Minecraft: Mods That Make Your Game Scarier (2024)

Minecraft is normally a lighthearted game with colorful visuals and pleasant music. Subtly, however, there is a bit of a scarier element to the game if the player looks in the right places. Whether it's the ominous ambient sounds one hears when exploring a cave or the legitimately spine-tingling music of disks 11 and 13, Minecraft is capable of creeping out even veteran players, if only on occasion.

With mods, however, this element can be greatly enhanced to the point where the look and mood of the game become entirely different. New sounds and music can be added that induce constant paranoia, enemies can be given a more intimidating appearance, and new structures can be generated that take players on new and terrifying adventures.

Updated on June 10, 2024, by Gregory Louis Gomez: Horror mods are some of the most interesting additions that Minecraft players can download simply because no other kinds of mods are able to fundamentally change the personality of the game to the same degree. Minecraft is usually known as a relatively peaceful game that's full of wonder and creativity. With horror mods, however, those feelings are quickly replaced with an intense fear of that which is lurking just beyond what's visible. For many, this is undoubtedly the appeal of said mods, though. With this in mind, this list has been updated with a few more of the best Minecrafthorror mods for players to try out.

22 The Flesh That Hates

A Mod Starring One Of The Most Famous SCPs

• Uploaded By: winvicc
• Game Version: 1.16.5, 1.19.2 & 1.20.1
• Download Link

Much like the popular Scape and Run: Parasites mod, The Flesh That Hates is a mod that adds an evolving and infectious mob type to the game. This one, however, is based off of the ubiquitous SCP Foundation wiki, in this case, SCP 610.

SCP 610 is a highly contagious fleshy virus that not only takes control of lifeforms but reshapes the environment in which it inhabits in grotesque ways. This makes it a very interesting mod for Minecraft, as whole biomes can be created through the virus, along with new and more dangerous enemies. The mod also adds new weapons and armor, as well as new music and sounds.

21 Horror Elements Mod

Fills The World Of Minecraft With Gory Details

• Uploaded By: predator97427fr
• Game Version: 1.16.5–1.20.1
• Download Link

Ever walked through a forest or desert and thought that it was filled with nightmare fuel? Well, if not, the Horror Elements Mod aims to fix that by adding a frankly absurd number of utterly disturbing, if not outright disgusting, additions to the world for players to just happen across while exploring.

They range from simple yet suggestive pools of blood to more elaborate set-pieces that invoke the aftermath of a bloody massacre. This mod is gory and generally not suited for everyone, though fans of the macabre may find it visually interesting, especially when combined with other horror-themed mods.

20 Scape And Run: Parasites

Infects The World With Nightmarish Parasites

• Uploaded By: Dhanantry
• Game Version: 1.12.2
• Download Link

Scape and Run: Parasites is a unique mod in that it adds an entirely new faction of enemies, the parasites. These Parasites gradually become more numerous the longer the game is played, infecting various mobs and assimilating them into their ranks.

There is more than one class of Parasite as well. They range from small worm-like mobs to giant flying monstrosities. Certain Parasites primarily infect the environment and become stronger the longer they remain alive. These mobs even have the ability to spawn other Parasite enemies after a certain point.

19 Music Triggers

This Mod Allows For Complete Music Customization

• Uploaded By: The_Computerizer
• Game Version: 1.12.2–1.19.2
• Download Link

Music Triggers is a mod that allows the player to attach different songs of their choice to certain in-game events. The mod itself is controlled by an INI file in which the player can attach the names of songs (which themselves are saved in the mod's file structure) to certain command lines.

These command lines reference various in-game triggers that normally play Minecraft's iconic music; however, they can be made to play any piece of music the player wishes. This makes it a great tool for creating a scarier atmosphere, as the player can easily replace the default music with something more horror-oriented.

18 True Darkness

Makes The Nights Much Darker

• Uploaded By: GrondagTheBarbarian
• Game Version: 1.14.4–1.19.3
• Download Link

Ever felt like Minecraft's nights are just too bright? True Darkness aims to fix this by removing the minimum light level. This results in nights and caves becoming virtually pitch black, which can make walking around very dangerous, especially if this mod is used in conjunction with other ones. Consequently, this makes things like torches and armor much more important.

This mod works particularly well with mods that make things like torches or lanterns (any light casting item) give off light while still in one's hand. This means that the player can walk around with a light source on them rather than having to place one on the ground to activate it.

17 Nyf's Spiders

Makes Spiders Even Creepier

• Uploaded By: theNyfaria
• Game Version: 1.18.2–1.20.1
• Download Link

Minecraft's spiders really aren't very scary in and of themselves. They're often easily stopped and lack the ability to climb effectively on certain surfaces. Nyf's Spiders touts itself as making the spiders of Minecraft much creepier by improving their A.I. pathing and giving them the ability to climb on almost any surface.

