BetterUtilitySlot

BetterUtilitySlot is a small Lethal Company v81 quality-of-life mod that lets items blocked only by vanilla's Utility Slot restriction use the game's built-in Utility Slot.

In vanilla v81, the serialized item definitions show that only three normal non-scrap items are blocked specifically by disallowUtilitySlot:

• Shovel
• Key
• Ammo

BetterUtilitySlot allows those items into the vanilla Utility Slot while preserving vanilla's other eligibility rules.

What it changes

• Allows items marked disallowUtilitySlot to use the vanilla Utility Slot when they are otherwise eligible.
• Preserves the vanilla scrap restriction.
• Preserves the vanilla two-handed item restriction.
• Uses the existing vanilla Utility Slot (slot 50).
• Uses the normal vanilla Equip to belt : [E] interaction.
• Fixes vanilla slot-50 item consumption so Shotgun ammo can be consumed correctly from the Utility Slot.
• Keeps carry weight and the Utility Slot HUD in sync when a utility item is consumed.
• Adds no extra inventory slots.
• Adds no configuration or custom UI.

Multiplayer

BetterUtilitySlot does not need to be installed by every player in the lobby.

• Install it on any player who wants to use the expanded Utility Slot.
• If that player is not the host, the host should also install BetterUtilitySlot so the host's authoritative inventory copy agrees that the item is in slot 50 when the item is consumed.
• Other non-host clients can remain unmodded. They may not always visually represent a Shovel, Key, or Ammo as being held from the Utility Slot, but they do not need the mod for their own inventory unless they want the feature themselves.

Installation

Install with r2modman / Thunderstore Mod Manager, or place the DLL in BepInEx/plugins for a manual installation.

Compatibility

BetterUtilitySlot patches two narrow v81 ownership points:

• PlayerControllerB.FirstEmptyItemSlot: vanilla runs normally first; the mod changes the result only when the Utility Slot is empty and an otherwise eligible item is blocked solely by disallowUtilitySlot. On a normal client this applies only to that client's own player; on the host it also keeps the authoritative player copies aligned.
• PlayerControllerB.DestroyItemInSlot: keeps vanilla destruction behavior intact while routing slot 50's HUD cleanup to the dedicated Utility Slot icon, clearing stale utility HUD state, and correctly removing the consumed utility item's carry weight.

Version

• Lethal Company: v81
• BetterUtilitySlot: v1.0.5
• BepInEx: 5.4.23.5 / BepInExPack 5.4.2305

Changelog

1.0.5

• Fixed carried weight not being reduced when an item in the Utility Slot is consumed while another item is selected, including Shotgun ammo reloads.
• Keeps the local carry-weight HUD updated after slot-50 consumption.
• Scoped Utility Slot eligibility changes so a normal client only changes its own player's inventory; the host still keeps authoritative player copies aligned.
• Clarified that unrelated non-host clients do not need the mod installed.

1.0.4

• Fixed Shotgun reloads when Ammo is stored in the Utility Slot.
• Fixed slot-50 item consumption incorrectly using the normal inventory HUD icon array.
• Fixed successful Utility Slot item consumption leaving a stale utility icon visible until another item was equipped to the slot.
• No change to Utility Slot eligibility rules.

1.0.2

• Updated the Thunderstore package icon.
• No gameplay changes from v1.0.1.

1.0.1

• Initial BetterUtilitySlot publication candidate for Lethal Company v81.
• Allows otherwise eligible items blocked by vanilla's disallowUtilitySlot flag to use the built-in Utility Slot.
• Vanilla v81 affected normal non-scrap items: Shovel, Key, and Ammo.
• Preserves vanilla scrap and two-handed restrictions.
• Uses the existing vanilla Utility Slot and Equip-to-belt interaction.
• No configuration, custom inventory, or extra slots.