How do I revive a dead player on a hardcore server?

On a hardcore server, a player who dies automatically becomes a spectator. There are three ways to bring them back: manually as an operator, with a revive plugin where living players make a sacrifice, or with a deathban plugin that puts the player back after a fixed time. All three are below.

Method 1: manually as an operator

Type in your panel's console or as an op in the game:

gamemode survival Name
spawnpoint Name 120 64 -300

• gamemode survival takes the player out of spectator. They'll be at the spot where they were floating as a spectator, so ask them to fly to a safe place first or set their position afterwards with tp Name 120 64 -300.
• spawnpoint is optional and makes sure they reappear at an agreed spot on their next death. Without a bed, the world spawn applies otherwise.
• The player starts with an empty inventory. Agree whether the group gives them basic gear.

This method suits groups with one admin and a simple rule, such as "one revive per season".

Method 2: revive plugin with a sacrifice

If you want players to be able to bring each other back themselves, like in the well-known creator seasons, install a revive plugin. Most work like this: a living player places a totem or an agreed set of rare items in an altar or types a command, after which the dead player is put back and the items disappear. Search your panel's plugin library for "hardcore revive" and pick a plugin that's been updated for your Minecraft version. Installation: installing a plugin. Test the plugin with a second account before the season starts.

Method 3: deathban

A deathban plugin automatically puts a dead player back into survival after a fixed time, for example 24 or 72 hours. That's the fairest rule for big groups: nobody has to ask for a revive and the admin doesn't have to do anything. Set the ban time in the plugin's configuration file and restart the server.

If the player isn't in spectator

Sometimes a player closes the game on the death screen and lands on that screen again when logging in. Put them in survival first with the command above; after that they can log in normally.

Set the rules beforehand

The tech is the easy part. Before the season, set down how many revives there are, what they cost and whether a revived player gets their gear back. Changing it halfway through almost always causes arguments. Examples of rule sets are in our blog on running a hardcore season.