How to Set Up an RLCraft Server on a VPS

RLCraft turns Minecraft into a brutal survival game — thirst, temperature, dragons, and permadeath-adjacent difficulty. It is one of the most-played Forge packs ever, and playing it with friends means running a dedicated server. Here is how to do it right.

Version and Java matter a lot here

RLCraft is built on Minecraft 1.12.2, which means Java 8 — newer Java will not run it. This is the single most common setup mistake.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y openjdk-8-jdk screen unzip
java -version   # should report 1.8.x

Download the server pack

On CurseForge, RLCraft has a dedicated Server Pack download (not the client zip). Get that — it includes the Forge server and all mods pre-arranged. Upload it to your VPS and unzip:

mkdir -p ~/rlcraft && cd ~/rlcraft
# upload RLCraft_Server_Pack.zip here, then:
unzip RLCraft_Server_Pack.zip

Accept the EULA and set memory

RLCraft is heavy — give it real RAM. Edit the included start script or run Forge directly. First accept the EULA:

echo "eula=true" > eula.txt

The pack ships a Forge universal jar. Launch with generous memory:

java -Xmx6G -Xms6G -jar forge-1.12.2-14.23.5.2860.jar nogui

Budget at least 4 GB, ideally 6 GB, for RLCraft — it is far hungrier than vanilla. See our RAM sizing guide to plan this properly.

Recommended JVM flags

Even on Java 8, the Aikar flags improve garbage collection and reduce stutter. RLCraft benefits noticeably. Use the Java 8 variant of the flags with -Xmx6G -Xms6G.

Keep it alive

Run it under systemd so a dragon-induced crash restarts it:

[Unit]
Description=RLCraft Server
After=network.target

[Service]
User=minecraft
WorkingDirectory=/home/minecraft/rlcraft
ExecStart=/usr/bin/java -Xmx6G -Xms6G -jar forge-1.12.2-14.23.5.2860.jar nogui
Restart=on-failure

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

sudo systemctl daemon-reload && sudo systemctl enable --now rlcraft
sudo ufw allow 25565/tcp

Players need the exact same pack

Everyone connecting must run the RLCraft client pack at the identical version through the CurseForge or Prism launcher. A version mismatch just fails to connect. This is normal for any Forge pack — see how modded clients and servers stay in sync. If you'd rather run a different big pack, the All the Mods guide and our CurseForge modpack guide follow the same pattern.

First boot generates the config

The first successful launch creates the world, a large config folder, and server.properties. RLCraft ships pre-tuned configs in the server pack, so don't overwrite them unless you mean to. Stop the server after the first boot to edit settings, then start it again:

# in the console
stop

Recommended settings for a group

RLCraft's defaults are punishing, which is the point, but a few server.properties tweaks make a shared server more enjoyable:

difficulty=normal
max-players=8
view-distance=6
spawn-protection=0

A lower view distance genuinely helps here — RLCraft's worldgen and mob density are heavy, so 6 keeps things smoother than the default. If you want to soften specific mechanics like thirst or temperature, those live in individual mod files inside config/; edit them carefully and back up first. See difficulty and game rules for the vanilla-side toggles.

Keep it smooth

RLCraft is demanding, so the same techniques from our lag guide apply. The biggest wins:

• Pre-generate chunks with a mod or by exploring ahead of time — RLCraft's worldgen is expensive, and generating it live causes spikes.
• Give it real RAM (6 GB) and pair it with the Java 8 Aikar flags to smooth GC pauses.
• Fast single-thread CPU matters more than core count, since mob AI and worldgen are largely single-threaded.

Because everyone needs the identical client pack, treat updates carefully: when a new RLCraft version drops, back up the world, update the server pack, and have players update their client to match. The general process mirrors any CurseForge modpack.

Playing RLCraft the way it's meant to be played

RLCraft has mechanics that surprise newcomers, and a server owner fields the questions, so it helps to brief your group. New players should craft a canteen or waterskin early (thirst kills fast), avoid drinking unpurified water, and know that beds explode unless you've disabled that — many players set spawn with other means. Fall damage and mob difficulty are brutal, so keeping difficulty=normal rather than hard makes the early game survivable for a group. If your friends are new to the pack, consider enabling keepInventory via game rules for the first few sessions so a death isn't a total wipe, then turn it off once everyone's found their feet. Setting expectations up front turns "this pack is unfair" into "this pack is a fun challenge." Keep backups running — RLCraft deaths are frequent and dramatic.

FAQ

Why won't my RLCraft server start?

The usual culprit is the wrong Java. RLCraft needs Java 8 — check java -version. The second is too little RAM.

How much RAM does RLCraft need?

Give it 4–6 GB for a small group. Larger groups and more explored chunks push it higher.

Do players need RLCraft installed?

Yes — the exact same RLCraft version via a launcher like CurseForge or Prism. Vanilla clients cannot join.

Can I reduce RLCraft's difficulty?

You can tweak individual mod configs (thirst, temperature, mob spawns) in the config folder, but the pack is designed to be punishing.

RLCraft rewards a server with real memory and fast NVMe disk for its many mods. Nxeon's game server hosting gives you root access and the resources this pack demands.