sufficient monsters in the chunk, natural monster spawning should stop in the rest of the world.
What is a mob switch?
Mob switches are a construct that allows players to conditionally limit the natural spawning of new types of mobs in the world. When activated, the mob switch prevents new mobs from spawning. When deactivated, normal mob spawning occurs. The mechanisms are well documented in the community, but the basic mechanics are to create a large number of mobs of the needed type in a single chunk, manipulate them so that they will not despawn, and then to force that chunk to stay loaded while you wish mob spawning disabled. LogicalGeekBoy has an excellent video on creating a mob switch to disable monster spawning in the overworld.
How does this plugin help with mob switches?
This plugin does not solve the problem of creating a large number of mobs or how to keep them from despawning (again, LogicalGeekBoy's video is helpful here). However, it does improve the reliability of mob switches by keeping the chunk loaded without the need to create a separate chunk loader. It also reduces the server load introduced by mob switches in two ways. First, it eliminates the need for a portal-based chunk loader. Second, when activated, the mob switch deactivates the AI and awareness of the monsters in the chunk. This substantially reduces the server load. Indeed, having a mob switch activated can now be a net-improvement in server performance.
How do I create the mob switch?
Assuming that you have already generated the monsters you will need and gathered them into a single chunk, place a redstone lamp in that chunk. Place an item frame on the redstone lamp. Finally, place a respawn anchor in the item frame. If done correctly, the item frame should disappear so that it will appear that the respawn anchor is attached directly to the lamp. You have now constructed the mob switch. To activate the switch, apply redstone power to it. The simplest way is to place a lever directly on the switch. When powered, the plugin will disable the monsters and keep the chunk loaded. This should be immediately noticeable in that the monsters in the chunk stop moving and making sounds. If you have sufficient monsters in the chunk, natural monster spawning should stop in the rest of the world.
Quick facts
- Edition: Minecraft Java
- File type: .jar
- Minecraft versions listed: 1.16, 1.17, 1.18
- How to install: Install the matching mod loader (Forge, Fabric or NeoForge) for your Minecraft version. → Download the .jar. → Put it in the .minecraft/mods folder and launch that loader profile.
- Where to get it: Opens on Spigot — not every file is mirrored on our own servers.
Install steps are the general flow for this file type — How to install Minecraft Java mods & modpacks walks through it step by step.
Mob Switch is a free Minecraft Java mod. Compatible with Minecraft 1.16, 1.17, 1.18. Downloaded 262 times (via Spigot). Download it and open it directly in the game.