Minecraft:Game rule

Game rules are a set of customizable options for a specific in-game world.

Modifying game rules

File:Edit Game Rules.png

The "Edit Game Rules" section of the "Create New World" screen on Template:JE

File:Ore UI - Edit World Screen Menu "Advanced" Tab Settings (Bedrock).png

The "Advanced" tab of "Edit World" screen on Template:BE

Template:IN, game rules can be changed using toggle buttons on the "Edit Game Rules" menu built into the "Minecraft:Create World" and "World Options" screens. The game rules are split into categories named "Player", "Mobs", "Spawning", "Drops", "World updates", "Chat", and "Miscellaneous".

Template:IN, about half of the game rules can be changed from the "Create New World" screen and the world options in both the "Edit World" screen and the game settings in the Minecraft:pause menu. The remainder can be changed only with commands, or in the "Export" interface in the Minecraft:Bedrock Editor.

When in-game, game rules can be changed using the Template:Cmd Minecraft:command, using the syntax Template:Cmd, where Template:Cd is the name of the game rule and Template:Cd is an allowed value, which depends on the type of the game rule. The types are boolean (where the allowed values are either Template:Cd) and integer (where any whole number is able to be entered).

List of game rules

The following is a list of game rules available in-game, their allowed values, and their availability in Template:Edition and Template:Edition.

The categorization of game rules is based on Java Edition, except for Bedrock Edition exclusive game rules. The Template:Cd prefix has been excluded from this list for the sake of brevity.

Some game rules can be changed in Bedrock Edition without Minecraft:cheats (either by Template:Cmd command or the world menus, e.g., Minecraft:World Options and Minecraft:Create New World), thus safely keeping Minecraft:achievements enabled while configuring these game rules.

Chat

Rules affecting chat output, including command feedback, Minecraft:death messages, and Minecraft:advancements.

Rule name	Description	Default value	Type	Availability in Bedrock Edition
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	Whether Minecraft:command blocks should notify admins when they perform commands.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:Va	Whether to log admin commands to server log.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	Whether the feedback from commands executed by a player should show up in chat. Also affects the default behavior of whether command blocks store their output text.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:Va	Whether Minecraft:advancements should be announced in chat.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: showdeathmessages	Whether Minecraft:death messages are put into chat when a player dies. Also affects whether a message is sent to the pet's owner when the pet dies.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc

Drops

Rules controlling Minecraft:item drops from blocks, entities, and mobs, including drop decay mechanics.

Rule name	Description	Default value	Type	Availability in Bedrock Edition
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	Whether blocks should have drops.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="advanced">These game rules are available under "Advanced" section of the world menus (e.g., Minecraft:World Options and Minecraft:Create New World).</ref>
Template:Va	Whether block loot is dropped by all blocks (Template:Cd) or randomly (Template:Cd) depending on how far the block is from the center of a block explosion (e.g. clicking a bed in dimensions other than the Overworld).	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	Whether entities that are not mobs should have drops.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	Whether mobs should drop items and Minecraft:experience orbs.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="cheats"></ref>
Template:Va	Whether block loot is dropped by all blocks (Template:Cd) or randomly (Template:Cd) depending on how far the block is from the center of a mob explosion (e.g. Creeper explosion).	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:Nowrap Template:El: Template:Va	Whether impact projectiles destroy blocks that are destructible by them, i.e. Minecraft:chorus flowers, Minecraft:pointed dripstone, and Minecraft:decorated pots.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	Whether block loot is dropped by all blocks (Template:Cd) or randomly (Template:Cd) depending on how far the block is from the center of a TNT explosion.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc

Miscellaneous

A collection of technical or utility rules that do not fit into other specific categories, such as command limits, debug info, and other mechanics.

