1What's in the lifesteal template
| Server |  Paper 26.2, build 129 |
|---|---|
| Java | 25 |
| Memory | 4 GB, 3 GB of it for Java |
| Rules | Normal difficulty, PvP on, up to 20 players |
| Plugin | LifeStealZ 2.21.1 · GPL-3.0 |
| Plugin | Chunky 1.5.3 · GPL-3.0 |
| Plugin | CoreProtect 24.1 · Artistic-2.0 |
| Checked | 28 Sep 2026: created and started on Playkeeper 0.4.2, ready in 12 seconds with every plugin enabled |
2How lifesteal plays with LifeStealZ
From the settings LifeStealZ wrote when the test server started:
- Everyone starts with 10 hearts, and can reach 20. A kill moves one heart from the victim to the killer.
- A player on 0 hearts is eliminated and banned, until a friend revives them with a revive beacon or an operator types
/revive. /withdrawheartturns a heart into an item to trade or use later.
3Defaults worth changing before the first fight
| Setting | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| looseHeartsToNature | true | Mobs, falls and lava take a heart too. Set false so only players can take hearts. |
| disablePlayerBanOnElimination | false | Players on 0 hearts are banned. Set true to let them stay online. |
| gracePeriod: enabled | false | A 60-second grace period when on, in which players can't hurt each other or lose hearts. |
| maxHearts | 20 | The most hearts anyone can hold. |
They're in plugins/LifeStealZ/config.yml on the Files tab; restart the server after changing them. In items.yml, a heart costs three gold blocks, two obsidian, a nether star and three diamond blocks to craft, and a revive beacon takes 30 seconds to bring someone back.
4Open it in one click
Playkeeper runs your server on a VPS you rent. Install it with one command:
curl -fsSL https://playkeeper.io/install | sudo sh
Open the template below
Your dashboard shows PvP on and the three plugins before anything installs.
Create and start it, then set the defaults above
Edit them on the Files tab and restart once.
Pre-generate the world
Pre-generate on the World tab runs Chunky, so fights in new land don't lag.
5The same server by hand, with Docker
# Lifesteal SMP: Paper 26.2 on Java 25, 4 GB in all
docker run -d --name lifesteal-smp -p 25565:25565 \
--memory 4G --memory-swap 4G \
-e EULA=TRUE -e TYPE=PAPER -e VERSION=26.2 -e MEMORY=3G -e USE_AIKAR_FLAGS=TRUE \
-e DIFFICULTY=normal -e PVP=true -e MAX_PLAYERS=20 \
-e MODRINTH_PROJECTS=lifestealz,chunky,coreprotect \
-v lifesteal-smp-data:/data itzg/minecraft-server:java25
Open TCP 25565 in your provider's firewall.
Questions
What's the best lifesteal plugin?
LifeStealZ is the most downloaded on Modrinth, with 417,224 downloads, has builds for Minecraft 26.2, and is open source under GPL-3.0. This template uses version 2.21.1.
How do you get hearts back in lifesteal?
Kill a player, use a heart item someone withdrew, or craft one from gold blocks, obsidian, a nether star and diamond blocks.
What happens at zero hearts?
The player is eliminated and banned. A revive beacon or an operator's /revive brings them back, or set disablePlayerBanOnElimination to true.
How much RAM does a lifesteal server need?
4 GB for a small group, as this template sets. The sizing guide gives 11 to 20 players with plugins 12 GB.
Open it in your dashboard
Lifesteal SMP
Paper · Minecraft 26.2 · 4 GBPaper · 4 GB
LifeStealZ, Chunky and CoreProtect
Open in my dashboardOpen the Lifesteal SMP template
Survival with friends
Paper · Minecraft 26.2 · 4 GBPaper · 4 GB
Chunky, CoreProtect and Simple Voice Chat
Open in my dashboardOpen the Survival with friends template