This applies to both normal spiders and cave spiders, allowing both to walk along walls and ceilings as they chase the player down through obstacles. Combining Nyf's Spiders with the right resource packs might just make even the veteran player second-guess messing with the average spider.

16 The Legend Of Herobrine

Introduces A Truly Terrifying Figure To The World Of Minecraft

• Uploaded By: AlexMacLean
• Game Version: 1.12.2–1.20.2
• Download Link

Herobrine is the ultimate Minecraft villain. Though he was only ever a creepypasta and never actually in the game, the story has inspired countless mods, such as The Legend of Herobrine, which adds him in as a supernatural enemy with many powers and abilities.

In this mod, Herobrine can manipulate the environment, create illusions, infect mobs, stalk the player from afar, and even attack them directly. The mod offers a few ways of defeating Herobrine after he is summoned. However, one mustn't think this means the sight of glowing white eyes in the darkness isn't something to dread on lonely nights.

15 Spelunker's Charm II

Makes Caves More Dangerous Than Ever Before

• Uploaded By: PrelawAverage5
• Game Version: 1.19.2–1.20.1
• Download Link

As unnerving as Minecraft's caves can be at times, there's plenty more that can be done on the part of the player to make them even more stressful to explore. One mod in particular, Spelunker's Charm II, does just that by adding in some impressive new functions to the game. Not only will underground earthquakes occur both naturally and as a result of explosions, but they will also cause stalactites and other rock types to come loose and fall.

This makes caves potentially way more dangerous, as even an ordinary creeper encounter can turn unexpectedly deadly. Additionally, the mod adds a new molten rock biome, quake-triggered geysers (both rock and lava), and a few new rock types.

14 Recurrent Complex

A Mod That Adds Brand New Structures To The World

• Uploaded By: Ivorius
• Game Version: 1.7.10–1.20.2
• Download Link

While the current suite of generated structures in Minecraft is nice, Recurrent Complex goes the extra mile and adds a whole host of new and interesting areas, buildings, and dungeons to explore. While not necessarily frightening in and of themselves, these new additions work well when coupled with dedicated horror mods like Scape and Run: Parasites.

Even with visual changes, such as shaders or resource packs that alter the mood, this pack can make the game quite scary. Suddenly, those new graveyards, huge mazes, and jungle ruins become much more grim and foreboding to the inexperienced player.

13 Bloodmoon

As if the Night Wasn't Scary Enough

See Also

How to Spawn Villagers in Minecraft | DiamondLobby

• Uploaded By: Lumien321
• Game Version: 1.12.2
• Download Link

Players of Terraria will immediately recognize this one. With this mod, Bloodmoons rise every so often in place of a regular moon, and with them comes a massive increase of enemies in the surrounding shadows. In addition to the obvious problems this creates for the player, sleeping to skip the night is disabled.

This means that the player has to deal with whatever the Bloodmoon throws at them. The frequency of these events is customized via the config file. Combined with other mods, Bloodmoons can easily become a major life-or-death event in anyone's game unless they're prepared.

12 Graveyard

Introduces New Structures And Enemies To Guard Them

• Uploaded By: finallion_13
• Game Version: 1.16.5 - 1.20.4
• Download Link

Graveyards are a naturally creepy place for just about anyone, so it's no surprise that a mod for Minecraft that adds them would be on this list. Graveyard, however, does more than just add a new structure to the world generation. It also adds a whole host of new mobs like Ghouls, Acolytes, Nightmares, Reapers, and more.

Graveyards also features biome-specific variants in the same vein as villages, so they'll never look out of place. Speaking of biomes, the mod adds a few new spooky ones that should add to the atmosphere of the game in creepy ways.

11 Epic Siege Mod

More Dangerous And Customizable Mobs

• Uploaded By: Funwayguy
• Game Version: 1.7.10–1.12.2
• Download Link

This highly configurable mod allows for mobs to be all sorts of terrifying. It doesn't change any mob's appearance or make them sound any different, but it does change how they behave and what effect they can have on the world. In short, it makes them much more powerful.

Some changes are rather simple, like an increased mob awareness distance, which allows them to see the player more easily. Other changes fundamentally alter the way the player has to approach the game, like giving mobs the ability to break or stack blocks and even dig toward the player. Imagine the faint sound of blocks breaking in every direction, closing in while skulking through the deep dark caverns of the overworld. It's certain to creep even veteran players out.

10 Zombie Awareness

Smarter And More Deadly Zombies

• Uploaded By: Corosus
• Game Version: 1.7.10–1.20.1
• Download Link

Similar to the Epic Siege Mod, Zombie Awareness alters mob behavior, except this time, it only changes zombies. Overall, it makes zombies less predictable and more aware of the player in general.

