Next Modpack?

We finished SB4 and ATM10. Here's what's next.

SB4 lasted two weeks. Turns out weaponised autism speedruns modpacks. Optimizing for: independent progression, mixed playstyles (factory nerds + dungeon crawlers), and async-friendly play for people who have jobs now apparently.

Tech Mods

  • Create
  • Mekanism
  • AE2
  • Thermal
  • PneumaticCraft

Magic & Adventure

  • Twilight Forest
  • Ars Nouveau
  • Botania
  • Exploration content

Pros

  • Fresh — just dropped, nobody's burnt out
  • 1.21.1 NeoForge (modern)
  • Enigmatica team known for quality quest integration
  • Branching quest paths — factory and adventure run in parallel
  • Good multiplayer balance, role specialization works

Cons

  • Very new, might have early bugs/balance issues
  • Smaller community than ATM10 (for now)
  • Could feel "similar to ATM10" — still kitchen-sink

vs SB4 / ATM10

vs ATM10: Same kitchen-sink DNA but tighter curation. Enigmatica's quest branches feel more directed than ATM10's "here's 400 mods, good luck." Same core mods (Mek, AE2, Create) but better integrated. Will feel familiar.

vs SB4: Completely different — open world instead of skyblock-in-a-box. No forced progression bottlenecks. If SB4 felt claustrophobic, this is the antidote. If you liked SB4's tight progression, this will feel looser.

Safest pick. Modern, fresh, well-made.
CurseForge ↗

Concept

Active development, v1.30.0 (March 12, 2026). Multiple paths to the same items via different mod systems — brass via Create mixer OR Electric Alloy Smelter. Has official public servers to try before self-hosting.

Tech Mods

  • Create
  • Mekanism
  • Modern Industrialisation
  • AE2
  • Thermal

Magic & Adventure

  • Botania
  • Ars Nouveau
  • Twilight Forest
  • Aether
  • Custom dungeons
  • Boss encounters

Pros

  • 2000+ quests — massive guided content
  • Multiple crafting paths (brass via Create mixer OR Electric Alloy Smelter)
  • Strong boss/dungeon content alongside deep tech
  • 1.21.1 NeoForge (modern)
  • Official public servers to try before self-hosting
  • Performance-optimized by the devs

Cons

  • Can feel overwhelming at first
  • Server needs 8GB+ RAM (reviews mention performance issues)
  • Less "proven" community than Enigmatica series

vs SB4 / ATM10

vs ATM10: Closest successor. Same mod ecosystem but 2000+ quests give it the structure ATM10 lacked. Multiple crafting paths mean you won't just repeat the same Mekanism → AE2 pipeline. More boss/dungeon content breaks up the factory grind.

vs SB4: Way more open. SB4 funneled everyone through the same progression — Craftoria lets you pick your path. Shared mods (Create, Mek) will feel familiar, but the context is different. Less "we all need X resource" pressure.

ATM10-adjacent but with better quest design and more dungeon content. Dark horse pick.
CurseForge ↗

Concept

Active open alpha, Wold's Vaults expansion updated March 10, 2026. Everyone has their own vault level — playing less doesn't mean falling behind. Insanely deep min-maxing with gear rolls, vault modifiers, and skill builds.

Tech Mods

  • Create
  • Mekanism
  • (gated behind vault research system)

Magic & Adventure

  • Custom vault dimension
  • Bosses
  • Talent trees
  • Gear rolls
  • Vault modifiers

Pros

  • Best async-play design — everyone has their own vault level
  • Factory/dungeon symbiosis built into the core loop
  • Insanely deep min-maxing (gear rolls, vault modifiers, skill builds)
  • Unique gameplay loop unlike any other pack
  • Wold's Vaults expansion adds even more content

Cons

  • Stuck on 1.18.2 — going backwards from ATM10's 1.21.1
  • Still "open alpha" officially
  • Factory building is a means to an end, not its own questline
  • Server resource hungry (vault dimensions)
  • Mod access gated behind research — can feel restrictive early on

vs SB4 / ATM10

vs ATM10: Nothing alike. ATM10 was "build whatever, no structure." VH has a tight gameplay loop — vault runs → loot → research → unlock mods → harder vaults. Mek/Create/AE2 exist but are gated behind progression. Factory building serves the vault, not the other way around.

vs SB4: Similar "tight progression" energy to SB4 but individual instead of shared. In SB4 everyone was bottlenecked on the same resources — in VH everyone has their own vault level. The people who played less in SB4 and felt behind won't have that problem here.

