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Common In Control recipes

Start with the recipe closest to your goal. Copy the complete file, test it, and then change one value at a time. If JSON is unfamiliar, complete Getting started first.

Beginner recipes​

Disable one or more mobs​

Use onjoin if the restriction must also cover spawn eggs and commands.

spawn.json
[
  {
    "mob": ["minecraft:creeper", "minecraft:phantom"],
    "when": "onjoin",
    "result": "deny"
  }
]

Test: try both spawn eggs. Neither mob should enter the world.

Disable natural hostile spawning but keep spawn eggs and commands​

Omitting when uses the position stage. This restricts ordinary spawn-position checks without applying the stronger onjoin check.

spawn.json
[
  {
    "hostile": true,
    "result": "deny"
  }
]

Test this by waiting in a dark area. A spawn egg is not a valid test for this particular rule.

Permit only selected hostile mobs​

Specific exceptions must come before the broad denial.

spawn.json
[
  {
    "mob": ["minecraft:zombie", "minecraft:skeleton"],
    "when": "onjoin",
    "result": "default"
  },
  {
    "hostile": true,
    "when": "onjoin",
    "result": "deny"
  }
]

Intermediate recipes​

Make zombies spawn more often​

This adds extra attempts; it does not replace vanilla zombie spawning. The count and distance limits are important.

spawner.json
[
  {
    "mob": "minecraft:zombie",
    "persecond": 0.25,
    "attempts": 20,
    "amount": {
      "minimum": 1,
      "maximum": 2
    },
    "conditions": {
      "dimension": "minecraft:overworld",
      "mindist": 25,
      "maxdist": 80,
      "minheight": -64,
      "maxheight": 320,
      "maxthis": 80
    }
  }
]

Expected behavior: once per second there is a 25% chance to start an operation that tries up to 20 positions and places one or two zombies. It stops adding zombies when 80 of that type are counted.

Make newly spawned zombies stronger​

Use finalize for equipment and attributes:

spawn.json
[
  {
    "mob": "minecraft:zombie",
    "when": "finalize",
    "healthmultiply": 2.0,
    "damagemultiply": 1.5,
    "armorhelmet": "minecraft:iron_helmet"
  }
]

Test: spawn a zombie and verify that it has the helmet. The health and damage changes are easier to confirm in combat or with an entity-inspection tool.

Keep a safe area around world spawn​

This needs two files. First name the area:

areas.json
[
  {
    "dimension": "minecraft:overworld",
    "name": "spawn_safe",
    "type": "box",
    "x": 0,
    "y": 64,
    "z": 0,
    "dimx": 50,
    "dimy": 64,
    "dimz": 50
  }
]

Then deny hostile mobs in it:

spawn.json
[
  {
    "hostile": true,
    "area": "spawn_safe",
    "when": "onjoin",
    "result": "deny"
  }
]

Use /incontrol area to verify whether your current position is inside spawn_safe.

Advanced projects​

These examples combine several systems. Read How rules work before copying them.

The full examples library also includes loot, effects, block interaction, event, phase, area, and custom spawner examples.