Skip to main content
The melee core provides vanilla-accurate melee combat that simulates Minecraft’s native melee mechanics with 1:1 behavior for damage, knockback, and attack types.

​
Overview

The melee system:
  • Cancels vanilla damage - Replaces default Minecraft melee with custom system
  • Attack multiplier - Scales damage by attack cooldown percentage
  • Moveset integration - Detects weak hits, crits, sprint attacks, uppercuts, and aerial attacks
  • Vanilla knockback - Replicates Minecraft’s exact knockback behavior
  • Ground detection - Different knockback for grounded vs airborne targets

​
Basic Usage

melee_core.yml:5
Melee:
  Skill: melee

melee:
  Skills:
  - skill:Spell{id=melee-start;name=Melee;type=WEAPON;spellcd=0;displaycd=false} @self
Bind this to an item or mob’s attack event: 
my_sword:
  Skills:
  - skill:melee @self

​
Melee Start

The entry point that cancels vanilla damage and sets up the attack:
melee_core.yml:12
melee-start:
  Skills:
  - cancelEvent{sync=true}
  - setvar{var=damage;val="<skill.damage|<caster.damage>>";type=FLOAT} @self ?!varisset{var=damage}
  - variableMath{var=damage;equation=x*<caster.attack_cooldown>}  # Scale by attack cooldown
  
  - setvarloc{var=knockback_direction;val=@forward{f=20;lockpitch=true}}
  - skill:Moveset{maxmoveset=1;moveset_id=melee;
    1=melee-sweep_damage;
    weak=melee-weak_damage;
    sprint=melee-sprint_damage;
    crit=melee-critical_damage;
    uppercut=melee-uppercut_damage;
    aerial=melee-aerial} @self

​
Key Features

  1. cancelEvent - Prevents vanilla damage from applying
  2. attack_cooldown scaling - Uses <caster.attack_cooldown> to scale damage (0.0-1.0)
  3. knockback_direction - Sets forward direction for knockback
  4. Moveset detection - Automatically detects attack type

​
Attack Types

The moveset system detects different attack types:
TypeTriggerDamageKnockback
SweepFull charge + multiple targets100%Weak
WeakPartial charge100%Weak
SprintSprinting100%Strong
CriticalFalling + full charge150%Weak + effects
UppercutLooking up100%Vertical launch
AerialIn air150%Strong + air chase

​
Damage Variants

​
Sweep Attack

melee_core.yml:28
melee-sweep_damage:
  Skills:
  - skill:damage-weapon{immune=10;setid=false;
    onHit=[ - vskill{s=knockback-melee_weak} ]} @trigger

​
Weak Attack

melee_core.yml:33
melee-weak_damage:
  Cooldown: 0.25
  Skills:
  - skill:damage-weapon{immune=10;setid=false;
    onHit=[ - vskill{s=knockback-melee_weak} ]} @trigger

​
Sprint Attack

melee_core.yml:39
melee-sprint_damage:
  Skills:
  - skill:damage-weapon{immune=10;setid=false;
    onHit=[ - vskill{s=knockback-melee_strong} ]} @trigger

​
Critical Attack

melee_core.yml:44
melee-critical_damage:
  Skills:
  - skill:damage-weapon{immune=10;
    damageMod=[ - variableMath{var=damage;equation="x*1.5"} ];
    onHit=[
      - vskill{s=knockback-melee_critical}
      - playAnimation{animation=4}  # Crit particles
      ]} @trigger

​
Uppercut Attack

melee_core.yml:53
melee-uppercut_damage:
  Skills:
  - skill:damage-weapon{immune=10;
    onHit=[
      - vskill{s=knockback-melee_uppercut}
      ]} @trigger

​
Aerial Attack

melee_core.yml:60
melee-aerial:
  Skills:
  - skill:damage-weapon{immune=10;
    damageMod=[ - variableMath{var=damage;equation="x*1.5"} ];
    onHit=[
      - vskill{s=knockback-melee_critical}
      - playAnimation{animation=4}
      - vskill{s=air_chase;ticks=8} @self  # Chase airborne target
      ]} @trigger

​
Knockback Variants

All knockback variants use vanilla-accurate values:

​
Weak Knockback

melee_core.yml:82
knockback-melee_weak:
  Skills:
  - skill:knockback{origin=@location{x=<caster.l.x.double>;y=<target.l.y.double>;z=<caster.l.z.double>};kb=1.25;kby=0.75;vertical=false} @targeted{conditions=[ - onGround ]}
  - skill:knockback{origin=@location{x=<caster.l.x.double>;y=<target.l.y.double>;z=<caster.l.z.double>};kb=1.25;kby=-0.75;vertical=false} @targeted{conditions=[ - onGround false ]}
  - sound{s=entity.player.attack.strong}
Ground: kb=1.25, kby=0.75 (slight upward launch) Airborne: kb=1.25, kby=-0.75 (push downward)

​
Strong Knockback

melee_core.yml:88
knockback-melee_strong:
  Skills:
  - skill:knockback{origin=@location{x=<caster.l.x.double>;y=<target.l.y.double>;z=<caster.l.z.double>};kb=1.5;kby=0.75;vertical=false} @targeted{conditions=[ - onGround ]}
  - skill:knockback{origin=@location{x=<caster.l.x.double>;y=<target.l.y.double>;z=<caster.l.z.double>};kb=1.5;kby=-0.75;vertical=false} @targeted{conditions=[ - onGround false ]}
  - sound{s=entity.player.attack.strong}
  - sound{s=entity.player.attack.knockback}
Ground: kb=1.5, kby=0.75 (stronger horizontal) Airborne: kb=1.5, kby=-0.75 (stronger push down)

​
Critical Knockback

melee_core.yml:95
knockback-melee_critical:
  Skills:
  - skill{s=knockback-melee_weak}
  - sound{s=entity.player.attack.crit}
Same as weak knockback but with crit sound.

