Configurable KeepInventory Mod: Tailor Your Death Penalties in Minecraft
Death in Minecraft can be frustrating. You spend hours gathering resources, only to lose everything to a sudden creeper explosion or an unexpected fall into lava. The vanilla /gamerule keepInventory true solves this by letting you keep all your items, but it feels a bit too casual for many players. The Configurable KeepInventory mod strikes the perfect balance, giving you precise control over what you keep, what you lose, and even adding optional durability penalties to keep the game challenging.
What Makes Configurable KeepInventory Different?
Unlike the vanilla game rule that saves every single item in your inventory, this mod introduces a highly customizable system. It does not alter the standard /gamerule keepInventory behavior—if that rule is set to true, the mod’s settings are completely ignored. Instead, it works through a configuration file called keepinventory-common.toml, where you decide exactly which inventory slots, status effects, and player stats are preserved after death.
The mod is perfect for servers or single-player worlds where you want to soften the blow of dying without removing all consequences. You can protect your most valuable gear while still risking the items in your main inventory, or even apply a durability penalty so your tools and armor degrade slightly each time you respawn.
Default Saved Slots and Stats
Out of the box, the mod already keeps several critical slots and values intact when you die. This ensures you never lose your score, experience points, or the equipment you rely on most:
- Score and experience – Your hard-earned levels and score remain untouched.
- Hotbar (slots 0–8) – All items in your quick-access bar are saved.
- Off-hand (slot 40/45) – Shields, torches, or totems stay with you.
- Armor slots – Helmet (39), chestplate (38), leggings (37), and boots (36) are preserved.
You can expand this list by adding any vanilla or modded slot IDs you find online. This flexibility means you can protect items from backpacks, baubles, or other modded inventories—just ask the mod developers for the correct slot numbers.
Advanced Customization Options
The real power of Configurable KeepInventory lies in its toggles. By editing the keepinventory-common.toml file, you can enable features that are turned off by default:
- keepPotionEffects – Retain all active potion effects upon respawning.
- keepSaturation – Keep your saturation level, so you won’t need to eat immediately.
- keepHunger – Preserve your hunger bar, with a minimum limit to prevent an empty stomach after a starvation death. By default, you get at least one hunger unit back, but you can raise the
keepedHungerMinLimitvalue. - applyDurabilityPenalty – Every time you die, items with durability lose a configurable amount. This adds a meaningful risk without wiping out your entire inventory.
Each option lets you fine-tune the death experience. For example, if you want a hardcore-lite feel, you might save only armor and the hotbar, enable the durability penalty, and leave hunger and potion effects to reset. The mod puts you in control.
Compatibility with Other Mods
Configurable KeepInventory is designed to work seamlessly alongside popular grave mods like Quark, GraveStone Mod, and Enigmatic Graves. It does not interfere with their death storage mechanics; instead, it complements them by handling what remains on your character after you respawn. If you use any mod that adds custom inventory slots, the mod can support those too, provided you know the correct slot IDs. The default configuration only covers vanilla slots, so you’ll need to look up the numbers for any extra slots from other mods.
Installation and Setup
Getting the mod running is straightforward. You’ll need Minecraft Forge or Fabric (depending on the version you download) and the mod file itself, which you can find on CurseForge or Modrinth. Once you place it in your mods folder, launch the game and a default config file will be generated. Managing mods like Configurable KeepInventory is especially convenient with the foxygame.net launcher, which lets you browse and install mods directly from its intuitive menu, saving you from manual file placement and version conflicts. After installation, just open config/keepinventory-common.toml with any text editor, adjust the settings, and restart your world to see the changes.
Fine-Tuning the Configuration File
The keepinventory-common.toml file is well-commented and easy to understand. You can change the list of saved slot IDs, toggle the boolean options, and set numeric values for durability penalty and hunger limits. For instance, to add your main inventory’s first row, you’d include slot IDs 9 through 17. The mod’s developer, Astemir, and idea designer, BlackAures, have ensured that every parameter is documented, so even players new to modding can tweak it without hassle.
One clever feature: if you enable keepHunger and a player dies from starvation, the mod automatically grants a small hunger buffer. Without this, the player would respawn with an empty stomach and immediately start taking damage again. The default minimum of one hunger unit can be raised to give more breathing room.
Why Choose Configurable KeepInventory Over Vanilla?
The vanilla game rule is an all-or-nothing switch. It removes the sting of death entirely, which can make survival worlds feel trivial. Configurable KeepInventory preserves the tension—you still fear death because you might lose some items, but you won’t face the devastating setback of losing your fully enchanted netherite gear. The durability penalty adds an extra layer: your tools survive, but they degrade, encouraging you to play carefully even when your items are safe.
This mod is ideal for multiplayer servers where admins want to keep gameplay engaging without punishing new players too harshly. It’s also great for adventure maps where the creator wants to protect quest items but not trivialize combat. With its deep customization, Configurable KeepInventory adapts to almost any playstyle.
Conclusion
Configurable KeepInventory redefines death in Minecraft by giving you the tools to craft your own respawn rules. Whether you want to keep only your armor, preserve experience, or apply a gentle durability cost, this mod offers a middle ground that vanilla never could. Its compatibility with grave mods and support for custom slots make it a versatile addition to any modpack. If you’ve ever wished for a death system that’s fair but not forgiving, give Configurable KeepInventory a try—you might find it’s exactly the balance you’ve been looking for.