> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://esmp-fun.gitbook.io/plugins/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://esmp-fun.gitbook.io/plugins/better-trial-chambers/getting-started/your-first-chamber.md).

# Manual Chamber Setup

{% hint style="info" %}
**Most servers don't need this page.** If your world has naturally-generated Trial Chambers (the default on normal worlds), the easy path is [**Quick Start**](/plugins/better-trial-chambers/getting-started/quick-start.md) — `/trial setup` turns on auto-discovery and BTC manages every chamber for you, automatically.

This page is for the few servers with **no natural chambers** — superflat / one-block worlds, custom world generation, or `generate-structures: false`. There, you register a chamber by hand, which is what this guide covers.
{% endhint %}

Time to turn that dusty Trial Chamber into a repeatable endgame experience! This guide walks you through registering and configuring a chamber manually.

## Step 1: Find a Trial Chamber

First things first—you need a Trial Chamber to manage. Got one already? Great! Need to find one?

```
/locate structure trial_chambers
```

Teleport to it and explore until you find the main vault room. You'll want to register the entire chamber structure, not just one room.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Pro tip:** Trial Chambers can be MASSIVE. Some span 100+ blocks in each direction. Bring blocks to mark corners!
{% endhint %}

## Step 2: Select the Chamber

BetterTrialChambers needs to know which blocks belong to your chamber. The easiest way? **WorldEdit**.

### Using WorldEdit (Recommended)

1. Grab your WorldEdit wand: `//wand` or `/tool wand`
2. Left-click one corner of the chamber (lowest point)
3. Right-click the opposite corner (highest point)

Your selection should encompass the entire chamber—all rooms, hallways, spawners, and vaults.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Important:** Make sure your selection includes a bit of padding around the structure. If spawners or vaults are right on the edge, they might not get detected in the scan.
{% endhint %}

### Without WorldEdit

Don't have WorldEdit? You can still do it manually (but seriously, get WorldEdit):

```
/trial generate coords <minX,minY,minZ> <maxX,maxY,maxZ> <name>
```

Example:

```
/trial generate coords -150,-20,400 -50,40,500 MainChamber
```

That's painful. Get WorldEdit. Moving on!

## Step 3: Register the Chamber

With your selection made, register the existing Trial Chamber with the plugin:

```
/trial generate wand MyChamber
```

Replace `MyChamber` with whatever name you want. Keep it simple—no spaces!

You'll see:

```
[BTC] Chamber MyChamber created successfully!
[BTC] Next step: Run /trial scan MyChamber to detect vaults and spawners
```

{% hint style="success" %}
**Naming conventions:** Use clear names like `MainChamber`, `NetherPortalTC`, or `SpawnChamber1`. You'll thank yourself later when managing multiple chambers.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** `/trial generate wand` registers **existing** Trial Chambers from your WorldEdit selection for management. It doesn't create or modify blocks—it just tells the plugin to start managing the selected region.
{% endhint %}

## Step 4: Scan for Vaults and Spawners

Now we tell the plugin to find all the vaults, spawners, and decorated pots:

```
/trial scan MyChamber
```

This takes a few seconds. The plugin is searching every block in your selection for:

* **Vaults** (normal and ominous)
* **Trial Spawners** (normal and ominous)
* **Decorated Pots**

You'll get a summary:

```
[BTC] Scanning chamber MyChamber...
[BTC] Scanning complete! Found 8 vaults, 12 spawners, 24 decorated pots.
```

{% hint style="info" %}
**What if it finds 0 vaults?** Either your selection didn't include the vaults, or you're in a decorative Trial Chamber variant without vaults. Expand your selection and scan again!
{% endhint %}

## Step 5: Create a Snapshot

Here's where the magic happens. BetterTrialChambers needs a "snapshot" of your chamber in its pristine state:

```
/trial snapshot create MyChamber
```

The plugin will:

1. Scan every block in the chamber
2. Save block types, orientations, and tile entity data — including spawner/vault state, container loot, decorated pots, and (since **1.7.2**) sign text, player-head skins, banner patterns, lectern books, jukebox discs, chiseled-bookshelf contents, and suspicious-block items
3. Compress it all into a file
4. Store it in `snapshots/MyChamber.dat`

{% hint style="info" %}
**Upgrading from before 1.7.2?** Older snapshots restored decorations (signs, heads, banners, etc.) as blank blocks. Re-run `/trial snapshot create <chamber>` on decorated chambers once to capture them with full fidelity.
{% endhint %}

This might take 5-30 seconds depending on chamber size. You'll see:

```
[BTC] Creating snapshot for MyChamber...
[BTC] Snapshot created successfully! (12,847 blocks, 1.2 MB)
```

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Keep it pristine!** Create snapshots when your chamber is in perfect condition. This is what the chamber will reset back to.
{% endhint %}

## Step 6: Set an Exit Point

When the chamber resets, players inside need somewhere to go. Stand where you want them to teleport and run:

```
/trial setexit MyChamber
```

This saves your exact position (including look direction). Usually, you'll want this just outside the entrance.