Rule name	Description	Default value	Type	Availability in Bedrock Edition
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	Whether Minecraft:command blocks should be enabled in-game.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="cheats"></ref>
Template:Va	Whether the wither's spawning sound, the ender dragon's death sound and the end portal activation sound are heard by all players regardless of location.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:Va	Controls the maximum number of blocks changed when using Template:Cmd, Template:Cmd, or Template:Cmd.	Template:Cd	Int	Template:Tc
Template:Va	The maximum number of forks (contexts) that can be created during one tick. Applies to command blocks and functions.	Template:Cd	Int	Template:Tc
Template:Nowrap Template:El: Template:Va	The maximum length of a chain of commands that can be executed during one tick from one execution source. Applies to command blocks and functions.	Template:Cd	Int	Template:Tc
Template:Va Template:OnlyExperimental	The maximum speed a Minecraft:minecart may reach.	Template:Cd	Int min:1 max:1000	Template:Tc
Template:Va	Whether the Minecraft:debug screen shows all or reduced information; and whether the effects of Template:Key (entity hitboxes) and Template:Key (chunk boundaries) are shown.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	Whether TNT explodes after activation.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="advanced"></ref>

Mobs

Rules that manage mob behavior, such as mob griefing, anger mechanics, and Minecraft:raids.

Rule name	Description	Default value	Type	Availability in Bedrock Edition
Template:Va	Makes angered neutral mobs within 65 x 21 x 65 blocks centered on the targeted player stop being angry when the player dies.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:Va	The maximum number of pushable entities a mob or player can push, before taking Template:Hp Minecraft:entity cramming damage per half-second. Setting to 0 disables the rule. Damage affects Survival-mode or Adventure-mode players, and all mobs but bats. Pushable entities include non-Spectator-mode players, any mob except bats, as well as boats and minecarts.	Template:Cd	Int	Template:Tc
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	Whether Minecraft:creepers, Minecraft:zombies, Minecraft:endermen, Minecraft:ghasts, Minecraft:withers, Minecraft:ender dragons, Minecraft:rabbits, Minecraft:sheep, Minecraft:villagers, Minecraft:silverfish, Minecraft:snow golems, Minecraft:ravagers and Minecraft:end crystalsTemplate:Only should be able to change blocks, and whether mobs can pick up items. When Template:Cd is disabled, Minecraft:piglins do not pick up gold ingots, but a player can still Minecraft:barter with them by Template:Ctrl the item on the mob. Similarly, villagers do not pick up food items but can still Minecraft:breed until they run out of any food already in their inventory. This also affects the capability of zombie-like creatures like Minecraft:zombified piglins and Minecraft:drowned to pathfind to Minecraft:turtle eggs.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="cheats"></ref>
Template:Va	Whether Minecraft:raids are enabled.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:Va	Makes angered neutral mobs attack any nearby player, not just the player that angered them. Works best if Template:Cd is disabled.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc

Player

Rules directly impacting player mechanics, such as Minecraft:damage sources, keep Minecraft:inventory, and Minecraft:respawning behavior.

