Origins lets each player pick a unique race with distinct abilities and weaknesses. An Enderian can teleport but takes water damage. An Avian can slow-fall but cannot eat meat. A Merling breathes underwater but suffocates on land without a water breathing solution. It makes every player's experience different and adds strategic depth to multiplayer.
What you need
Origins runs on Fabric. It does not have an official Forge version. You need:
- Fabric Loader (latest version)
- Fabric API
- Origins mod
All available on Modrinth or CurseForge.
Installation
- Set up a Fabric server with the correct Minecraft version (1.21.1 is the current main target).
- Download Origins and Fabric API for your Minecraft version.
- Upload both jars to the
mods/folder via SFTP. - Start the server. Origins generates its config in
config/origins/. - Players choose their origin when they first join. They see a selection screen with all available origins.
Default origins
Origins ships with nine races out of the box:
| Origin | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Avian | Slow falling, higher speed | No meat, must sleep at high altitudes |
| Arachnid | Climb walls, cobweb immunity | Cannot use shields |
| Elytrian | Launch into flight | Claustrophobic (low ceilings hurt) |
| Blazeborn | Fire immunity, lava swimming | Water damages |
| Enderian | Teleport, reach further | Water damages, Ender pearl throws self |
| Merling | Underwater breathing, water vision | Needs water to breathe on land |
| Phantom | Phase through blocks, fly | No armor, burns in sunlight in phantom form |
| Feline | Night vision, no fall damage | Slower mining |
| Shulk | Extra inventory, stronger armor | Slower, larger hitbox |
Custom origins with datapacks
The real power of Origins is custom origins via datapacks. You can create entirely new races with custom powers, or modify existing ones. Popular community datapacks include:
- Extra Origins - adds 10+ new origins like Inchling (tiny player), Starborne and more.
- Origins: Classes - adds RPG classes on top of origins for a second layer of customization.
- Mob Origins - origins based on Minecraft mobs: Creeper, Wither Skeleton, Guardian.
Install datapacks by placing them in world/datapacks/ and restarting.
Compatible mods
- Origins: Extra Keybinds - adds more keybind slots for origins with multiple active abilities.
- Pehkui - allows origins to change player size. Required by some custom origins.
- Simple Voice Chat - works alongside Origins for immersive multiplayer.
- Performance mods - Lithium, Starlight and FerriteCore all work fine with Origins.
Multiplayer balance
Some origins are stronger than others in PvP or PvE. Tips for balanced servers:
- Enable origin changing with a cooldown (configurable in the config) so players can experiment.
- Consider restricting Phantom and Elytrian in PvP-heavy servers, as flight is a major advantage.
- Use an origin-randomizer datapack for hardcore SMPs where players cannot choose.
Can players change their origin?
By default, no. Once chosen, an origin is permanent. You can enable the Orb of Origin (a craftable item) or use the /origin set command to let players switch.
Does Origins affect server performance?
Minimally. Origins is lightweight because most powers are passive modifications to existing mechanics. Even with 50 players using different origins, the performance impact is negligible.
Do clients need Origins installed?
Yes. Origins adds a selection screen, keybinds and visual effects that require the client mod. Players without it cannot join an Origins server.
Run your Origins SMP on any HostValues Minecraft plan. Origins is lightweight enough for our smallest plan.
