How to Find a Cave in Minecraft
Gear up., Learn the location of your base., Set out.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Gear up.
You never know where a cave in Minecraft is going to take you, or where exactly you could end up while exploring.
Caves are some of the most dangerous areas in the whole game, and it’s important you have all the essential items you need for survival before you set out.
Weapons:
Some players like avoiding combat whenever possible while others seek it out.
No matter your preference on this, it’s a good idea to bring at least one weapon with you just in case.
The easiest weapons to craft are swords and a bow and arrow.
Swords are a bit easier to get the hang of while bows can do ranged damage.
You can either take both, or choose the one that best fits your preferred playing style.
Armor:
This is completely optional, but it can prevent you from taking as much damage should you find yourself in combat, and that can mean the difference between life and death.
You can have a helm, a chest piece, and boots all equipped at the same time, and the best part is that it doesn’t even take up inventory space.
Torches:
These are probably the most important item to have with you if you plan on entering a cave.
Since caves are underground, they often contain areas that are either poorly lit or not lit at all, so you’ll need to be able to provide your own lighting.
Bring a lot of torches, and keep a stack in your item bar for easy access.
Pickaxes:
Caves are primarily made of stone, so it’s a good idea to have a couple pickaxes on you just to help you get around.
Caves will also have a lot of good resources that you’ll need a pickax in order to mine.
Bucket of water/bucket:
Depending on what exactly you’re aiming to find in the cave, it can be useful to carry a bucket of water with you.
You can pour water onto lava, which not only neutralizes the lava as a threat but will also create obsidian.
Alternatively, an empty bucket will allow you to pick up water from its spawn point, which can sometimes make it easier to explore areas of a cave that would otherwise be flooded or waterlogged.
Food:
You could be out exploring for a while, and if you’re successful in finding a cave, you could be out even longer.
While caves are rich in many resources, they’re not good for finding food, so you’ll want to bring your own.
You want to keep your fullness meter filled because that will ensure that you are able to regenerate any health that you might lose along the way. -
Step 2: Learn the location of your base.
The last thing you want to do is lose the way back to your base, so before you leave you need to make sure you know exactly where you’re at.
If getting lost is still something you’re worried about, there are a couple options to ensure you’ll be able to find your way back.
If there are any memorable land formations or decorations you’ve added around your base, be sure to take note of that so you have something to look for.
Leaving a trail can be a good way to not get lost.
You can put down torches, or even decorative blocks like flowers, and then follow the trail back to your base when it’s time to return.
Using a map is also an option if you either have one already or have the tools needed to craft one.
Maps are a great way of knowing where you are in relation to your base. , Some caves are exposed, meaning that they have entrances you can find just by walking around the surface.
Walk in any direction you like, keeping in mind not to get lost, and keep an eye out for caves.
Exposed cave entrances are usually stone and are most typically found in the mountain biomes.
Exposed caves will often have at least one ore block near the entrance, so you can be tipped off if you see a lot of coal or iron while you’re walking, and you should investigate.
Don’t just look for caves, listen for them.
In addition to the ambiance music that plays when you get close to a cave or a cave entrance, you can also frequently hear monsters making noise from the cave, and sometimes you can hear lava and waterfalls as well. -
Step 3: Set out.
Detailed Guide
You never know where a cave in Minecraft is going to take you, or where exactly you could end up while exploring.
Caves are some of the most dangerous areas in the whole game, and it’s important you have all the essential items you need for survival before you set out.
Weapons:
Some players like avoiding combat whenever possible while others seek it out.
No matter your preference on this, it’s a good idea to bring at least one weapon with you just in case.
The easiest weapons to craft are swords and a bow and arrow.
Swords are a bit easier to get the hang of while bows can do ranged damage.
You can either take both, or choose the one that best fits your preferred playing style.
Armor:
This is completely optional, but it can prevent you from taking as much damage should you find yourself in combat, and that can mean the difference between life and death.
You can have a helm, a chest piece, and boots all equipped at the same time, and the best part is that it doesn’t even take up inventory space.
Torches:
These are probably the most important item to have with you if you plan on entering a cave.
Since caves are underground, they often contain areas that are either poorly lit or not lit at all, so you’ll need to be able to provide your own lighting.
Bring a lot of torches, and keep a stack in your item bar for easy access.
Pickaxes:
Caves are primarily made of stone, so it’s a good idea to have a couple pickaxes on you just to help you get around.
Caves will also have a lot of good resources that you’ll need a pickax in order to mine.
Bucket of water/bucket:
Depending on what exactly you’re aiming to find in the cave, it can be useful to carry a bucket of water with you.
You can pour water onto lava, which not only neutralizes the lava as a threat but will also create obsidian.
Alternatively, an empty bucket will allow you to pick up water from its spawn point, which can sometimes make it easier to explore areas of a cave that would otherwise be flooded or waterlogged.
Food:
You could be out exploring for a while, and if you’re successful in finding a cave, you could be out even longer.
While caves are rich in many resources, they’re not good for finding food, so you’ll want to bring your own.
You want to keep your fullness meter filled because that will ensure that you are able to regenerate any health that you might lose along the way.
The last thing you want to do is lose the way back to your base, so before you leave you need to make sure you know exactly where you’re at.
If getting lost is still something you’re worried about, there are a couple options to ensure you’ll be able to find your way back.
If there are any memorable land formations or decorations you’ve added around your base, be sure to take note of that so you have something to look for.
Leaving a trail can be a good way to not get lost.
You can put down torches, or even decorative blocks like flowers, and then follow the trail back to your base when it’s time to return.
Using a map is also an option if you either have one already or have the tools needed to craft one.
Maps are a great way of knowing where you are in relation to your base. , Some caves are exposed, meaning that they have entrances you can find just by walking around the surface.
Walk in any direction you like, keeping in mind not to get lost, and keep an eye out for caves.
Exposed cave entrances are usually stone and are most typically found in the mountain biomes.
Exposed caves will often have at least one ore block near the entrance, so you can be tipped off if you see a lot of coal or iron while you’re walking, and you should investigate.
Don’t just look for caves, listen for them.
In addition to the ambiance music that plays when you get close to a cave or a cave entrance, you can also frequently hear monsters making noise from the cave, and sometimes you can hear lava and waterfalls as well.
About the Author
Jose Cook
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow organization tutorials.
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