Renewable resource
A renewable resource (as opposed to a non-renewable, or finite, resource) is a resource that can be recreated indefinitely in survival without exploiting glitches or using commands. While running out of resources isn't likely to be a factor due to massive size of an Minecraft map, this is a list of resources that can be produced over and over without having to explore more terrain. However, running out of resources can be a bigger issue on superflat worlds, where resources are less plentiful, in PvP maps, where one would like to obtain resources without having to conquer more land, or simply if the map size is limited.
The listed fully renewable craftable items are items that can be crafted, smelted, or brewed using only renewable resources. For example, cookies are renewable as they only require wheat and cocoa beans that can be regrown infinitely, while TNT isn't because it requires sand, which is not renewable.
Anything that is dropped by an animal or most monsters, is renewable because more mobs of the same kind can spawn and be killed again for more loot. The exceptions are the Wither (requires non renewable soul sand to spawn), nor several enemies that spawn only in specific places: Elder guardian, (spawns three per ocean monument) Illagers (only spawns as part of the woodland mansion), and the shulker, (only spawns as part of end cities). However, monster drops are not renewable in peaceful difficulty, because the monsters do not spawn.
Contents
Brief introduction to methods[edit]
There are some main methods to get renewable resources and some item-specific methods. Item-specific methods vary from building a cobblestone generator to harvesting obsidian from portals to collecting dragon breath into a bottle, so it's very important sometimes to choose non-renewable, but easier and/or safer ways to get them. The methods are listed in increasing difficulty order:
- Farming - grow it on the dirt or farmland block, breed using renewable resources, etc.
- Craft it using only renewable resource(s)
- Get it as a normal drop after a mob's death
- Buy it from villagers
- Find it while fishing
- Get it as a rare drop after a mob's death
The first three methods are often the most practical ways to obtain the items which can be obtained by using them.
Most items obtainable by the fourth and fifth methods are obtainable in some other way, which may be easier or of comparable difficulty, but may not be renewable, they are especially worth using when the player wants to avoid the risk of mining, etc. such as while playing in hardcore mode.
The last method is generally worth using only when there is no other option, as the player will generally have to kill a lot of mobs before getting what they need.
Renewable[edit]
These are renewable items which aren't only renewably obtainable trough fishing or trading and/or rare drops.
| Resource | Renewable products | Renewable method |
|---|---|---|
| Arrow |
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| Beetroot Seeds |
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| Blaze Rod |
 |
Dropped by blazes when killed by a player |
| Bone |
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| Banner |
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| Cactus |
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| Carrot |
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| Chorus Flower |
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| Coal and Charcoal |
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| Cobblestone and Stone |
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| Cocoa Beans |
Grown on jungle wood | |
| Dragon's Breath |
Obtained by using a glass bottle on the ender dragon's breath |
|
| Egg |
Dropped by chickens every 5 to 20 minutes |
|
| Ender Pearl |
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| End Stone |
|
|
Experience Orb |
See Enchanting and Anvil#Repairing and renaming items | |
| Feather |
Dropped by chickens |
|
| Fern |
— |
Obtained by using shears to break large ferns, which may be created by using bone meal on ferns |
| Flower |
|
|
| Ghast Tear |
Dropped by ghasts |
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| Glass Bottle |
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| Glowstone Dust |
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| Chain Armor |
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| Gold Ingot |
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| Gold Nugget |
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| Gunpowder |
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| Ice |
Forms from water source blocks in cold biomes or at high altitudes that have air above them, obtained using a tool enchanted with Silk Touch |
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| Ink Sac |
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| Iron Ingot |
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| Iron Bars |
— |
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| Leather |
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| Magma Cream |
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| Melon Seeds |
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| Milk |
Obtained by using an empty bucket on cows or mooshrooms |
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| Brown Mushroom (block) |
Created by using bone meal on a brown mushroom, then obtained using a tool enchanted with Silk Touch |
