Set up ExcellentCrates on Minecraft

ExcellentCrates adds crates and keys to a Minecraft server. You build crates, keys and rewards in an in-game editor, players open them with animations, and rewards can be items or commands. It is a plugin for Paper or Purpur, and it needs a second plugin, NightCore, to run.

Checked against ExcellentCrates 7.2.0, the latest release on its Modrinth page, which lists Paper 1.21.11 to 26.3, and NightCore 2.16.7, October 2026.

What you need

• A Paper or Purpur server. The plugin's docs mark Folia as unsupported, and vanilla servers have no Plugins tab (switch software in JAR Manager first, see Change your Minecraft version or mod loader).
• NightCore, installed before ExcellentCrates. The plugin's plugin.yml lists it as required.
• Minecraft 26.1 or newer. The ExcellentCrates 7.2.0 jar is compiled for Java 25, and its docs list Java 25 for every supported version. Our panel picks the Java version from your Minecraft version and uses Java 25 only for the 26.x releases.

Install it

1. Open the Plugins tab and leave the Modrinth button selected.
2. Search for NightCore, click Install on the result by NightExpress, then search for ExcellentCrates and install that too. The tab will not ask for NightCore, because the Modrinth entry for ExcellentCrates 7.2.0 lists no dependencies, so install it yourself.
3. Use Restart on the Console tab. In the Installed view both plugins should be listed.
4. Optional extras from the plugin's docs: PacketEvents for crate holograms and PlaceholderAPI for placeholders.

Build your first crate

The editors open in the game, so a player with the editor permissions has to run them.

1. Run /crates editor to create a crate and add rewards. A reward can be an item or a command, with limits and cooldowns.
2. Run /cratekey editor to create a key. Keys can be linked to crates, and one crate can use several keys.
3. To place a crate in the world, hold the block you want to use, then use the editor button or its command to link the crate to it (7.1 and newer). Place the block where players should find it.
4. Run /crates give <player> <crate> <amount> or /cratekey give <player> <key> <amount> to hand out crates and keys.

Players can hold Shift and click to open a crate with Fast Open, which skips menus and animations. The Batch option opens several crates at once.

Settings files

The plugin writes its files under plugins/ExcellentCrates. The docs name crates.core.yml, keys.core.yml and engine.core.yml in a config folder, which hold the command aliases for /crates, /cratekey and /ecrates. Edit them in File Manager with the server stopped.

Admin commands

• ecrates status lists the active modules, and ecrates reload reloads the plugin (excellentcrates.command.reload).
• crates open <crate> <player> -fast -free opens a crate remotely, and crates preview <crate> <player> shows its contents.
• cratekey balance <player> shows key balances, and cratekey remove <player> <key> <amount> takes keys away.

Common problems

• Only operators can open crates. Set Spawn protection (blocks) to 0 in the Config Editor and restart, or move the crates out of the spawn area. If a protection plugin is running, allow block interactions in it.
• The plugin will not enable. Read the Console. Likely causes are NightCore missing, or a Java version too old for the build.
• A crate vanished with its rewards. Deleting a crate in 7.1 and newer also deletes the rewards linked to it. Back up first.
• Duplication reports. The FAQ says there is no duplication glitch; turn off creative mode for the testers.