Set up Illager Invasion on Minecraft

Illager Invasion adds nearly a dozen new illagers, new structures to find them in, and some new gear. Some illagers also join village raids to make them harder. It runs on Fabric or NeoForge, and every player needs it as well as the server.

Checked against Illager Invasion 26.2.0 on Fabric and NeoForge, Minecraft 26.2, October 2026.

What you need

• Fabric or NeoForge on Minecraft 26.2. Version 26.2.0 is the newest file. It is built for 26.2.x, so it will not load on 26.3. There are separate builds for 26.1.x (26.1.0), 1.21.1 (21.1.6) and a Forge build for 1.20.1.
• Java 25. JAR Manager shows "Runs on Java 25. We switch it for you." for 26.x.
• Puzzles Lib on both loaders. On Fabric it also needs Fabric API and Forge Config API Port. The mod's Modrinth page lists all of these as required.
• Illager Invasion on each player's computer too, with the same libraries.

Switch the server to 26.2

1. Open JAR Manager, under More in the left rail.
2. Set Server software to Fabric or NeoForge and Minecraft version to 26.2, then press Apply change.
3. Leave Take a backup first ticked, press and hold Confirm & reinstall, and wait for the console to finish.

The screen warns that configuration files may be reset, so switch before you configure anything. See Change your Minecraft version or mod loader.

Install it

1. Open the Mods tab under Content and leave the Modrinth source chip selected.
2. Search for Illager Invasion and press Install on the one by Fuzs.
3. A window titled "Needs N more add-ons" names the libraries the server is missing: Puzzles Lib on NeoForge, and also Fabric API and Forge Config API Port on Fabric. Press Install all to add them in one go.
4. Go to Console, press Start and accept the EULA prompt the first time.

The mod's page lists the new illagers, among them the Alchemist, Basher, Necromancer, Sorcerer, Inquisitor and Invoker. The Invoker has its own boss bar and drops Primal Essence when a player kills it, which is an ingredient in the Imbuing Table recipe. The structures include the Illager Fort, Illusioner Tower, Labyrinth and Sorcerer Hut.

Change how raids work

After the first start the mod writes config/illagerinvasion-server.toml. The mod's page says its config files are named MOD_ID-server.toml in the config folder, and its source defines a server config only. Open the file in the File Manager and press Edit. The option names in the file are written with underscores:

• Ten of the illagers (Alchemist, Archivist, Basher, Inquisitor, Illusioner, Invoker, Marauder, Necromancer, Provoker and Sorcerer) each have a participate_in_raids option, true by default except for the Invoker. The Firecaller has none. Set an option to false to keep that illager out of village raids.
• invoker_boss_bar is true by default and shows a yellow boss bar during an Invoker fight.

Press Save and restart.

Common problems

• The server stops at start and names puzzleslib. Puzzles Lib is missing or older than 26.2.0. Install it from the Mods tab.
• Fabric complains about Fabric API or Forge Config API Port. Both are required on Fabric. Search for them on Modrinth in the same tab.
• Players cannot join. Their Illager Invasion and library versions must match. Use Export for players on the Mods tab, and read Fix the missing mods error.
• It will not load on 26.3. Go back to 26.2 in JAR Manager until a newer file is published.