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Critical Health FX wiki

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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.

Wiki HomeInstall and First BootCommands, Permissions, and Admin Workflow

Core Tuning

Set the activation threshold, shape the vignette, and tune the audio and overlay layers that define the low-health loop.

Config YML: Thresholds, Scan Cadence, and Border VignetteHeartbeat, Blackout, Darkness, and Frost OverlaysTiers, Heartbeat Curve, and Health Tuning

GUI and Editing

Use the in-game editor safely, understand what each page owns, and decide when YAML is still the better tool.

GUI Main Pages, Chat Prompts, and Save FlowTier Potions, Particles, and Dust Options

Runtime and Troubleshooting

Use presets deliberately, force test mode safely, and troubleshoot the common reasons the effect feels missing or wrong.

Presets, Test Mode, and Troubleshooting
Heartbeat`heartbeat.enabled``heartbeat.sound``heartbeat.volume`Blackout`effect``min_hp``duration_ticks``show_particles` and `show_icon`Optional DARKNESS overlayFrost overlay`min_hp``pulse_interval_ticks``pulse_chance``max_intensity``biomes`Design adviceIf you want the plugin to feel cleanerIf you want a harsher survival feelGood first mistakes to avoidDo not use blackout as the main red-intensity toolDo not ignore biome keysKeep duration and scan cadence alignedNext pages
Core Tuning

Heartbeat, Blackout, Darkness, and Frost Overlays

Tune heartbeat audio, final-threshold blackout, optional darkness, and cold-biome frost pulses without muddying the player-side read.

Plugin downloadsCritical Health FX

This page covers the parts of CriticalHealthFX that make low health feel urgent instead of merely visible.

Heartbeat

The global heartbeat block is simple:

YAML
heartbeat:
  enabled: true
  sound: minecraft:entity.warden.heartbeat
  volume: 2.0

heartbeat.enabled

Master switch for the heartbeat loop.

heartbeat.sound

Any valid Minecraft sound key. The default is:

YAML
minecraft:entity.warden.heartbeat

heartbeat.volume

Base global volume multiplier. Individual tiers can override both sound and volume later if you want the low-end tiers to sound different from the rest.

Blackout

Blackout is the "everything goes black" layer. This is intentionally separate from the red vignette.

The shipped default is:

YAML
overlays:
  blackout:
    enabled: true
    effect: BLINDNESS
    min_hp: 1.0
    amplifier: 0
    duration_ticks: 25
    show_particles: false
    show_icon: false
    remove_on_clear: true

That means blackout only starts at half a heart by default.

effect

Current supported public values are:

  • BLINDNESS
  • DARKNESS

Use BLINDNESS for a cleaner old-school blackout. Use DARKNESS if you want a modern dimming feel.

min_hp

This is the trigger threshold. 1.0 HP is the default public value because it keeps blackout reserved for the last possible moment.

duration_ticks

Should be at least as long as your scan period so the effect does not flicker.

show_particles and show_icon

These are off by default because a cinematic blackout usually looks better without potion clutter.

Optional DARKNESS overlay

CriticalHealthFX also includes a separate advanced DARKNESS block:

YAML
overlays:
  darkness:
    enabled: false

This exists for admins who want a second low-health screen treatment without using the full blackout threshold.

Use it carefully. Most public setups should either:

  • leave it off
  • or use blackout only

Running a red vignette, blackout, and a separate darkness layer all at once can become harder to read instead of more dramatic.

Frost overlay

Frost is the environmental layer. It uses freeze ticks to create icy screen corners without actually damaging the player.

The default public block is:

YAML
overlays:
  frost:
    enabled: true
    min_hp: 8.0
    pulse_interval_ticks: 20
    pulse_chance: 0.35
    max_intensity: 0.55
    biomes:
      - minecraft:snowy_plains
      - minecraft:snowy_taiga
      - minecraft:ice_spikes
      - minecraft:frozen_ocean
      - minecraft:frozen_river
      - minecraft:grove
      - minecraft:snowy_slopes
      - minecraft:jagged_peaks
      - minecraft:frozen_peaks

min_hp

The default 8.0 HP means frost can start pulsing when the player is down to 4 hearts or lower.

pulse_interval_ticks

How often the plugin rolls for a frost pulse.

pulse_chance

Chance from 0.0 to 1.0 each interval.

max_intensity

Keep this below 1.0. The shipped default 0.55 gives a strong corner pulse without forcing full freeze.

biomes

The biome list accepts multiple input styles:

  • SNOWY_PLAINS
  • snowy_plains
  • minecraft:snowy_plains

The safest long-term format is the fully namespaced key.

Design advice

If you want the plugin to feel cleaner

  • keep blackout at 1.0
  • leave darkness disabled
  • keep frost chance moderate
  • do most of the escalation through tiers and heartbeat

If you want a harsher survival feel

  • raise frost min_hp
  • increase frost pulse chance
  • use DARKNESS for blackout in a hardcore preset
  • shorten the low-tier heartbeat intervals

Good first mistakes to avoid

Do not use blackout as the main red-intensity tool

Blackout is the final emergency layer. The actual health curve should still be carried by the border intensity and heartbeat pacing.

Do not ignore biome keys

If frost is not showing up, the problem is often the biome list rather than the frost intensity itself.

Keep duration and scan cadence aligned

Potion overlays such as blackout and darkness should last at least as long as the scan cadence that keeps refreshing them.

Next pages

PreviousConfig YML: Thresholds, Scan Cadence, and Border VignetteTiers, Heartbeat Curve, and Health TuningNext