BetterHarvestLevel

Take full control of your modpack's mining progression. BetterHarvestLevel lets you define custom tool tiers, override harvest levels for any block or tool, and unify cross-mod progression — all through simple JSON config files.

Features

Custom Tier Definitions

Define your own mining tiers beyond vanilla's wood/stone/iron/diamond/netherite hierarchy. Each tier supports:

• Custom name, display name, and color
• Numeric level for ordering
• Configurable icon item (shown in Jade tooltips)
• Insertion point (after/before) for precise tier ordering

Block & Tool Overrides

Override which tier is required to mine any block, or what tier any tool belongs to. Target overrides by:

• Individual ID — minecraft:obsidian, create:brass_block
• Tag — #minecraft:needs_iron_tool
• Mod namespace — create:* (all blocks/items from a mod)
• Regex — pattern-match across the entire registry

Tier Equivalence Groups

Group tiers that should be treated as equivalent for mining purposes. Useful for mods that add parallel progression paths (e.g., making a modded alloy tier equivalent to iron).

Config Layering

Split your overrides across multiple files for organization. Use blocks.json, blocks_create.json, blocks_thermal.json, etc. — BetterHarvestLevel merges them all automatically in alphabetical order. Keep per-mod configs clean and separate.

Jade/WAILA Integration

Blocks with BHL overrides display their required tier in the Jade tooltip, complete with:

• Tier name in its configured color
• A harvestability indicator (green checkmark or red X) based on your held tool
• The tier's icon item

In-Game Commands

• /bhl check held — Show the BHL tier of your held tool
• /bhl check looking — Show the required tier of the block you're looking at
• /bhl info — List all registered tiers and override counts
• /bhl reload — Hot-reload all config files without restarting

Mod Ignore List

Exclude entire mods from override resolution so their blocks and tools are left untouched.

Supported Versions

| Loader | Minecraft Version |
|---|---|
| Forge | 1.20.1 |
| Fabric | 1.20.1 |
| NeoForge | 1.21.1 |
| Fabric | 1.21.1 |

Getting Started

1. Install the mod and launch the game once. Config files are generated in .minecraft/config/betterharvestlevel/.
2. Edit tiers.json to define your tier hierarchy.
3. Add block overrides in blocks.json (or create per-mod files like blocks_create.json).
4. Add tool overrides in tools.json (or per-mod files like tools_thermal.json).
5. Optionally define equivalence groups in equivalences.json.
6. Use /bhl reload in-game to apply changes instantly.

Example: Adding a custom tier and overriding a block

tiers.json — Add a "copper" tier between stone and iron:

{
  "tiers": [
    { "name": "wood", "level": 0, "displayName": "Wood", "color": "#A0522D", "builtIn": true },
    { "name": "stone", "level": 1, "displayName": "Stone", "color": "#AAAAAA", "builtIn": true },
    { "name": "copper", "level": 2, "displayName": "Copper", "color": "#E8851C", "builtIn": false, "iconItem": "minecraft:copper_ingot" },
    { "name": "iron", "level": 3, "displayName": "Iron", "color": "#FFFFFF", "builtIn": true },
    { "name": "diamond", "level": 4, "displayName": "Diamond", "color": "#55FFFF", "builtIn": true },
    { "name": "netherite", "level": 5, "displayName": "Netherite", "color": "#555555", "builtIn": true }
  ]
}

blocks.json — Require the copper tier to mine lapis ore:

{
  "overrides": [
    { "target": "minecraft:lapis_ore", "type": "block", "requiredTier": "copper" },
    { "target": "minecraft:deepslate_lapis_ore", "type": "block", "requiredTier": "copper" }
  ]
}

For Modpack Developers

BetterHarvestLevel is built specifically for modpack developers who need granular control over mining progression. Ship your tier and override configs with your modpack — no end-user configuration needed. The layered config system means you can organize overrides per-mod and easily add or remove mod-specific files as your modpack evolves.