Simple Mob Buff System

This mod adds the possibility for mobs to spawn with buffs and receive additional rewards depending on their strength.

Although the concept is similar to mods like Champions and Eldritch Mobs, the implementation differs significantly. As the name implies, the system strives to be as simple and organic for vanilla gameplay as possible while maintaining balance, configurability, and compatibility with other mods. This is achieved by using mechanics already existing in the game.

The mod comes with balanced default settings. All spawns are based on game difficulty and current local difficulty, all mob buffs are familiar status effects from vanilla game. You don't need to worry about encountering incredibly powerful mobs or receiving overly generous loot - you can install and play without ever looking at the settings.

Buffed mobs emit particles depending on the buffs received. This is the only way to determine if a mob is buffed without using other mods. I recommend Jade for getting information about mob health and their buffs, and Particle Effects for unique particle textures for each effect.

The mod configuration is extensive and allows you to do almost anything. Apply any effects to any mobs - both vanilla and from other mods. Want invisible creepers? Horses moving at the speed of light? Polar bears the size of a mountain? Not that I recommend any of that, but you definitely can do it with this mod!

Configuring the Settings

The mod uses Fzzy Config to provide a relatively simple and cohesive in-game configuration. You'll also need Mod Menu to access the settings screen. Each option has a description, there are hints and instructions for performing actions. There are also suggestions and autocompletion for fields where status effects, mobs, or items are entered.

How It Works

Each mob has a set of assigned buffs, and any or all of these buffs can be applied to the mob when it spawns. Each buff in the set also has an assigned maximum level, and the mob can get any buff level from 1 to maximum. By default, mobs spawning via spawners cannot receive buffs due to balance considerations (this restriction can be removed in settings).

When a mob is killed, it drops additional rewards based on its "buff level". The buff level is determined by how strong the mob is - the number of buffs and their levels, as well as the amount of enchanted equipment it's wearing. Zombie-type mobs will have a higher buff level if they are leaders.

Additional rewards include:

• Additional experience orbs depending on the buff level height, each orb gives 3 experience points by default
• If the buff level exceeds a percentage of the maximum possible buff level for the mob (66% by default), an enchanted book with random quality depending on how much the buff level exceeded the threshold

Most mobs receive buffs either from the standard melee set or the standard ranged set depending on the type of weapon they spawn with, while certain mobs receive buffs from unique sets for them. The two standard sets can be changed in the mod configuration.

Custom rules can be defined to assign any buffs to any mobs using any items as a condition. Any status effect, mob, and item can be used in these rules, including those added by other mods.

Buff application works as follows:

• When a mob spawns, the system first determines whether it will try to apply any buffs to it. The chance for this varies from a minimum chance (10% by default) at local difficulty 2 and below to a maximum chance (25% by default) at the highest possible local difficulty (6.75)
• If this check passes, the system tries to apply each buff applicable to the mob one by one. The chance for each buff to be applied varies from a minimum chance (20% by default) at local difficulty 2 and below to a maximum chance (75% by default) at the highest possible local difficulty (6.75)
• The level of each buff is determined by the formula: specialDifficultyMultiplier randomNumber maxLevel ^ 2, limited from 1 to maxLevel, where:
  • specialDifficultyMultiplier - a number from 0 to 1 based on current local difficulty (0 at local difficulty 2 and below, 1 at local difficulty 4 and above)
  • randomNumber - a randomly generated number from 0 to 1
  • maxLevel - the maximum buff level