Create a Custom Crafting Bench

Goal

Build a Crystal Anvil crafting bench, a Crystal Sword with a charged projectile attack, and Light Charge ammunition — all craftable from the bench. You will learn how crafting benches, interaction chains, the Charging interaction type, and projectile systems connect.

What You’ll Learn

• How crafting benches are defined using the Bench block type property
• How State with Id: "crafting" is required for the bench UI to open
• How to create categories that organise recipes within the bench UI
• How InteractionVars override vanilla sword behaviour to add custom attacks
• How the Charging interaction type creates hold-to-charge mechanics with visual effects
• How ModifyInventory consumes ammo and chains into Parallel interactions
• How to define projectiles, projectile configs, and a custom damage type

Prerequisites

• A mod folder with a valid manifest.json (see Setup Your Dev Environment)
• Familiarity with block definitions (see Create a Custom Block)
• Familiarity with item definitions (see Create a Custom Item)

Companion mod repository: hytale-guide-create-a-crafting-bench

---

Crafting Bench Overview

Crafting benches in Hytale are items that contain an inline BlockType with a Bench configuration. Unlike pure blocks that need a separate Block JSON and BlockTypeList, benches define everything in a single Item JSON file — the same pattern used by vanilla benches like Bench_Weapon and Bench_Armory.

Key differences from regular blocks:

• No separate Block JSON in Server/Item/Block/Blocks/
• No BlockTypeList entry needed
• The State block with Id: "crafting" is mandatory for the crafting UI to work
• The Bench object defines the crafting type, categories, and tier levels

---

Step 1: Set Up the Mod File Structure

CreateACraftingBench/
├── manifest.json
├── Common/
│   ├── Blocks/HytaleModdingManual/
│   │   └── Armory_Crystal_Glow.blockymodel
│   ├── BlockTextures/HytaleModdingManual/
│   │   └── Armory_Crystal_Glow.png
│   └── Items/Weapons/Crystal/
│       ├── Weapon_Sword_Crystal_Glow.blockymodel
│       └── Weapon_Sword_Crystal_Glow.png
└── Server/
    ├── Entity/Damage/
    │   └── Crystal_Light.json
    ├── Item/
    │   ├── Interactions/HytaleModdingManual/
    │   │   ├── Crystal_Sword_Charge.json
    │   │   ├── Crystal_Sword_Charged_Entry.json
    │   │   ├── Crystal_Sword_Shoot_Bolt.json
    │   │   ├── Crystal_Sword_Special.json
    │   │   └── Crystal_Light_Bolt_Damage.json
    │   ├── Items/HytaleModdingManual/
    │   │   ├── Bench_Armory_Crystal_Glow.json
    │   │   ├── Weapon_Sword_Crystal_Glow.json
    │   │   └── Weapon_Arrow_Crystal_Glow.json
    │   └── RootInteractions/HytaleModdingManual/
    │       └── Crystal_Sword_Special.json
    ├── Projectiles/
    │   └── Crystal_Light_Bolt.json
    ├── ProjectileConfigs/HytaleModdingManual/
    │   └── Projectile_Config_Crystal_Light_Bolt.json
    └── Languages/
        ├── en-US/server.lang
        ├── es/server.lang
        └── pt-BR/server.lang

manifest.json

{
  "Group": "HytaleModdingManual",
  "Name": "CreateACraftingBench",
  "Version": "2.0.0",
  "Description": "Crystal Anvil bench, Crystal Sword with projectile attacks, Light Charges ammo, and Crystal Light element",
  "Authors": [
    {
      "Name": "HytaleModdingManual"
    }
  ],
  "Dependencies": {
    "HytaleModdingManual:CreateACustomBlock": "1.0.0",
    "HytaleModdingManual:CreateACustomTree": "1.0.0"
  },
  "OptionalDependencies": {},
  "IncludesAssetPack": true
}

IncludesAssetPack is true because we have Common assets (models and textures). The Dependencies list the mods that provide resources used in the recipes (Crystal Glow ore and Enchanted Wood).

