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World desk14 min

How to Host a Roguelike Adventures and Dungeons 2 Server (RAD2)

RAD2 runs as a Minecraft Java Forge server. This guide covers managed one-click hosting, Docker, RAM and CPU planning, port forwarding, player installation, updates and troubleshooting.
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Roguelike Adventures and Dungeons 2 (RAD2) is hosted as a Minecraft Java server running Forge, not as a separate dedicated game. The reliable setup is to install the same RAD2 release on the server and every player’s computer, provide about 8–10 GB of RAM, and make Minecraft’s default port 25565 reachable. A managed host with a one-click installer is the quickest route; a Docker deployment gives you more control but leaves hardware, networking and maintenance to you.

What a RAD2 server actually is

RAD2 is a Minecraft modpack. Hosting it means running the Minecraft Java server files, the Forge mod loader and the RAD2 server-side pack files together. Players then launch the matching client pack locally and connect to that Minecraft server. There is no separate RAD2 executable or standalone Steam-style server in the available documentation.

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Most hosting listings identify the pack with Minecraft 1.16.5 and Forge. That is the known target to use when a host or installer asks for a game version. One listing dated October 2026 mentions a newer 1.18 release, but that release has not been verified against the pack’s official CurseForge page. Do not select 1.18 merely because it appears in a search result: confirm the current pack release, its required Minecraft version and its Forge build first, then use exactly those values everywhere.

Component What it does What must match
Minecraft Java server Runs the world, player connections and game rules. The Minecraft version required by the selected RAD2 release.
Forge Loads the modded server and its mods. The Forge build required by that same RAD2 release.
RAD2 pack files Adds the mods, configuration and scripts that make the RAD2 experience. The exact pack version installed by every player.
Client launcher Installs and starts the player’s local copy of the pack. The same pack release and compatible Minecraft/Forge combination as the server.

A mismatch in any of these layers can produce missing-mod errors, a refusal to connect or a crash during loading. Treat the pack version as one locked bundle rather than choosing Minecraft, Forge and RAD2 independently.

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Choose managed hosting or self-hosted Docker

There are two practical ways to run RAD2. A managed Minecraft host supplies the machine, network connection and control panel. A Docker deployment uses your own computer or rented virtual machine and a community container image. Neither method changes the requirement that clients and server use the same pack.

Decision point Managed host with an installer Self-hosted Docker
Setup effort Low. Select the pack in the control panel and follow the version prompts. Higher. You install Docker, create a Compose configuration and maintain the host.
Control Panel settings and the files exposed by the provider. Direct control of the container, files, environment variables and update schedule.
Networking The provider normally supplies a reachable game port; check which address and port your plan assigns. You must map the container port and forward it through your router or firewall.
Hardware responsibility The provider supplies CPU, memory and storage. Confirm the plan meets RAD2’s needs. You provide the machine, four or more suitable CPU cores for the documented 5–10-player example, memory, storage and a stable connection.
Maintenance The panel simplifies restarts and pack selection, although you still control worlds and player versions. You handle image updates, backups, logs, port exposure and recovery.
Cost A recurring provider charge varies by allocation and location; no universal RAD2 price is established. No hosting-plan price is involved, but you carry hardware, electricity, internet and administration costs.

Choose managed hosting when you want the fewest infrastructure decisions. Choose Docker when you already administer a Linux or similar server, need reproducible configuration, or want to decide exactly when the pack and container change.

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Prepare before installing RAD2

  • Lock the release. Check the current RAD2 release on its official CurseForge page and record the pack version, Minecraft version and Forge build. The commonly listed target is Minecraft 1.16.5; verify whether that is still current before deploying.
  • Plan memory. Published host guidance ranges from 6 GB to 10 GB. Use 8–10 GB as a practical planning range for a smooth session, and use the Docker example’s 10 GB and four cores as the minimum starting point for a 5–10-player installation.
  • Reserve the network ports. Minecraft normally listens on 25565. If you use the Docker example’s remote console, it also maps 25575 for RCON. Decide whether your router, firewall or provider will expose those ports.
  • Decide who administers the world. Have a backup location and an account with permission to stop the server, edit configuration and restore files before inviting players.
  • Tell players what to install. Every player needs the same RAD2 pack version locally, normally installed through the CurseForge app, and should be prepared to assign enough launcher memory for a large modpack.

