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To host BigChadGuys Plus (with Cobblemon), use the separate Server Files archive for the exact BCG+ release your players install, run it on 64-bit Java 17 or newer, and give the process at least 4 GB of RAM. For a few players, 6–8 GB is a practical target. Start the supplied script, accept the EULA, then either forward the server’s port on your router or use a tunnel service so people outside your home network can connect.

What you need before you start

BigChadGuys Plus (w/ Cobblemon!) is a Fabric modpack for Minecraft Java Edition 1.20.1. The current project release identified here is BCG+ 2.16.6, released October 14, 2026, with a matching BCG+ 2.16.6 SF server pack. The pack combines Cobblemon with quests, built-in shaders, Terralith terrain generation, farming and cooking systems, vehicles and an in-game economy.

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Plan the installation around these compatibility rules:

  • The server and every player must use the same BCG+ release.
  • Clients and server must target Minecraft 1.20.1.
  • Use the Fabric loader required by that release.
  • Install 64-bit Java 17 or newer; Java 17 is the recommended choice for this pack.
  • Allocate at least 4 GB of memory to the server process.

Cobblemon is a Pokémon mod for Minecraft Java Edition. Its project page states that it does not operate an official server, so a BCG+ multiplayer world must be hosted by you or by a separate hosting company.

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Choose self-hosting or managed hosting

Self-hosting runs the world on a computer you control. It gives you direct access to the files, mods, configuration and backups, but you are responsible for Java, updates, the running process, firewall rules, router configuration and your internet connection. The computer must remain online whenever friends want to play.

A managed Minecraft host runs the process in a data center. You upload the extracted pack (or use an installer if the provider offers one), select the provider’s Java and custom-JAR settings, and let the provider handle the public network address and machine maintenance. You still need the correct BCG+ server archive and must check that the plan supplies enough RAM and CPU.

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Consideration Computer at home Managed host
Upfront cost Uses hardware and home internet you already have; electricity and bandwidth are your responsibility. Usually no hardware purchase, but the service is a recurring subscription.
Setup work Install Java, extract files, run scripts, accept the EULA, configure firewall and router or a tunnel. Upload files or use the host’s installer, then select Java 17/custom-JAR settings; panel steps vary.
File and mod control Full access to every folder, configuration file and mod. Control depends on the panel and file-access permissions.
Remote access Requires port forwarding, a reachable public address or a tunnel. The provider normally supplies the public endpoint, so your home router is not involved.
Backups and recovery You must create and test your own backups. Some plans include scheduled backups; verify retention and restore controls before subscribing.
Performance Depends on your CPU, memory, storage and other programs running on the machine. Depends on the plan’s CPU allocation, storage and the provider’s node load; compare these details rather than RAM alone.
Support You troubleshoot Java, Fabric, networking and world files yourself. Support is available, but staff may not cover every mod conflict.
Latency Players’ routes lead to your home connection. Choose a data-center location close to most players.

No controlled test establishes a maximum player count, tick rate, uptime figure or guaranteed performance for BCG+. Treat provider descriptions as estimates, not benchmarks.

Download the correct BCG+ server archive

1. Select the exact release

Open the BigChadGuys Plus project’s Files page on CurseForge and choose the release your players will install. If you select BCG+ 2.16.6, every client and the server must remain on 2.16.6 unless you deliberately migrate the whole group to another release.

2. Open Additional Files

In the release’s Additional Files section, download the item labelled Server Files. For the current release, that is the BCG+ 2.16.6 SF archive.

Do not use the normal pack ZIP for the server. The file named in the style of BigChadGuys Plus [version].zip is a client download. The server archive is named in the style of BCG+ [version] Server Files.zip.

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3. Check the extraction before launching

Extract the server archive into a dedicated folder with enough free disk space for the world, logs and backups. A correct extraction contains the following items:

  • config, mods, libraries and resourcepacks directories
  • fabric-server-launch.jar and server.jar
  • start.bat for Windows and start.sh for macOS or Linux

If the extracted folder contains only a configuration folder and overrides.json, you downloaded the client package. Delete or move that extraction, return to Additional Files and download Server Files instead. A missing Fabric launch JAR or missing libraries is the same warning sign.