---

Step 2: Create the Bench Item Definition

Create the bench at Server/Item/Items/HytaleModdingManual/Bench_Armory_Crystal_Glow.json:

{
  "TranslationProperties": {
    "Name": "server.items.Bench_Armory_Crystal_Glow.name",
    "Description": "server.items.Bench_Armory_Crystal_Glow.description"
  },
  "Quality": "Rare",
  "Icon": "Icons/ItemsGenerated/Bench_Armory_Crystal_Glow.png",
  "Categories": [
    "Furniture.Benches"
  ],
  "Recipe": {
    "TimeSeconds": 10.0,
    "KnowledgeRequired": false,
    "Input": [
      {
        "ItemId": "Ore_Crystal_Glow",
        "Quantity": 3
      },
      {
        "ItemId": "Wood_Enchanted_Trunk",
        "Quantity": 10
      },
      {
        "ItemId": "Ingredient_Bar_Gold",
        "Quantity": 5
      }
    ],
    "BenchRequirement": [
      {
        "Type": "Crafting",
        "Categories": [
          "Workbench_Crafting"
        ],
        "Id": "Workbench",
        "RequiredTierLevel": 2
      }
    ]
  },
  "BlockType": {
    "Material": "Solid",
    "DrawType": "Model",
    "Opacity": "Transparent",
    "CustomModel": "Blocks/HytaleModdingManual/Armory_Crystal_Glow.blockymodel",
    "CustomModelTexture": [
      {
        "Texture": "BlockTextures/HytaleModdingManual/Armory_Crystal_Glow.png",
        "Weight": 1
      }
    ],
    "VariantRotation": "NESW",
    "HitboxType": "Bench_Weapon",
    "State": {
      "Id": "crafting",
      "Definitions": {
        "CraftCompleted": {
          "Looping": true
        },
        "CraftCompletedInstant": {}
      }
    },
    "Gathering": {
      "Breaking": {
        "GatherType": "Benches",
        "ItemId": "Bench_Armory_Crystal_Glow"
      }
    },
    "Light": {
      "Color": "#88ccff"
    },
    "Bench": {
      "Type": "Crafting",
      "LocalOpenSoundEventId": "SFX_Weapon_Bench_Open",
      "LocalCloseSoundEventId": "SFX_Weapon_Bench_Close",
      "CompletedSoundEventId": "SFX_Weapon_Bench_Craft",
      "Id": "Armory_Crystal_Glow",
      "Categories": [
        {
          "Id": "Crystal_Glow_Sword",
          "Name": "server.benchCategories.crystal_glow_sword",
          "Icon": "Icons/CraftingCategories/Armory/Sword.png"
        }
      ],
      "TierLevels": [
        {
          "CraftingTimeReductionModifier": 0.0
        }
      ]
    },
    "BlockSoundSetId": "Crystal",
    "ParticleColor": "#88ccff",
    "Support": {
      "Down": [
        {
          "FaceType": "Full"
        }
      ]
    },
    "BlockParticleSetId": "Crystal"
  },
  "PlayerAnimationsId": "Block",
  "IconProperties": {
    "Scale": 0.5,
    "Rotation": [
      22.5,
      45,
      22.5
    ],
    "Translation": [
      13,
      -14
    ]
  },
  "Tags": {
    "Type": [
      "Bench"
    ]
  },
  "MaxStack": 1,
  "ItemSoundSetId": "ISS_Items_Gems"
}

Key bench fields explained

Field	Purpose
Bench.Type	Must be "Crafting" for recipe-based benches
Bench.Id	Unique identifier that recipes reference in their BenchRequirement
Bench.Categories	Array of category tabs shown in the bench UI. Each has an Id, Icon, and translation Name
Bench.TierLevels	Array of upgrade tiers. Each can have CraftingTimeReductionModifier (percentage faster) and UpgradeRequirement
State	Required. Must have "Id": "crafting" for the bench UI to open on interaction
VariantRotation	"NESW" lets the bench face four directions when placed
HitboxType	Reuses "Bench_Weapon" hitbox for the interaction area
Light.Color	Emits a soft blue glow (#88ccff)
Support.Down	Requires a full block face below to place

State is mandatory

Without the State block, the bench will place in the world but the crafting UI will not open when you interact with it. There is no error in the logs — it silently fails. Every vanilla bench (Bench_Weapon, Bench_Armory, Bench_Campfire) includes this State configuration.