Set up RAD2 with a managed one-click host

Control panels use different names, but the documented workflow is consistent: stop the server, select the pack in the game-file selector, apply the requested version and create a world. Do not perform a pack replacement while the server is running.

  1. Stop the instance. Use the panel’s Stop control and wait until the status is fully offline. If the panel offers a backup action, make a backup before changing the game file.
  2. Open the game-file selector. In the control panel, go to the section labelled Game File, Server Type or an equivalent installation page. Choose the modpack category rather than a plain Forge or vanilla entry.
  3. Select Roguelike Adventures and Dungeons 2. Use the exact RAD2 entry. Do not select a similarly named pack or a listing that says only “Roguelike Adventures and Dragons”; that wording has appeared as a typo in a guide title.
  4. Choose the release. Select the pack version you recorded. If the panel asks for a Minecraft or Forge version separately, use the values required by that pack release. The widely listed combination is Forge on Minecraft 1.16.5, but the current official release takes precedence.
  5. Apply the change. Follow the panel prompts to install or change the version. The host may download a substantial set of files; keep the instance stopped until the operation completes.
  6. Generate a new world when prompted. A new pack installation should start with a newly generated world unless you are deliberately restoring a compatible existing world. Generating a world can replace the active world, so preserve a backup before confirming.
  7. Start once and watch the console. The first launch installs pack files and builds a modded world. Several minutes is normal; allow roughly five minutes as a planning estimate rather than treating an idle-looking console as an immediate failure.

After the first successful start, stop and start the instance once more if the panel reports that a restart is required. Record the server address and port shown by the host. If it supplies a port other than 25565, players must include that port in their multiplayer address.

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  • EXPLORE AND CRAFT — Discover biomes, resources, and mobs, then craft your way through a sandbox world filled with surprises.
  • SURVIVE THE ADVENTURE — Face mysterious foes, travel across exciting landscapes, and venture into perilous dimensions.
  • PLAY TOGETHER — Play cross-platform with friends in Bedrock Edition on console, mobile, and PC, or join community servers in Java Edition on PC, Mac, and Linux. Online console multiplayer requires a platform-specific subscription (sold separately).

Run RAD2 in Docker

A community image named manfromdownunder/docker-minecraft-rad2 packages the server workflow for Docker Compose. It uses environment variables for the Minecraft version, Forge version and modpack URL, and exposes settings such as MAX_PLAYERS and DIFFICULTY. The image’s own documentation is authoritative for the exact variable names and required values; those keys can change independently of Minecraft.

1. Prepare the Docker host

Use a machine with enough free memory for the Java process plus the operating system and Docker. For the documented 5–10-player example, plan on 10 GB of RAM and four CPU cores. Install a current Docker Engine and Docker Compose implementation supported by your operating system, and create a dedicated directory for the server data.

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mkdir -p ~/rad2-server
cd ~/rad2-server

Keep the directory on persistent storage. Container recreation should not delete the world, configuration or logs.

2. Create the Compose configuration

In docker-compose.yml, use the RAD2 image and add the image documentation’s required environment variables for the selected Minecraft version, Forge build and direct modpack URL. The following fragment shows the network and gameplay settings documented for the example; complete the version and URL entries with values from the release you selected.

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services:
  rad2:
    image: manfromdownunder/docker-minecraft-rad2
    ports:
      - '25565:25565'
      - '25575:25575'
    environment:
      MAX_PLAYERS: '10'
      DIFFICULTY: 'normal'
      # Add the image-documented Minecraft, Forge and modpack URL variables here.

Use 25565 for normal Minecraft traffic. Keep 25575 mapped only if you need RCON remote-console access; exposing an administration port creates an additional security responsibility. Do not guess the pack URL or Forge build. A URL for one release can become invalid or point at a different file after an update.

3. Start and inspect the container

  1. From the directory containing the Compose file, run docker compose up -d.
  2. Follow the startup output with docker compose logs -f. The first run can take about five minutes while the image installs the pack and generates the world.
  3. Wait for the server to report that it is ready before attempting a connection. A container that is still downloading or generating files is not ready even if Docker lists it as running.
  4. Stop cleanly with docker compose stop before editing versions or moving world files. Start again with docker compose start.

