Install order matters
Always install in this order: Vault → LuckPerms → EssentialsX. Vault is the API; LuckPerms registers itself with Vault on startup; EssentialsX looks up permissions via Vault. Installing in the wrong order usually means EssentialsX silently fails permission checks and grants everyone admin powers.
Default ranks
Most LuckPerms setups use a 4-tier default group ladder:
default — basic member (home, tpa, msg)
vip — extra homes, color in chat
moderator — teleport-to, kick, mute
admin — everything (still gated by the console/Dashboard whitelist on MCVote)
Use /lp editor to edit these in-game; changes propagate immediately to the LuckPerms permission table.
Common gotchas
Three problems hit every new server owner once:
1. Player permissions not loading — usually means Vault and LuckPerms are in the wrong order or one was silently disabled. /vault-info tells you which economy plugin registered.
2. EssentialsX commands silently failing — run /ess debug to see why a permission check is failing.
3. /home not working for new players — the default group needs the essentials.home permission explicitly set.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Vault if I have LuckPerms?
Yes, for EssentialsX. LuckPerms handles permissions, but EssentialsX queries them via Vault. Without Vault, EssentialsX's permission checks fail and most commands silently don't work.
Why does /home fail for new players?
The default group is missing the essentials.home permission. Set it with /lp group default permission set essentials.home true.