5 best tricks to use while speedrunning Minecraft

While there are plenty of ways to make Minecraft competitive, speedrunning is among the most notable. Across the world and in various versions/editions of the game, players compete to complete Survival Mode in the quickest time possible.

Whatever the case, even if a player never breaks a Minecraft world record for speedrunning, the process itself can be fun and rewarding. However, learning how to speedrun can be a little tricky. Simply watching the best players doesn't always explain the nuances of the activity.

With that in mind, Minecraft players may be looking for basic tips to help them get started in speedrunning or to improve their overall completion time.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinions of the writer

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Wielding a shield and other tips to keep in mind while speedrunning Minecraft

1) Practice movement constantly

There are few things as important to a speedrun's success as optimized movement. The days of sprinting about and achieving good clear times are a thing of the past. Players must be acquainted with bunnyhopping or getting jump boosts in two-block tall corridors to stay at top speed during their run.

Becoming an expert at staying at maximum movement speed won't happen overnight, but it's something players should practice as they try out each run.

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2) Bridge diagonally

Speed bridging can be sped up if Minecraft players use the right direction (Image via Mojang)

When players are making progress in their speedrun, particularly in the Nether, bridging tends to come up as a tactic sooner rather than later.

However, one trick is worth noting, especially if players want to bridge as quickly as possible. Due to how approach vectors work in Minecraft, diagonal movement is faster than moving in one direction. While this can apply to general in-game movements, it also presents the opportunity to increase one's speed while bridging.

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3) Wield a shield

A shield can prevent death more than a player might think (Image via Mojang)

Avoiding conflict in most respects is wise for any Minecraft speedrunner, but a confrontation is sometimes inevitable. This is particularly notable when players are collecting blaze rods in the Nether. This is because blazes must be killed to collect their rods.

The last thing players want is to be harmed or killed by a hostile mob during their run. Therefore, creating a shield with a few wood planks and iron ingots will ensure that players can block the worst sources of damage from hostile mobs and continue on their run unimpeded.

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4) Always keep a fall negator

A water bucket can be a lifesaver when a run goes badly (Image via Mojang)

Some speedrunning veterans in Minecraft don't tend to take bad falls or make a ton of mistakes. However, for players who are learning, it's best to keep some form of item or block available to negate fall damage. This includes a water bucket, a hay bale block, or a bucket of powder snow.

At times, players simply lose their positioning a bit and take a bad fall. This can be fatal if they don't have quick reflexes and the right items to bail them out of deadly fall damage.

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5) Keep spare ender pearls if possible

Ender pearls are incredibly helpful in many situations past creating Eyes of Ender (Image via Mojang)

It may not always be possible to save a few ender pearls depending on the Minecraft seed. However, if a player can stash a few pearls, they should definitely do so.

These nifty little items' teleportation properties make them invaluable to saving players from falls and maneuvering during confrontations or the Ender Dragon boss fight.

If a player finds themselves in a sticky situation that could slow down or potentially end their run, tossing out an extra ender pearl can keep things on track.