CensoredASM is one of the most impactful mods in this guide; it aims at reducing the ram usage of Minecraft, making it faster and reducing the ram usage up to 4 times on big modpacks. It also prevents the game from crashing, and fixes bugs
Requires MixinBooterVintageFix is a better and updated version of FoamFix, it aims at reducing the ram usage of Minecraft and reducing tps usage by doing networking optimization and fixing bugs. It also does other more minor optimizations.
Requires MixinBooterHesperus is a better and updated version of Phosphor, it aims at optimizing the lighting part of Minecraft by entirely replacing the lighting engine, it results in improved fps and improved world generation speed. Hesperus is a fork of Phosphor which improves compatibility and fixes bugs.
Incompatible with Cubic ChunksAlfheim is a even better and updated version of Hesperus/Phosphor, aiming at optimizing the lighting engine of Minecraft by entirely replacing it, resulting in higher FPS and much faster world generation speed. Alfheim fixes more bugs than Hesperus and Phosphor, making it better for larger packs
Visual bugs fixed by Alfheim: MC-92 MC-5073, MC-80966 MC-95515 MC-104532 MC-249343
Incompatible with Cubic Chunks (Presumably)Sledgehammer aims at smashing out the stupid out of the client and the server, by optimizing and cleaning up client and server code. It speeds up and improves connection to servers, reduces network usage. It also prevents crashes, fixes bugs and quality of life improvement.
Requires MixinBooter
Universal Tweaks aims at superseding tweaking, bug fixing, and small performance mods; it also improves performance in new unique ways.
All of its tweaks can be turned on or off.
Starting with version 1.8 Universal Tweaks includes the entirety of the DupeFix Project.
Fixeroo aims at reducing the lag on server for some specific things. It greatly optimizes XP orbs by clumping them together, but unlike the Clumps mod, it does not create a new entity. It also has some optimization to golem building.
Entity Culling aims to optimize rendering of entity and tile entity by skipping the rendering of those that are hidden.
Entity Culling only improves FPS when you have a lot of entities on screen, otherwise it decreases FPS so only install it when entities make you lag.
Requires MixinBooter Requires RenderLibNothirium aims to optimize rendering of chunks by rewriting the chunk rendering engine, which greatly increases performance.
Requires MixinBooter Requires RenderLib Incompatible with Cubic Chunks Incompatible with Little Tiles Incompatible with Far Plane Two Causes artifacts with MultiblockedValkyrie aims at optimizing client-side operations and generally making it faster. It also adds a plethora of improvements and features.
Requires MixinBooter Requires Red Core Requires ConfigAnytimeOptifine aims to optimizing client-side operations and generally making it faster. It adds support for shaders and more. Opifine has incompatibilities with many mods, only add if you want shaders.
Particle Culling aims to optimize rendering of particles by skipping the rendering of those that are hidden.
Dynamic View aims to optimize server view distance by reducing it when the server is under stress and increasing it when the server has spare performance.
McMouser aims at fixing mouse bugs on Mac when playing Minecraft
Only include if you play on a Mac
NetherPortalFix aims at fixing the bugs when taking the same nether portal, you end up somewhere else in the overworld.
Craft Takes Time forces the player time spend time in the crafting GUI waiting on recipes. It subconsciously influences players to start working on automation and automatic farms.
Realistic Terrain Generation (RTG for short) replaces Minecraft's world gen with a system far more grounded in reality. Walk over huge mountains, vast river valleys and expansive forests.
Realistic Block Physics adds physics calculations to everything you build. Unlike other mods, you can build with cobblestone and dirt without everything completely collapsing.
Lost Cities Squared is a fork of Lost Cities - Survive The Dead Edition. The Lost Cities generates long abandoned cities in your worlds, complete with loot and mobspawners. Lost Cities Squared definitely doesnt fix all the bugs with the original mod, such as the Memory Leak but, its actively maintained.
Zombie Awareness improves the AI and spawning of Zombies. Zombies can smell blood, see your lights and hear your movements. They also can spawn as small hordes during night, greatly increasing the difficulty.
The Hordes adds horde events every configerable ammout of days and player zombification. Every ten days, 100's of zombies spawn and will besiege your base, forcing you to constantly upgrade your defenses.
Improved Mobs upgrades the AI of all mobs, but it has many features if you're making a zombie apocalypse pack. Zombies can be configured to break many blocks, or even spawn durning the day.