​
Uppercut Knockback

melee_core.yml:100
knockback-melee_uppercut:
  Skills:
  - skill:knockback{origin=@location{x=<caster.l.x.double>;y=<target.l.y.double>;z=<caster.l.z.double>};kb=1.25;kby=1.6;vertical=false} @targeted
  - sound{s=entity.player.attack.strong}
  - sound{s=entity.player.attack.knockback}
Always: kb=1.25, kby=1.6 (strong vertical launch)

​
Ground Detection

Knockback changes based on whether the target is on the ground: 
@targeted{conditions=[ - onGround ]}  # Grounded targets
@targeted{conditions=[ - onGround false ]}  # Airborne targets
  • Grounded: Positive kby (launch upward)
  • Airborne: Negative kby (push downward)
This replicates vanilla behavior of pushing falling enemies down.

​
Origin Point

Knockback origin is set to the horizontal position of the attacker at the vertical position of the target: 
origin=@location{x=<caster.l.x.double>;y=<target.l.y.double>;z=<caster.l.z.double>}
This ensures knockback is always horizontal (not affected by height difference).

​
Attack Cooldown Scaling

Damage scales with Minecraft’s attack cooldown:
melee_core.yml:17
- variableMath{var=damage;equation=x*<caster.attack_cooldown>}
  • <caster.attack_cooldown> = 0.0 to 1.0 (0% to 100% charged)
  • Partial swings deal reduced damage
  • Full charge deals 100% damage

​
Knockback Denial

Targets with the denykb aura resist knockback:
melee_core.yml:69
knockback-melee:
  TargetConditions:
  - hasaura{aura=denykb} false
Give mobs knockback resistance: 
- aura{name=denykb;duration=999999;ma=true} @self

​
Example: Custom Melee Weapon

flaming_sword:
  Skills:
  - skill:melee @self
  # Add custom effects on hit
  - skill{s=[
      - ignite{t=60} @trigger
      - e:p{p=flame;a=20}
    ]} @trigger

​
Example: Melee with Custom Damage

heavy_axe:
  Skills:
  - setvar{var=damage;val=20;type=FLOAT} @self  # Override base damage
  - skill:melee @self

​
Example: Disable Knockback

no_knockback_melee:
  Skills:
  - skill{s=melee-start-no_kb} @self

melee-start-no_kb:
  Skills:
  - cancelEvent{sync=true}
  - setvar{var=damage;val="<caster.damage>";type=FLOAT} @self
  - variableMath{var=damage;equation=x*<caster.attack_cooldown>}
  - skill:damage-weapon{immune=10} @trigger  # No knockback callback

​
Switch-Based Knockback

The handler includes a switch-based knockback system:
melee_core.yml:69
knockback-melee:
  TargetConditions:
  - hasaura{aura=denykb} false
  Skills:
  - switch{condition=varequals{var=skill.hit;value=<case>};cases=
        case WEAK=[ - skill{s=knockback-melee_weak} ]
        case CRIT=[ - skill{s=knockback-melee_critical} ]
        case SPRINT=[ - skill{s=knockback-melee_critical} ]
        case UPPERCUT=[ - skill{s=knockback-melee_strong} ]
        case AERIAL=[ - skill{s=knockback-melee_critical} ]
        case DEFAULT=[ - skill{s=knockback-melee_strong} ]
      }
This allows you to call a single skill and have it route to the correct knockback type.

​
Vanilla Parity

The melee core achieves 1:1 vanilla behavior by:
  1. Canceling vanilla damage - Prevents double damage
  2. Attack cooldown scaling - Matches vanilla charge system
  3. Exact knockback values - Replicates vanilla knockback strength
  4. Ground detection - Matches vanilla airborne knockback behavior
  5. Critical effects - Uses vanilla crit animation (playAnimation 4)
  6. Sound effects - Uses vanilla attack sounds

​
Integration with Other Systems

​
Damage Core

Uses damage-weapon for weapon-tagged damage: 
- skill:damage-weapon{immune=10} @trigger
See Damage Core for details.

​
Knockback Core

Uses the knockback handler for physics: 
- skill:knockback{kb=1.5;kby=0.75;vertical=false} @targeted
See Knockback Core for details.

​
Spell Handler

Wrapped in the spell system for consistency: 
- skill:Spell{id=melee-start;name=Melee;type=WEAPON;spellcd=0;displaycd=false} @self
See Spell Casting Handler for details.

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get started for freeTalk to us