Category structure

Each category in the Categories array defines a tab in the crafting UI:

{
  "Id": "Crystal_Glow_Sword",
  "Name": "server.benchCategories.crystal_glow_sword",
  "Icon": "Icons/CraftingCategories/Armory/Sword.png"
}

• Id — The category identifier that recipes reference to appear under this tab
• Icon — Path to the icon PNG displayed on the category tab (we reuse the vanilla Sword icon)
• Name — Translation key for the category label text

---

Step 3: Create a Recipe That Uses the Bench

Any item with a Recipe can reference your bench through BenchRequirement. The connection is made by matching BenchRequirement.Id to your bench’s Bench.Id, and Categories to the category tabs the recipe appears under.

For example, the Crystal Glow Sword recipe references our bench:

{
  "Recipe": {
    "TimeSeconds": 8.0,
    "Input": [
      {
        "ItemId": "Ore_Crystal_Glow",
        "Quantity": 10
      },
      {
        "ItemId": "Wood_Enchanted_Trunk",
        "Quantity": 50
      },
      {
        "ItemId": "Ingredient_Leather_Heavy",
        "Quantity": 10
      }
    ],
    "BenchRequirement": [
      {
        "Type": "Crafting",
        "Id": "Armory_Crystal_Glow",
        "Categories": [
          "Crystal_Glow_Sword"
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

BenchRequirement fields

Field	Purpose
Type	Must be "Crafting" to match a crafting bench
Id	Must exactly match the Bench.Id from your bench definition (case-sensitive)
Categories	Array of category IDs this recipe appears under. Must match a category Id from the bench
RequiredTierLevel	Minimum bench tier required. Omit for tier 0 (no upgrade needed)

---

Step 4: Add Translation Keys

Create language files at Server/Languages/<locale>/server.lang:

English (en-US/server.lang)

items.Bench_Armory_Crystal_Glow.name = Crystal Anvil
items.Bench_Armory_Crystal_Glow.description = A crystal anvil for forging crystal weapons.
benchCategories.crystal_glow_sword = Crystal Sword

Spanish (es/server.lang)

items.Bench_Armory_Crystal_Glow.name = Yunque de Cristal
items.Bench_Armory_Crystal_Glow.description = Un yunque de cristal para forjar armas de cristal.
benchCategories.crystal_glow_sword = Espada de Cristal

Portuguese BR (pt-BR/server.lang)

items.Bench_Armory_Crystal_Glow.name = Bigorna de Cristal
items.Bench_Armory_Crystal_Glow.description = Uma bigorna de cristal para forjar armas de cristal.
benchCategories.crystal_glow_sword = Espada de Cristal

Note the translation key format: items.<ItemId>.name and benchCategories.<category_id>. The server. prefix in the JSON ("Name": "server.items.Bench_Armory_Crystal_Glow.name") maps to the lang file key without the server. prefix.

---

Step 5: Add the Custom Model

The bench uses a custom .blockymodel and texture. Place them in the Common/ folder:

• Model: Common/Blocks/HytaleModdingManual/Armory_Crystal_Glow.blockymodel
• Texture: Common/BlockTextures/HytaleModdingManual/Armory_Crystal_Glow.png

You can create the model using Blockbench with the Hytale Block format. The model should fit within the block boundary (32 units = 1 block). For a 2-block-wide bench, use the "HitboxType": "Bench_Weapon" hitbox which covers the wider area.

Common Asset Paths

Common assets must be inside one of these root directories: Blocks/, BlockTextures/, Items/, Resources/, NPC/, VFX/, or Consumable/. Putting files outside these folders causes a load error.