Rule name	Description	Default value	Type	Availability in Bedrock Edition
Template:Va	Whether the Nether can be entered by using Nether portals.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	Whether the player should take damage when drowning.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:Va	Whether the server should check player speed when the player is wearing Minecraft:elytra. Often helps with jittering due to lag in multiplayer.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:Va	Controls whether thrown ender pearls vanish when the player dies.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	Whether the player should take fall damage.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	Whether the player should take damage in Minecraft:fire, Minecraft:lava, Minecraft:campfires, or on Minecraft:magma blocks.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:Va	Controls the maximum distance in blocks that fire can spread around a player. Set to 0 to disable fire spread. Set to -1 for an unlimited distance.	Template:Cd	Int	Template:Tc
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	Whether the player should take damage when inside Minecraft:powder snow.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	Players respawn immediately without showing the death screen.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="advanced"></ref>
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	Whether the player should keep items and experience in their inventory after death.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="cheats">These game rules are available under "Cheats" section of the world menus.</ref>
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	Whether players can craft only those recipes that they have unlocked.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	Whether the player's Minecraft:locator bar is enabled, indicating the location of players or entities. Can be set to Template:Cd and Template:Cd Template:In.	Template:CdTemplate:Only Template:CdTemplate:Only	BoolTemplate:Only StringTemplate:Only	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="multiplayer"></ref>
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	Whether the player can regenerate health naturally if their hunger is full enough (doesn't affect external healing, such as Minecraft:golden apples, the Regeneration effect, etc.).	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="advanced"></ref>
Template:Va	Whether the server should check player speed.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:Va	Controls the time that a creative player needs to stand in a Minecraft:Nether portal before changing dimensions.	Template:Cd	Int	Template:Tc
Template:Va	Controls the time that a non-creative player needs to stand in a Minecraft:Nether portal before changing dimensions.	Template:Cd	Int	Template:Tc
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	What percentage of players in the Minecraft:Overworld must sleep to skip the night. A percentage value of 0 or less allows the night to be skipped by just 1 player, and a percentage value more than 100 prevents players from skipping the night.	Template:Cd	Int	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="advanced"></ref>
Template:Va	Whether players can damage other players.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="multiplayer">These game rules are available under "Multiplayer" section of the world menus.</ref>
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	The number of blocks outward from the world spawn coordinates that a player spawns in when first joining a server or when dying without a personal spawnpoint. Has no effect on servers where the default game mode is Adventure.	Template:Cd	Int	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="advanced"></ref>
Template:Va	Whether players in Minecraft:Spectator mode can generate chunks.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc

Spawning

Rules that toggle natural Minecraft:mob spawning.

Rule name	Description	Default value	Type	Availability in Bedrock Edition
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	These game rules control mob spawning. For simplicity, only the Java Edition game rule names are used below. Spawn cycle:<ref group="note">In additional to the regular spawn cycle, this includes the following: Minecraft:Cats spawning in villages Minecraft:Creakings spawning from Minecraft:creaking hearts Minecraft:Zombie sieges Minecraft:Zombified piglins spawning from Nether portals</ref> Template:Cd (if applicable) Creature spawning during worldgen: Template:Cd Spawning during structure generation, Minecraft:ender dragon initial spawn: Always enabled regardless of these game rules Zombie reinforcements,<ref>Template:Bug</ref> Minecraft:endermites: Template:Cd Other instances of immediate, event-driven mob creation:<ref group="note">"Other instances of immediate, event-driven mob creation" refers to: Minecraft:Allay duplication Breeding Baby mobs hatching from blocks (Minecraft:dried ghast, Minecraft:sniffer egg, Minecraft:turtle egg) Minecraft:Bees emerging from their hive or nest, Minecraft:silverfish emerging from infested blocks, unbucketing a bucketable mob, Minecraft:copper golems reamimating after having become a statue An Minecraft:evoker's Minecraft:vex spell Minecraft:Slime and Minecraft:magma cube splitting Minecraft:Mob conversion Minecraft:Wither and golem construction Ender dragon resummoning</ref> Always enabled regardless of these game rules Minecraft:Patrols: Template:Cd Minecraft:Phantoms: Template:Cd Minecraft:Wandering traders: Template:Cd Minecraft:Wardens: Template:Cd Minecraft:Monster spawners and Minecraft:trial spawners: Template:Cd (if applicable), Template:Cd Minecraft:Raids, Minecraft:iron golems spawning in villages: Always enabled regardless of these game rules Commands and spawn eggs: Always enabled regardless of these game rules	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="cheats"></ref>
Template:Va		Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:Va		Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va		Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:Va		Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:Va		Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:Va		Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc

World Updates

Rules related to the world environment, including Minecraft:time progression, Minecraft:weather cycles, and Minecraft:fluid dynamics.

