Crack Minecraft Speedrunning: Strategies, Steps, and Tips

Welcome, fellow adventurers! If you're here, it's safe to assume you're not just a Minecraft player, but someone looking for more than just surviving through the night and building towering castles. You're ready to test your skills in the exhilarating world of Minecraft speedrunning.

Now, for those uninitiated, speedrunning might sound like a term reserved for track athletes. But in the world of Minecraft, it's a challenge of epic proportions. It's a quest that tests your planning skills, quick thinking, and, most importantly, your ability to stay cool under pressure. Speedrunning is all about defeating the formidable Ender Dragon in record time, armed with just a select set of items you've gathered in your journey.

Ready for the adrenaline rush? With a blend of strategy, luck, and your existing Minecraft prowess, you could potentially complete this feat in less than an hour! Yes, you read that right. It's high time we learn how to turn Minecraft into a riveting race against time.

Speedrunning Categories

Before we jump into the heart of the action, it's essential to familiarize yourself with some speedrunning jargon. Minecraft speedruns come in different shapes and sizes, each with its unique set of rules and challenges. But for this guide, we'll focus on the category most runners attempt when they're starting their speedrunning journey: the "any% glitchless random seed" run.

Now, that might sound like we've strung together a series of random words, but each part of that term holds significance in your quest to conquer the Ender Dragon.

The term "any%" in gaming means that the primary objective is to complete the game as fast as possible, no matter what percentage of the game's content you actually engage with. You're not out to complete every task or explore every nook and cranny. You're here to slay that Ender Dragon as quickly as possible.

"Glitchless" implies that you won't be exploiting any in-game glitches to gain an advantage in your speedrun. This means the challenge purely tests your skills, strategy, and knowledge of the game mechanics.

The "random seed" part refers to the world in which you'll embark on this daring adventure. In Minecraft, the seed is the code that generates the world. A random seed means you'll be thrown into a brand new, unpredictable world each time you start a run, adding an element of surprise to your challenge.

Now, one crucial detail before we set foot on our speedrunning journey: Minecraft updates can significantly affect speedrunning strategies. For our adventure, we'll be focusing on version 1.16.1. Why, you ask? Well, this version optimizes drop rates for some key items, including the ender pearls, making your quest to reach the End dimension a tad bit smoother.

Preparatory Steps

Embarking on a Minecraft speedrun without adequate preparation is akin to jumping into the ocean without a lifejacket. So, let's make sure we're well equipped for this exhilarating adventure.

1. The Basic Gear-Up: Start your run in the age-old Minecraft fashion - collect some wood by punching down a tree or two, then proceed to mine a bit of stone. With these materials, you can craft a stone axe and stone pickaxe, essential tools for the early part of the run. Bonus tip: If you spot some chickens along your path, don't hesitate to knock them down for feathers; you'll need them later.

2. Village Hunt: Next, you need to locate a village. It's like your one-stop-shop for key supplies early in the game. The village doesn't have to be grand; even the smallest hamlet will suffice. If you've spawned in an area with no villages in sight, don't waste too much time wandering around; it might be more efficient to restart the run.

3. Iron Acquisition: Now, it's time to gather some iron. You'll need at least 4 iron ingots for the next steps. The quickest way to collect iron is to challenge the village's Iron Golem to a duel. Yes, it might seem intimidating, but remember, you're a speedrunner, brave and quick! An alternative route for iron collection is to find a Desert Temple and raid the treasure chest. The latter can also provide gold ingots, useful for later stages of the run. Don't forget to ransack the village houses for beds. You'll understand why when we reach the final showdown with the Ender Dragon.

4. Buckets and Lava Pools: Now, with your iron ingots in hand, craft an iron bucket. Your bucket will serve a pivotal role in the next stages, primarily in obsidian block formation. Next up, find a lava pool, typically located in desert areas, and fill your bucket with lava.

In-depth Speedrun Guide

Your heart might be racing, and your palms may be a little sweaty, but fear not. We're now ready to embark on the thrilling journey of speedrunning Minecraft. From here on, our decisions, our courage, and a little bit of luck will lead us to the coveted end goal - defeating the Ender Dragon.

1. Constructing a Nether Portal: The Nether awaits us, but first, we need a portal. Put your newly-crafted bucket to work by utilizing it to form obsidian blocks. How, you ask? Simple! Splash water onto the lava using your bucket. Then, carefully place the resultant obsidian blocks in a door-like formation. Voila! Your portal to the Nether is ready.

2. Prospecting for Gold: Once you step foot into the Nether, several tasks lie ahead. The simplest of them is gathering gold. Roam around the Nether, mining enough gold ore to produce roughly 40 gold ingots. These ingots play a crucial role in procuring ender pearls later on.

3. Blaze Rod Hunt: Exploration is key in the Nether. You need to locate a Nether Fortress, which houses valuable loot and, most importantly, a blaze spawner. Your target here is the Blaze enemy, who drops blaze rods when defeated. Break down these rods into blaze powder, a key ingredient for crafting ender eyes.

4. Trading with Piglins: In the hostile Nether terrain, Piglins serve as neutral entities willing to trade. Offer them gold ingots, and with a bit of luck, they'll give you ender pearls. The trade isn't always guaranteed, so make sure you have at least 40 gold ingots to secure 12 ender pearls.

5. Crafting Ender Eyes: With your 12 blaze powders and 12 ender pearls, it's time to craft 12 ender eyes. You'll need these mystical items to activate the end portal.

6. Locating the Stronghold: It's time to put your ender eyes to use. Throw one into the air and observe the direction it takes. Follow this direction to reach the stronghold, the abode of the end portal. Throwing the eye from various angles will help you zero in on the stronghold's exact location.

7. Gearing up for the Ender Dragon: Now comes the final preparation for your ultimate showdown. Arm yourself with a bow, about 40 arrows, and 5-6 beds. Craft a bow using strings obtained from defeated spiders and sticks from trees. Arrows can be crafted using feathers from chickens, flint from shoal blocks near water, and sticks. Beds can either be crafted using wool from sheared sheep and wooden planks or simply stolen from village houses.

8. Entering the End Portal: Once you're all set, return to the stronghold and seek out the portal room. Once you locate it, place the 12 ender eyes into the slots around the portal and make the leap.

9. Battle with the Ender Dragon: This is it, the final confrontation. The fight has two main phases. First, use your bow and arrows to shoot the crystals atop the pillars to draw the dragon closer. Once within range, strategically place a bed and attempt to sleep in it. The resulting explosion damages the dragon significantly, provided it's close enough. Make sure you place a block between you and the bed to shield yourself from the explosion. Five to six well-placed explosions should seal your victory and conclude your speedrun.

Phew! And there you have it! You've completed your first Minecraft speedrun. Be sure to celebrate your victory, and remember, every speedrun is a step towards mastering the game. Keep practicing, keep exploring, and keep improving. After all, the world record might just be a few runs away!

Conclusion

And just like that, we've journeyed through the blocky expanses of Minecraft together, braved the intimidating Nether, and stood victorious against the fearsome Ender Dragon. But don't let this achievement be your last. The world of Minecraft is vast and teeming with limitless opportunities for exploration and improvement.

In speedrunning, every run offers a new lesson, a new strategy, a chance to shave off a few more precious seconds from your best time. No two runs are ever identical, so embrace the spontaneity and use it to adapt and grow stronger.

Remember that in this pursuit, knowledge and skill are your most potent allies. Stay curious, stay alert, and keep learning. And most importantly, enjoy every moment of your speedrunning journey. Because in Minecraft, the journey is every bit as rewarding as the destination.