How to Install Mods on a V Rising Server (BepInEx)

To install mods on a V Rising server, run the server with BepInEx (the BepInExPack for V Rising from Thunderstore), then copy each mod's .dll file into BepInEx/plugins and restart. Most server mods also need VampireCommandFramework.dll in the same folder. Settings appear in BepInEx/config after the first start. Server side mods such as Bloodcraft or KindredCommands need nothing on players' PCs, and the world in save-data keeps working if you switch BepInEx off again.

What you are working with

V Rising mods come from Thunderstore. Each mod page is tagged Server or Client. Server mods run only on the server. Client mods change what one player sees and have to be installed by each player on their own PC.

Before you start

• Back up the server, especially save-data. Some mods write their own data next to your save.
• Check the game version. Thunderstore pages show which V Rising update a mod was built for. A mod built for an older update can stop the server starting.
• Check dependencies. The Dependencies list on each mod page tells you what else to install. VampireCommandFramework is the usual one.

Step 1: Get BepInEx on the server

On a self hosted server, download BepInExPack V Rising, unzip it, and copy the contents of its BepInExPack_V_Rising folder into the server folder, next to VRisingServer.exe. The pack is a bleeding edge build of BepInEx 6, which is what V Rising mods are made for.

The first start with BepInEx takes noticeably longer than usual while it prepares the game's code for mods. Let it finish. The next starts are faster.

Step 2: Download the mod and take out the DLL

Click Manual Download on the mod's Thunderstore page. You get a zip with several files:

Bloodcraft.zip
  Bloodcraft.dll
  manifest.json
  README.md
  icon.png

Only the .dll matters to the server. manifest.json, README.md and icon.png are for mod managers. Some mods include more than one .dll, or a folder of extra files. In that case, keep them together as the README describes.

Step 3: Upload to BepInEx/plugins

Upload the .dll files into BepInEx/plugins, including every dependency:

BepInEx/plugins/
  VampireCommandFramework.dll
  Bloodcraft.dll
  KindredCommands.dll

Restart the server.

Step 4: Check it loaded

Open BepInEx/LogOutput.log and look for each plugin's name being loaded. In game, VampireCommandFramework mods use chat commands that start with a dot. Type .help to list the loaded plugins and .help <plugin> for their commands. Admin commands need you to be an admin: add your SteamID64 to adminlist.txt in save-data/Settings, restart, and type adminauth in the console. Our V Rising admin commands list covers the rest.

Step 5: Configure the mods

After the first start with a new mod, its settings file appears in BepInEx/config, usually named after the mod. Stop the server, edit the file, and start it again. Big mods like Bloodcraft have dozens of options for leveling, professions, familiars and classes, so change a few at a time.

Game patches break mods, and the server will not start

This is the trap that catches modded V Rising servers. BepInEx mods hook directly into the game's code. When Stunlock ships a patch, the game updates on the server's next restart, and mods built for the old version can crash the server during start, sometimes with nothing obvious in the console. It looks like the server is broken. It is the mods.

What to do after a patch:

1. Check each mod's Thunderstore page for an update tagged for the new version, and the BepInExPack page too.
2. Replace the old .dll files with the new ones and restart.
3. If a mod has no update yet, take its .dll out of BepInEx/plugins until it does.
4. Or run the server without BepInEx for a few days. Your world lives in save-data either way, so it loads unmodded and picks the mods back up when you return.

Mod data, such as Bloodcraft levels, stays in its own files while the mod is off, as long as you do not delete them.

Server mods versus client mods

A client mod installed on the server does nothing, and a server mod installed on a player's PC does nothing on someone else's server.

Common problems

• Server stops during start after adding a mod: a missing dependency, or a mod built for another game version. Remove the newest .dll and try again.
• .help does nothing: VampireCommandFramework is missing, or BepInEx is not loading at all. Check that BepInEx/LogOutput.log exists and is recent.
• Mod loaded but commands say no permission: you are not authenticated as admin. Use adminauth after adding your SteamID64.
• Server broke after a game update: see the patch section above.
• Config changes ignored: you edited the .cfg while the server was running. Stop, edit, start.

Mods on GamezServers

A GamezServers V Rising server has a V Rising BepInEx server type that installs BepInEx for you. Switch to it in the panel, press Backup, then upload plugin DLLs to BepInEx/plugins in the Files tab or over the SFTP login in Settings, and restart. Both server types use the same save-data, so switching back to Standard after a game patch keeps your world. For setting up the rest of the server, see how to host a V Rising server.

FAQ

Do players need to install mods to join a modded V Rising server?

Not for server mods. Mods tagged Server on Thunderstore, like Bloodcraft and KindredCommands, run only on the server.

Where do V Rising server mods go?

The .dll files go in BepInEx/plugins in the server folder. Their settings appear in BepInEx/config after the first start.

Why won't my modded V Rising server start after an update?

A mod or BepInEx itself is not updated for the new game version. Update them from Thunderstore, or remove the mod until it is updated.

Can I remove mods without losing my world?

Yes. The world is in save-data, which loads with or without BepInEx. Content that only exists through a mod stops working while it is gone.