> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://darkstarworks.gitbook.io/plugins/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://darkstarworks.gitbook.io/plugins/mc/tcp-documentation/configuration/spawner-presets.yml.md).

# spawner\_presets.yml

**Added in v1.3.1.**

Named templates for `minecraft:trial_spawner` items. Each preset can be handed out via `/tcp give <preset>` to produce a real, placeable trial-spawner block with a custom mob configuration baked in.

{% hint style="info" %}
**What this is for:** server owners who define their own trial-spawner mob pools through a datapack and want a one-command way to deploy preconfigured spawners. No more pasting a 200-character `/give minecraft:trial_spawner[block_entity_data={...}]` string every time.
{% endhint %}

***

## How it works

1. You (or a datapack author) define mob configurations in a Minecraft datapack — see the [Trial Spawner wiki](https://minecraft.wiki/w/Trial_Spawner#Spawner_configuration) for the JSON format.
2. You list named presets in `spawner_presets.yml`, each pointing at one of those datapack configs.
3. `/tcp give <preset>` hands the player a `trial_spawner` item with `block_entity_data` baked in. Placing it produces a working spawner with the configured normal/ominous pools, cooldown, and player range.

The plugin does **not** generate the datapack for you — that's the part Mojang made data-driven, and it's the admin's job. TCP just packages the deployment side.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Trial spawners only.** The YAML schema has no `material:` field — every preset always produces a `TRIAL_SPAWNER`. This is deliberate. Custom crate keys and vault crate items are managed by the [TCP-VaultCrates](https://esmp.fun/) premium module, not this file.
{% endhint %}

***

## File structure

```yaml
presets:
  super_zombie:
    normal-config: "namespace:basic_zombie"
    ominous-config: "namespace:basic_zombie_o"
    required-player-range: 14
    target-cooldown-length: 36000
    display-name: "&6Super Zombie Spawner"
    lore:
      - "&7A custom trial spawner."
      - "&7Place to deploy."

  boss_arena:
    normal-config: "namespace:boss_pool"
    required-player-range: 24
    target-cooldown-length: 72000
    total-mobs: 12
    simultaneous-mobs: 4
    spawn-range: 6
    display-name: "&c&lBoss Arena Spawner"
```

***

## Field reference

| Field                                | Type            | Default      | Description                                                                         |
| ------------------------------------ | --------------- | ------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `normal-config`                      | string          | *(none)*     | Resource location of the datapack-defined spawner config used outside ominous mode. |
| `ominous-config`                     | string          | *(none)*     | Resource location of the datapack-defined spawner config used during ominous mode.  |
| `required-player-range`              | int             | `14`         | How close a player must be (blocks) for the spawner to activate.                    |
| `target-cooldown-length`             | int             | `36000`      | Cooldown in **ticks** after a wave completes (`36000` = 30 min, vanilla default).   |
| `total-mobs`                         | int             | *(datapack)* | Total mobs spawned across the wave. Overrides the datapack value.                   |
| `simultaneous-mobs`                  | int             | *(datapack)* | Maximum live mobs at once. Overrides the datapack value.                            |
| `total-mobs-added-per-player`        | float           | *(datapack)* | Extra total mobs per additional participating player.                               |
| `simultaneous-mobs-added-per-player` | float           | *(datapack)* | Extra concurrent cap per additional player.                                         |
| `ticks-between-spawn`                | int             | *(datapack)* | Tick delay between individual spawns.                                               |
| `spawn-range`                        | int             | *(datapack)* | Radius (blocks) around the spawner where mobs can appear.                           |
| `display-name`                       | string          | *(none)*     | Item name shown in inventory. Supports `&` colour codes.                            |
| `lore`                               | list of strings | *(empty)*    | Item lore lines. Supports `&` colour codes.                                         |

{% hint style="info" %}
At least one of `normal-config` or `ominous-config` must be set, or the preset is skipped at load with a warning. A preset with neither would spawn nothing.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
**`normal-config` and `ominous-config` are resource locations, not inline configs.** They must point at a config defined in a datapack on the server. Inline compound NBT is not supported here. If your datapack isn't installed when a player places the spawner, the spawner will error in the console at activation time — not at `/tcp give`.
{% endhint %}