Install Java 17 and prepare memory

Use 64-bit Java

Minecraft 1.20.1 requires Java 17 or newer for this pack. Install a 64-bit Java runtime or development kit, then verify that the Java executable the start script will find is Java 17 or later. Multiple Java installations can cause a script to select an older runtime, so check the active Java version before troubleshooting Fabric errors.

Set the server’s RAM allocation

The maintainers’ minimum is 4 GB. Their rule is to add about 1 GB for every player after the first two. The project listing describes 6–8 GB as a comfortable dedicated-server range for several players.

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Players used for planning Memory guidance How the figure is derived
2 4 GB Minimum starting allocation.
4 6 GB 4 GB base plus 1 GB for each of two players beyond the first two.
6 8 GB 4 GB base plus 1 GB for each of four players beyond the first two.

These are allocation guidelines, not a promise of a player limit. World-generation bursts, exploration, shaders on clients, other applications and the host CPU can affect the experience. Leave memory for the operating system: assigning every installed gigabyte to Java can make the computer less stable.

Edit the supplied launch script

Open the supplied start.bat on Windows or start.sh on macOS/Linux in a text editor and adjust the memory values already provided by the pack’s script. Keep the launch arguments and file names intact unless you understand why a change is needed. Use the same allocation each time you start the server so troubleshooting is reproducible.

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Start the server for the first time

  1. Close Minecraft and any launcher instance that might be modifying the server folder.
  2. Open the extracted server directory and run start.bat on Windows or start.sh on macOS/Linux.
  3. Watch the console output. On a first launch, the process can stop and tell you that the EULA has not been accepted.
  4. Close the process, open eula.txt, read the terms, and change the setting to eula=true only if you agree to them.
  5. Save the file and run the same start script again.

Let the first startup finish before inviting players. Fabric must load the libraries and mods, and the world must be created. Stop the server using its console shutdown command rather than closing the window abruptly; an orderly stop reduces the chance of a damaged world save.

Make the server available to friends

Players on the same home network

People connected to the same Wi-Fi or wired LAN generally do not need internet port forwarding. Give them the host computer’s local address and the server port shown in the server configuration. They still need the exact BCG+ release, Minecraft 1.20.1 and Fabric client installation.

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Internet players with router port forwarding

For friends outside your home, create a router forwarding rule that sends the server’s listening port to the host computer’s local address.

  1. Give the host computer a stable local address, using your router’s address-reservation feature when available.
  2. Read the server port from the server configuration and create a forwarding rule for that port to the reserved local address.
  3. Allow the Java server through the host computer’s firewall when the operating system asks.
  4. Start the server and confirm that it is listening before testing from outside your home network.
  5. Give friends your current public address and the server port. Do not publish that address publicly.

A failed connection can come from the router rule, a firewall block, an incorrect public address or carrier-grade NAT at the ISP. Carrier-grade NAT prevents normal inbound forwarding even when your router settings look correct.

Use a tunnel when forwarding is impossible

If you cannot change the router or your ISP uses carrier-grade NAT, use a tunnel service. The BCG+ FAQ names ngrok (with that page describing a free allowance of up to 1 GB of bandwidth) and Cloudflare Zero Trust as alternatives. Follow the selected service’s current setup and usage terms, and give players the endpoint it provides rather than your private LAN address.

Install the matching client for every player

Each player should install the same BigChadGuys Plus release as the server through the pack’s normal client distribution, select Minecraft 1.20.1 and use Fabric. A player running a different release can receive missing-mod, registry or protocol errors even when the server itself starts normally.

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  • Compare the release number shown in every launcher profile.
  • Remove duplicate or older profiles that could be launched accidentally.
  • Do not copy the client ZIP into the server directory; the server uses the separate Server Files archive.
  • When updating, stop the server, back up the world, update the server and all clients to the same release, and test before allowing normal play.

Managed-host installation

Upload the server files

Download and extract Server Files locally first. Upload the extracted directories and JAR files through the host’s FTP uploader or an FTP client such as FileZilla or Cyberduck. Preserve the directory structure; do not upload only the mods folder.

