5 tips for surviving in hardcore Minecraft

Minecraft's hardest difficulty brings along many strenuous challenges, as players only have one life.

Locked in at the hardest difficulty setting, hardcore sends players into a one world one life game where every decision could cost everything. Mobs are more dangerous and spawn in higher amounts, as well as doing increased damage than most players are used to in normal and easy difficulties. Players will need to exercise the utmost caution in order to survive this difficulty check. It's recommended to playtest through a world on an easier difficulty in order to find at least a safe spot to call home.

The seed used for this article is 1324, and as such, any time coordinates are mentioned, they'll be in relation to this seed.

Top 5 tips to survive in hardcore Minecraft

#5- Torches torches torches

Light stops mobs from spawning, and currently, mobs are one of three gigantic hurdles in hardcore. Players will want to not only light up their homes adequately, but also the areas surrounding the home at distances of at least 50 blocks outward. If using the seed listed above, head over to (115, ~, 215) to find a wonderful sheer cliff with a flat plateau beneath it. Load this area up with as many torches as possible in order to minimize the chances of mob spawns.

To make torches and other blocks in Minecraft more beautiful, check out the top 5 resource packs of November 2020.

#4- Subtitles

One of the more intrusive settings that players have access to, it can actually be the difference between life and death. To turn on subtitles go into the options menu, click on music and sounds, and change subtitles to on. After a few minutes of play, it becomes extremely evident why subtitles are so important, as they'll warn players of incoming footsteps and mobs as seen above.

#3- Be cautious AND careful

A large portion of Minecraft deaths can be attributed to a lack of caution towards immediate danger. Rather than bridge over a lava pool in the overworld, use a water bucket. Instead of throwing that ender pearl off of a nether cliff, mine around safely, or find a strider to travel through the lava. Take time, think about the scenario, and then decide the best course of action.

#2- Shields

Never leave home without a shield, as it could be the difference between the last skeleton arrow needed to end a long run. Crafted with only six wooden planks and one iron ingot, this item should be the first use of iron, rather than the usual pickaxe. Capable of protecting players from just about any incoming attack, and the devastating blast of creepers, shields are basically a necessity for hardcore.

#1- Haybales/Water buckets

Fall damage - it's never expected to be as damaging as it turns out to be, and one wrong move in any of Minecraft's three dimensions could result in lethal damage. For players without any feather fall boots on, fall damage becomes fatal after about 40 blocks, so for those out there with quick reflexes, there's a few options to mitigate that.

Sadly, most hardcore runs of Minecraft end to just generally bad luck. Even incredible players like YouTuber and streamer, Philza, lost his five year Minecraft hardcore world to just a baby zombie in some enchanted gear. Luck is the decider in nearly all hardcore runs, so the bonus last tip is to be as lucky as you possibly can.

Also read: Top 5 survival island seeds to further increase the difficulty.