Minecraft RLCraft server hosting

Gather the Essential Resources and Craft Your First Tools

To make any progress in RLCraft, you need to gather the basic materials required to create your first tools. The first step will be finding gravel, because that’s where flint can drop from. You just need to break it with your bare hand, and every few blocks you have a chance for flint to drop. When you get a few pieces, you can break them on any surface – just take the flint in your hand and click it on a stone block to turn it into a flint shard, the sharp fragments required for crafting all early tools.

The next resource you need is stick, which you can get by breaking leaf blocks. At this point, you can open the crafting window and place a flint shard above a stick to get your first flint knife.

This is an important part of progression, because you can use it to cut tall grass and get plant fibers, which are crucial in the next steps. From three fibers placed in the crafting window, you will create string, a binding material for other recipes.

This is where the whole process really begins and at the same time ends the annoying stage that leads you to the tool that lets you cut your first tree (yes, you probably already noticed that breaking logs with your hand does nothing). At this point, you can combine string, a flint shard, and a stick to create your first Flint Hatchet and cut your first tree – just walk up to it and break the log like usual.

At this moment you might be surprised, because the tree will fall and leave behind a single log. You have to pick it up and place it on the ground, and then split it with the Flint Hatchet to get your first planks in RLCraft. This, in turn, allows you to create your first Crafting Table – just place the planks in the crafting window in the pattern known from the vanilla version. This tedious process shows that getting anything in RLCraft is a huge challenge.

Find a Safe Shelter

The first hours in RLCraft are not the time to gather materials for a house or search for the perfect base location. Building from scratch is time-consuming and even risky, because before you manage to place four walls, night will fall and the first monsters will appear, easily breaking through any improvised block. That’s why the best idea is to find an existing shelter where you can survive your first night. If you’re lucky, you might come across a small hut or another simple structure that has a roof and a door. You can, of course, try looking for a village, but the chances aren’t very high. Darkness outside is extremely dangerous, so if the worst-case scenario happens and you don’t find any place to stay, simply bury yourself underground to survive the night.

Watch Your Body Temperature

Temperature in RLCraft can be just as dangerous as the monsters, especially if you end up in a biome with extreme conditions. If you spawn in a desert, your temperature will start rising quickly and you’ll get the overheating effect. On the other hand, snowy biomes can cause hypothermia after just a few minutes. In hot areas, it’s best to stay in the shade and avoid open spaces. In cold areas, it’s the opposite — you should look for a warm light source, enter a building, or stand near a campfire. Early-game armor can help you in colder regions, but until you have access to such gear, simply avoid these extreme zones whenever possible.

Prepare Some Torches

Light is one of the most important elements of survival in RLCraft, because complete darkness can summon dangerous creatures even in a place that seems safe. Regular torches placed without using a matchbox will gradually burn out, leaving you without protection. To obtain a working light source, you first need to craft an unlit torch, which is made by combining a stick with charcoal, but once placed it provides no light. 

Then you can use a matchbox to ignite it and turn it into a lit torch, which will properly illuminate your surroundings.

Prepare Clean Water

Thirst in RLCraft can quickly lead to death if you ignore it. Early in the game, the easiest way to drink is directly from a lake or river, but dirty water gives you the Thirst effect, which speeds up dehydration. Until you obtain a canteen or purified water, stay close to natural water sources and drink only when you really need to.

Beware of Powerful New Monsters

Below are a few examples of the most notable and dangerous creatures you can encounter in RLCraft.

Dragon

Dragons in RLCraft are the most powerful and iconic creatures introduced by the Ice and Fire mod. They come in three main types — ice, fire, and lightning — and each one rules a different environment and attacks in a completely unique way. Fire dragons roam open landscapes and can burn absolutely anything they encounter. Ice dragons inhabit frozen biomes, and their icy breath can freeze a target instantly. The third type, lightning dragons, live near stormy biomes and strike players with devastating bolts of lightning. What makes them truly exceptional is their growth system, because each dragon increases in size over time, evolving from a young creature into a massive, destructive monster. A fully grown stage-five dragon can wipe any structure off the map, making it one of the greatest challenges in all of RLCraft. Defeating an adult female can reward you with a dragon egg, which can be hatched and eventually tamed — turning the once-terrifying beast into your most loyal companion.

Sea Serpent

Sea Serpent is an extremely dangerous mob that inhabits oceans and deep water areas, attacking quickly and without warning. It can knock the player off a boat or drag them underwater, and it deals enough damage to make escaping almost impossible. Early in the game, it’s best to avoid open water altogether, as encountering a Sea Serpent can easily result in an instant death.

Cyclops

Cyclops is a massive one-eyed giant that inhabits coastal beaches and cliffs, posing a huge threat in those areas. It is extremely strong, and its close-range attacks deal massive damage. Its most dangerous ability, however, is the power to grab the player. If you get too close, it can literally crush you, making it essential to stay away from its caves — especially during the early stages of the game.

Siren

Siren is a deceptive and extremely dangerous mob that inhabits coastlines and small islands. At first glance it may appear neutral, but moments later it begins to emit a hypnotic song that forces the player to move closer, even if they try to run away. Once you are charmed, you lose control of your movement, and the Siren leads you straight into its trap before attacking with significant force.

Roc

Roc is a massive and aggressive predator that creates one of the most frustrating experiences you’ll likely encounter in the game. It attacks from the air, and its main weapon is the ability to grab the player in its talons and lift them high into the sky. This usually ends with a fall from a great height and instant death. It appears frequently in open areas, and its speed and surprise attacks make it very difficult for new players to escape.

Geonach

Geonach is a stone elemental that appears when the player breaks stone or cobblestone, bursting directly out of the block being mined. It’s extremely surprising and often kills new players within the first minutes of gameplay, especially in tight caves where there’s no room to escape.

Reaper

Reaper is a dark, flying mob that appears when the player’s health is very low, materializing right next to them. This often allows it to finish the player off just as other monsters have nearly killed them. It moves quickly, its attacks deal significant damage, and it’s considered one of the most irritating early-game enemies. Encountering a Reaper usually means the end.