Tutorials/Skyblock

Skyblock is a popular challenge, where the player starts the game in a small island in the void, including a tree and often a chest, which contains items you couldn't get without it (for example lava buckets).

Many different variations of the skyblock map are available online.

Overworld only
The most efficient way to get an item is written in bold.

Ways of getting items requiring cobblestone are written in italic.

Tree farming
Wood is crucial in the beginning of a skyblock map because it is the only renewable block available in the beginning of the game (except if you have immediately access to lava and water, in this case you can make a cobblestone generator).

First, chop down your island's tree, and make sure to get all of the dropped saplings. Then, dig all the dirt of island, except the first layer. You will then use (almost) all of the dirt to create a tree farm and use the wood you collect to make wooden slabs and expand your terrain using them.

Cobblestone farming
To farm cobblestone, you will need a lava bucket and a water bucket. If you don't have immediate access to water, you will have to make a mob farm before, in order to get iron for a cauldron.

To make a cobblestone generator, dig a T-shaped hole one deep. Put a block in the center, water and lava on two others slots. Break the center block, get in the last slot, and break the cobblestone that forms. Make sure that the blocks that surround the lava are not flammable, or they will burn.

Mob farming
To make a mob farm, you need to first decide to make an active mob farm or a passive mob farm. To make an active mob farm, you need 3 stacks of cobblestone. Get a stack of ladders and a water bucket. Also some blocks like wood planks are needed. Throw the water in the bucket off the island. Ride the stream of water down to the bottom of the world and put a solid block there. After that, extend the platform so it reaches a nice length. I like 40x40. Ride the stream of water back up and this time, place a ladder on the top block. Now remove the water stream and go down the ladder placing a new ladder for every new block. For this part, you need a bunch of ladders and cobblestone. 40 will do. When you reach the bottom, choose a corner and pillar jump up at least 30 blocks using cobblestone. Use ladders to get back down. Repeat this in a 4x4 area. Be careful to not fall inside. For the last part, break into the tower and use ladders to climb up. Build a 1x4 platform on one side. Finally, exit the tower and seal it off, then build some extra layers of cobblestone. Build a roof and it is almost done! Then erase the bottom layer only on your side. Then add a second layer of floor. When monsters spawn, they should fall and if not die, you can one hit them. To collect mob drops, you can put a bucket of water inside and get the drops.

To make a passive mob farm, do the steps above in the hostile mob farm but instead of pillar jumping, extend the platform about 20 blocks 2 wide and make it out of dirt. Make a path of dirt leading to the platform starting with a grass block. This will take a while, but the grass will spread. Once it has spread to the platform, animals will start spawning.