Wiki
Critical Health FX Wiki
Low-health visuals, heartbeat audio, blackout tuning, frost pulses, tier extras, and the public admin workflow for CriticalHealthFX.
Getting Started
Install the plugin cleanly, validate the startup state, and learn the admin command surface before deeper tuning.
Core Tuning
Set the activation threshold, shape the vignette, and tune the audio and overlay layers that define the low-health loop.
GUI and Editing
Use the in-game editor safely, understand what each page owns, and decide when YAML is still the better tool.
Runtime and Troubleshooting
Use presets deliberately, force test mode safely, and troubleshoot the common reasons the effect feels missing or wrong.
CriticalHealthFX is Duq_'s low-health feedback plugin for strong red edge pressure, heartbeat audio, optional blackout, frost pulses, and tier-based potion or particle effects.
This wiki is for the people who actually have to ship and run it:
- server owners who want danger to be readable before a player fully drops
- admins tuning how early the effect starts and how hard it escalates
- builders using the in-game GUI as the main editing surface
- operators who need a clean admin workflow for presets, testing, and troubleshooting
What CriticalHealthFX is responsible for
CriticalHealthFX is intentionally focused. It is not a full combat framework. It owns the low-health presentation loop:
- per-player red vignette through the Paper WorldBorder warning overlay
- heartbeat sound that speeds up as health falls
- blackout at a chosen threshold
- optional DARKNESS overlay as a separate advanced layer
- frost corner pulses in configured cold biomes
- tier-specific potion effects
- tier-specific particles
- one in-game GUI for the whole public configuration surface
The file map that matters most
CriticalHealthFX is much simpler than Duck Shot because almost everything lives in one public file:
config.ymlfor thresholds, scan cadence, border tuning, heartbeat, overlays, frost biomes, tiers, debug flags, potion entries, and particle entriesplugin.ymlfor command registration, aliases, and permission metadataREADME.mdfor the quick project summary
That smaller file split is intentional. The plugin is built so admins can do most work in the GUI and still keep one readable YAML source of truth.
Start here
If you are brand new to CriticalHealthFX, use this path:
1. Install and validate first boot
Start with install and First Boot so the folder generates cleanly and the startup banner matches what you expect.
2. Learn the admin command surface
Read commands, Permissions, and Admin Workflow before you start testing on a live server.
3. Lock down the global trigger and border settings first
Use config YML: Thresholds, Scan Cadence, and Border Vignette before you touch per-tier tuning.
4. Tune the audio and overlay stack next
Move into heartbeat, Blackout, Darkness, and Frost Overlays when you want the plugin to feel readable and dramatic instead of merely functional.
5. Shape the actual pain curve with tiers
Use tiers, Heartbeat Curve, and Health Tuning to decide how the effect ramps from 5 hearts down to half a heart.
6. Use the GUI as the everyday operator surface
Read gui Main Pages, Chat Prompts, and Save Flow if you want staff to edit live settings safely without living in YAML all day.
7. Add potion and particle extras only after the base loop feels right
Use tier Potions, Particles, and Dust Options once the vignette, heartbeat, and blackout thresholds already feel correct.
8. Use presets and test mode on purpose
Finish with presets, Test Mode, and Troubleshooting so rollout, testing, and support requests stay clean.
Documentation map
Getting Started
Core Tuning
- config YML: Thresholds, Scan Cadence, and Border Vignette
- heartbeat, Blackout, Darkness, and Frost Overlays
- tiers, Heartbeat Curve, and Health Tuning
GUI and Editing
Runtime and Troubleshooting
What this wiki should help you do quickly
This wiki should let you answer the questions real admins actually have:
- At what HP does the red vignette start?
- How do I make one-heart feel much more dangerous than five hearts?
- How do I keep blackout only at half a heart?
- How do I edit frost biomes safely?
- How do I use the GUI without guessing what each page changes?
- When should I use tiers for heartbeat overrides instead of global heartbeat settings?
- What should I check first if the effect is not showing up?
What this plugin does not try to do
CriticalHealthFX does not try to own combat damage, death flow, weapons, packets, or NMS render hacks. It is a Paper-first presentation plugin that keeps the low-health loop sharp without dragging in a packet stack.
Quick help
If the red overlay is missing, blackout is firing at the wrong threshold, or frost is not appearing in cold biomes, jump straight to presets, Test Mode, and Troubleshooting.