---

Step 6: Create the Crystal Sword

The sword inherits from Template_Weapon_Sword (vanilla sword template) and overrides specific behaviours through InteractionVars. Create Server/Item/Items/HytaleModdingManual/Weapon_Sword_Crystal_Glow.json:

{
  "Parent": "Template_Weapon_Sword",
  "TranslationProperties": {
    "Name": "server.items.Weapon_Sword_Crystal_Glow.name",
    "Description": "server.items.Weapon_Sword_Crystal_Glow.description"
  },
  "Model": "Items/Weapons/Crystal/Weapon_Sword_Crystal_Glow.blockymodel",
  "Texture": "Items/Weapons/Crystal/Weapon_Sword_Crystal_Glow.png",
  "Icon": "Icons/ItemsGenerated/Weapon_Sword_Crystal_Glow.png",
  "Quality": "Rare",
  "ItemLevel": 35,
  "Tags": {
    "Type": ["Weapon"],
    "Family": ["Sword"]
  },
  "Interactions": {
    "Primary": "Root_Weapon_Sword_Primary",
    "Secondary": "Root_Weapon_Sword_Secondary_Guard",
    "Ability1": "Crystal_Sword_Special"
  },
  "InteractionVars": {
    "Swing_Left_Damage": {
      "Interactions": [{
        "Parent": "Weapon_Sword_Primary_Swing_Left_Damage",
        "DamageCalculator": { "BaseDamage": { "Physical": 12 } }
      }]
    },
    "Swing_Right_Damage": {
      "Interactions": [{
        "Parent": "Weapon_Sword_Primary_Swing_Right_Damage",
        "DamageCalculator": { "BaseDamage": { "Physical": 12 } }
      }]
    },
    "Swing_Down_Damage": {
      "Interactions": [{
        "Parent": "Weapon_Sword_Primary_Swing_Down_Damage",
        "DamageCalculator": { "BaseDamage": { "Physical": 22 } }
      }]
    },
    "Thrust_Damage": {
      "Interactions": [{
        "Parent": "Weapon_Sword_Primary_Thrust_Damage",
        "DamageCalculator": {
          "BaseDamage": { "Physical": 20, "Crystal_Light": 12 }
        }
      }]
    },
    "Thrust_Stamina": {
      "Interactions": ["Crystal_Sword_Charge"]
    },
    "Guard_Wield": {
      "Interactions": [{
        "Parent": "Weapon_Sword_Secondary_Guard_Wield",
        "StaminaCost": { "Value": 8, "CostType": "Damage" }
      }]
    }
  },
  "Weapon": {
    "EntityStatsToClear": ["SignatureEnergy"],
    "StatModifiers": {
      "SignatureEnergy": [{ "Amount": 20, "CalculationType": "Additive" }]
    }
  },
  "Recipe": {
    "TimeSeconds": 5.0,
    "KnowledgeRequired": false,
    "Input": [
      { "ItemId": "Ore_Crystal_Glow", "Quantity": 10 },
      { "ItemId": "Wood_Enchanted_Trunk", "Quantity": 50 },
      { "ItemId": "Ingredient_Leather_Heavy", "Quantity": 10 }
    ],
    "BenchRequirement": [{
      "Type": "Crafting",
      "Categories": ["Crystal_Glow"],
      "Id": "Armory_Crystal_Glow"
    }]
  },
  "Light": { "Radius": 2, "Color": "#88ccff" },
  "MaxDurability": 150,
  "DurabilityLossOnHit": 0.18
}

Key concepts

Field	Purpose
Parent	Inherits all vanilla sword behaviour (swing combos, guard, thrust) from Template_Weapon_Sword
InteractionVars	Overrides specific parts of the inherited interaction chain. Each key replaces a named variable in the vanilla chain
Thrust_Stamina	The vanilla thrust combo ends with a stamina-consuming charged thrust. We replace it with Crystal_Sword_Charge to add our projectile mechanic
Thrust_Damage	Adds Crystal_Light damage alongside Physical on thrust attacks
Weapon.StatModifiers	Builds SignatureEnergy (+20 per hit) — used by the special ability
Light	The sword emits a blue glow when held

InteractionVars pattern

InteractionVars is how Hytale lets individual items customise shared interaction chains. The vanilla Root_Weapon_Sword_Primary chain references variables like Thrust_Damage and Thrust_Stamina. Each weapon provides its own values for these variables without needing to duplicate the entire chain.