Keep the Compose file and the persistent data directory together in your backup plan. If you use docker compose down for maintenance, verify how your chosen Compose file stores volumes so that removing a container does not remove the world.

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How much RAM and CPU does RAD2 need?

There is no independent performance benchmark establishing one universal requirement. Host recommendations differ: one listing gives 6 GB as a minimum, another gives 8 GB, and another recommends 10 GB. The Docker example specifies 10 GB and four cores for 5–10 players. These are provider recommendations, not controlled measurements.

Guidance Context How to use it
6 GB RAM Minimum stated by one hosting guide. Consider it a lower boundary, not a performance guarantee.
8 GB RAM Minimum stated by another host listing. A reasonable starting allocation for a small private group if monitoring shows no memory pressure.
10 GB RAM Recommended by another listing and specified by the Docker example for 5–10 players. Use this as the safer planning figure when you can choose the allocation.
Four CPU cores Specified by the Docker 5–10-player example. A useful baseline for that example, not a promise that every world or view distance will perform identically.

For planning, reserve about 8–10 GB for the server and leave additional capacity for the operating system, Docker and file caching. Increase the allocation or reduce the simultaneous load if logs show out-of-memory failures or players experience repeated stalls. Because the published numbers vary, test your actual player count rather than treating one host’s minimum as a guarantee.

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Configure ports, router forwarding and RCON

Minecraft traffic: port 25565

25565 is the default dedicated Minecraft port listed for RAD2 servers. A managed host normally handles the external mapping and tells you which port to use. With Docker on a home or office network, map the container’s 25565 to the host and forward that port from the router to the machine running Docker. Allow the same port through the host firewall.

Test from inside the same network first, then from an outside connection. If local players can join but remote players cannot, the server process is usually working and the remaining checks are the router forward, firewall rule, public address or provider-level port restriction.

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RCON: port 25575

The Docker example maps 25575 for RCON remote console access. RCON is administrative access, not a player-connection port. Map and forward it only when required, restrict it to trusted networks where possible, and protect its credentials. Players should connect through 25565, not 25575.

Install the pack on every player’s computer

  1. Install the CurseForge app or another launcher that can import the RAD2 pack.
  2. Search for Roguelike Adventures and Dungeons 2 and select the same release installed on the server. Do not simply choose the newest client release if the server is pinned to an older one.
  3. Let the launcher install the pack, Minecraft version and Forge components it requests.
  4. Open the launcher’s settings and raise the memory allocation if the default causes slow loading or client crashes. The server’s RAM allocation does not automatically increase a player’s client memory.
  5. Launch the pack once in single-player or at the main menu so files finish downloading, then exit cleanly.
  6. Open Multiplayer, add the server address supplied by your host or the public address of your Docker machine, and include a port only when it is not 25565.

Every player must use the same pack version. “Almost the same” is not sufficient for a modded server: a different mod file, Minecraft version or Forge build can trigger an incompatible-mod-list error before the player enters the world.

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Set difficulty, player limits, permissions and game mode

RAD2 settings can live in the managed host’s control panel, in server configuration files or in the Docker environment, depending on how you deploy it. The Docker example exposes MAX_PLAYERS and DIFFICULTY. Set those values before the first start when possible, and stop the server before changing them so the new configuration is read on restart.

Player permissions and game mode are administrative settings, not client-pack settings. Use the panel’s permission tools or the server’s documented configuration mechanism, then grant operator-level access only to people who need it. Keep a record of deliberate changes so a later pack update does not accidentally restore an old configuration.

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Back up the world and configuration before changing difficulty, permissions, game mode or player limits. If a setting appears unchanged, confirm that you edited the active instance, saved the file or environment value, and restarted the process that reads it.

Understand the first world generation

The first RAD2 start is slower than later restarts because two expensive tasks happen together: the server installs the modpack files and generates a modded world. Allow several minutes; the Docker example notes roughly five. Follow the console rather than interrupting the process repeatedly.

When a managed installer asks you to generate a new world after selecting RAD2, treat that as a world-lifecycle decision. A new world gives the pack a clean set of generated structures and settings. Reusing an existing world may be appropriate only when the pack documentation confirms compatibility. Keep a dated copy of the world directory before any pack or Forge change.

