How to Host a Risk of Rain 2 Server

By Admin · Mar 2, 2026 · Updated Apr 23, 2026 · 27 views · 3 min read

How to Host a Risk of Rain 2 Server

Risk of Rain 2 is a roguelike third-person shooter with intense multiplayer action. Hosting a dedicated server on your Breeze instance eliminates host advantage, reduces lag for all players, and lets you run modded lobbies with custom rules.

System Requirements

Risk of Rain 2 dedicated servers are very lightweight. A Breeze instance with 1-2 CPU cores, 2 GB of RAM, and 5 GB of storage is more than sufficient.

Installing the Server

Create a dedicated user and install via SteamCMD:

sudo useradd -m -r -s /bin/bash ror2
sudo apt install -y steamcmd lib32gcc-s1
sudo su - ror2
mkdir -p ~/ror2_server
steamcmd +force_install_dir ~/ror2_server \
  +login anonymous \
  +app_update 1180760 validate \
  +quit

Server Configuration

Risk of Rain 2 uses a config file approach. Create the configuration at the appropriate path. On first run, the server generates default configs that you can modify:

cd ~/ror2_server
./Risk_of_Rain_2_Dedicated.x86_64 &
sleep 10 && kill %1

Edit the generated configuration file to set your preferences:

# Server settings
sv_hostname "My RoR2 Server - Kazepute Breeze"
sv_port 27015
sv_maxplayers 4
sv_password "your-password"
steam_server_heartbeat_enabled 1

Starting the Server

Launch the dedicated server with your configuration:

cd ~/ror2_server
./Risk_of_Rain_2_Dedicated.x86_64 \
  -batchmode -nographics \
  +sv_hostname "My RoR2 Server" \
  +sv_port 27015 \
  +sv_maxplayers 4

Firewall Configuration

Open the required ports on your Breeze instance:

sudo ufw allow 27015/udp
sudo ufw allow 27016/udp
sudo ufw reload

Modded Servers with R2Modman

To run a modded Risk of Rain 2 server, install BepInEx and desired mods. The server-side mod framework allows custom items, characters, stages, and gameplay modifications:

cd ~/ror2_server
wget https://thunderstore.io/package/download/bbepis/BepInExPack/latest/
unzip BepInExPack.zip -d .
# Place mod DLLs in BepInEx/plugins/

All connecting players must have matching mods installed using r2modman or Thunderstore Mod Manager.

Game Configuration

Player count — supports up to 16 players with mods, 4 in vanilla
Difficulty — scales dynamically based on time and player count
Artifacts — enable or disable gameplay-modifying artifacts server-side
Stage order — configure whether stages follow a set path or are randomized

Administration Commands

Use the server console for real-time management:

kick steam_id          # Kick a player
ban steam_id           # Ban a player
say "message"          # Broadcast a message
change_map mapname     # Switch to a different stage

Performance Notes

Late-game runs with many items can increase CPU and network usage
Limit player count if experiencing lag in extended runs on your Breeze
Restart the server between runs for optimal performance
Monitor log output for error messages or mod conflicts

How to Host a Risk of Rain 2 Server