Rule name	Description	Default value	Type	Availability in Bedrock Edition
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	Whether the Minecraft:daylight cycle and Minecraft:moon phases progress.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="cheats"></ref>
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	Whether the weather can change naturally. The Template:Command command can still change weather.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="cheats"></ref>
Template:Va	Whether new sources of lava are allowed to form.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:Va	The maximum number of snow layers that can be accumulated on each block.	Template:Cd	Int	Template:Tc
Template:El: Template:Va Template:El: Template:Va	How often a Minecraft:random tick occurs (such as plant growth, leaf decay, etc.) per chunk section per game tick. 0 and negative values disables random ticks, higher numbers increase random ticks. Setting to a high integer results in high speeds of decay and growth. Numbers over 4096 make plant growth or leaf decay instantaneous.	Template:CdTemplate:Only Template:CdTemplate:Only	Int	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="cheats"></ref>
Template:Va	Whether Minecraft:vines can spread to other blocks. Minecraft:Cave vines, Minecraft:weeping vines, and Minecraft:twisting vines are not affected.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:Va	Whether new sources of water are allowed to form.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc

Bedrock Edition exclusive

Game rules that are specific to Bedrock Edition and do not have direct equivalents in Java Edition.

Rule name	Description	Default value	Type	Availability in Bedrock Edition
Template:Va	Whether fire should spread and naturally extinguish.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="advanced"></ref>
Template:Va	The maximum number of commands that can be executed by Template:Cmd at once.	Template:Cd	Int	Template:Tc
Template:Va	Whether the player needs to collect items to unlock recipes in the Minecraft:recipe book.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="advanced"></ref>
Template:Va	Prevents beds/respawn anchors from exploding in other dimensions.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="advanced"></ref>
Template:Va	Whether the particles of the Minecraft:border block are shown.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:Va	Whether the player's coordinates are displayed on the Minecraft:HUD.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="advanced"></ref>
Template:Va	Whether the world's in-game day count is displayed on the HUD.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc<ref group="menu" name="advanced"></ref>
Template:Va	Whether the recipe Minecraft:toasts are displayed.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc
Template:Va	Hides the "Can place on" and "Can destroy" block lists from item lore, the "Has Custom Properties" text on items that have dynamic properties, as well as item lock indicators.	Template:Cd	Bool	Template:Tc

Notes

<references group="menu"/>

Additional behavior

Template:Expand section This section explains more complex behaviors of certain gamerules.

