AE2 Molecular Assembler Plus
If you have ever stared at a wall of molecular assemblers wondering why your Draconic Evolution fusion crafting still refuses to automate cleanly, you are exactly the player this add-on was built for. AE2 Molecular Assembler Plus is a quality-of-life add-on for Applied Energistics 2, developed by the ChillCraft Team, that extends AE2 autocrafting into crafting systems the base mod never touched. Instead of forcing every recipe into a 9x9 grid, it introduces dedicated pattern terminals and matching molecular assemblers for each supported crafting system.
The result is late-game automation that finally feels native to AE2. You keep the familiar pattern encoding workflow, but you gain terminals and assemblers tuned to the specific rules of each mod, including custom layouts, recipe tiers, catalysts, and energy costs.
What AE2 Molecular Assembler Plus Adds
The core idea is simple: one crafting system, one dedicated terminal, one dedicated assembler. The add-on currently ships with three major integrations, each with its own pattern encoding terminal and matching molecular assembler tiers.
- Extreme Pattern Encoding Terminal – a 9x9 crafting grid for large recipes, aimed at Extended Crafting and compatible categories such as Extended Crafting: Expanded and Re:Avaritia or AvaritiaNeo where the installed fork and Minecraft version support it.
- Draconic Pattern Encoding Terminal – built for Draconic Evolution fusion crafting, paired with Wyvern, Draconic, and Chaotic Molecular Assemblers.
- Magical Pattern Encoding Terminal – added in version 1.2.0 for Botania, featuring station-specific layouts and catalyst selection.
Alongside these, the mod provides dedicated blank and encoded patterns, informative recipe tooltips, and full AE2 autocrafting support so encoded patterns slot straight into your existing network. JEI integration is optional and unlocks recipe-transfer buttons for supported recipe categories, which saves a lot of manual clicking when you are encoding dozens of patterns at once.
Supported Versions and Loaders
AE2 Molecular Assembler Plus is available for Minecraft 1.20.1 on Forge and Minecraft 1.21.1 on NeoForge. Always grab the file that matches both your Minecraft version and your loader, and install any dependencies required by AE2 or by the optional integrations you plan to use. Applied Energistics 2 itself is required; every crafting integration beyond that is optional and only activates when the matching mod is present. That means you can run the add-on with just base AE2 recipes and still use the core automation features, then layer in Extended Crafting, Draconic Evolution, or Botania whenever your pack calls for them.
If you would rather skip the manual file juggling, the foxygame.net launcher makes short work of it: AE2 Molecular Assembler Plus sits in a curated add-on catalog, so a single click installs it and keeps it updated as new builds land. The launcher also checks version compatibility for you, which is genuinely useful when a pack is pinned to 1.20.1 Forge while your friends play on 1.21.1 NeoForge.
How to Install AE2 Molecular Assembler Plus
Manual Installation
- Confirm you are running Minecraft 1.20.1 with Forge or Minecraft 1.21.1 with NeoForge.
- Install Applied Energistics 2 and any optional crafting mods you want to integrate.
- Place the matching AE2 Molecular Assembler Plus jar file into your mods folder.
- Launch the game once, then verify the new terminals appear in the AE2 creative tab or JEI.
When you download AE2 Molecular Assembler Plus, double-check the filename against your loader. Mixing a Forge build into a NeoForge instance is the most common cause of a crash on startup, and it is an easy mistake to make when both versions share a similar name.
Encoding Your First Pattern
Craft the pattern encoding terminal that matches your target system, place it near your pattern provider, and open it. The interface mirrors AE2 conventions, so the learning curve is minimal. Encode a recipe, drop the pattern into an interface, and let your network handle the rest. For Botania, remember to select the correct catalyst in the terminal before encoding, since the station layout changes based on the recipe type.
Why It Fits Into Modded Progression
Most automation bottlenecks in modded Minecraft come from recipes that refuse to fit standard grids or require special stations. AE2 Molecular Assembler Plus targets exactly that gap without bloating your pack with unrelated content. The roadmap points toward Blood Magic support and broader recipe coverage, with the ChillCraft Team actively collecting bug reports and balancing feedback. If you want complex crafting to behave like every other AE2 recipe in your base, this add-on is a practical, focused answer.
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