---

Step 7: Create the Light Charge Ammunition

The Crystal Sword’s charged thrust consumes Light Charges from the player’s inventory. Create Server/Item/Items/HytaleModdingManual/Weapon_Arrow_Crystal_Glow.json:

{
  "TranslationProperties": {
    "Name": "server.items.Weapon_Arrow_Crystal_Glow.name",
    "Description": "server.items.Weapon_Arrow_Crystal_Glow.description"
  },
  "Categories": ["Items.Weapons"],
  "Quality": "Uncommon",
  "ItemLevel": 25,
  "Model": "Items/Projectiles/Ice_Bolt.blockymodel",
  "Texture": "Items/Projectiles/Ice_Bolt_Texture.png",
  "Icon": "Icons/ItemsGenerated/Weapon_Arrow_Crystal_Glow.png",
  "Recipe": {
    "TimeSeconds": 5.0,
    "KnowledgeRequired": false,
    "Input": [
      { "ItemId": "Plant_Fruit_Enchanted", "Quantity": 1 },
      { "ItemId": "Ore_Crystal_Glow", "Quantity": 1 },
      { "ItemId": "Weapon_Arrow_Crude", "Quantity": 10 }
    ],
    "OutputQuantity": 50,
    "BenchRequirement": [{
      "Type": "Crafting",
      "Categories": ["Crystal_Glow"],
      "Id": "Armory_Crystal_Glow"
    }]
  },
  "MaxStack": 100,
  "Tags": {
    "Type": ["Weapon"],
    "Family": ["Arrow"]
  },
  "Weapon": {},
  "Light": { "Radius": 1, "Color": "#88ccff" }
}

Note OutputQuantity: 50 — crafting one batch produces 50 charges. The Family: Arrow tag and Weapon: {} block are required so the game treats this item as consumable ammunition.

---

Step 8: Build the Charged Attack Interaction Chain

The charged attack uses a chain of interactions that flow into each other. Here is how they connect:

flowchart TD;
    A[Player holds Thrust<br>Thrust_Stamina var] --> B[Crystal_Sword_Charge<br>Type: Charging];
    B -->|Released early| C[Simple thrust<br>RunTime: 0.1];
    B -->|Held 0.65s| D[Crystal_Sword_Charged_Entry<br>Type: ModifyInventory];
    D -->|Has Light Charge| E[Parallel: Thrust + Shoot Bolt];
    D -->|No ammo| F[Failed: Normal thrust only];
    style A fill:#2d5a27,color:#fff;
    style B fill:#1a4a6e,color:#fff;
    style D fill:#6e4a1a,color:#fff;
    style E fill:#1a6e4a,color:#fff;
    style F fill:#6e1a1a,color:#fff;

8a. The Charging interaction

Create Server/Item/Interactions/HytaleModdingManual/Crystal_Sword_Charge.json:

{
  "Type": "Charging",
  "AllowIndefiniteHold": false,
  "DisplayProgress": false,
  "HorizontalSpeedMultiplier": 0.5,
  "Effects": {
    "ItemAnimationId": "StabDashCharging",
    "Particles": [
      {
        "PositionOffset": { "X": 0, "Y": 0, "Z": 0 },
        "RotationOffset": { "Pitch": 0, "Roll": 0, "Yaw": 0 },
        "TargetNodeName": "blade",
        "SystemId": "Sword_Charging"
      }
    ]
  },
  "Next": {
    "0": {
      "Type": "Simple",
      "RunTime": 0.1
    },
    "0.65": "Crystal_Sword_Charged_Entry"
  }
}

Field	Purpose
Type: "Charging"	Hold-to-charge mechanic — the player holds the attack button
DisplayProgress: false	Hides the charge bar. The particle effect provides visual feedback instead
HorizontalSpeedMultiplier	Slows player movement to 50% while charging
Effects.ItemAnimationId	Plays the StabDashCharging preparation animation on the sword
Effects.Particles	Spawns Sword_Charging particles on the sword’s blade node — a glowing circular effect
Next."0"	If released before 0.65s, performs a quick thrust (no projectile)
Next."0.65"	If held for 0.65s or more, transitions to Crystal_Sword_Charged_Entry

TargetNodeName must match your model

The TargetNodeName must match a group name in your sword’s .blockymodel file. Vanilla swords use "Handle" but custom models may have different node names. Check your model in Blockbench to find the correct group name.