Select Java 17 and the custom JAR

In the hosting panel, choose the provider’s custom Java 17 and custom-JAR options. One provider example renames fabric-server-launch.jar to customjava17.jar, but panel names and required filenames differ. Follow the provider’s current instructions rather than assuming that filename applies everywhere.

After uploading, confirm that the panel’s working directory contains config, mods, libraries, resourcepacks, server.jar and the Fabric launch JAR. Set at least 4 GB of RAM; 6–8 GB is the practical range described for several players. Start once, accept the EULA in the generated file if the panel does not provide a separate control, and restart.

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Evaluate a host before paying

Some providers advertise automatic BCG+ installation and recommend 6–8 GB for heavier modpacks. Treat those statements as provider guidance. Compare the actual CPU allocation, storage type, backup schedule, restore process, data-center locations, support scope, billing, cancellation rules and memory limits. The official CurseForge listing has displayed a provider recommendation and a BIGCHADGUYS code for 25% off the first month; offers and partner terms are time-sensitive, so verify them on the current listing before relying on the discount.

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Backups, updates and safe maintenance

Back up before every change

Stop the server cleanly, copy the world directory and retain at least one backup away from the live server folder before changing mods, versions, Java or generation settings. A backup is useful only if you know how to restore it, so periodically test that a copy can be opened on a separate installation.

Update as a coordinated migration

Do not update only the server or only one player’s client. Record the current BCG+ release, back up the world, install the matching server archive, update every client, and test joining with one player before opening the server to the whole group. Keep the old server directory until the new release has loaded the world successfully.

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Protect the live process

  • Keep the server folder separate from personal documents and unrelated Minecraft instances.
  • Do not edit configuration files while the server is running unless the mod explicitly supports it.
  • Monitor available disk space as the world and logs grow.
  • Limit who receives the server address and any tunnel credentials.

Troubleshoot the most common failures

The console says the EULA is not accepted

Stop the process, open eula.txt, read the terms and set eula=true only if you accept them. Save the file and run the start script again. Editing a different copy of eula.txt will not help, so confirm that the script’s working directory is the server folder you extracted.

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Fabric launch JAR or libraries are missing

Recheck the archive name and extraction contents. An overrides.json-only folder, a missing fabric-server-launch.jar or absent libraries directory usually means the client ZIP was downloaded. Obtain the release’s Server Files archive and extract it into a clean directory.

Java errors appear before Fabric loads

Verify that the active runtime is 64-bit Java 17 or newer and that the script is not pointing to an older Java installation. Reopen the script after changing Java so the new runtime is used. Keep the pack on Java 17 when possible because that is the version recommended in its guidance.

Friends cannot connect from outside the house

Test the server locally first. Then check the forwarding rule, the host firewall, the public address and the ISP’s NAT arrangement. A changing public address can make an old invitation obsolete. If carrier-grade NAT or router restrictions prevent forwarding, configure a tunnel such as ngrok or Cloudflare Zero Trust instead.

A player gets a mod or registry mismatch

Compare the client’s BCG+ release, Minecraft version and Fabric loader with the server. The current project is Fabric for 1.20.1, and the server archive is separate from the client download. Have the player launch the exact profile intended for this server rather than an older or unmodified profile.

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The server starts but feels overloaded

Check that the allocation is not below 4 GB and apply the player-based guidance: 6 GB for four players and 8 GB for six players. Close unrelated applications on a self-hosted machine, monitor disk space and CPU, and avoid claiming a fixed player limit because no controlled BCG+ benchmark establishes one. A managed host may help if the home machine or connection is the bottleneck, but compare CPU allocation and location as well as RAM.

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A reliable launch checklist

  • Server and clients use one identical BCG+ release.
  • Minecraft is 1.20.1 and the loader is Fabric.
  • The downloaded archive is labelled Server Files.
  • The folder contains config, mods, libraries, resourcepacks, fabric-server-launch.jar, server.jar and the supplied start scripts.
  • 64-bit Java 17 or newer is active.
  • Memory is at least 4 GB, with roughly 1 GB added per player beyond the first two.
  • The EULA is accepted after being read.
  • Local joining works before internet access is tested.
  • The router rule or tunnel points to the correct server port.
  • A tested backup exists before the first major update.

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