Not only are lights and sounds that come from the player more attractive to zombies, but there is also a new mechanic added in which the player bleeds for a certain amount of time when damaged. Zombies can smell the player's blood and find them more easily. The mod also gives random speed boosts to certain zombies and allows larger groups of them to spawn, making zombie encounters more harrowing.

9 Sons Of Sins

New Scary Boss Mobs And Magical Items

• Uploaded By: Furti_Two
• Game Version: 1.16.5–1.20.1
• Download Link

The seven deadly sins are a widely known concept by many, whether or not they belong to any religious denomination. These sins are pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth. What the Sons of Sin mod does is add new and horrifying boss-type enemies themed around those sins for the player to fight. These mobs are tough and can kill even the most well-armed and experienced player with relative ease.

However, should the player kill them, they'll be rewarded with all new items to use in occult rituals, which serve as a way to upgrade existing gear, gain new unholy abilities, and even create a monster of their own.

8 Horror Movie Monsters

Introduces Horror Movie Icons To The Minecraft World

• Uploaded By: ApemanMC
• Game Version: 1.12.2–1.16.5
• Download Link

Ever wanted to fight Freddy Krueger in Minecraft? Well, with Horror Movie Monsters, players can do more than that. In fact, this mod adds quite a few characters from some of the most critically acclaimed and famous horror movies to the game.

Characters like Michael Myers, Candyman, Jason Voorhees, Leatherface, and so many more can be configured to spawn one at a time or all at once. New weapons are added, too, such as a chainsaw and a revolver. The mod certainly lends itself well to the spirit of Halloween.

7 SCP Lockdown

Another Mod In A Long Line Of SCP-Themed Creations

• Uploaded By: commander_wasp
• Game Version: 1.12.2
• Download Link

Inspired by the wildly popular SCP universe (as well as SCP: Containment Breach the game), SCP Lockdown adds all sorts of new mobs, structures, block-type effects, and more to Minecraft. What this means is that the player can be exploring Minecraft's overworld and suddenly come across not only mobs from the SCP series but the labs designed to contain said mobs, randomly generated just like any other world structure.

Mobs like the Sculpture, Sky Guy, the Hard-to-Destroy Reptile, and many more of the most recognizable SCPs make an appearance in this mod, along with plenty of other series-accurate gadgets, clothing, structures, and sounds.

6 The Grue Mod

Adds A Monster That Lurks In The Dark

• Uploaded By: Shinoow
• Game Version: 1.7.10–1.12.2
• Download Link

The Grue mod aims to do one thing, and it does that thing very well. It attempts to make the darkness itself deadly. Any player who finds themselves without the minimum amount of light will receive a warning. If the player does not act quickly enough, the game will spawn the Grue, an immortal monster that does enough damage to kill the player instantly.

Being near a source of light is the only method with which to keep it away. This mod is actually a reference to the Zork series of games, which contained a monster called the Grue that hunted the player in dark areas.

5 Tissou's Zombie Pack

Makes Zombies Way Scarier

• Uploaded By: Tissou
• Game Version: 1.13.2–1.20.1
• Download Link

Zombies in Minecraft are a bit basic. Granted, this is by design, but what if a player wanted to turn their game into a full-on zombie horror experience like The Walking Dead? Tissou's Zombie Pack is a resource pack that changes the way zombies look and sound, bringing a more gritty and creepy depiction of zombies to Minecraft.

The mod goes out of its way to make every zombie look unique as well. It adds over 1,000 new textures for the various zombie types, including husks and drowned. It is recommended that the player also have Optifine installed to get the full experience, or else they'll miss out on cool features such as zombies having eyes that glow in the dark.

4 Doctor Who - Weeping Angel

Adds Scary Mobs That Move When Not Being Observed

• Uploaded By: Jeryn
• Game Version: 1.12.2–1.20.1
• Download Link

Fans of Doctor Who are sure to enjoy this wonderfully creepy mod. Featuring the infamous Weeping Angels, stone statues that move when not being directly observed, this mod adds them to Minecraft as one of the many enemies the player may encounter.

The Angels can be found anywhere in the overworld and, if encountered, can only be harmed with a pickaxe or be teleported away with a Chronodyne generator. Be careful when approaching these mobs, as they can send the player to another dimension very far away from their original location upon direct contact.

3 Scary Mobs & Bosses

Introduces Some Truly Terrifying Enemies To The Game

• Uploaded By: ALe96LN
• Game Version: 1.16.5 & 1.18.2
• Download Link

Scary Mobs & Bosses adds a bunch of creative and terrifying boss enemies that the player can just happen upon at any moment. Often, what happens is that one of these mobs is found and will transform upon interaction. A great example of this is the Patient mob, which initially appears as a man lying on the ground screaming before violently splitting open and charging on all fours upside down towards the player.

The mod also gives the player the ability to summon the monsters at will, provided they craft a summoner with the required materials. Before trying this, however, players should ensure that they are a safe distance from their house.