Set up a DawnCraft server

DawnCraft: Echoes of Legends is a Forge modpack for Minecraft 1.18.2. Its CurseForge summary calls it a souls-like RPG modpack with a unique questing system, and the page lists dozens of bosses with their own attack patterns, hundreds of new animals and monsters, a complete quest line, a reputation system, souls-like combat and over 200 mods. You install the server from the Modpacks tab, using the pack's own server files.

Checked against DawnCraft 2.0.16_hf on Forge 40.2.17 and Minecraft 1.18.2, October 2026.

What the pack needs

• Minecraft 1.18.2 with Forge 40.2.17. The server files name both in their variables.txt, and the panel installs that Forge build for you. The pack's page says Java 17 or 18, and the panel runs Minecraft 1.18.2 on Java 17.
• Memory. The pack's page says to give it at least 6 GB and recommends 8 to 12 GB. Your plan sets the RAM, so see how much RAM a Minecraft server needs and the Minecraft plans before you install.
• Disk space. The server files are a download of about 754 MB and unpack to about 820 MB. The download sits on your plan's disk while it unpacks, so you need room for both.
• The same pack version for players. This guide installs DawnCraft 2.0.16_hf. Players should run that version.

Install the server files

1. Open your server and choose Modpacks under Content in the left rail.
2. Press the CurseForge source button, then search for DawnCraft.
3. Press Install on DawnCraft - Echoes of Legends. Several other packs built on DawnCraft appear in the results, so check the name.
4. The popup says it reinstalls your server with the pack and names a loader and a Minecraft version. On this pack it says 1.18.1 even though the install sets up Forge 1.18.2-40.2.17 and the server files are 1.18.2.
5. Leave Take a backup first ticked. Your current world is replaced by the pack's. Tick Start the server when it's ready if you want it to start itself, and tick I agree to the Minecraft EULA if the popup shows it.
6. Hold Install and reinstall until it fills, then wait.

The pack's own start.sh and the -Xmx4G setting in its variables.txt are not used. The panel writes its own launch script and sizes the memory from your plan's RAM.

First start

Press Start on the Console tab. If the EULA has not been accepted yet, the panel asks you to accept it first. The server is up when the console prints a line containing For help, type. The pack has 251 mod files.

The server files carry no server.properties, so the install writes a short one and Minecraft fills in the full file on that first start. Your address is in the left rail under Server address. Connect to your server for the first time covers adding it in Minecraft.

Tune it for a server

The pack's own server notes include these suggestions.

• Lower the distances. Set view distance and simulation distance to 6. If the server peaks on RAM or CPU, lower simulation distance to 3 or 4. After the first start, open the Config Editor, go to Performance, change View distance (chunks) and Simulation distance (chunks), press Save changes and restart the server.
• Pre-generate the world. The pack adds many world-generation mods, and its notes recommend pre-generating before you play. The pack includes the Chunky mod. In the Console, run chunky radius <radius>, then chunky start, and check progress with chunky progress.
• Start a new world after a major update. The notes recommend a new world when you move from a 1.x release to a 2.x release, because of the improved world generation, quests and structures.

Common problems

• A player cannot join. Check they run DawnCraft 2.0.16_hf, the version this guide installed.
• The server lags or runs out of memory. Watch the RAM card on the Console tab and the TPS reading in the left rail, lower the distances as above and move to a bigger plan if the RAM card stays full. Why is my server lagging has more.
• The install stops while unpacking. Your plan's disk may be too small. Check Disk Analyser, clear space and install again.
• The server crashes at boot. Find and read a crash report shows how to name the mod at fault.