Enemy Lock-On

Enemy Lock-On is a client-side Fabric mod that adds smooth, highly configurable entity lock-on targeting inspired by lock-on systems found in action games.

Lock onto nearby entities, smoothly track them at full render speed, cycle between targets, automatically compensate for projectile drop, or enable a persistent targeting mode that continuously searches for nearby enemies.

Lock-On

Press < by default to activate normal targeting.

When activated, Enemy Lock-On searches for a valid entity around your crosshair using the configured Detection Radius and Maximum Target Distance.

Targets are prioritized around your current view direction, allowing you to deliberately choose what you want to lock onto rather than always selecting whichever entity happens to be closest.

While normal targeting is active, Targetting entity is displayed above the bottom HUD.

Persistent Lock-On

Enemy Lock-On also includes a persistent targeting mode.

Press ALT + < by default to toggle Persistent Lock-On.

While enabled:

• The nearest valid entity is automatically targeted.
• If the current target dies or becomes invalid, another valid nearby entity can automatically be acquired.
• If no valid entities are currently nearby, Persistent Lock-On remains enabled and continues searching.
• The HUD displays Targetting lock-on: ON while the mode is active.

Persistent Lock-On can also be completely enabled or disabled through the configuration menu.

Target Cycling

While locked onto an entity, you can manually cycle through nearby valid targets.

• LEFT Arrow → previous target
• RIGHT Arrow → next target

Targets are ordered by their actual 3D distance from the player.

Cycling wraps around in both directions and continues respecting your targeting rules, including:

• Maximum Target Distance
• Entity-type filters
• Line of Sight
• Dead, removed, or otherwise invalid entities

The cycling controls can also be changed through Minecraft's normal keybind settings.

Lock-On Marker

Locked entities are marked with a small square directly at the center of their hitbox.

This marker represents the primary point Enemy Lock-On tracks.

When acquiring a target:

• The target marker smoothly fades in.
• The normal Minecraft crosshair smoothly fades out.
• The camera begins tracking the entity's center.

When the targeted entity dies:

• The marker fades out.
• The marker gradually transitions to red as it disappears.
• The normal crosshair fades back in.

If another target is acquired afterward, the new marker fades in while the crosshair fades out again.

Smooth Camera Tracking

Enemy Lock-On's targeting is not limited to Minecraft's normal 20 TPS game-tick rate.

Camera tracking updates using the client's rendered frames, allowing movement to remain fluid at higher frame rates and making the camera behave much closer to natural mouse movement.

Entity movement is also interpolated between game ticks, preventing moving targets from appearing to update in noticeable 20 TPS steps.

Several configurable smoothing methods are available:

• Instant
• Linear
• Easing - Sine
• Easing - Quadratic
• Easing - Cubic
• Smoothstep
• Smootherstep
• Exponential
• Damped Spring

The Smoothing Strength setting controls how aggressively the camera follows the target.

3D Target Detection

Detection works across full 3D space.

The Detection Radius accounts for targets:

• To your left or right
• Above or below you
• At diagonal angles around your crosshair

This means vertical targeting behaves the same way as horizontal targeting instead of effectively using a flattened detection area.

Detection Radius

Controls how far away from your crosshair direction an entity can be before it is ignored as a potential target.

The default Detection Radius is 24.

A smaller value requires more precise aiming, while a larger value makes acquiring nearby targets easier.

Maximum Target Distance

Controls how far away an entity can be before it is no longer considered a valid target.

The default Maximum Target Distance is 24 blocks.

Bow & Crossbow Compensation

Enemy Lock-On can automatically compensate for projectile drop when using bows and crossbows.

Both options are enabled by default and can be configured independently.

When a supported weapon is selected, the mod considers:

• Distance to the target
• Height difference between you and the target
• Projectile gravity
• Projectile drag

The camera then automatically aims higher when necessary so long-range shots can compensate for arrow drop.

The farther away the target is, the more elevation can be applied.

Bow compensation is designed around a fully charged bow, while crossbows use their appropriate projectile behavior.

The square target marker remains attached to the entity's actual center even when projectile compensation causes the camera to aim slightly above it.

Target Types

Each major target category can be enabled or disabled independently:

• Hostile Mobs
• Players
• Passive Mobs

This allows Enemy Lock-On to be configured for combat-focused targeting or broader entity tracking.

Line of Sight

When Require Line of Sight is enabled, entities that cannot currently be seen by the player are ignored during target selection.

This also applies when cycling between targets or automatically searching for another entity.

Automatic Retargeting

When Auto Retarget is enabled, losing the current target does not immediately end normal lock-on.

If the target dies or otherwise becomes invalid, Enemy Lock-On searches for another suitable nearby entity and transfers the lock when possible.

When Auto Retarget is disabled, losing the current target ends normal targeting instead.

Persistent Lock-On behaves separately and can remain active even when no valid targets currently exist.

Adaptive HUD

Enemy Lock-On displays its targeting status directly above Minecraft's bottom HUD.

The status is horizontally centered and automatically accounts for compatible modded HUD elements that occupy the same bottom section of the screen.

Normal lock-on displays:

Targetting entity

Persistent Lock-On displays:

Targetting lock-on: ON

The message disappears when the corresponding targeting mode is disabled.

Configuration

Press O by default to open the Enemy Lock-On settings while in-game.

The configuration menu includes options for:

• Smoothing Method
• Smoothing Strength
• Detection Radius
• Maximum Target Distance
• Auto Retarget
• Require Line of Sight
• Hostile Mob Targeting
• Player Targeting
• Passive Mob Targeting
• Bow Aim Compensation
• Crossbow Aim Compensation
• Persistent Lock-On

Enemy Lock-On's controls can also be changed through Minecraft's normal keybind settings.

If Mod Menu is installed, Enemy Lock-On provides a Configure button directly from the Mods screen, allowing the configuration menu to be opened without entering a world.

Configuration is saved between game sessions.