tModLoader Mods for Terraria: Setup and Best Mods
tModLoader is what turns Terraria from a large game into a genuinely open-ended one. Here's how to get it running on your server, and where to start if you're not sure which of the thousands of available mods are worth your first install.
Setting up tModLoader on your server
Pick tModLoader mode in the setup wizard when you create your server, or switch an existing server over from vanilla later. Once tModLoader mode is active, the panel's Mod Manager gives you a direct browser into the tModLoader mod catalogue — search by name, click install, and the panel downloads and places the files for you.
Server binaries and tModLoader itself stay current automatically via SteamCMD, so you're not manually tracking updates on top of managing mods.
Where to start
Calamity Mod
OverhaulOne of the largest Terraria mods that exists — new bosses, biomes, weapons, and a full extended progression beyond vanilla's endgame. If your group has finished vanilla Terraria and wants a genuinely bigger game rather than a tweak, this is the usual starting point.
Thorium Mod
OverhaulA large content mod adding new classes, bosses, and items, generally considered friendlier to run alongside other mods than Calamity because it's less aggressive about rebalancing the base game.
Fargo's Mutant Mod
Overhaul / QoLAdds bosses and progression content while also being one of the more commonly paired mods with Calamity — check compatibility notes on both mods' pages before combining large overhaul mods together.
Recipe Browser
Quality of lifeLets players search crafting recipes in-game instead of alt-tabbing to a wiki. Low overhead, high value for a modded server where item lists get large.
Magic Storage
Quality of lifeA shared, searchable storage system for multiplayer servers — solves the "which chest did I put that in" problem that gets worse the longer a shared world runs.
Boss Checklist
Quality of lifeTracks which bosses your world has and hasn't defeated, useful for a group that isn't playing every session and needs a reminder of where progression stands.
Install any of these from the panel, no FTP needed
Search the mod browser, click install, restart. Try the full panel free for 24-hour, no credit card required.
Frequently asked questions
How do I install tModLoader mods on my server?
Set the server to tModLoader mode in the setup wizard (or switch it later), then open the Mod Manager in your panel. It gives you a direct mod browser — search, click install, and the panel handles downloading and placing the files. No FTP.
Can I run Calamity and Thorium together?
Many players do, but large overhaul mods changing the same systems (bosses, progression, balance) can conflict in ways that are hard to predict without testing. Check each mod's own compatibility notes, and if you're building a heavily modded server, expect to spend some time testing your specific combination before committing a group to it.
Do mods slow down the server?
Some do, particularly large overhaul mods that add many new entities and mechanics running simultaneously. A heavily modded server benefits from more RAM than the equivalent vanilla server — our Pro tier (4 GB RAM) is built with heavy tModLoader packs specifically in mind.
Will installing a mod affect my existing world?
Installing most mods doesn't touch your existing world file directly — new content from the mod becomes available to generate/find going forward, but nothing is retroactively added to already-explored areas. Some overhaul mods do add world-generation content that only fully applies to a freshly generated world, so check a specific mod's notes if that matters to you.
Do all players need the same mods installed as the server?
Yes. Every player connecting needs the same mod list (and tModLoader itself) installed on their client, matching what the server is running, or they won't be able to connect or will see missing content.