Direct answer
A blacklist prevents DAB throttling for selected entity types; it does not prevent spawning or despawning. It can recover distant AI behavior at an extra CPU cost.
How to check it
- Reproduce the problem with DAB enabled, then disabled, in an isolated world. If the issue remains, the cause is probably elsewhere.
- Identify the specific entity type and inspect the exact Leaf build’s generated configuration for the exclusion option and accepted ID format.
- Measure the behavior of a targeted farm or villager setup, not only global TPS.
What to change
- Add just the affected entity type to the existing blacklist using identifiers documented for your build. Keep other DAB values unchanged.
- Test farm yield and entity behavior again, then check whether extra AI work is acceptable. Undo the exemption if it solves nothing.
Software and version notes
Compatibility and safety
Leaf’s public DAB configuration reference is for 1.21.1. The correct YAML list format and identifiers must be taken from the exact server build; do not reuse Pufferfish examples blindly.
Verify the result
Confirm the listed entity behaves normally at the same distance, and record any increase in CPU or AI tick time.