Summary
InMinecraft, creativity knows no bounds. The world is the players' oyster, and they are free to do as they please, and this form of luxury in a game is unrivaled. Twelve years after its initial release,Minecraftis still larger than life, with extensive coverage on dozens of platforms that make it a mainstay in pop culture.
RELATED:Video Games With Unique Crafting Systems
With the freedom the game provides, there are still some set objectives that the player can complete should they wish to progress into the late stages of the game and defeat the Ender Dragon. These objectives can be made easier should players prepare correctly and consider any of the following steps.
8Build A Nether Portal
Building a nether portal is key for any player looking to progress in their world. Without one, players are confined to the lands of the overworld and will never experience the hellish joy that can be found in the nether.
While portals can stand out like sore thumbs, players can use theircreativity to create some pretty interesting designs. Whether they’re building their portal into the side of a mountain, or giving it an infected-like aesthetic with Netherrack blocks and vines, giving a nether portal a sense of will act as an enhancement to any base.

7Develop A Mining System Or Cave
Establishing a mining system will greatly benefit any player looking to excavate large areas or caverns and expunge their precious ores. Players should make their mines easily accessible, and doing so can be done simply by leading ladders, or a set of staircases, down through their base - just make sure there isn’t any lava whilst digging down that might cause any trouble.
Players will eventuallymeet larger, wider ravines and cavernous areasas they mine, where they may be lucky enough to find valuable diamonds. Strip mining is also a highly advised strategy to locate desirable ores, and will provide players with a steady supply of diamonds.

6Build An Enchanting Room
Those looking to advance to the top ofMinecraft’specking order quickly will make great use of an enchanting table. On their own, they offer minimalist improvements to weapons, tools, and armor, but optimized with bookshelves that offer higher levels, they can make a good player an unstoppable force.
While gathering leather from cows can be a tedious effort, the payoff of having near invincibility after heavily enchanting gear makes the grind feel worthwhile. The satisfaction of creating an aesthetically pleasing area to enchant in ensures the player comes back time and time again.

5Locate The Nearest Stronghold
While strongholds are typically not the easiest to locate in the first few days of gameplay, being able to find the nearest one in relation to the player’s base will make for a far more pleasant encounter later down the line.
RELATED:Best Island Building Games
If players are willing to take the early plunge and locate one as soon asthey have obtained enough Eyes Of Ender, they can transform the entire area into a small hub or base that can allow ample preparation before the Ender Dragon battle.
4Start Farming Early
Resources such as sugar cane are incredibly valuable early game, as they can be used to make large amounts of paper, which in turn can be used to make books. Growing this in large amounts as early as possible will allow players to create even bigger farms, make more bookshelves, and sell them on to generate an emerald profit.
Farming serves further as an essential food source; where potatoes for example can be made into baked potatoes and provide a food source that will last. Where farming is concerned, there are a wide variety of other fruits and vegetables in the game, so players have plenty of different foods to choose from.

3Make Use Of Villages
Living in, or near, a village at the start of a standardMinecraftplaythrough can provide a multitude of benefits for those looking to hammer down for the long haul. Off the bat, players will have access to a small settlement of villagersthat can be assigned professionsof the player’s choosing, which makes starting up an economy system easily accomplishable.
RELATED:Minecraft: Best Scary Mods
With dozens of huts and houses that the local villagers call home, players can turn the villages into an even more thriving settlements. Building a long, high wall, and adapting the villagers' homes, can provide villages with a more advanced style and feel, ideal for those looking to bring a little life into their bases.
2Establish An Economic Villager System
With the usefulness of a village settlement and its locals, players can establish a successful business model with the villagers, which will allow them to obtain an array of resources, and start developing a steady stream of emeralds to use as currency with other villager professions.
This is an extremely effective method that players should work on as soon as they can. As each villager’s profession has levels ranging from novice to master, a player who trades with an armorer over a period of time will eventually allow them to reach master status. At this point, players are able to buy diamond armor, or other incredibly useful items depending on the villagers' profession, which makes the utilization of villagers in the early game invaluable. Players will no longer need to worry about wasting diamonds on an armor set, tools, or weaponry that will eventually break.

1Find A Nether Fortress
At first glance, these locations are one of the creepiest in the game. Found uncommonly in the Nether, a Nether Fortress serves as a key location for players looking to progress, as it houses blaze powder,which is only obtainable by killing Blazes.
Nether Fortresses also house an array of chests that contain loot for players, as well as nether warts that grow next to staircases. Players should consider heading to a fortress as early as they can to obtain these valuable materials, as once they have met the creatures that lurk at every turn of a corner, they won’t ever want to go back.

Minecraftis available now on Mobile, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.

