🌟 Getting Started

Welcome to EquestriCraft! This guide covers the essentials every new player should know, from finding your way around Ventura to understanding ranks, XP, horse limits, and the best ways to progress.

🧩 Installing the Mod

Joining EquestriCraft requires the correct client setup. Players must use the supported mod and loader versions to connect successfully.

Required Files

Players need the following:

- The latest version of the EquestriCraft mod
- GeckoLib 5
- NeoForge 26.1.2-78

Launch Requirements

The game must be launched through a NeoForge installation that matches the server version requirements. A standard vanilla instance or an incorrectly configured installation will not connect.

 Common Connection Issue

One of the most common errors occurs when the client and server mod connection data do not match. This usually means:

- NeoForge was not installed correctly
- The player is not launching through NeoForge
- The installed mod version is outdated
- GeckoLib is not installed

GeckoLib Requirement

If EquestriCraft fails to load correctly, the most likely cause is a missing or incompatible GeckoLib installation. GeckoLib 5 is required for proper loading.

👋 Welcome to EquestriCraft

Welcome to EquestriCraft!

When you first join the server, you will arrive in the beautiful city of Vyheimer, Ventura. Take a little time to look around, explore the area, and get familiar with the city before starting your journey.

If you are ready to begin progressing, speak to the Captain to start your quests. Quests are one of the most important early-game systems and are the best way to begin earning XP, learning the world, and unlocking progression.

🧭 Finding Your Way Around

Ventura is full of useful locations, so learning how to get around early on will make everything much easier.

Useful Navigation Commands

/compass
Adds a compass to the top-right corner of your screen and helps guide you to important places.

/navigator
Lets you teleport back to Ventura if you leave the city. It can also help you get to useful locations such as:

If you ever feel lost, /navigator is one of the best tools to use.

⌨️ Essential Commands

These are some of the most useful commands for new players:

/menu
Opens the main EquestriCraft menu.

/quest
Opens your quest system and helps you track progression.

/bal
Checks your balance.

/nickname builder
Lets you create or edit your nickname. You can add color codes, and bold formatting if you have a donator rank.

What You Can Find in /menu

The main menu gives quick access to many core systems, including:

These are some of the main tools you will use throughout your time on the server.

🐴 Basic Horse Commands

Useful horse commands include:

🎁 Starter Horse Options

When you first begin your journey, you can choose from a selection of starter horse breeds. This gives new players a strong starting point while still leaving plenty more breeds to unlock through progression later on.

Starter horse options include:

Your starter horse is the beginning of your journey, so it is worth picking a breed you will enjoy riding and progressing with!

🐴 Creating Your Horse

Breed Progression

Not every breed is available immediately. Breed access is unlocked gradually through rank progression.

Players can review unlocked breeds through:

`/menu > Progression > Breeds`

Creation Requirements

To complete horse creation successfully, all required fields must be selected and the entered values must be valid for the chosen breed.

Important fields include:

- Name
- Weight
- Height
- Age
- Breed

Permanent Choices

Horse creation choices are intended to be final. If an incorrect option is selected during creation, the horse’s original attributes generally cannot be edited afterward.

Stat Variation

Created horses do not all spawn with identical stats. Instead, they are generated within a small stat range to provide variety between horses of the same breed.

This means two horses of the same breed may begin with slightly different strengths. Over time, those differences can be refined further through training and breeding.

🐎 Breed Rank Progression

As you rank up on EquestriCraft, you also unlock access to more horse breeds. This means progression is not only about earning more XP and increasing your horse limit, but also about expanding the variety of breeds available to you over time.

Beginner

Novice

Trainee

Apprentice

Intermediate

Advanced

Experienced

Master

Professional

Expert

Instructor

Mentor

Elite

Champion

Grand Prix

Olympian

Medalist

If there is a breed you really want in the future, checking its required rank early can help you plan your progression goals.

 

📈 Ranks, XP, and Horse Limits

Every player on EquestriCraft has a rank. You begin as a Beginner and work your way up by earning XP through server activities such as questing, horse care, events, and regular participation.

