We’ve all run into a Mineshaft before during our Minecraft playthroughs. It usually goes like this: We start a new Minecraft server and pretty soon we figure out that we need a ton of resources. The best way to get them is to go deeper, either by digging or by exploring the natural caves. But whichever option you picked, I’m sure you’ve been jump-scared by the random Mineshaft noises (yes you know what I’m talking about).
Although they sound terrifying and are filled with dangerous mobs, you can explore them very early in your playthrough even if you do not yet have every piece of equipment you would want. So, let’s talk about what awaits you in your Mineshafts and how to get ready for them!
What is a Mineshaft?
A mineshaft is a randomly generated structure that is generated in every Overworld biome. They are a lot more common than Woodland Mansions and Ocean Monuments. It always generates underground, usually very deep below the surface. The only time when it generates on the surface is when it is generated in the Badlands biome. They generate before chunk features such as ores, meaning you can find any ores in them provided you are deep enough. Multiple mineshafts can generate next to one another too, creating very large corridor complexes.
Mineshafts consist of many corridors, usually the size of 3×3 blocks. They are connected by multiple crossings and staircases, with some dead-end corridors as well, making this structure one of the most difficult ones to navigate.
What Will You Find Inside?
Many dangerous mobs wait for you in mineshafts. Basically, anything that spawns in the dark and wants to kill you will be there. Besides creepers trying to sneak up on you from behind every corner and skeletons turning into the best sharpshooters you have ever seen, you will also have to deal with a ton of zombies, spiders, and an occasional Enderman. Don’t forget about cave spider spawners that are in there as well. If you haven’t dealt with cave spiders yet, they are a smaller, yet faster and more aggressive version of regular spiders in Minecraft. Oh, and they apply poison on hit too, so be very careful when dealing with them.
But dealing with all those dangers is worth it in my book, as usually you will find tons of loot in mineshafts. Of course, most of the loot will be different types of ores and some railroads, but with some luck, you will also get some tools, various enchanted items, and even some seeds and food.
How to Prepare for the Mineshaft?
As a mineshaft is a structure that generates fairly commonly, you can access it very early during your Minecraft playthrough. You don’t need higher-tier armor and equipment to survive exploring the shaft but I do recommend you bring with you:
Iron pickaxe – at least one pickaxe of iron or better quality. You may find a lot of ore that can only be mined by using a good enough pickaxe, so make sure you don’t have to leave it just lying there.
Torches – those caves and mineshafts can be darker than under the bed. Have you ever looked under the bed? It’s pretty dark. Make sure you bring some torches with you, so you can light the way and prevent mobs from spawning behind you.
Food – Food is another thing you always have to keep track of. Most likely you will take damage when dealing with all the mobs down there, so make sure you have enough food to heal right back up!
Shield – You don’t really need a lot of armor to explore a mineshaft, I usually just put on whatever I’ve managed to steal from the villagers and that’s it. But a shield is something I would consider essential. It will protect you from almost anything that can come at you in a mineshaft.
Final Thoughts
Mineshafts have been in Minecraft for as long as I can remember playing the game. They are a staple in the Minecraft community and probably the most recognizable randomly generated structure in the whole game. But I still don’t like exploring them too much, because of how difficult they are to navigate. More times than not I end up just digging straight up to get out of them, as I somehow always lose my way.
Do you enjoy exploring mineshafts? Have you ever been jump-scared by the loud random noises while mining around? Talk to us in the comments below!
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