Minecraft: Java EditionHow to Make a Cobblemon Server (Fabric or NeoForge, 2026)
Make a Cobblemon server: Fabric or NeoForge on Minecraft 1.21.1, Cobblemon 1.8.1 and its library, what players install, and where Pokemon are saved.
Updated Oct 3, 2026 · 5 min read
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To make a Cobblemon server, run Fabric (or NeoForge) on Minecraft 1.21.1, then put Cobblemon 1.8.1 in mods/ together with Fabric API on Fabric, or Kotlin for Forge on NeoForge. Restart, and the server is ready. Every player needs the same loader and Cobblemon version, easiest through the Cobblemon Official Modpack. Players' Pokemon are saved in the world's pokemon/ folder, so always back up and move that folder with the world.
What you are working with
| Piece | Fabric server | NeoForge server |
|---|---|---|
| Minecraft version | 1.21.1 | 1.21.1 |
| Loader | Fabric Loader | NeoForge 21.1.x |
| Cobblemon | Cobblemon 1.8.1 for Fabric | Cobblemon 1.8.1 for NeoForge |
| Required library | Fabric API | Kotlin for Forge |
| Players install | Cobblemon Official Modpack [Fabric] | Cobblemon Official Modpack [NeoForge] |
Cobblemon 1.8.1 came out on September 12, 2026, for Minecraft 1.21.1 only (Cobblemon on Modrinth). Fabric is the more common choice and has more Cobblemon addons. Pick NeoForge if you want to combine Cobblemon with big NeoForge mods like Create.
Cobblemon is a mod, not a plugin. It cannot run on Paper, Purpur or Vanilla, and players cannot join with an unmodded game.
How much RAM does a Cobblemon server need?
| Group | Setup | RAM |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 5 friends | Cobblemon, a few performance mods | 4 GB |
| 5 to 15 players | Cobblemon plus addons | 6 to 8 GB |
| 15+ players or a big Cobblemon modpack | Many addons, large explored map | 8 to 12 GB |
Pokemon spawn as real entities, so the load grows with players spread across the map. Lithium and FerriteCore help on Fabric, and pregenerating the world removes the worst lag from exploring.
Before you start
- Set Minecraft to 1.21.1. A server on the newest Minecraft cannot load Cobblemon. This is the first thing to check when it refuses to start.
- Decide on Fabric or NeoForge and use it everywhere. A Fabric Cobblemon jar will not load on NeoForge.
- Back up, especially if you add Cobblemon to an existing world.
Step 1: Run the loader on 1.21.1
Install the Fabric server launcher for 1.21.1 from fabricmc.net, or NeoForge 21.1.x from neoforged.net, and start once so mods/ exists. See how to install Fabric mods for the loader itself.
Step 2: Add Cobblemon and its library
- Stop the server.
- Download Cobblemon 1.8.1 for your loader from Modrinth or CurseForge.
- Upload it to
mods/, with Fabric API (Fabric) or Kotlin for Forge (NeoForge) for 1.21.1. Missing that library is the most common reason Cobblemon will not load. - Start the server and watch the log until it is done.
Step 3: Have players install it
The simplest route is the Cobblemon Official Modpack on Modrinth, in the Fabric or NeoForge edition that matches your server. Players open it in the Modrinth App, CurseForge or Prism, launch, and join with your address. It brings client extras like Sodium too, which stay on their game.
If you want to run the full official pack on the server instead of a minimal Cobblemon install, use its server files. Our Modrinth modpack guide shows how, and Modrinth packs mark client only mods so they are skipped on the server.
Step 4: Tune it
Cobblemon writes its settings to config/cobblemon/main.json on first start. Stop the server before editing. Useful values:
| Setting | Default | Notes |
|---|---|---|
shinyRate |
8192 | Odds of a shiny, 1 in this number. Many servers use 4096 |
ticksBetweenSpawnAttempts |
20 | Raise it so spawning runs less often if it causes lag |
exportSpawnConfig |
false | Set true once to get the spawn files you can edit |
Some values can be reloaded in game with /cobblemonconfig reload, others need a restart.
The gotcha: Pokemon are not stored with the player
Your inventory and ender chest are stored in the world's player data, so people assume their Pokemon are too. They are not. Cobblemon keeps them in its own folders inside the world:
| What | Where |
|---|---|
| Each player's party | world/pokemon/playerpartystore/<first two characters of UUID>/<UUID>.dat |
| Each player's PC boxes | world/pokemon/pcstore/<first two characters of UUID>/<UUID>.dat |
Three ways this bites:
- Moving or restoring a world. Copy the whole
worldfolder,pokemon/included. Copying only the region files orplayerdatabrings back the map and inventories with every Pokemon gone. - Resetting the map. Deleting the world deletes everyone's Pokemon. To keep teams while starting a fresh map, back up
world/pokemon/and put it back into the new world. - Changing UUIDs. Files are keyed by player UUID. Switching
online-modechanges everyone's UUID, and their Pokemon seem to vanish because the files no longer match.
Bringing a single player Cobblemon world to a server works, because your files are keyed by your account's UUID. Follow moving a single player world to a server and copy the whole folder.
Common problems
- Cobblemon will not load: the server is not on 1.21.1, or Fabric API or Kotlin for Forge is missing.
- Players kicked with a mod mismatch: their Cobblemon version differs from the server's. Update both to 1.8.1.
- Players cannot join with normal Minecraft: everyone needs the modded client, through the official modpack.
- Everyone lost their Pokemon after a move:
world/pokemon/was left behind. Restore it from the old server or a backup. - Lag in busy areas: lower spawn values in
main.json, add performance mods, and pregenerate the map.
Cobblemon on GamezServers
On a Minecraft server from GamezServers, pick Fabric or NeoForge in Settings, set the Minecraft version to 1.21.1 and press Update game. Then use the file manager to download Cobblemon and Fabric API from their links straight into mods/. One click Backup saves the whole world, pokemon/ folder included, before every update, and the world stays online for your group without anyone's PC on.
FAQ
What Minecraft version does Cobblemon need?
Minecraft 1.21.1, on Fabric or NeoForge. Cobblemon 1.8.1 does not run on newer versions.
Do players need to install Cobblemon to join?
Yes. They need the same loader and Cobblemon version, most easily through the Cobblemon Official Modpack.
Where are Cobblemon Pokemon saved on a server?
In the world folder, under pokemon/playerpartystore and pokemon/pcstore, one file per player UUID.
Can I run Cobblemon on a Paper server?
No. Cobblemon is a Fabric and NeoForge mod, so the server must run one of those loaders.
Skip the setup. Your own Minecraft server.
Then $4.99/mo. Just trying it? $1.25 for 3 days