Cobblemon is built for multiplayer — trading, battling your friends' teams and filling a Pokédex together is most of the point — but there is no official Cobblemon server to join. If you want to play with friends, somebody runs the server. The good news is that a Cobblemon server is one of the simplest modded servers there is.
Here's how to set one up — the self-hosted way first, then the shortcut.
What a Cobblemon server actually needs
Less than people expect. The Cobblemon Official Modpack that most players install is mostly client-side: shaders, sounds, performance and quality-of-life mods. Its own Modrinth page says the pack connects to servers that run only Cobblemon and Fabric API. So the server needs three things:
- Minecraft 1.21.1 with the Fabric loader. Cobblemon also ships a NeoForge build, but the official modpack is Fabric — keep the server on the same loader as your players.
- Fabric API and the Cobblemon jar, on the same Cobblemon version your players have. At the time of writing (late October 2026) that is Cobblemon 1.8.4, released for 1.21.1 on 27 October.
- Java 21, which Minecraft 1.21.1 requires.
On memory: the client pack asks for 2.5–3GB, but a server carries everyone's spawns at once. Cobblemon's load is its creatures — every player keeps a population of Pokémon ticking around them — so 6GB is the floor for a small group and 8GB is comfortable. The reasoning across packs is in our modded Minecraft RAM guide.
Self-hosting, step by step
- Install the Fabric server. Download the Fabric server launcher for Minecraft 1.21.1 from fabricmc.net into an empty folder and run it once to fetch its libraries.
- Add the mods. Put Fabric API and the Cobblemon jar for 1.21.1 into the
mods folder.
- Accept the EULA. Edit
eula.txt to eula=true and start the server again.
- Allocate memory in your start command — for example
java -Xmx8G -jar <the Fabric server jar> nogui on a machine with 12GB or more, always leaving headroom for the OS.
- Open the port. Forward TCP 25565 on your router to the machine running the server, and give friends your public IP.
- Lock it down. Turn on the whitelist (
whitelist on, then whitelist add <name>) before the address goes anywhere public.
That works — with the usual self-hosting fine print. The world exists only while that PC is on, your home upload carries every player's traffic, your IP is the address everyone shares, and if the same machine is also playing, the server and a modded client are competing for the same RAM.
Getting your friends in
Each player installs the Cobblemon Official Modpack (Modrinth, CurseForge or any launcher that reads either) on the same Cobblemon version as the server, then adds your address under Multiplayer. That's the whole client setup.
The one rule that matters: versions must match. Cobblemon updates often, and a friend on a different version gets kicked with a mod or registry mismatch. This is also why packs built on Cobblemon don't mix freely — Cobbleverse, for example, currently ships Cobblemon 1.7.3, so its players can't join a 1.8.4 server.
Keeping Cobblemon updated
- Back up the world first. Every time.
- Update the server's Cobblemon jar, then have every player update their pack to the matching version.
- Read the changelog for big version jumps. Minor updates are drop-in; major ones can change spawns and data, and the backup is your undo button.
Adding gyms, trainers and more
Base Cobblemon is Pokémon added to survival — there are no gyms, Elite Four or trainer NPCs out of the box. Those come from addons you add to the server and to every player's client, or from a pack that has already assembled them. If that structure is what your group wants, Cobbleverse is Cobblemon with gyms, leagues and regions built in; Cobblemon vs Pixelmon compares all four Pokémon options side by side.
The shortcut
Everything above is what Cobblemon server hosting automates. Order with the Cobblemon Official Modpack pre-selected and provisioning installs it on Fabric 1.21.1 with the right Java, on a plan sized to the pack's real memory needs. Whitelist, console, file manager, scheduled off-server backups and pack updates live in the panel, and the server runs 24/7 in a datacenter region near your group — so the world keeps going when you log off.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I play Cobblemon with friends?
Someone runs a server — Cobblemon has no official one. The server needs Fabric, Fabric API and Cobblemon for Minecraft 1.21.1; every player installs the Cobblemon Official Modpack on the same version and joins by address. A hosted server does the server half for you.
How much RAM does a Cobblemon server need?
6GB for a small private group, 8GB recommended. The cost is creature entities rather than mod count — busy evenings with many players spread across the map are the heaviest case.
Can my friends join with just the Cobblemon mod, not the whole modpack?
Yes. The server only needs Cobblemon and Fabric API, and players can join with any client that has the same Cobblemon version on Fabric. The official modpack is just the easiest way to get a good-looking, well-performing client.
Can Bedrock or console players join a Cobblemon server?
No. Cobblemon adds creatures and mechanics that only exist for Java Edition clients, so everyone needs Java with Cobblemon installed.
Why can't my friend join my Cobblemon server?
Almost always a version mismatch — their Cobblemon version, loader or Minecraft version differs from the server's. Check all three match before anything else. If they're playing a different Cobblemon-based pack, it may be on an older Cobblemon entirely.