MOTD Editor – Server Description Plugin

MOTD Editor is a lightweight Paper/Spigot plugin that generates dynamic, randomized MOTDs for your Minecraft server.

It supports:

• Random names
• Random messages
• Multiple {name} placeholders inside one message
• Full customization via a simple JSON configuration file

Perfect for fun, unpredictable MOTDs that change every time the server list refreshes.

Download

You can download the latest version from the Releases page.

Installation

1. Download the latest MOTDEditor.jar from the Releases page.
2. Place the JAR inside your server’s plugins folder.
3. Start (or restart) your server.
4. The plugin will automatically generate a folder /plugins/MOTDEditor/ with a default configuration file: motds.json

The plugin is ready to use immediately with the default settings.

Configuration

The configuration uses two lists:

• names → a list of random names
• messages → text templates that can contain one or more {name} placeholders

Example motds.json:

{
    "names": [
        "Alex Rivers",
        "Jordan Hale",
        "Casey Morgan",
        "Taylor Brooks",
        "Riley Carter",
        "Avery Blake"
    ],
    "messages": [
        "§a{name} §fdiscovered a mysterious cave.",
        "§a{name} §fjust stole a cookie from §a{name}§f.",
        "§a{name} §fand §a{name} teamed up for an adventure.",
        "§a{name} claimed they saw §cHerobrine §fyesterday.",
        "§eBreaking news§f: §a{name} §flost their shovel.",
        "§a{name} §fand §a{name} started a §bdance battle§f!"
    ]
}

Using Color Codes

Minecraft supports classic color/formatting codes using the § symbol.

Example:

• §a → light green
• §f → white
• §l → bold
• §o → italic

A complete list with all color/formatting codes can be found here

How Randomization Works

Every time the server list pings your server, the plugin:

1. Picks a random message
2. Searches the message for {name} placeholders
3. Replaces each occurrence with a different random name
4. Sends the final MOTD to the player

If a message uses more {name} placeholders than the number of available names, leftover placeholders are left unchanged.

Updating the Config

After editing motds.json, restart your server or run /reload confirm