A renewable resource is a resource that can be recreated indefinitely in survival without exploiting glitches (as opposed to a non-renewable resource). While running out of resources isn't likely to be a factor due to theoretically infinite (and still quite vast in practice) map generation, this is a list of resources that can be produced over and over without having to explore for more. However, running out of resources can be a bigger issue on Superflat worlds, where resources are less plentiful, or in PvP maps, where one would like to obtain resources without having to conquer more land.
The listed fully renewable craftable items are items which can be crafted, smelted, or brewed using only renewable resources. For example, Cookies are renewable as they only require Wheat and Cocoa Beans that can be regrown infinitely, while TNT isn't because it requires Sand, which is not renewable. Anything that is dropped by a monster or animal (besides the Dragon Egg dropped by the Ender Dragon and the Nether Star dropped by the Wither) is renewable because all mobs (besides the Ender Dragon (one per world) and Wither (requires Soul Sand)) can respawn and be killed again for more loot.
Brief introduction to methods
There are some main methods to get renewable resources and some item-specific methods. Item-specific methods vary from building a cobblestone generator to harvesting obsidian from portals, so it's very important sometimes to choose non-renewable, but easier and/or safer ways to get them. The methods are listed in increasing difficulty order:
- Farming - grow it on the dirt or farmland block, breed using renewable resources etc.
- Craft it using only renewable resource(s)
- Buy it from villagers
- Get it as a guaranteed or very probable drop after monster's death
- Get it as a rare drop after monsters death
- Find it while fishing
The first three methods are the easiest. They are especially worth using when you want to avoid risk, such as while playing in hardcore mode. The fourth method is normally used to get something that is only possible to get by killing monsters, such as blaze rods, carrots or bone meal. The last two methods are worth using only when there is no other practical choice, as you will really spend a lot of time executing the method before getting what you need.
Renewable Resources
| Resource | Renewable products | Renewable method |
|---|---|---|
| Arrows |
— |
|
| Blaze Rods |
| |
| Bones |
||
| Cactus |
||
| Carrots |
||
| Coal/Charcoal |
| |
| Cobblestone and Stone |
Stone Bricks SlabButton | |
| Cocoa Beans |
| |
| Eggs |
| |
| Ender Pearls Enderpearl |
| |
| Experience Orb File:XP orb animation.gif |
See enchanting | |
| Feathers |
||
| Ferns |
- | |
| Flowers Flowers |
| |
| Ghast Tears |
| |
| Glass Bottle |
||
| Glowstone Dust |
Glowstone Block | |
| Gunpowder |
||
| Huge Mushroom Huge MushroomsHuge MushroomsHuge Mushrooms |
MushroomsMushrooms |
|
| Ice |
| |
| Ink Sacs |
| |
| Leather |
| |
| Magma Cream |
| |
| Melon Seeds |
Melon (Block) |
|
| Milk |
| |
| Mushrooms MushroomsMushrooms |
Huge MushroomsHuge MushroomsHuge Mushrooms |
|
| Nether Wart Nether Wart Seeds |
| |
| Obsidian |
| |
| Potatoes |
| |
| Pumpkin Seeds Pumpkin seeds |
Jack 'o' Lantern |
|
| Raw Beef |
| |
| Raw Chicken |
| |
| Raw Porkchop |
| |
| Redstone |
||
| Rotten Flesh |
— |
|
| Saplings and Trees |
Wooden Pressure PlateJack 'o' LanternTrapdoorFenceFence GateWooden DoorSignWooden ButtonBedGold SwordGold PickaxeGold ShovelGold AxeGold Hoe |
|
| Seeds |
| |
| Slimeballs |
| |
| Snowballs |
Snow (cover) |
|
| Spider Eye |
| |
| String |
Bed |
|
| Sugar Cane |
||
| Tall Grass |
||
| Vines |
— |
|
| Water Bucket |
| |
| Wool |
Bed |
Renewable resources from fishing
| Resource | Renewable resources | Renewable method |
|---|---|---|
| Jack 'o' LanternFenceFence GateSignGold SwordGold PickaxeGold ShovelGold AxeGold HoeBed | Obtained via fishing |
Rare drops
These items are only occasionally dropped by monsters, so getting them quickly or in quantity is normally done by mining, then smelting/crafting non-renewable resources (mob farms being an option).