Most unique option. Solves the async problem perfectly. The 1.18.2 lock is the big question mark.
CurseForge ↗ Wold's Vaults ↗

Concept

v6.0 beta is a complete overhaul, updated Feb 14, 2026. 5 custom city districts, horde waves, vehicles (cars, helicopters, planes), skill trees, infection mechanics, temperature/diet systems.

Tech Mods

  • Create
  • Immersive Engineering
  • Weapons/vehicles/base defense focus

Magic & Adventure

  • 5 custom city districts
  • Horde waves
  • Custom NPCs
  • Questlines
  • Vehicles (cars, helicopters, planes)

Pros

  • Completely different vibe — refreshing after kitchen-sink
  • Factory people build automated defenses and weapon production
  • Dungeon people clear city districts and fight hordes
  • Naturally async — everyone scavenges independently
  • Custom buildings by a professional architect
  • Deep progression: skill trees, infection, temperature/diet

Cons

  • Beta v6.0 missing endgame (Wasteland + Abyss districts)
  • Stable version is on 1.18.2
  • Very different from what we've been playing
  • Demanding on hardware (custom city worldgen)
  • More PvE survival than factory/automation focused

vs SB4 / ATM10

vs ATM10: Different genre entirely. ATM10 was chill building — this is survival horror. Create and Immersive Engineering are here but you're building gun factories and base defenses, not aesthetic smeltery setups. If ATM10 had zero stakes, this is all stakes.

vs SB4: SB4's tight resource loop translates well — scavenging in cities has the same "make do with what you find" energy. But instead of sieving gravel you're looting buildings while zombies chase you. The people who liked SB4's survival pressure will feel at home.

The wildcard. Total genre shift. Go here if the group wants something completely different.
CurseForge ↗

Concept

Mature and stable, 1.3M+ downloads. Custom recipes support genuinely huge automation. Well-optimized — runs shaders on mid-range hardware. Strong quest book guides even beginners.

Tech Mods

  • Create (core)
  • Tech Reborn
  • Tinkers' Construct

Magic & Adventure

  • Custom planets
  • Unique worldgen
  • Structures
  • Portal-based progression

Pros

  • Create is incredibly satisfying for factory builders
  • Space progression gives dungeon-ish exploration goals
  • Custom recipes support genuinely huge automation
  • Well-optimized, runs shaders on mid-range hardware
  • Strong quest book guides even beginners

Cons

  • 1.18.2 Fabric — old version
  • Heavily factory-biased — dungeon players may feel underserved
  • Can feel like a solo experience in multiplayer
  • Early game mining tedium (common complaint)

vs SB4 / ATM10

vs ATM10: Narrower focus. ATM10 had everything — this is Create or bust. If you loved the Create parts of ATM10 and wished the whole pack was that, this is your pack. If you touched Mekanism or magic at all, you'll miss it.

vs SB4: Similar "everything funnels through one system" vibe to SB4's progression, but the system is Create instead of Ex Nihilo. Space exploration gives planet-based milestones like SB4's quest chapters. Can feel lonely in multiplayer though — less natural collaboration than SB4 had.

Best pick if the group skews heavily toward factory building. Less ideal for the mixed group.
CurseForge ↗

Quick Comparison

Pack ↕ Version ↕ Loader ↕ Downloads ↕ Playstyle Async ↕ Factory ↕ Dungeon ↕
Enigmatica 10 1.21.1 NeoForge ~135K
Kitchen Sink
 ★★ ★★★ ★★
Craftoria 1.21.1 NeoForge ~2.4M
Kitchen Sink
 ★★ ★★★ ★★★
Vault Hunters 1.18.2 Forge ~5.6M
RPG
 ★★★ ★★ ★★★
DeceasedCraft 1.20.1 Forge ~6.6M
Survival
 ★★ ★★ ★★
Create: Astral 1.18.2 Fabric ~1.3M
Factory
 ★ ★★★ ★

TL;DR

Safe & modern
Enigmatica 10 or Craftoria
Unique & async-friendly
Vault Hunters
Total genre shift
DeceasedCraft
Factory-brain only
Create: Astral