Top 5 tricks for beginner speedrunners in Minecraft in 2022

Speedrunning has become a favorite pastime for some of the most famous Minecraft players and streamers. However, it is also an activity that many players, including beginners, attempt at least once during their playthroughs. Speedrunning involves completing the game's main quest line in the shortest time possible, and it is not everybody's piece of cake.

Speedrunning is an art that involves following the entire progression system of Minecraft, from getting wood, or at least iron, if not diamonds, various tiers of weapons, armor, and tools, to acquiring blaze rods, activating an end portal, and finally, beating the Ender Dragon.

A typical speedrun stops only when the player has jumped through the exit portal that only appears after they’ve killed the dragon. For people who’ve never tried it, it can be enjoyable and rewarding, as it allows players to test themselves against some of the best speedrunners in the world, like Dream, Illumina, and more. However, it isn't an easy task to accomplish and requires a combination of practice, skill, and patience.

This article will provide some great tips for players aspiring to start speedrunning Minecraft.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinion.

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Minecraft: 5 speedrunning tips that new players must keep in mind

5) Master bridging

This tip is designed to aid the player’s traversal around the Nether dimension. However, it does help in Overworld sections that are situated at high altitudes or have jagged terrain.

Bridging is the process of crossing the aforementioned “high altitude” areas by making a bridge using blocks as the player keeps moving. This process saves a ton of time as players don't have to go around an area to reach their destination.

As players know, the Nether has huge lava lakes and jagged terrain all around the place, so bridging becomes necessary. One of the best ways to bridge a gap is to go diagonally and not in a straight line, as the former is faster. However, they must be careful not to fall in.

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4) Practice fall damage prevention

Fall damage is one of the most common factors contributing to a failed Minecraft speedrun. However, there are many ways to prevent it, and while some of these can be tricky, they’re all possible to pull off with enough practice.

The easiest way to remove or mitigate fall damage is to land on something soft, like a bed, block of hay, or inside water. This will remove fall damage and allow the player to survive even the highest tumbles. However, if there is no such surface around the impact area, players will have to get a bit more creative.

The first of these methods is to place something below a moment before the player hits the ground. The best example is the "MLG" water bucket trick that many players and content creators use. This involves placing down a water bucket just before landing to ensure a safe landing spot. Minecraft players can do this with beds or blocks of hay as well.

Another tricky method is to use ladders. Ladders need to be placed sideways, so players can use them if they have access to a block adjacent to them while in mid-air. Dream pulling it off during one of his last Minecraft Manhunt videos is an excellent example of this.

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3) Remap hotkeys (if necessary)

Hotkeys in Minecraft are designed to make gamer’s life more comfortable by giving them the option to access any piece of equipment they might want quickly. This option is precious to speedrunners.

Every player uses the keyboard in their own way, whether it is placing different fingers on different keys due to force of habit or comfort. The purpose of a speedrun is to complete the game as quickly as possible, and rebinding the game’s hotkeys to essential items might help players save a lot of time.

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2) Know how to get quick ender peals

Ender pearls are some of the most critical items in Minecraft in terms of progression. Players need these items to craft eyes of ender, another rare item that allows players to find a stronghold and activate an end portal. They also help the player teleport over small distances. However, that action deals a small amount of damage to the player.

There are a few different ways to acquire ender pearls. The fastest and most efficient method, however, is to trade gold ingots with piglins, who, in turn, have a high chance of trading ender pearls in exchange for them. For those, players will have to head to the Nether. Piglins can be found roaming across the hellish wasteland.

However, if players find a bastion remnant along the way, their chances of getting a good trade will shoot up, as piglins are the primary residents of the structure. Once inside, players must trap piglins and throw gold ingots at them to give back some items, one of which may be ender pearls.

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1) Beds and arrows

This one is an important aspect when speedrunning Minecraft. Players will remember that when beds are used in the Nether, they explode and cause a ton of destruction. Well, the same is true in the End dimension. Players can use that same explosion to kill the ender dragon.

Since the pillar at the center of the ender dragon’s lair is relatively short, players can use it to place and break beds. The resulting explosion deals a ton of damage to the dragon as she swoops down and hovers above that pillar.

Additionally, Minecraft players will need a ton of arrows throughout their speed runs. The primary reason is to avoid engagements with hostile mobs or quickly dispose of them from a distance. Aside from this, players will need bows and arrows to destroy the end crystals regenerating the dragon’s health in the End dimension.