| Resource | Renewable Products | Renewable Method |
|---|---|---|
| Bows |
Bows are rarely dropped by skeletons, and can be enchanted with Power I and with an even more rare chance a Power II Bow followed by secondary enchantments. Usually, one would rather craft a bow with renewable sticks and string. | |
| Chainmail Armor Chain Armor HelmetChain Armor ChestplateChain Armor LeggingsChain Armor Boots |
— | Can regularly be found equipped to Zombies, Zombie Pigmen, and Skeletons. Can also be found being sold by Villagers. |
| Diamond Armor |
— | Can very, very rarely be found equipped to Zombies, Zombie Pigmen, and Skeletons. More commonly, they can be obtained by trading with villager blacksmiths. |
| Enchanted items | — |
|
| Gold Nuggets and Gold Ingots |
Gold SwordGold PickaxeGold ShovelGold AxeGold HoeGold HelmetGold ChestplateGold LeggingsGold BootsWeighted Pressure Plate (Light) | Nuggets are dropped by killed zombie pigmen, ingots as a rare drop. |
| Gold Swords and Gold Armor Gold SwordGold HelmetGold ChestplateGold LeggingsGold Boots |
— | Sword is a rare drop of killed zombie pigmen. These swords can be enchanted with any level I and some level II or III sword enchantments. Armor can often be found equipped to Zombies, Zombie Pigmen, and Skeletons. |
| Iron Ingots |
Weighted Pressure Plate (Heavy) | Dropped by killed iron golems and rarely dropped by killed zombies. |
| Iron Swords, Iron Shovels, and Iron Armor |
— | Armor can very rarely be found equipped to Zombies, Zombie Pigmen, and Skeletons. Can be worn/held by zombies, zombie pigmen, and skeletons. Swords and shovels are equipped only to Zombies. |
| Leather Armor |
— | Can often be found equipped to Zombies, Zombie Pigmen, and Skeletons. Can be worn/held by zombies, zombie pigmen, and skeletons. |
| Music Discs Music DiscsMusic DiscsMusic DiscsMusic DiscsMusic DiscsMusic DiscsMusic DiscsMusic DiscsMusic DiscsMusic DiscsMusic DiscsMusic Discs |
— | Dropped only when a skeleton kills a creeper. It doesn't matter who dealt most of the damage, as long as the final blow is dealt by the arrow of the skeleton. |
| Wither Skeleton Skulls |
Wither Skeleton Skulls are a rare drop of Wither Skeletons. The other heads are currently creative only. |
Tradable
Resources that in normal circumstances would be non-renewable, except that they can be obtained through trading with villagers.
| Resource | Renewable Products | Renewable Method |
|---|---|---|
| Bottle o' Enchanting |
File:XP orb animation.gif | Obtained by trading with villager Priests. |
| Diamond Tools |
— | Obtained by trading with villager Blacksmiths. |
| Emerald |
Obtained by trading renewable items to villagers, such as raw chicken. These can be used to buy other things from villagers, including resources that are otherwise non-renewable, like glass. Villagers never run out of stock (but their selling offers may vary), and they can be "bred", making villagers themselves renewable. | |
| Enchanted Books |
Enchanted items | Obtained by trading with villager Librarians. Enchanted Books can also be caught when fishing. A single enchantment table can also be used indefinitely to create enchanted books from renewable books and experience (and, in 1.8, Lapis Lazuli), but creating the table itself requires two non-renewable diamonds. |
| Enchanted Up to level 19 |
— | Obtained by trading with villager Priests. |
| Flint and Steel |
— | Obtained by trading with villager Farmers. |
| Glass |
Obtained by trading with villager librarians. Glass bottles can be utilized to make potions. With redstone and glowstone bought from priests, extended potions and level II potions can also be brewed renewably. Glass bottles are also dropped by killed Witches. | |
| Saddle |
— | Obtained by trading with villager Butchers. |
Renewable, but require non-renewable resources
These resources can be made infinitely, but require one use of a non-renewable items/resources.
| Resource | Renewable products | Renewable method |
|---|---|---|
| Wool - Blue, Cyan, and Purple |
Bed | Sheep will regrow their wool by eating Grass from Dirt blocks, and can thus be shorn multiple times. Indeed, by breeding two sheep of a color one can create an infinite number of re-shearable sheep. However, a single unit of the respective dye, containing non-renewable Lapis Lazuli, is required to color the initial sheep. (As of the upcoming 1.8 version, Lapis Lazuli will be sold by villagers, making it renewable) |
Planned Renewable Resources
These items are renewable, however, they are only in snapshots and prereleases. An official update has yet to display them.
| Resource | Renewable Products | Renewable Method |
|---|---|---|
| Rabbit Hide |
Dropped upon any kind of death of a rabbit | |
| Rabbit's Foot |
Rarely dropped upon death of a rabbit, if registered as a player kill | |
| Raw Mutton |
Dropped upon any kind of death of a sheep | |
| Raw Rabbit |
Dropped upon any kind of death of a rabbit | |
| Slime Blocks |
— | Craftable using Slimeballs |
| Stone Bricks |
Stone Bricks Slab | Made respectively by crafting Stone Bricks Slabs, or Stone Bricks and Vines, or smelting Stone Bricks. |
| Moss Stone |
Crafted using Cobblestone and Vines. | |
| Lapis Lazuli |
Obtained by trading with a cleric villager. | |
| Iron Trapdoors |
— | Craftable using Iron Ingots |
| Prismarine Shards |
Dropped upon any kind of death of Guardians. | |
| Prismarine Crystals |
Dropped upon any kind of death of Guardians. |
Planned Non-Renewable Resources
These items are renewable, however, in snapshots and prereleases they are no longer renewable. An official update has yet to change them.
| Resource | Renewable Products | Non-renewable Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Bottle o' Enchanting |
File:XP orb animation.gif | Can no longer be traded by Villager Priests, as trading now gives experience. |
| Diamond Shovel Diamond Hoe |
— | Can no longer be traded by Villager Blacksmiths, and Diamonds are not renewable. |
| Flint and Steel |
— | Can no longer be traded by Villager Farmers, and Flint is not renewable. |
Video
Renewable resource/video