Pulse 1v1 PvP

Run 1v1 PvP duels and small tournaments on a plain vanilla server. No plugins or mods needed. Tag two players, start a round, and the datapack does the rest: arena reset, kit, countdown, timer, deciding the winner, series score and the next round.

Features

• Netherite kit: full Protection IV netherite armour, shield, two swords, an axe, golden apples, pearls, wind charges, cobwebs, water buckets, splash Swiftness II / Strength II and a Totem of Undying.
• Arena build and clear: a 31×31 barrier-walled arena (optional barrier ceiling) built anywhere with one command, and fully cleared before every round.
• Freeze countdown: 3-2-1 titles while both fighters are frozen and invulnerable.
• 5-minute rounds (configurable) with a bossbar that shows time left and live totem pops.
• Totem-pop counting: when time runs out, fewer pops wins.
• 1-minute sudden death when pops are tied, decided by armour durability left, then health, then draw.
• Bo1 / Bo3 / Bo5 series with a Round Wins sidebar and automatic next round.
• Lobby: set a lobby point; fighters are sent back with an empty inventory after the match. Non-fighters are on a no-friendly-fire lobby team.
• Bracket helper for up to 16 players (R16 → QF → SF → Final → Champion), shown in chat. Starts empty.

How to use

1. Drop the zip into <world>/datapacks/ and run /reload.
2. Optional: /function pulse:setup (keep_inventory + immediate_respawn).
3. Stand where the arena's north-west floor corner should be and run /function pulse:arena/set_origin, then /function pulse:arena/build.
4. Stand at your lobby spot and run /function pulse:lobby/set.
5. /function pulse:match/set_bo3, then /tag <player1> add p1, /tag <player2> add p2, then /function pulse:round/start.
6. When the match is over: /function pulse:bracket/win {name:"<winner>"} (optional) and /function pulse:match/reset.

Commands

Command	Purpose
/function pulse:setup	Recommended gamerules
/function pulse:kit	Give yourself the kit
/function pulse:arena/set_origin · arena/build · arena/clear	Arena
/function pulse:round/start · round/stop	Start / abort a round
/function pulse:round/auto_on · round/auto_off	Auto next round
/function pulse:match/set_bo1 · set_bo3 · set_bo5 · match/reset	Series
/function pulse:lobby/set · lobby/go	Lobby
/function pulse:bracket/seed {p:[...16 names...]}	Fill round of 16
/function pulse:bracket/set {round:"qf",i:0,name:"Alice"}	Edit a slot
/function pulse:bracket/win {name:"Alice"}	Advance a winner
/function pulse:bracket/show · bracket/reset	Show / empty the bracket
Round length: /scoreboard players set #len pulse_cfg <ticks> (default 6000 = 5 min).

How matches are decided

• Death: the other player wins the round (double KO = draw).
• Disconnect: the other player wins the round.
• Time up: fewer totem pops wins.
• Pops tied: 1-minute sudden death. If nobody dies, more total armour durability left wins, then more health, otherwise a draw.
• Draws give no point, so the round is replayed.
• First to 1 / 2 / 3 round wins (Bo1 / Bo3 / Bo5) takes the match.

Compatibility

• Minecraft Java Edition 26.x (tested on 26.2).
• Datapack: works on vanilla, Paper and Purpur servers and in singleplayer/LAN.
• Uses the sidebar and below-name scoreboard slots and a pulse_lobby team, so it may conflict with other packs or plugins that use those.
• The arena clear removes all non-player entities in and around the arena box, so build it away from your builds.