Screenshot 1 of 1. First-person view of a grassy field by a lake with scattered dropped items and a hotbar, shown in Death Sorter.
What Death Sorter works with.
| Platform | Java Edition |
|---|---|
| Loaders | Fabric, NeoForge |
| Minecraft versions | 1.20.1, 1.21.11 |
| Environment | Client, Server |
Death Sorter is a vanilla-friendly death sorter datapack and mod that restores your inventory layout after you die. Items drop as usual, then slot back into their old positions as you pick them up. It runs on Fabric and NeoForge, and a separate datapack covers the newest releases.
Loaders and versions
- Fabric: Minecraft 1.20.1 to 1.21.11. The newest build requires Architectury API; some builds for 1.21.6 to 1.21.10 need no dependencies.
- NeoForge: Minecraft 1.21 to 1.21.11. The newest build requires Architectury API; some builds for 1.21.6 to 1.21.10 need no dependencies.
- Forge: Minecraft 1.20.1, builds stopped after April 2025. The newest build requires Architectury API.
What it changes
Death Sorter keeps the drop mechanics untouched, including the risk of items being destroyed or despawning. Only the pickup changes. Each item returns to the slot it held before death, armor and offhand slots included, as long as that slot is not already occupied.
That makes it a small quality-of-life fix rather than a gameplay overhaul. Items can still be destroyed or despawn, so a bad death still costs you if you cannot reach them in time.
Installing the mod or the datapack
- 1.Mod route: install Fabric or NeoForge for your Minecraft release (see the guides for Fabric or Forge and NeoForge).
- 2.Add the Death Sorter file and Architectury API to the mods folder, then launch with the loader's profile.
- 3.Datapack route: the plain datapack needs no dependencies and targets 26.1 to 26.2.
- 4.Multiplayer: install it on the host. Players joining can go without it.
Death Sorter Showcase
Questions about Death Sorter.
4 questions
Does Death Sorter work on multiplayer servers?
Yes. It must be installed on the host of the world, and it is optional for players who join. Death behavior stays vanilla, so items still drop and can despawn. Only the slot placement changes when each player picks their items back up.
Is Death Sorter a mod or a datapack?
Both. The Fabric and NeoForge releases are loader mods that need Architectury API in most cases. A separate plain datapack exists for the newest Minecraft releases and requires nothing else. Pick the one that matches your setup.
What happens if an inventory slot is already occupied?
Death Sorter places each item back into its old slot only as long as that slot is not already occupied. That rule applies to armor and offhand slots as well as the main inventory and hotbar.
Does Death Sorter stop items from despawning after death?
No. Items drop as usual, with the same risk of being destroyed or despawning. The mod only restores your inventory layout when you pick the items up again, so you still need to get back to your drops quickly.