As you rank up, you unlock:

Rank List

Beginner
XP Required: 0
Horse Limit: 2

Novice
XP Required: 500 XP
Horse Limit: 3

Trainee
XP Required: 1,000 XP
Horse Limit: 5

Apprentice
XP Required: 1,500 XP
Horse Limit: 10

Intermediate
XP Required: 2,500 XP
Horse Limit: 13

Advanced
XP Required: 7,500 XP
Horse Limit: 15

Experienced
XP Required: 15,000 XP
Horse Limit: 18

Master
XP Required: 35,000 XP
Horse Limit: 20

Professional
XP Required: 75,000 XP
Horse Limit: 22

Expert
XP Required: 125,000 XP
Horse Limit: 25

Instructor
XP Required: 200,000 XP
Horse Limit: 27

Mentor
XP Required: 400,000 XP
Horse Limit: 30

Elite
XP Required: 750,000 XP
Horse Limit: 35

Champion
XP Required: 1,000,000 XP
Horse Limit: 40

Grand Prix
XP Required: 1,200,000 XP
Horse Limit: 45

Olympian
XP Required: 1,500,000 XP
Horse Limit: 50

Medalist
XP Required: 2,000,000 XP
Horse Limit: 55

🧭 Ventura Navigation

General Navigation

Many important locations can be found with /compass. This is one of the most useful tools for locating shops and service areas.

Horse carriage travel can also help players move between major points more easily.

Reaching Race Areas

Training races are mainly found in Lunvara and Arynvahl.

Players can reach these areas by using /navigator:

- University leads toward Lunvara
- Showgrounds leads toward Arynvahl

Important Service Locations

Several progression-related services are tied to physical locations, including:

- The Discipline Registry
- The Horse Registry Office
- Reynold’s Grain & Forage Co
- The Pharmacy
- The Mane Stylist

Most of these can be located through /compass.

Quest Navigation

Quest objectives can also be tracked through the quest interface.

If a player cannot find a quest NPC or location:

1. Open /quest
2. Select the relevant quest
3. Press Set Compass Point

When actively on a quest, the minimap may also show directional markers or hints to guide the player

⭐ Earning XP

Player progression on EquestriCraft is measured through Experience Points (XP).

XP is earned through participation, consistency, and horsemanship. The more active you are, the more you progress.

As you earn XP, you can unlock:

  • Increased horse limits
  • Breeding access
  • Higher ranks

📖 Quests

For most new players, quests are the best and most important way to begin progressing.

The Vyheimer Storyline

Vyheimer has its own story and lore, and following the main questline is one of the best ways to settle into the world while earning structured XP.

Seasonal Quests

Throughout the year, seasonal quests may appear for special events and limited-time server content. These can offer extra XP and special opportunities to participate in server life.

Daily Quests

Daily quests can be repeated and are a great source of regular progression. If you want steady XP, it is worth checking in on them consistently.

New players are strongly encouraged to begin their server journey through quests first.

🏇 Mounted Progression

Once you own a horse and are settled in, you can begin earning XP through active riding and general horse involvement. You can choose a discipline for your horse and work towards leveling up your horse throuh training. 

Time spent riding reflects your partnership and commitment. Mounted progression helps reward players who stay active with their horses and continue engaging with the server over time.

🏆 Competitions

Staff-run competitions can also be a strong source of progression.

Official events may reward:

  • Money
  • XP
  • Ribbons & Trophies
  • Recognition

These events are a great way to become more involved in the community while also earning valuable rewards.

🧼 Daily Horse Care

Responsible horse care is one of the most reliable ways to earn steady XP.

Completing your horse’s daily care grants 25 XP per horse per day, as long as the required tasks are completed.

Daily Care Tasks

  • Brushing
  • Cleaning hooves
  • Feeding
  • Watering

Because this can be done regularly, daily care is one of the best consistent XP sources available to all players.

Stablehands

Horse owners can also hire player stablehands to complete daily care tasks.

This helps create activity in the player economy because:

  • Owners can keep their horses maintained
  • Workers can earn money
  • Workers can also earn XP through care tasks

🏠 Salesbarn, Surrenders, and Rescue

The Salesbarn

The Salesbarn keeps only a limited number of horses visible in the stalls. A larger catalog is available through the entrance NPC.

Breed Restrictions

Salesbarn purchases still follow breed progression rules. Players may only buy horses from breeds they have already unlocked through rank progression.

Unlocked breeds can be reviewed at:

/menu > Progression > Breeds

Purchase Cooldown

Players may buy one Salesbarn horse every 16 hours

Purpose of Salesbarn Horses

Salesbarn horses help players expand herd size, improve breeding variety, and sometimes acquire horses with a small amount of prior training.

Elmer's Rescue

Elmer serves as a permanent horse surrender option for unwanted horses.

Players may surrender up to 15 horses per month for $500 each. Horses surrendered this way are permanently removed and cannot be recovered later.

Elmer is currently located at:

/plot visit Sycamoree

Rescue System

A broader server owned rescue is planned. Compared with Elmer, the rescue is intended to accept fewer horses while offering better compensation and allowing those horses to re-enter circulation later through future purchase.