• Template:Cd
  • When Template:Cd, the Minecraft:Bad Omen effect is not removed from a player when entering a village.
  • Stops a raid if set to Template:Cd while a raid is in progress, but the existing raid mobs do not despawn.
• Template:El: Template:Cd
  Template:El: Template:Cd
  • When Template:Cd, removing items from item frames do not drop them.
• Template:El: Template:Cd
  Template:El: Template:Cd
  • Does not affect drops not related to a mob's death, such as Minecraft:chicken laying Minecraft:eggs, or Minecraft:sheep dropping Minecraft:wool when Minecraft:sheared.
  • Does not affect the dropping of Minecraft:wither roses when mobs are killed by the Minecraft:wither.<ref>Template:Bug</ref><ref>Template:Bug</ref>
• Template:El: Template:Cd
  Template:El: Template:Cd
  • Affects only natural mob spawning. Mobs from structures,Template:Only monster spawners, and events still spawn when set to Template:Cd.
• Template:El: Template:Cd
  Template:El: Template:Cd
  • When Template:Cd, containers still drop their contents, but not themselves.
    • Minecraft:Shulker boxes do not drop anything, causing the items in them to be lost.
  • When Template:Cd, destroying an armor stand does not drop it nor any armor it had equipped.
  • When Template:Cd, item frames still drop themselves and their items.
  • When Template:Cd, Minecraft:infested blocks do not spawn Minecraft:silverfish when broken.
• Template:El: Template:Cd
  Template:El: Template:Cd
  • When Template:Cd, the player still loses air, but does not take damage when the air is depleted.
• Template:El: Template:Cd
  Template:El: Template:Cd
  • When Template:Cd, the player may still be set on fire, but does not take damage when on fire.
• Template:Cd
  • Every neutral mob that can be aggravated remain aggravated even after the offending player dies, with the exception of piglins when a player does not wear golden armor and iron golems when it is created from a village where the player has a reputation of -100 or lower.
• Template:El: Template:Cd
  Template:El: Template:Cd
  • When Template:Cd, players also retain their experience upon death.
  • When Template:Cd, health and hunger are still reset as normal upon death.
  • When Template:Cd, all Minecraft:effects are still removed upon death.<ref>Template:Bug</ref>
  • When Template:Cd, items enchanted with Minecraft:Curse of Vanishing do not disappear upon death.<ref>Template:Bug</ref>
• Template:El: Template:Cd
  Template:El: Template:Cd
  • When Template:Cd, prevents all mobs from modifying the environment in any way. This includes trampling crops and turtle eggs, picking up items, destroying blocks, or moving blocks. Specifically, it prevents:
    • Minecraft:Allays from picking up dropped items.
    • Minecraft:Blazes from creating fire or lighting Minecraft:campfires.
    • Minecraft:Creepers from destroying blocks when they explode, although they still damage entities.
    • Minecraft:Dolphins from picking up dropped items.Template:Only
    • Minecraft:End crystals from destroying blocks when they explode, although they still damage entities.
    • Minecraft:Ender dragons from destroying blocks, causing it to just fly through them instead.
    • Minecraft:Endermen from picking up or placing blocks.
    • Minecraft:Evoker from turning blue Minecraft:sheep red.Template:Only
    • Minecraft:Foxes from picking Minecraft:sweet berries from a sweet berry bush and picking up dropped items.
    • Minecraft:Ghast fireballs from exploding blocks and creating fire. They still damage entities.
    • Minecraft:Piglins from attempting to Minecraft:barter by picking up dropped items; using the item on them still works.
    • Minecraft:Rabbits from eating Minecraft:carrot crops.
    • Minecraft:Ravagers from destroying crops and leaves.
    • Minecraft:Sheep from turning Minecraft:grass blocks into Minecraft:dirt, but does not prevent the regrowth of wool. They still act as if they are eating the grass and regrow their wool upon doing so, but the grass remains and the grass breaking sound does not play.
    • Minecraft:Silverfish from hiding in Minecraft:infested blocks and destroying those blocks when hatching.
    • Minecraft:Snow golems from creating snow trails.
    • Minecraft:Villagers from farming and picking up items. However, they can still open doors and throw items.
    • Minecraft:Withers and their heads from destroying blocks with their explosions. Entities are still damaged, and a Minecraft:wither rose drops as an item.
    • Minecraft:Zombies from breaking doors, picking up items, and attacking Minecraft:turtle eggs.
  • Prevents Minecraft:cobwebs from spawning when a Minecraft:mob with the Minecraft:Weaving effect dies.
  • Has no effect on Minecraft:bees, Minecraft:breezes, Minecraft:frogs, Minecraft:turtles or the Minecraft:player.
• Template:El: Template:Cd
  Template:El: Template:Cd
  • When set to Template:Cd, at least one player is still required to sleep to skip the night.
  • When set to a number greater than Template:Cd, night is not skipped no matter how many players are sleeping.
• Template:El: Template:Cd
  Template:El: Template:Cd
  • Does not affect:
    • Death of Minecraft:coral blocks, Minecraft:coral, and Minecraft:coral fan.
    • Hatching of Minecraft:frogspawn<ref>Template:Bug</ref> and Minecraft:sniffer eggs<ref>Template:Bug</ref>.
• Template:Cd
  • When set to Template:Cd, snow layers do not form at all.
  • When set to Template:Cd or higher, snow forms up to the level of a full block, but no greater than that.
• Template:El: Template:Cd
  Template:El: Template:Cd
  • When set to Template:Cd, TNT Minecarts cannot be ignited.
    • This includes through Activator Rails, Cramming, and destruction while in motion.
• Template:Cd
  • Every neutral mob that can be aggravated targets all nearby players whenever they are aggravated.
  • Bees attack all nearby players when their beehive is broken, regardless of the setting of this gamerule.<ref>Template:Tweet</ref>
    • Bees becoming angry when attacked works as expected.

History

Gallery

Screenshots

• The full "Edit Game Rules" menu as of 26.2
  The full "Edit Game Rules" menu as of 26.2