Exploring caves in Minecraft can be terrifying for those new to the game. Caves are dark, cramped and full of enemies. Bearing this in mind, it becomes especially important to prepare before entering a cave. Just like going on a long voyage, the player runs the risk of dying and losing whatever they may have found along the way. In a cave, it's easy to get lost, run out of supplies, or become overrun by enemies if the player isn't careful.
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There are many tips and tricks that the player can take advantage of in order to avoid this fate. These may amount to simply making a shield, or something more advanced like becoming proficient in the enchantment system. Here are just a few pro methods for exploring caves.
8 Torches Light The Way
Never explore a cave with out a set of torches on hand. Players who forget to bring them will very quickly find that they have no method of not only seeing in the dark but also preventing mob spawning. Placing torches around designated mining spot can do wonders to keep players safe.
Mobs spawn in the dark, so when the player is in a cave, they spawn quite often — use light to keep them away. Torches also make for excellent directional tools. A player may place torches down in such a way that they can safely travel in and out of a cave without getting lost.
7 Tools, Tools, Tools
Obviously, a pickaxe is needed to get just about anything in a cave. Iron, emerald, gold, diamond etc. all require some sort of tool to extract properly. Otherwise, the player will simply destroy whatever is they're trying to mine rather then acquire it.
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Weapons such as swords and bows are also necessary for the player to defend themselves against the horde of mobs. Players should go into a cave with at least two sets of swords and pickaxes. This way, they can stay down in a mine longer without getting trapped. Otherwise, the degradation associated with tool use can be a real problem.
6 Bring Armor And A Shield
Unless one enjoys getting shot to death by skeletons or exploded by creepers, armoring up is a good choice. Obviously there's no wooden or stone armor, so that leaves players with leather, iron, diamond and netherite armor. All of these sets will offer better protection than simply having no armor at all.
Crafting a shield is also a great idea, as they can be used to prevent damage from both skeleton arrows and creeper explosions. Armor will simply reduce the amount of damage the player takes, while a shield will block it completely. However, this comes at a cost to movement speed.
5 The Art of Enchanting
Building a bookshelf and making an enchanting table might be laborious, but when it's all said and done, an enchanting station can be incredibly beneficial. All manner of items can be enchanted; armor, weapons, tools etc. When it comes to exploring caves, there are plenty of enchantments the player might want.
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These include fire resistance, feather falling, and dealing extra damage. Given the hazards one faces when diving into a cave, these enchantments are quite beneficial.
4 Take A Bucket of Water
The deeper one travels through a cave, the more likely it is that they will encounter lava. Thus, the chance that the player will be killed due to lava is much higher the more they explore a cave. This is especially true for those searching for valuable resources like diamonds, since these generate at a block level where lava is plentiful.
A bucket of water becomes a necessity in these lower depths. If a player accidentally falls into lava or catches fire, they can use the water to put themselves out. Water can also be placed at the moment a player hits the ground, in order to survive a long fall. It can even be used to block enemies, since they have difficulty swimming.
3 Find A Totem of Undying
Players who find themselves in the midst of a raid or wandering the halls of a woodland mansion are in the unique position of being able to obtain the Totem of Undying. Specifically, the player must defeat an Evoker in order to get one. The exceptionally powerful Totem allows the player to revive upon death, as long as they have it in one of their hands at the moment of their demise.
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Notably, the Totem disappears upon revival, meaning that it is single use only. It is best to treat the totem as a last resort, when all other get out of jail free cards are exhausted.
2 Grab A Bucket of Milk
Many players may not think much of milk, but it actually has more than one function. Aside from having uses when it comes to making food, drinking a bucket of milk removes all negative status effects from the player. This includes poison, as well as magical effects.
Milk is a great item to have when facing witches or cave spiders, as both can inflict the player with unwanted status effects that make the player more vulnerable. To get a bucket of milk, the player just needs to alt-click on a cow, goat, or mooshroom with a bucket in hand. Like water buckets, milk buckets do not stack.
1 Bring Some Comfort Food
Going into a cave without a method of regenerating health isn't the smartest idea. Not only does the player's health begin to deteriorate if the food bar isn't replenished, but enemy mobs will threaten the player at all times. Bearing this in mind, it's especially wise to keep a reasonable amount of food on hand.
Cooked pork chops, steak, mutton, and salmon are the best non-supernatural foods that the player can eat. Even better, they're are all easily attainable. Make sure to use a smoker to cook the food quickly rather then simply eating it raw.