{% hint style="info" %}
**No exit set?** If you don't set one, players will teleport to the world spawn instead. Not the worst thing, but a dedicated exit is cleaner.
{% endhint %}

## Step 7: Test It Out!

Your chamber is now managed! Let's verify everything works:

### Check Chamber Info

```
/trial info MyChamber
```

You should see:

* Chamber bounds
* Number of vaults and spawners
* Snapshot status
* Reset interval
* Last reset time

### Test the Reset

```
/trial reset MyChamber
```

This forces an immediate reset. You should:

* Get teleported to the exit point
* See the chamber fully restored
* Notice all vaults are locked again

{% hint style="success" %}
**Perfect!** Your chamber is now on autopilot. It will automatically reset based on the interval in your config (default: 48 hours).
{% endhint %}

## Step 8: Configure Reset Schedule (Optional)

By default, chambers reset every 48 hours. Want to change that for this specific chamber?

Edit `plugins/BetterTrialChambers/config.yml`:

```yaml
# This is the default for all chambers
global:
  default-reset-interval: 172800  # 48 hours in seconds
```

Or override it per-chamber from the GUI: `/trial menu` → pick the chamber → **Settings** → **Reset Interval**.

**Common intervals:**

* Daily: `86400` (24 hours)
* Twice daily: `43200` (12 hours)
* Weekly: `604800` (7 days)
* Manual only: `0` (disable automatic resets — use `/trial reset` or the GUI button)
* Custom: Use an [online converter](https://www.timecalculator.net/) to get seconds

## Quick Reference

Here's everything in one place:

```bash
# 1. Select chamber with WorldEdit
//wand

# 2. Register chamber
/trial generate wand MyChamber

# 3. Scan for vaults/spawners
/trial scan MyChamber

# 4. Create snapshot
/trial snapshot create MyChamber

# 5. Set exit point
/trial setexit MyChamber

# 6. Check info
/trial info MyChamber

# 7. Test reset (optional)
/trial reset MyChamber
```

## What's Next?

You've got a working chamber! Now make it yours:

{% content-ref url="/pages/KytI1a3NlpSBoFlBNUJ7" %}
[loot.yml](/plugins/better-trial-chambers/configuration/loot.yml.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

Replace vanilla loot with custom rewards, economy payouts, command rewards, and more.

{% content-ref url="/pages/xOypcZT8gYrzrySOktM2" %}
[Basic Configuration](/plugins/better-trial-chambers/getting-started/basic-configuration.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

Configure reset schedules, warnings, protection, and the settings most servers tweak.

{% content-ref url="/pages/c2p910l1L2ur7dYHFGnx" %}
[config.yml](/plugins/better-trial-chambers/configuration/config.yml.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

The full config reference — including per-player vaults and cooldowns.

***

## Pro Tips

{% hint style="info" %}
**Multiple chambers?** Just repeat the process! Each chamber is independent with its own settings, loot tables, and reset schedules.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}
**Update the snapshot:** Made changes to your chamber? Run `/trial snapshot create MyChamber` again to update it. The old snapshot is overwritten.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Don't delete snapshots manually!** The `.dat` files in `snapshots/` are critical. If you delete them, you can't reset that chamber anymore.
{% endhint %}

## Common Issues

**"No WorldEdit selection found"** You didn't make a selection. Use `//wand` and select both corners first.

**"Scan found 0 vaults"** Your selection doesn't include the vaults, or they're not actually vaults (check with F3).

**"Snapshot creation failed"** Usually a disk space or permission issue. Check console logs for details.

**"Players aren't teleporting on reset"** Make sure you set an exit point with `/trial setexit MyChamber`.

Still stuck? Check the [full troubleshooting guide](/plugins/better-trial-chambers/troubleshooting/troubleshooting.md)!