8b. The ammo check and parallel execution

Create Server/Item/Interactions/HytaleModdingManual/Crystal_Sword_Charged_Entry.json:

{
  "Type": "ModifyInventory",
  "ItemToRemove": {
    "Id": "Weapon_Arrow_Crystal_Glow",
    "Quantity": 1
  },
  "AdjustHeldItemDurability": -0.3,
  "Next": {
    "Type": "Parallel",
    "Interactions": [
      {
        "Interactions": [
          "Weapon_Sword_Primary_Thrust_Force",
          "Weapon_Sword_Primary_Thrust_Selector"
        ]
      },
      {
        "Interactions": [
          { "Type": "Simple", "RunTime": 0 },
          "Crystal_Sword_Shoot_Bolt"
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Failed": {
    "Type": "Serial",
    "Interactions": [
      "Weapon_Sword_Primary_Thrust_Force",
      "Weapon_Sword_Primary_Thrust_Selector"
    ]
  }
}

Field	Purpose
Type: "ModifyInventory"	Checks and removes items from the player’s inventory
ItemToRemove	Consumes 1 Light Charge. If the player has none, jumps to Failed
AdjustHeldItemDurability	Reduces sword durability by 0.3 when firing a projectile
Next (Parallel)	Runs the thrust attack and projectile firing simultaneously
Failed	If no ammo, performs a normal thrust with no projectile

Avoid chaining to Weapon_Sword_Primary_Thrust

Weapon_Sword_Primary_Thrust is itself a Charging type interaction. If you chain to it from another Charging interaction, the player sees a double animation. Instead, reference the inner components directly: Weapon_Sword_Primary_Thrust_Force (movement) and Weapon_Sword_Primary_Thrust_Selector (hit detection).

8c. The projectile interaction

Create Server/Item/Interactions/HytaleModdingManual/Crystal_Sword_Shoot_Bolt.json:

{
  "Type": "Projectile",
  "Config": "Projectile_Config_Crystal_Light_Bolt",
  "Next": {
    "Type": "Simple",
    "RunTime": 0.2
  }
}

---

Step 9: Configure the Projectile

9a. Projectile definition

Create Server/Projectiles/Crystal_Light_Bolt.json:

{
  "Appearance": "Ice_Bolt",
  "Radius": 0.2,
  "Height": 0.2,
  "MuzzleVelocity": 55,
  "TerminalVelocity": 60,
  "Gravity": 2,
  "TimeToLive": 10,
  "Damage": 18,
  "HitParticles": { "SystemId": "Impact_Ice" },
  "DeathParticles": { "SystemId": "Impact_Ice" },
  "HitSoundEventId": "SFX_Divine_Respawn",
  "DeathSoundEventId": "SFX_Ice_Bolt_Death"
}

9b. Projectile config

Create Server/ProjectileConfigs/HytaleModdingManual/Projectile_Config_Crystal_Light_Bolt.json:

{
  "Parent": "Projectile_Config_Arrow_Base",
  "Model": "Ice_Bolt",
  "Physics": {
    "Type": "Standard",
    "Gravity": 2,
    "TerminalVelocityAir": 60,
    "TerminalVelocityWater": 15,
    "RotationMode": "VelocityDamped",
    "Bounciness": 0.0
  },
  "LaunchForce": 55,
  "SpawnOffset": { "X": 0.3, "Y": -0.3, "Z": 1.5 },
  "Interactions": {
    "ProjectileHit": {
      "Interactions": [
        "Crystal_Light_Bolt_Damage",
        "Common_Projectile_Despawn"
      ]
    },
    "ProjectileMiss": {
      "Interactions": [
        "Common_Projectile_Miss",
        "Common_Projectile_Despawn"
      ]
    }
  }
}

The config inherits from Projectile_Config_Arrow_Base and overrides the physics, launch force, and hit interactions. SpawnOffset controls where the bolt appears relative to the player.

