Minecraft Ultimate Guide: Minecraft Tips, Hints and Ultimate Redstone Guide (Speedy Boxed Sets). Speedy Publishing

opt to construct a water hole. If your shelter is near flowing water, just stop the current using a trapdoor or a ladder.

      Or opt for an infinite spring! There are two ways by which you can have an infinite water source: you can look for it or create one yourself. To accomplish the latter, all you need to do is make a square or rectangle hole (with 2x2 or 3x1 dimensions if you want a small hole) and then fill your bucket with water. The water block should then be placed in a corner of the square hole. Refill the bucket and then put the water source in the corner diagonal to the first block. If you’re making a rectangular hole, just position the water blocks on each end. You will then be able to take water infinitely from the hole you made.

      Kill any farm animals you see early game. Doing so will enable you to jump into the action or do other tasks pertinent to your survival right away instead of using your time to gather food resources.

      Know which mobs turn hostile when provoked. You may know all about the hostile creatures that can attack and kill you in Minecraft, but are you also aware that there are mobs that can turn aggressive when provoked? A perfect example of this is the enderman – one of the most popular monsters in the game. If you touch or even look at it, it will attack you.

      Attacking iron golems is a bad idea. If one of your friends told you that killing an iron golem can yield a lot of iron, don’t believe him. Hunting this creature is not worth your time and effort. Aside from just gaining 5 ingots, you’re putting yourself at risk of being killed. And your chances of surviving if caught in a fight with an iron golem are very low: it can deal around 9 hearts’ worth of damage for every attack it makes, and you only have 10 hearts to spare. And if you’re thinking you can kill it before it gets to you, you should know that this type of golem has 50 hearts.

      Always have a bucketful of water with you. Aside from basic tools and food, it is likewise advisable that you carry a bucket of water with you wherever you’re going. As mentioned earlier, water has numerous uses. What was not stated is that it can save you from certain death. If you fall into an underground lava pool, for instance, you can use water to extinguish the fire and then climb out unscathed. And if an enemy has you cornered – with a lava pit or cliff behind you – water can help you escape by enabling you to build a walkway or creating a waterfall you can jump in. That said,

      Give your bucket of water a permanent slot in the hot bar. This way, you don’t have to open your inventory just to retrieve it. This tip is a lifesaver since you won’t have time to access inventory if you’re in a life and death situation.

      Don’t make yourself vulnerable to surprise mob attacks. Make sure that your house is properly built and protected; otherwise, you might find yourself assaulted by a hostile without warning. For instance: if you establish a sugarcane farm near your house without making use of double fences, you won’t be able to see any incoming creepers that can wreak havoc to you and your property. On that end,

      Survive the night by using torches. You may think that surrounding your grounds with torches is counterintuitive – you don’t want to be seen by hostile characters, after all - but it can actually help you decrease the chance of being attacked by monsters. Placing torches on ground tiles will keep hostile mobs from spawning there.

      Fortify your shelter. If you are not too keen on using too much of your resources to craft torches, there are other ways you can make sure that unfriendly mobs won’t get to you. You can build a wall, for example, or a moat. Just make sure, though, that the structure you build will make it difficult, if not impossible, for mobs to attack you and/or your home. With regard to the moat, it is very possible to switch the usual water barrier in favor of a more effective deterrent – lava.

      Avoid engaging in underwater fights with hostile mobs. Water will hinder your movement, so it will be more difficult for you to defend yourself if you’re being attacked by a skeleton or a zombie.

CHAPTER III

      SURVIVAL TIPS: WHAT TO DO BEFORE PvP AND IN THE EARLY PART OF THE GAME

      Doing ample preparation prior to engaging in combat and knowing what to do as soon as the game starts can mean the difference between being quickly eliminated by the enemy and emerging victorious in PvP. Before moving on to combat tips and tricks, then, it’s important that you know how to survive in the first few minutes of the game. Read the points below to get started.

      Make sure you have everything necessary before agreeing to an organized PvP game. Aside from food, you need weapons if you don’t want to be defenseless. For range attacks, it is recommended that you have a bow and lots of arrows in your inventory. And for melee combat, you should carry a sword, and have a spare one in your inventory. You also need a full set of armor (iron will do) for protection. On that note,

      Bring the best equipment you can get your hands on. Diamond armor is the strongest, so if you have this, wear it. Some will argue that it’s better to keep a low profile than flaunt what you have when doing PvP, but more often than not, a player in diamond armor becomes less of a target because he is perceived as hard to defeat. If you can’t get your hands on this, make sure that you at least have iron armor on.

      Make use of enchantments. An enchantment increases one or more of the attributes possessed by the item you chose to upgrade. Your weapons, tools, and armor can all be enchanted to give you an advantage in battle. It is advised that you make use of enchanted gear if possible before engaging in PvP.

      Don’t forget to include Golden Apples… Golden apples do not only satisfy hunger but also grant health regeneration – two things that are undoubtedly beneficial to any Minecraft player engaged in PvP. It can also be consumed even when you’re full, so right before you go to battle you can eat one to help maintain your health as you fight. You can also craft these and stack up to 64 apples in one inventory slot, so there’s no worry of running out of space for other essentials.

      Or if you can, enchanted golden apples. These have the same characteristics as regular golden apples, but they enable faster regeneration. They also grant fire resistance and increase your resistance so you’re better protected during a fight.

      Take note of the “optionals”. These are items that – while not crucial – can help you survive and win PvP, such as flint and steel for placing fire, and a bucket each of lava and water.

      Bring potions with you. Specifically, bring those that can help you offensively and defensively – such as Splash Instant Damage and Poison potions, and concoctions that grant invisibility, instant full health, and regeneration.

      Make sure your inventory is properly managed. If you don’t know what will happen if you press a certain shortcut key, you’re doomed. That said, make sure that you organize the items in your inventory, and remember which item corresponds to your shortcuts. You can follow what most players do and assign your primary and secondary weapons to the first and second hot bar slots for easy access.

      Still with regard to inventory, make sure that you know what you have and what you lack in items and resources. You don’t want to be caught in a fight thinking you’ll win because of a particular item and then finding out too late that you don’t have it. Also, take note of your available space. If there are only a few slots left, prioritize the gathering and storage of essentials.

      Run away first. If you’re joining a PvP server with lots of players, the best thing you can do in the beginning is to run away from the majority of them. This will give you time to gather resources, eat, and maybe even build a house for protection against hostile mobs.