***

## Using the command

```
/tcp give <preset> [player] [amount]
```

| Argument   | Required?                                     | Default |
| ---------- | --------------------------------------------- | ------- |
| `<preset>` | yes                                           | —       |
| `[player]` | no — must be present if sender is the console | sender  |
| `[amount]` | no                                            | `1`     |

**Permission:** `tcp.give` (default: op). Included in the `tcp.admin.*` aggregate.

**Examples:**

```
/tcp give super_zombie                    # gives self 1 spawner
/tcp give super_zombie Notch              # gives Notch 1 spawner
/tcp give boss_arena Notch 5              # gives Notch 5 spawners
```

If the player's inventory is full, overflow drops at their feet rather than vanishing.

***

## Reloading

After editing `spawner_presets.yml`, run:

```
/tcp reload
```

The preset map is hot-swapped atomically; in-flight `/tcp give` calls are not affected.

***

## Tips

* **Tab completion** lists every loaded preset id when you press `Tab` after `/tcp give`.
* **Preset ids are case-insensitive** in lookups — `Super_Zombie`, `super_zombie`, and `SUPER_ZOMBIE` all resolve to the same preset.
* **Datapack authoring** is documented at the [Minecraft Wiki — Trial Spawner page](https://minecraft.wiki/w/Trial_Spawner#Spawner_configuration). The relevant data folder is `data/<namespace>/trial_spawner/<config_name>.json`.
* **Validate quickly**: copy your `/give` test command into the preset (just the config strings + numbers) and verify the produced item matches the same NBT in F3+H tooltips.

***

## Limitations

### Custom Mob Providers do NOT apply to preset-spawned spawners

TrialChamberPro's [Custom Mob Providers](/plugins/mc/tcp-documentation/configuration/custom-mobs.md) (MythicMobs, EliteMobs, EcoMobs, LevelledMobs, InfernalMobs, Citizens) only intercept trial-spawner spawns **inside a registered chamber**. Spawners placed from `/tcp give` exist as standalone blocks in the world — they are not tied to a chamber — so the provider intercept does not run on them.

This means:

* A spawner placed from a preset will spawn whatever entity its datapack config specifies (vanilla mob types only — `minecraft:zombie`, `minecraft:skeleton`, etc., heavily customizable via NBT but always vanilla entity ids).
* You **cannot** spawn MythicMobs / EliteMobs / etc. creatures from a preset-built spawner placed in the wild, because the datapack JSON has no field for non-vanilla entity ids and TCP's provider intercept is chamber-scoped.

**If you need custom-plugin mobs to spawn from a preset spawner**, place the spawner inside a registered chamber and configure that chamber's custom mob provider (`/tcp mobs <chamber> provider <id>`). The chamber's provider will then intercept the preset spawner's wave the same way it intercepts vanilla-generated spawners in that chamber.

{% hint style="info" %}
This is by design for the free tier. If your use case is deploying placeable trial spawners that work with custom-plugin mobs anywhere on a survival map — not confined to a registered chamber — that's exactly what the [TCP-WildSpawners](https://esmp.fun/) premium add-on provides.
{% endhint %}

***

## Troubleshooting

**Placed a preset spawner outside a chamber and can't mine it back** As of v1.4.5, TCP-preset spawners placed outside any registered chamber can be retrieved using a **Silk Touch** tool. Without Silk Touch the break is blocked and a hint message appears. Mining without Silk Touch (no tool requirement) is available for wild-preset spawners managed by [TCP-WildSpawners](https://esmp.fun/).

**"Unknown preset" when running `/tcp give`** The preset id wasn't loaded. Check the server log on startup or after `/tcp reload` — parse failures and missing-config skips both log a warning.

**Spawner places fine but spawns nothing** The datapack referenced by `normal-config` / `ominous-config` isn't installed (or the resource location is mistyped). Check the server console when a player approaches the spawner.

**`Failed to build item for preset`** The SNBT produced from the preset failed Paper's `ItemFactory` parse. Most likely cause: a stray quote or backslash in `normal-config` / `ominous-config`. Use plain `namespace:config_id` strings.

**File not appearing in plugin folder** `spawner_presets.yml` is created on first plugin load. If it's missing, ensure you ran the server with v1.3.1+ at least once and check write permissions on `plugins/TrialChamberPro/`.