9c. Projectile damage

Create Server/Item/Interactions/HytaleModdingManual/Crystal_Light_Bolt_Damage.json:

{
  "Parent": "DamageEntityParent",
  "DamageCalculator": {
    "BaseDamage": {
      "Crystal_Light": 18
    }
  },
  "DamageEffects": {
    "Knockback": {
      "Type": "Force",
      "Direction": { "X": 0.0, "Y": 1, "Z": -3 },
      "Force": 8,
      "VelocityType": "Add"
    },
    "WorldParticles": [{ "SystemId": "Impact_Ice", "Scale": 1 }],
    "WorldSoundEventId": "SFX_Ice_Bolt_Death",
    "EntityStatsOnHit": [
      { "EntityStatId": "SignatureEnergy", "Amount": 5 }
    ]
  }
}

The bolt deals Crystal_Light damage (our custom damage type), applies knockback, and grants 5 SignatureEnergy on hit — helping charge the sword’s special ability.

---

Step 10: Add the Custom Damage Type

Create Server/Entity/Damage/Crystal_Light.json:

{
  "Parent": "Elemental",
  "Inherits": "Elemental",
  "DamageTextColor": "#88ccff"
}

This registers Crystal_Light as a new damage type inheriting from Elemental. The DamageTextColor controls the colour of damage numbers shown on hit.

---

Step 11: Test In-Game

1. Place the mod folder in your mods directory (%APPDATA%/Hytale/UserData/Mods/).
2. Start the server and check the logs for validation errors.
3. Use /spawnitem Bench_Armory_Crystal_Glow to get the bench, then /spawnitem Weapon_Sword_Crystal_Glow and /spawnitem Weapon_Arrow_Crystal_Glow 50 for testing.
4. Place the bench and right-click to verify the crafting UI opens with the Crystal Light category.
5. Equip the sword and test the basic combo (left-click swings, hold for thrust).
6. With Light Charges in your inventory, hold the thrust — you should see the charging glow on the blade, then a crystal bolt fires after 0.65 seconds.
7. Without Light Charges, the charged thrust should perform a normal thrust with no projectile.

Common errors and fixes:

Error	Cause	Fix
Bench places but UI doesn’t open	Missing State block	Add "State": { "Id": "crafting", ... } to the bench’s BlockType
Recipe not appearing in bench	BenchRequirement.Id mismatch	Ensure Id exactly matches Bench.Id (case-sensitive)
StackOverflowError on load	Using Parent inheritance with State	Make the bench standalone — copy all fields instead of inheriting from Bench_Weapon
Double charge animation	Chaining to Weapon_Sword_Primary_Thrust	Use Thrust_Force + Thrust_Selector directly instead
Particles on player, not sword	Wrong TargetNodeName	Must match a group name in your .blockymodel file
Projectile doesn’t fire	Missing ItemToRemove item in inventory	Ensure the player has Light Charges; check the Failed branch works
Charge bar visible	DisplayProgress not set	Add "DisplayProgress": false to the Charging interaction

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Vanilla Bench Reference

For reference, here are the bench types used in the vanilla game:

Bench	Bench.Type	Bench.Id	Categories
Weapon Bench	Crafting	Weapon_Bench	Sword, Mace, Battleaxe, Daggers, Bow
Armory	DiagramCrafting	Armory	Weapons (Sword, Club, Axe, etc.), Armor (Head, Chest, etc.)
Campfire	Crafting	Campfire	Cooking
Workbench	Crafting	Workbench	Workbench_Crafting

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Next Steps

• Create a Custom Block — learn how blocks and items connect
• Custom Loot Tables — set up drops that include your crafted items
• NPC Shops and Trading — sell bench-crafted items through NPC merchants