Overview#
The Wards Mod (often referred to as the Enchanted Book Tower mod) introduces a unique way to utilize surplus enchanted books. Instead of letting them gather dust in chests, players can place them onto a specialized block called a Ward. Once powered, the Ward draws magic from the book to create a zone of influence. Depending on the enchantments present, the Ward will provide powerful status effects to players and unleash magical attacks or debuffs upon hostile mobs.
Wards are highly configurable and support integration with other mods like Quark and Charm. They serve as a magical alternative to mechanical turrets, providing base defense and player utility through the existing enchantment system.
Blocks#
The Ward
The Ward is the central block of the mod. It features a pedestal design with a floating book on top when active. Its appearance changes based on its state and mode.
- Visual States:
- Closed Book: The Ward is inactive or out of power.
- Open Book: The Ward is active and fueled.
- Cobblestone Base: Standard survival Ward.
- Iron Base: Admin Mode Ward (indestructible and infinite power).
Ward Core
The Ward Core is a rare component required to craft a Ward. It is found exclusively as loot in the world and must be repaired before it can be used in a crafting recipe.
Items#
Broken Ward Core
A non-functional version of the Ward Core found in loot chests. It must be combined with precious materials to restore its magical properties.
Enchanted Paper
A concentrated source of magical fuel. It is significantly more efficient than Lapis Lazuli for powering Wards.
| Item | Fuel Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lapis Lazuli | 10,000 units | Powers an active Ward for 1 Minecraft day. |
| Enchanted Paper | 15,000 units | Crafted from any enchanted book. |
Mechanics#
Power System
Wards require fuel to function. They have an internal buffer of 100,000 units.
- Activation: A Ward becomes active as soon as an enchanted book is placed on it (Right-click).
- Consumption:
- Active Drain: 20 units per action (buffing or attacking).
- Passive Drain: Inactive Wards (no book or disabled) drain power at 1/10th the normal rate.
- Combat Cost: Firing at a target consumes 0.5 seconds worth of power.
Range and Enchantments
A Ward's effective range is determined by the level of its Primary Enchantment (the highest level enchantment on the book).
- Range Formula:
5 + (2 * Level), capped at a maximum of 15 blocks. - Dual Enchantments: Wards support up to two enchantments. The strongest two are selected automatically. Secondary enchantments are always treated as Level 1 for their effects.
Interference
Placing two active Wards within 15 blocks of each other causes magical interference. Both Wards will deactivate and pulse redstone particles toward the interfering block until one is moved.
Redstone Control
Wards can be toggled using Redstone signals:
- Power Level > 1: Disables the "Expel Magic" (offensive) function.
- Power Level > 12: Disables the Ward entirely.
- Stick Interaction: Right-clicking a Ward with a Stick toggles "Display Mode," which keeps the book open for decoration but disables all magical functions.
Enchantment Effects#
The effects of a Ward depend on the category of the enchantments in the book.
| Category | Enchantments | Player Buff (Empower) | Mob Effect (Expel) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combat | Sharpness, Knockback, Power, Punch, Riptide | Strength IV | Damages nearby enemies with magical bolts. |
| Fortress | Protection, Projectile Protection, Unbreaking, Feather Falling, Thorns | Resistance IV | Applies Weakness to nearby enemies. |
| Fire | Fire Protection, Fire Aspect, Flame | Fire Resistance | Sets nearby enemies on fire. |
| Destruction | Channeling, Blast Protection, Sweeping Edge, Multishot | Absorption IV | Applies a stacking debuff; enemies explode after 3 hits. |
| Hunter | Impaling, Smite, Bane of Arthropods, Piercing | Luck | Damages enemies with a chance to drop XP orbs. |
| Water | Respiration, Aqua Affinity, Depth Strider, Loyalty | Water Breathing | Damages enemies; damage is tripled in water or rain. |
Crafting & Recipes#
Repairing the Core
To create a functional Ward, you must first repair a Broken Ward Core found in the world.
| Input | Ingredients | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Broken Ward Core | 4x Diamond + 4x Obsidian | Repaired Ward Core |
Crafting the Ward
Once you have a Repaired Ward Core, you can assemble the Ward block.
| Input | Ingredients | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Repaired Ward Core | 4x Stone Slabs + 4x Cobblestone | Ward |
Enchanted Paper
Enchanted Paper is a shapeless recipe used to convert unwanted books into fuel.
| Input | Ingredients | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Enchanted Book | 1x Any Enchanted Book | Enchanted Paper |
World Generation#
Wards cannot be created entirely from scratch. Players must explore the world to find Broken Ward Cores. These items generate in the loot tables of the following structures:
- Shipwrecks
- Buried Treasure Chests
This mechanic encourages exploration and makes the acquisition of a Ward a significant milestone in survival gameplay.
Admin Mode#
Server administrators and players with OP permissions can activate Admin Mode on a Ward.
- Activation: Right-click a Ward with a Command Block.
- Features:
- The base of the Ward turns into Iron.
- The Ward has infinite power and does not require fuel.
- Only OPs can change the enchanted book on the Ward.
- The block becomes indestructible to non-admin players.
Configuration#
The mod includes a configuration file (wards-common.toml) that allows server owners to customize the experience:
- Enchantment Categories: Define which enchantments belong to which category (Combat, Fortress, etc.).
- Curse Restrictions: A list of curses (like Vanishing or Binding) that are ignored by the Ward.
- Allowed Items: Configure which items can be placed on the Ward. By default, only enchanted books are allowed, but this can be expanded to include enchanted tools or weapons.
- Power Sources: Add or remove items that can be used as fuel for the Ward.