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| Brown Mushroom |
|
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| Red Mushroom (block) |
Created by using bone meal on a red mushroom, then obtained using a tool enchanted with Silk Touch |
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| Red Mushroom |
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| Name Tag |
— | |
| Nether Wart |
Grown on soul sand |
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| Obsidian |
|
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| Potato |
||
| Prismarine Shard |
  |
Dropped by guardians |
| Prismarine Crystals |
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Dropped by guardians |
| Pumpkin Seeds |
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| Rabbit Hide |
Dropped by rabbits |
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| Raw Beef |
Dropped by cows and mooshrooms |
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| Raw Chicken |
Dropped by chickens |
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| Raw Fish |
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| Raw Mutton |
Dropped by sheep. |
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| Raw Porkchop |
Dropped by pigs |
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| Raw Rabbit |
Dropped by rabbits |
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| Redstone |
||
| Rotten Flesh |
— |
Dropped by zombies and zombie pigmen |
| Saplings and trees |
Saplings are occasionally dropped when leaves decay or are broken. |
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| Seeds |
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| Slimeball |
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Dropped by slimes |
| Snowball |
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| Spider Eye |
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| Stick |
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| String |
Dropped by spiders or cave spiders |
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| Sugar Cane |
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| Sugar |
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| Tall Grass |
Obtained by shearing it after using bone meal on grass blocks or tall grass |
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| Vines |
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| Water Bucket |
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| Wool |
Fishing[edit]
The following items are only renewable by fishing.
| Resource | Renewable products |
|---|---|
| Lily Pad |
— |
Tradable[edit]
These items are only renewable through trading with villagers or as rare drops from mobs.
| Resource | Renewable products | Renewable method |
|---|---|---|
| Bottle o' Enchanting |
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| Chain Armor |
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| Emerald |
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| Enchanted diamond gear |
— | |
| Glass |
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| Lapis Lazuli |
Rare drops[edit]
These items are considered rare drops or are obtained by a mob dying in a unique way. For some of these items, this is the only way to even obtain them whatsoever, for the rest this is the only renewable way to obtain them. This does not include any item the mob picks up after spawning. Mob farms are a good option for obtaining these easily or in large quantities.
| Resource | Renewable products | Renewable method |
|---|---|---|
| Armor |
— | |
| Mob Heads |
|
|
| Music Discs |
— | |
| Rabbit's Foot |
Rarely dropped by rabbits |
Bedrock Edition[edit]
Generally, all resources are renewable in the same way in both the Bedrock Edition and the Java edition. The exceptions are noted in subsections here.
Renewable[edit]
These resources are not renewable in the Java edition but are renewable in the Bedrock Edition.
| Resource | Renewable products | Renewable method |
|---|---|---|
| Netherrack |
The Platform generated when a nether portal is generated in the air contains netherrack in addition to the obsidian that would be there normally in the Bedrock edition. It is possible to break all the blocks of that portal, and go back through on the nether end, and it will generate another platform, making the netherrack there renewable. |
Legacy Console Edition[edit]
Generally, all resources are renewable in the same way in both the Legacy Console Edition and the Java edition. The exceptions are noted in subsections here.
Renewable[edit]
These resources are not renewable in the Java edition but are renewable in the Legacy Console Edition.
| Resource | Renewable products | Renewable method |
|---|---|---|
| Nether items |
The Legacy Console Edition allows the Nether to be reset without restarting a world or modifying the game save files.
With at least two dirt blocks available, coarse dirt can be crafted, tilled, then recrafted indefinitely. |
|
| Nether fortress loot chests |
|
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| Grass blocks and mycelium |
Grass and mycelium spread to nearby dirt blocks and can then be harvested with Silk Touch tools. | |
| Enchanted golden apples |
— | Enchanted golden apples can still be crafted with an apple and gold blocks. |
| Elytra, dragon heads, and End mob drops |
Like with the Nether, the End can be reset using world options, and so the end city's structures (and loot) can be farmed.
|
Video[edit]