Update RAD2 without breaking the world

  1. Check the official pack page for the current release and its required Minecraft and Forge versions. The commonly listed 1.16.5 target remains the verified baseline in the available hosting guidance; the October 2026 1.18 listing is not independently confirmed.
  2. Tell players which release will be used and ask them not to update their clients early.
  3. Stop the server and make a complete world and configuration backup.
  4. Change the managed-host game-file selection or the Docker image variables as one matched set: RAD2 release, Minecraft version, Forge build and modpack URL.
  5. Read the update notes supplied with that release. If the installer requires a new world, create one rather than forcing an old world into an incompatible pack.
  6. Start the server and watch logs through the complete installation and generation process.
  7. Have one administrator join first. Check world loading, permissions, difficulty and player capacity before reopening the server to everyone.
  8. Have every player install exactly the new pack release before reconnecting.

Troubleshoot the problems people see most often

Symptom Likely cause Fix
Incompatible mod list or missing-mod message The client and server use different RAD2, Minecraft or Forge versions. Record the server’s exact release and reinstall that same pack version through the launcher. Do not add random individual mods to compensate.
Console appears idle on the first launch Pack files are still installing or the modded world is being generated. Allow several minutes, follow the logs and check memory before stopping it. The documented Docker startup estimate is about five minutes.
Connection refused or timed out The server is stopped, 25565 is not mapped or forwarded, or a firewall blocks it. Confirm the server is ready, verify the host or Compose port mapping, forward 25565 to the correct machine and allow it through the firewall.
Local players connect but remote players cannot Router forwarding, public addressing or an upstream provider restriction. Test from an outside network, check the router’s destination address and ask the managed host whether the assigned port is externally reachable.
Players are kicked during loading Client memory is too low or the client pack is incomplete. Increase launcher memory within the computer’s capacity, let the launcher repair or reinstall the pack, and verify the version against the server.
Out-of-memory errors or severe lag The allocation is below the workload or too many players are joining for the available hardware. Move toward the 8–10 GB planning range, use the 10 GB/four-core Docker baseline for 5–10 players, and monitor before adding more players.
Difficulty or maximum players did not change The panel or Docker environment value was edited while the process was running, or the wrong instance was edited. Stop the server, save the setting, verify the active configuration and start again.
World will not load after a pack update The existing world is not compatible with the new pack or Forge combination. Stop immediately, restore the pre-update backup or generate a new world as the installer recommends. Do not overwrite the only backup.
RCON cannot be reached 25575 is not mapped, forwarded or allowed, or RCON was not enabled by the image configuration. Check the Docker mapping and image documentation. Keep RCON closed to the public internet unless it is required and secured.

Operate the server safely after launch

  • Back up before every version change. Preserve the world, server configuration and the Compose file or panel export.
  • Use controlled restarts. Stop the server cleanly before editing files, changing environment values or moving the world.
  • Keep versions documented. Write down the RAD2 release, Minecraft version, Forge build, memory allocation and exposed ports in one administrator note.
  • Limit administrative access. Grant player permissions deliberately, and treat RCON as a privileged management interface rather than a convenience port.
  • Watch startup logs. A successful container start does not necessarily mean Minecraft finished installing the pack; wait for the server-ready message.
  • Tell players before maintenance. A client update that happens before the server update will commonly produce a version mismatch.

Final launch checklist

Server owner

  • RAD2 release, Minecraft version and Forge build are confirmed from the same release.
  • The server has approximately 8–10 GB of planned RAM; Docker’s 5–10-player example has 10 GB and four cores.
  • Port 25565 is mapped and reachable, or the managed host has supplied its assigned port.
  • RCON on 25575 is exposed only when needed and is protected.
  • A clean world has been generated or a verified compatible backup has been restored.
  • Difficulty, maximum players, game mode and permissions are saved and tested.

Each player

  • The CurseForge profile uses exactly the server’s RAD2 release.
  • Minecraft and Forge were installed by that profile rather than selected independently.
  • Launcher memory is sufficient for the client to finish loading.
  • The player has the correct server address and port.

If all of those checks pass, managed hosting and Docker produce the same result: a Forge-based Minecraft Java world that every player enters with a matching RAD2 client.

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