How to Install V Rising Mods (BepInEx)

Modding V Rising looks intimidating the first time, but it comes down to one loader and one folder. Once you understand how BepInEx works, installing any Thunderstore mod becomes a copy-and-paste job. Here is the full process for both your server and your players.

Step 1: Understand BepInEx

BepInEx is the mod loader that nearly every V Rising mod is built on. It hooks into the game at startup and loads any plugin DLLs it finds in a specific folder. You install BepInEx once, then add mods on top of it. The important detail is that V Rising has two sides: the dedicated server and each player's game client. Gameplay mods usually need to be installed on both, while pure admin tools may only need the server.

Step 2: Install BepInEx on the server

Download the BepInEx build that targets V Rising (the Thunderstore listing labels the correct version). Extract it into the root of your server folder, the same directory that contains VRisingServer.exe. You should end up with a BepInEx folder, a doorstop_config.ini, and a winhttp.dll sitting next to the server executable.

Now start the server once and let it fully load, then shut it down. This first launch generates the BepInEx/plugins, BepInEx/config, and BepInEx/cache folders. If those appear, BepInEx is working and you are ready to add mods.

Step 3: Drop mods into BepInEx/plugins

Every mod you download from Thunderstore contains one or more .dll files. Installing a mod means placing those DLLs into the BepInEx/plugins folder on your server. You can keep each mod in its own subfolder for tidiness, for example BepInEx/plugins/KindredCommands/, because BepInEx searches subfolders recursively.

Start with VampireCommandFramework first, since most mods depend on it, then add the others such as KindredCommands, Bloodcraft, or KindredLogistics. After copying the DLLs, launch the server again and watch the console. BepInEx prints a line for each plugin it loads, so you can confirm every mod initialized without errors.

Step 4: Configure your mods

The first time a mod runs, it writes a config file into BepInEx/config. Stop the server, open the relevant .cfg file in a text editor, and tune the settings, XP rates for Bloodcraft, command permissions for KindredCommands, and so on. Restart to apply. Editing configs while the server is running will not take effect and may be overwritten.

Step 5: Match your clients

This is the step people forget. Any mod that changes gameplay, UI, or abilities must also be installed on each player's client, and the versions must match the server. The cleanest way to do this is with a Thunderstore mod manager: players import your modpack code, hit install, and launch modded. If a player's mods do not match the server, they will usually fail to connect or behave unpredictably.

Publish your exact modpack, including version numbers, on your Discord. When you update the server, update the shared pack at the same time so nobody is left on an old version.

Step 6: Keep versions pinned

V Rising updates can break mods. Before applying a game patch, check that your mods have updated to support it, and pin specific mod versions rather than always grabbing "latest." Keep a backup of your working BepInEx folder so you can roll back if an update misbehaves.

The one-click alternative

If hand-installing BepInEx and syncing versions sounds like a lot, it does not have to be. With V Rising server hosting on Nxeon, the one-click Mods manager installs BepInEx, drops your selected Thunderstore mods into the plugins folder, writes sane default configs, and restarts the server automatically. You still control which mods run and can edit configs anytime, but the tedious setup and version juggling are handled for you. It is the fastest way to go from a vanilla V Rising server to a fully modded RPG world.

Recap

Install BepInEx into the server root, launch once to generate folders, drop mod DLLs into BepInEx/plugins, edit configs in BepInEx/config, and make sure every player runs the same mods and versions. Follow that order and your modded V Rising server will start cleanly the first time.