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Top 14 survival builds in Minecraft

The best builds made without creative mode, without /give and without WorldEdit. By hand, block by block.

Building in creative mode is impressive. Building in survival is a whole different level. You have to mine, process and haul every single block yourself. Any mistake can cost you your life (and in hardcore, the entire world). Every survival mega build means hundreds of hours of grinding for materials before you place the first block.

The 14 projects below are the very best of survival building, from Ph1LzA's Endlantis (built in hardcore, with a single life!) through SciCraft's insane farms to Hermitcraft bases that combine good looks with technology. Each of them proves that the limits of survival mode are not an obstacle. They are an inspiration.

#1

Endlantis

Ph1LzA Hardcore, 5 years, an underwater city in the End

Ph1LzA turned the End into an underwater city: Endlantis. It was built in hardcore mode (one life, zero room for mistakes) in a world Ph1LzA played for more than 5 years. End stone covered in water, glass corridors, underwater gardens and a transport system. When Phil finally died in that world (after 5 years of hardcore), the whole Minecraft community was heartbroken.

#2

Netherite Beacon

WadZee A full netherite pyramid, the most expensive block in the game

164 blocks of netherite means more than 5,900 Ancient Debris mined by hand in the Nether. WadZee built a full beacon pyramid out of the rarest material in the game. Hundreds of hours of mining in a lava-filled hell. Every block takes 9 netherite ingots = 36 Ancient Debris + 36 gold ingots. Insane? Yes. But WadZee did it.

#3

10,000 Days in Minecraft

SB737 10,000 days in one world

SB737 played a single survival world for 10,000 Minecraft days. The result is a mega base with farms for every resource, a mob museum, a PvE arena and a town full of NPCs. A YouTube series with millions of views on every episode.

#4

4,000 Days in Hardcore

LukeTheNotable Started the "X days in Minecraft" series

LukeTheNotable launched an entire genre of content: the "100 days in Minecraft" series. Luke's hardcore world reached 4,000 days, with a huge base, every advancement and an epic final battle. Later, every gaming YouTuber copied the "X days" format.

#5

SciCraft Mesa Quarry

SciCraft (ilmango + team) Mined out an entire Mesa biome

SciCraft is a technical server where the limits of Minecraft get tested and pushed. The Mesa Quarry was a project to dig out an entire mesa (badlands) biome down to bedrock. Millions of terracotta blocks mined with automatic farms. SciCraft is where redstone turns into engineering.

#6

Hermitcraft ImpulseSV Base (S9)

ImpulseSV A floating redstone base

On Hermitcraft Season 9, ImpulseSV built a base that looks like it is floating in the air. Advanced redstone systems, automatic farms and flying platforms, all in survival. Hermitcraft is the server where the best Minecraft builders play together.

#7

Hermitcraft GoodTimesWithScar Base

GoodTimesWithScar The most organic builds in Minecraft

Scar is known for the most organic, natural-looking builds in Minecraft. Scar's Hermitcraft bases look like they grew out of the terrain: mountains, waterfalls, bridges and towers that blend smoothly into the landscape. Every season is a terraforming masterpiece.

#8

Hermitcraft Grian Base (S9)

Grian Playing with perspective and scale

On Hermitcraft S9, Grian built a base that plays with perspective: the buildings look different from different angles. Grian is a master of proportion and detail. Grian's building tutorials on YouTube (8.9M subscribers) have taught millions of players how to make their builds look better.

#9

Hermitcraft Mumbo Jumbo Base

Mumbo Jumbo The redstone king of Hermitcraft

Mumbo Jumbo combines building with redstone like nobody else. Mumbo's Hermitcraft bases are full of hidden mechanisms: automatic sorting systems, secret entrances, transport systems. "Redstone is simple" is Mumbo's famous line, and for most players it is quite a stretch.

#10

Perimeter Draining

SciCraft Drained the entire area around an Ocean Monument

SciCraft drained the entire stretch of ocean around an Ocean Monument: millions of water blocks removed with sponges and automated systems. The goal: perfect conditions for farming guardians. Efficiency above everything.

#11

Wither Rose Farm

SciCraft (ilmango) A farm that kills 2,000+ Withers per hour

A farm that spawns and kills Withers on a massive scale to produce wither roses. 2,000+ Withers per hour. On a normal server, the Wither is a boss you are scared to spawn. On SciCraft, it is a resource.

#12

Ice Biome Mega Base

Fwhip (fWhip SMP) A Viking city with a road network

fWhip built a complete Viking city in a snowy biome in survival: halls, harbors, watchtowers, a road network and mines. All in a consistent Nordic style. fWhip's SMP series are a model for survival builders.

#13

Iron Farm Array

Various creators Industrial iron farms

Massive iron farms (iron golem farms) are among the most important technical projects in survival. The best ones produce 1,000+ iron ingots per hour. Iron goes into rails, hoppers and pistons, the basis of any automation.

#14

Full Beacon Pyramid

Many players A full pyramid topped with 6 beacons

A full beacon pyramid (6 beacons on one diamond, emerald or iron pyramid) is a classic survival endgame goal. Many players put hundreds of hours into reaching it.

Tips for building in survival

Gather materials in bulk

Before you start building, stock up on materials. Automatic cobblestone, tree and stone farms are the foundation. You don't want to keep running off for materials in the middle of a build.

Scaffolding is your friend

Scaffolding (made from bamboo) lets you build high up without the risk of falling. In survival any fall can be fatal, so use scaffolding.

Elytra + firework rockets

On big projects, an elytra with firework rockets is the only efficient way to get around. Make a gunpowder farm and a paper farm a priority.

Build in stages

In survival you don't have to finish a build in one go. Plan it in stages: foundation, walls, roof, details. Each stage is its own session of grinding and building.