How to Host a Stoneblock 3 Server

What Is Stoneblock 3?

Stoneblock 3 is a skyblock-style modpack turned inside out. Instead of floating in the void on a tiny island, you start completely encased in stone and dig your way outward. The pack is built on Forge for Minecraft 1.19.2 and features tech mods like Mekanism, Thermal Expansion, and Applied Energistics 2 alongside magic options such as Ars Nouveau. The confined environment means chunk generation is lightweight, but the density of machines players build can strain a poorly configured server.

If you want to host a Stoneblock 3 server that runs smoothly from day one, the key is picking the right Java version, allocating enough RAM, and tweaking a few config values that control how aggressively the void world generates.

Server Requirements

Forge and Java Version

Stoneblock 3 runs on Forge for Minecraft 1.19.2. You need Java 17 for this version. Java 8 will not work, and Java 21 is unnecessary since 1.19.2 predates its requirement. On a managed panel, select Java 17 from the dropdown. On a VPS, install openjdk-17-jre-headless. The server pack from CurseForge specifies the exact Forge build, always match it to avoid mod-loading failures.

RAM Allocation

Player Count	Minimum RAM	Recommended RAM
1–5 players	5 GB	6 GB
6–12 players	6 GB	8 GB
12–20 players	8 GB	10 GB

Stoneblock 3 loads around 200 mods, so the baseline memory footprint sits near 3 GB before any player connects. Once players start building Mekanism factories and AE2 networks, memory climbs quickly. Use our RAM calculator for a tailored estimate. If you plan to host a Stoneblock 3 server for a larger group, lean toward the recommended column.

Downloading and Installing

Head to the Stoneblock 3 CurseForge page and grab the server pack. Extract it into your server directory. The pack includes a startup script:

chmod +x startserver.sh
./startserver.sh

On first run, the script installs Forge and downloads libraries. Accept the EULA by editing eula.txt, then restart. The first full boot takes 2 to 4 minutes as mods register their blocks, items, and recipes.

Config Tweaks

Void World Generation

Stoneblock 3 uses a custom void-style world type where players mine outward from a stone shell. Because there is no traditional terrain generation, chunk creation is fast. However, the quest system and loot tables generate data per player. If you have 15+ players, consider trimming quest reward cooldowns in the FTB Quests config to reduce stored data.

Machine Tick Limits

Mekanism machines and Thermal dynamos tick every server tick. When a player builds a wall of 50 induction cells or a bank of 30 pulverizers, each one adds to the tick cost. In Mekanism's config (config/mekanism/general.toml), consider lowering maxMachinesPerTick if TPS drops during heavy automation phases. Thermal's config offers similar rate-limiting options under config/cofh/.

Common Issues

Forge Version Mismatch

The most frequent crash when you host a Stoneblock 3 server is running the wrong Forge build. The pack pins a specific version. If your panel auto-updates Forge, lock it to the version in the server pack. The crash log will show Missing or unsupported mandatory dependencies when this happens.

AE2 Channel Overload

Applied Energistics 2 channels are calculated server-side. A single player with a sprawling, poorly organized AE2 network can cause tick spikes visible to everyone. Encourage players to use compact designs with subnetworks, or limit cable length in the AE2 config.

Memory Creep

Extended play sessions without restarts can cause memory to climb as chunk data accumulates. Schedule a daily restart during off-peak hours. Most hosting panels support scheduled tasks, or use a simple cron job on a VPS.

Performance Tuning

Set view-distance=8 and simulation-distance=6 in server.properties. Because the world is mostly stone, there is little visual benefit from long view distances. Reducing simulation distance keeps distant machines from ticking when no player is nearby.

For JVM flags on Java 17, a solid baseline:

java -Xms5G -Xmx6G -XX:+UseG1GC -XX:MaxGCPauseMillis=130
-XX:+UnlockExperimentalVMOptions -XX:G1NewSizePercent=40
-XX:G1MaxNewSizePercent=50 -XX:G1HeapRegionSize=16M
-XX:G1ReservePercent=15 -XX:InitiatingHeapOccupancyPercent=20
-XX:+AlwaysPreTouch -jar forge-server.jar nogui

Check our JVM flags guide for a deeper breakdown. Monitor performance with Spark (/spark profiler) to pinpoint which mods consume the most tick time. If you are considering other modpacks, our guides on ATM10 and RLCraft cover heavier setups.

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