// modpack server guide
Fear Nightfall server hosting & setup guide
A Fear Nightfall server needs Java 17 and about 6.5–8 GB of RAM for up to 8 players.
Made for CO-OP. A unique, immersive and difficult horror modpack with a campaign and tons of custom content.
Summary from Fear Nightfall on Modrinth.
Fear Nightfall is a Forge modpack for Minecraft 1.20.1 with 209 mods, 169 of which run on the server. We'd pick our Premium plan (8 GB) for it.
Quick facts
| Loader | Forge |
|---|---|
| Minecraft versions | 1.20.1 |
| Java needed | Java 17 for Minecraft 1.20.1 Java version chart. |
| Mods | 169 run on the server209 in the pack. The other 40 are client-only, and the server skips them. |
| RAM | About 5.5–6.5 GB for 1–3 playersBy player count. |
| Downloads | 147,921 on Modrinth |
| Last updated | February 21, 2025 (version v1.0.11) |
| First published | January 10, 2025 on Modrinth |
| Server support | Required: the pack has mods that must run on the server. |
| Server pack | Fear_Nightfall_Server_Pack_v1.1.4.zipOfficial server pack on CurseForge, for Fear Nightfall Remains of Chaos v1.1.4. Checked October 5, 2026. |
| Modrinth tags | challenging, magic, quests, adventure |
Fear Nightfall server files
Yes, on CurseForge. Modrinth has no separate server pack for Fear Nightfall, but the authors publish one on CurseForge: Fear_Nightfall_Server_Pack_v1.1.4.zip, for Fear Nightfall Remains of Chaos v1.1.4 (September 13, 2025).
That's not the version Modrinth has (v1.0.11). A server and its players must run the same pack version, so either install the client pack from CurseForge too, or build the server from the Modrinth pack instead.
How much RAM does a Fear Nightfall server need?
| Players online | RAM | DSN plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 players | About 5.5–6.5 GB | Premium (8 GB) |
| 4–8 players | About 6.5–8 GB | Premium (8 GB) |
| 9–15 players | About 7.5–10 GB | Heavy (12 GB)Premium (8 GB) can do if players stay close. |
Estimated from 169 mods on the server with our RAM calculator, not measured: low end if players stay together, high end if they spread out.
Set Java's heap (-Xmx) 10–15% under the RAM you have, about -Xmx7000M on 8 GB. Forge 1.20.1 reads it from user_jvm_args.txt: uncomment the -Xmx line. RAM guide.
Fear Nightfall server requirements
| Java | Java 17 |
|---|---|
| Loader | Forge for Minecraft 1.20.1 |
| CPU | Fast single-core speed (one main thread). With 169 mods, the first start takes minutes. |
| RAM | About 5.5–10 GB for 1–15 players (table above) |
| Disk | The server files, a growing world and backups |
| Network | TCP port 25565 open to players |
Recommended plan
Our pick for Fear Nightfall
Premium
8 GB RAM · planned launch price $30/month
At about 169 Forge mods this is a mid-size pack, and 8 GB gives it room for the mods plus the chunks your players load.
Ordering is closed until we relaunch. We aren't taking orders or payments while we move to new hardware. Join the launch list and we'll email you when Premium servers open.
More than 8 players, or lots exploring at once? Go up to Heavy (12 GB). Not sure? Email hello@dsnservers.com.
Planned launch price in USD, billed monthly once ordering opens, with a 7-day refund window.
How to make a Fear Nightfall server on your own PC
What's specific to Fear Nightfall, step by step. The full walkthrough for any pack: how to make a modded Minecraft server.
- Install Java 17.
Check with
java -version. Java version chart. - Get the server files.
Download the official server pack,
Fear_Nightfall_Server_Pack_v1.1.4.zip, from CurseForge and unzip it into an empty folder. Make sure your players install the same pack version. - Start it and accept the EULA.
Run the start script in the server files, or the
run.sh/run.batthe Forge 1.20.1 installer writes, then seteula=trueineula.txtif you accept Mojang's EULA (EULA step). With 169 mods, the first start takes minutes. - Set the RAM with
-Xmx, sized from the table above. - Let friends connect: forward TCP 25565, or use a tunnel or host behind CGNAT (can't connect?).
Or run Fear Nightfall on DSN
Once we relaunch (join the launch list), on DSN you'd install Fear Nightfall from the panel's Modrinth modpack installer (version v1.0.11), pick Java 17 on the Startup tab and accept the EULA in the console. No port forwarding.
How to play Fear Nightfall with friends
Each player installs Fear Nightfall version v1.0.11 with the Modrinth App or Prism Launcher, the same version as the server, and adds the server's address under Multiplayer.
Different versions of Fear Nightfall on the server and a client show up as Mismatched mod channel list or mod rejections. Why friends can't join, timeouts included.
Lag and performance on Fear Nightfall
Can't keep up! Is the server overloaded? means ticks take longer than 50 ms; more RAM won't fix that once Fear Nightfall has enough (tick lag guide). For Fear Nightfall:
- Measure first: spark's
/spark tpsand profiler work on 1.20.1 and name the mod or machine using the tick time. - Distances:
view-distance=8and a lowersimulation-distanceinserver.properties. - Pre-generate: Chunky for 1.20.1,
/chunky radius 3000then/chunky start, before people explore.
Common Fear Nightfall crashes
What a Forge 1.20.1 server running Fear Nightfall hits most. For any other error, paste the log into the free crash log analyzer.
- Wrong Java version. Fear Nightfall on Minecraft 1.20.1 needs Java 17. Started on Java 8, it stops with
UnsupportedClassVersionError: ... class file version 61.0, this version of the Java Runtime only recognizes class file versions up to 52.0. Java version fix. - Out of memory. Fear Nightfall (169 mods on the server) needs about 5.5–6.5 GB for 1–3 players;
java.lang.OutOfMemoryErrormeans it ran out. Out-of-memory fix. - Client-only mod on the server. Fear Nightfall includes 40 client-only mods, which a server install skips; copying a player's mods folder brings them back and stops the server. Check a mods list with the client-or-server-side checker. Client-only mod fix.
- After adding or updating a mod. Mods you add to Fear Nightfall by hand usually crash it with a missing dependency or a mixin conflict.
- Ticking entity or block entity. The crash report names it and gives its coordinates. Ticking entity fix.
Updates and support
Before moving Fear Nightfall past version v1.0.11, back up the world: see updating a modpack server without losing your world.
Bugs in Fear Nightfall itself go to its authors through its Modrinth page. Server problems on DSN: hello@dsnservers.com or Discord.
Packs like Fear Nightfall
More: all modpack guides and how to make a modded server.
Run Fear Nightfall on DSN when we relaunch.
Our pick, Premium: 8 GB, planned at $30/month.
DSN Servers isn't affiliated with Fear Nightfall or Modrinth. The pack's name, icon, summary and stats come from Modrinth's public API (checked October 4, 2026).