Best EXILED Plugins for Your SCP:SL Server in 2026

EXILED is what turns a vanilla SCP:SL server into something people actually remember. Custom factions, admin tools, quality of life improvements, entirely new game mechanics - it’s all server-side, so your players don’t need to install anything. They just connect and everything works.

Here’s what’s worth running in 2026, how to install it, and the things you should know before loading up your plugin folder.

What Is EXILED and How Does It Work?

EXILED is the dominant community plugin framework for SCP: Secret Laboratory. It sits on top of the game’s official LabAPI (which ships with the dedicated server) and provides a much richer API for plugin developers.

The key things to know:

• Server-side only. Players connect with the normal game client. No mods needed on their end.
• Plugins are .dll files. You drop them in the EXILED plugins folder and restart.
• Active development. The framework is maintained by the ExMod-Team (forked from the original EXILED project in early 2025) and tracks game updates closely.
• Large ecosystem. Hundreds of plugins available, from small quality of life tweaks to complete gameplay overhauls.

Essential Plugins for Every Server

These are the plugins that most well-run SCP:SL servers have installed regardless of their gameplay focus.

AdminTools

The most widely used admin plugin. Adds moderation commands that the vanilla Remote Admin panel doesn’t have - things like instant cleanup commands, player tracking, advanced logging, and broadcast tools. If you moderate a public server, you need this.

• What it does: Extended admin commands, player management, logging, broadcasts
• Why it matters: Vanilla Remote Admin is functional but limited. This fills the gaps.
• Note: The actively maintained version is AdminTools-NWAPI by Axwabo, which works with current EXILED versions.

Common Utilities

Handles the small but important tweaks that every server owner wants - SCP-914 item/class changes, teleport settings, effect chances, custom item spawns, and broadcast messages. It’s the Swiss army knife plugin that covers dozens of config-driven tweaks without needing separate plugins for each one.

• What it does: SCP-914 recipes, spawn modifications, broadcasts, teleport settings
• Why it matters: One plugin handles what would otherwise require 10+ individual ones.

RespawnTimer

Shows spectators useful information while they wait for the next respawn wave - time until next spawn, round timer, current TPS (ticks per second), and spectator count. It sounds minor, but dead players waiting for respawn is a big part of the SCP:SL experience, and giving them information keeps them engaged instead of disconnecting.

• What it does: HUD display for spectators showing respawn countdown, round stats, TPS
• Why it matters: Reduces spectator boredom and disconnects. Actively maintained.

Custom Faction Plugins

Custom factions are some of the most popular plugins in the SCP:SL ecosystem. They add entirely new teams to the game’s faction system, creating fresh gameplay dynamics.

Serpent’s Hand

Adds the Serpent’s Hand faction from SCP lore. They spawn in place of Chaos Insurgency and side with the SCPs instead of against them. This creates a three-way dynamic (Foundation vs SCPs + Serpent’s Hand vs Chaos Insurgency) that completely changes how rounds play out.

• What it does: New faction that spawns instead of CI, allied with SCPs
• Why it matters: One of the most requested and iconic community additions. Changes the meta significantly.

UIU Rescue Squad

Adds the Unusual Incidents Unit (UIU) from SCP lore as an additional Foundation-allied spawn. They replace a percentage of MTF spawns and come with their own loadout and objectives. Less dramatic than Serpent’s Hand but adds variety to the Foundation side.

• What it does: New Foundation-allied faction with custom loadout
• Why it matters: Balances out the Serpent’s Hand addition by giving the Foundation side more variety too.

Gameplay and Quality of Life

SCP Swap

Lets SCPs swap roles with each other at the start of a round. If you spawn as SCP-049 but really wanted to play SCP-173, you can request a swap with whoever got 173. Simple concept, but it solves one of the most common complaints in SCP:SL - getting stuck as an SCP you don’t enjoy.

• What it does: SCP role swapping during the initial spawn period
• Why it matters: Reduces early-round disconnects from players who don’t want their assigned SCP.

Remote Keycard

A quality of life favorite. Lets players open keycard-locked doors without holding the keycard in their active hand - as long as they have the right keycard anywhere in their inventory. Saves the constant swapping between keycard and weapon that vanilla SCP:SL requires.

• What it does: Keycards work from inventory without being held
• Why it matters: Small change, big impact on gameplay feel. Almost universally liked by players.

MapEditorReborn

For servers that want to modify the game’s map - adding custom rooms, spawning objects, creating unique areas. This is a more advanced plugin aimed at servers with a specific creative vision, but it’s one of the most powerful tools available.

• What it does: Custom map objects, room modifications, spawned entities
• Why it matters: Lets servers create unique environments that set them apart.

How to Install EXILED

Step 1: Install the EXILED Framework

EXILED has its own installer. On Linux:

# Download and run the EXILED installer
# Check the ExMod-Team/EXILED GitHub releases for the latest version

The installer places the framework files in ~/.config/EXILED/ on Linux or %AppData%\EXILED\ on Windows.

Step 2: Add Plugins

Plugins go in the Plugins folder:

• Linux: ~/.config/EXILED/Plugins/
• Windows: %AppData%\EXILED\Plugins\

Download the .dll file from the plugin’s GitHub releases page and drop it in that folder. That’s it.

Step 3: Configure

Most plugins create their own config file in ~/.config/EXILED/Configs/<port>-config.yml after first run. Restart your server after adding a plugin, then check the config file to adjust settings.

Step 4: Restart

Plugins load on server start. There’s no hot-reload - you need to restart the server for new plugins or config changes to take effect.

Plugin Compatibility and Updates

A few things to keep in mind when managing plugins:

Game updates can break plugins. SCP:SL updates fairly regularly, and major updates sometimes change internal APIs that plugins depend on. When this happens, plugins need to be updated by their authors. Active plugins usually get patched within a few days. Abandoned plugins stay broken.

Check before updating. If your server runs fine on the current version, don’t rush to update the game when a new patch drops. Wait a day or two and check whether your critical plugins have been updated first. A server with working plugins on a slightly older version is better than an updated server with broken plugins.

EXILED version matters. Plugins are built against specific EXILED versions. When EXILED releases a major update, some plugins may need recompilation. The EXILED Discord is the best place to check compatibility status after framework updates.

RAM overhead is minimal for most plugins. Individual plugins typically add very little memory usage. The exceptions are plugins that spawn lots of custom objects (MapEditorReborn with complex maps) or maintain large data stores. Running 10-15 standard plugins shouldn’t require more than an extra 1GB of RAM over baseline. See our RAM guide for specifics.

Where to Find Plugins

• ExMod-Team GitHub - the EXILED organization page has the framework and many official/community plugins
• EXILED Discord - plugin announcements, compatibility updates, support channels
• SCP:SL Modding Discord - broader modding community including both EXILED and LabAPI plugins
• Individual GitHub repos - many plugin authors host their work independently

Stick to plugins with recent commits and active issue trackers. An SCP:SL plugin that hasn’t been updated in 6+ months is likely incompatible with the current game version.

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