Update v1.8.6 — Compatibility, Stability & Hotfix Polish
• Improved backward compatibility with older config files through safer auto-repair and validation.
• Reduced false-positive config warnings, especially for valid sounds, particles, lore lines, and cross-version aliases.
• Improved overall lobby PvP stability across joins, respawns, teleports, world changes, reloads, and external plugin interactions.
• Refined managed sword, armor, and PvP-state handling to avoid stuck or inconsistent states.
• Improved compatibility with both older Paper versions and the latest modern Paper API line.
• Verified build compatibility across 1.18, 1.18.1, 1.18.2, 1.19.4, 1.20.6, 1.21.11, and source compatibility with Paper 26.1.x.
• Focused entirely on hotfixes, polishing, compatibility, and safer release quality with no new gameplay features added.

Update v1.8.5 — Hotfix
• Hotfix Update: focused on stability, compatibility, and final release polish without changing the core gameplay flow.
• Better Plugin Compatibility: improved coexistence with DeluxeHub, WorldGuard, PvPManager, CombatLogX, Essentials, CMI, Multiverse-Core, Citizens, Duels, and major anti-cheats such as GrimAC, Vulcan, and Matrix.
• Smarter PvP Handling: refined damage override behavior, external protection checks, and managed-state cleanup for safer lobby combat.
• Multiworld Reliability: better handling when entering, leaving, or teleporting across managed and unmanaged worlds.
• Inventory & State Safety: improved sword, armor, and external takeover handling to avoid stuck states or incorrect restores.
• Config Auto-Repair: missing config paths are restored automatically with console warnings.
• Config Validation: invalid values now warn clearly in console and use safe runtime fallbacks.
• False Positive Cleanup: reduced unnecessary config warnings, including support for valid empty lore lines and cross-version particle aliases.
• Safer Knockback Compatibility: more conservative compatibility knockback when strict anti-cheats are present.
• Better Console Guidance: improved conflict-scan messages to help server owners configure common lobby plugin combinations correctly.

Update v1.8 — Compatibility, Polish & Message Modernization
• Compatibility Expansion: full build support across Paper/Spigot 1.18-1.21.11 with a safer Java 17 baseline.
• PvP Flow Polish: join, death, respawn, teleport, reload, and world-change handling refined for more consistent end-to-end behavior.
• Inventory & Armor Safety: lobby sword and PvP armor handling hardened to prevent overwrites, bad restores, and state leaks.
• Combat Accuracy: kills, deaths, hits, fireworks, and keep-inventory logic now apply only to valid Lobby4PvP combat.
• Firework Fix: kill fireworks now launch upward correctly before detonating instead of exploding instantly on the victim.
• Performance Hardening: reduced unnecessary inventory updates and moved stats saving to safer batched disk writes for busy servers.
• Plugin Compatibility: improved coexistence with WorldGuard, PvPManager, CombatLogX, Essentials, and Duels-style plugins.
• Smarter State Ownership: Lobby4PvP now yields managed lobby loadout state more safely when another plugin clearly takes control.
• Update Checker Fix: version comparison is now accurate, and update notices are shown as warning-level console messages.
• MiniMessage Support: configurable texts now support MiniMessage, hex colors, and legacy '&' formatting without breaking old configs.
• Config Polish: BossBar is now disabled by default, and formatting support is documented more clearly in the config.

Update v1.7 — Stability & Safety Hardening
• VIP Sword Fix: players can no longer keep both normal and VIP swords — inventory state is always correct.
• Anti-Duplication Hardening: full protection against item duplication via containers, hoppers, creative mode, crafting stations, armor stands, and pickups.
• Reload Stability: /lobby4pvp reload is now fully safe — no ghost PvP states, no stuck BossBars, no orphaned tasks.
• Timer & State Reliability: activation, deactivation, and cooldown logic refined for maximum consistency under heavy event spam.
• Compatibility Expansion: improved coexistence with major protection and PvP plugins across large and small lobby servers.
• Full support for Java 21 and Paper/Spigot 1.20.6–1.21+.

