Why players should use cartography tables in Minecraft

The Cartography table is a unique block in Minecraft. Players can use this block in several ways with regards to maps and villager trades. New players may be unaware of their capabilities and can find them in certain villages. If used correctly, these can be highly useful for players who use a lot of maps.

Like most games out there, Minecraft too has maps that can be used to see where a player is going. Players can create an empty map using paper and a compass. Using this empty map creates a top-down map of the area around where the player is.

As they explore different areas, it keeps updating the map as well. This way, players can know exactly where they are in the overworld. However, if they want to edit these maps, this table comes in handy.

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Reasons why players should use the cartography table in Minecraft

For cloning, zooming out, and locking maps

When players make a map, they can see their surrounding areas in the overworld. However, they will notice that the map is quite limited if they walk too far. This is where the table comes in handy, as they can put their maps in and add a paper in the second slot to essentially expand the existing map. Once done, they can further explore a larger area, and it will show on the map.

Expanding map (Image via Minecraft)

If players want to make two identical maps of the same area, they can use this table to simply clone them by adding an existing map and an empty map. Players can either keep one of the maps as a showpiece on an item frame or simply give it to another player in a multiplayer world.

Cloning maps (Image via Minecraft)

When players are done exploring the entire map and want to prevent the map from expanding or being updated, they can simply lock it by combining it with a glass pane on the cartography table.

Locking the map (Image via Minecraft)

Bedrock Edition players can even create locator maps by adding an empty map with a compass to this table.

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Cartographer villager job site

Cartographer (Image via Mojang)

Other than editing maps in the game, this block can also be used to employ a villager as a cartographer. Players can place the cartography table near a normal villager so that they can connect with it. After this, they will be able to give some great trades to players for emeralds and other valuable items.