How do I change the death message or say-command colour?

Custom death messages and colored broadcasts aren't something vanilla Minecraft lets you edit directly — they're almost always a plugin or datapack feature. Here's what's possible and how to get it.

What vanilla can and can't do

Vanilla death messages can't be edited without a datapack or plugin. For colored broadcasts, you can use /say (which plugins can style) or a dedicated chat/formatting plugin that lets you template messages and apply colors.

How to customize

1. For custom death messages, install a death-message plugin (Plugins tab, on Paper/Spigot) or add a datapack that rewrites them.
2. For colored broadcasts, use a chat/formatting plugin, or run /say messages that your formatting plugin styles.
3. Configure the wording and colors in that plugin's config, then reload or restart.

Tip: A dedicated death-message plugin gives you full control over templates and colors without touching your world files.

Frequently asked questions

Can I change death messages without plugins? Only with a datapack. There's no vanilla server.properties setting for custom death messages.

How do I add color to a broadcast? Use a chat-formatting plugin, or /say messages styled by such a plugin. Raw vanilla /say has limited styling on its own.

What plugin should I use? Any well-maintained death-message or chat-formatting plugin that matches your Minecraft version. Match the plugin build to your server version.