Update v1.6.7 — Stable Override & Cooldown Fixes
• Cooldown Fix: cooldowns no longer reset when hitting or switching slots — fully stable timers.
• Improved PvP Override: stronger and faster control over WorldGuard, Essentials, PvPManager, and CombatLogX.
• Conflict Detection 3.0: clearer console logs for PvP plugin conflicts.
• Polish: smoother activation/deactivation flow, cleaner debug output, and full Java 21 optimization.
• Full support for Java 21 and Paper/Spigot 1.20.6–1.21+.

Update v1.6.6 — Persistent Stats & Safer Reload
• Persistent stats: players’ kills, deaths, hits, and KDR are now saved in stats.yml and kept after restarts.
• Improved /reload: no more item duplication — all config values, slots, and timers reload safely.
• Reinforced PvP override: stronger control against WorldGuard/Essentials/PvPManager/CombatLogX.
• BossBar refresh: colors & styles update live; bars auto-clean on quit.
• Conflict detection 2.0: clearer console tips for known PvP plugins.
• Polish: safer cooldowns, cleaner logs, optimized timers.
• Full support for Java 21 and Paper/Spigot 1.20.6–1.21+

Update v1.6.5 — True PvP Override & Better UX

• True PvP override: Lobby4PvP can now un-cancel other plugins’ PvP blocks when both players opted-in (pvp.override-others: true).
  
• BossBar progress for activation/deactivation (consistent with ActionBar/Chat).
  
• Safer reload: /lobby4pvp reload reapplies all changes live (items, slots, timers, worlds, messages).
  
• Smarter item handling: sword is preserved on death; auto-removes plugin armor on death/disable.
  
• World scoping: apply rules to all worlds or a custom list (pvp.worlds).
  
• Clear policy feedback: customizable blocked message when PvP is denied.
  
• Conflict awareness: console hints when WorldGuard/Essentials/PvPManager/CombatLogX are present.
  
• PlaceholderAPI kept up-to-date (status, kills, deaths, hits, kdr, vip, cooldown, version). [BETA]
  
• Java 21 & Paper/Spigot 1.20.6–1.21+ fully supported.

Update v1.6.5 — True PvP Override & Better UX

• True PvP override: Lobby4PvP can now un-cancel other plugins’ PvP blocks when both players opted-in (pvp.override-others: true).
  
  
• BossBar progress for activation/deactivation (consistent with ActionBar/Chat).
  
  
• Safer reload: /lobby4pvp reload reapplies all changes live (items, slots, timers, worlds, messages).
  
  
• Smarter item handling: sword is preserved on death; auto-removes plugin armor on death/disable.
  
  
• World scoping: apply rules to all worlds or a custom list (pvp.worlds).
  
  
• Clear policy feedback: customizable blocked message when PvP is denied.
  
  
• Conflict awareness: console hints when WorldGuard/Essentials/PvPManager/CombatLogX are present.
  
  
• PlaceholderAPI kept up-to-date (status, kills, deaths, hits, kdr, vip, cooldown, version). [BETA]
  
  
• Java 21 & Paper/Spigot 1.20.6–1.21+ fully supported.
  

Update v1.6.3 — Stability & Compatibility
• Fixed armor duplication & logout bug
• Added cooldown and improved PvP timers
• Improved VIP system (custom sword & armor)
• Enhanced anti-duplication protection
• New configurable sounds, particles & kill fireworks
• PlaceholderAPI fully supported (status, kills, deaths, hits, kdr, vip, cooldown, version)
• Safe /lobby4pvp reload command
• Added update checker
• Full support for Java 21 and Paper/Spigot 1.20.6–1.21+

Update v1.6.3 — Stability & Compatibility
• Fixed armor duplication & logout bug
• Added cooldown and improved PvP timers
• Improved VIP system (custom sword & armor)
• Enhanced anti-duplication protection
• New configurable sounds, particles & kill fireworks
• PlaceholderAPI fully supported (status, kills, deaths, hits, kdr, vip, cooldown, version)
• Safe /lobby4pvp reload command
• Added update checker
• Full support for Java 21 and Paper/Spigot 1.20.6–1.21+