The Minecraft Spyglass

Let us tell you something about surviving in Minecraft. There is only one rule about it: there are no rules. Well, aside from the one rule… Anyway, the point is that nothing stays the same. With every update come new mobs and new tactics. New weapons, new tools, new mechanics, you name it. It is an ever-evolving battlefield and if you don’t want to be left behind, you need to stay on top. You must see without being seen, hunt without being hunted, craft without being… uhm… whatever, you know what this is about, you can read headlines, can’t you? Because there is one thing that you absolutely need to survive in the untamed, wild biomes and that is information. Knowing what the mobs around you are doing is the key to surviving. And there is one item that can get you there. Can you guess what it is? Wrong. It’s the Minecraft spyglass. Unless you thought that, in which case you were right.

How to Make a Spyglass in Minecraft

There’s 2 things you need to get yourself a Minecraft spyglass. And, as everything else in Minecraft, it is absolutely dangerous to do so. ‘Cause you need an amethyst shard and some copper. But if you think that these are really far apart, you can relax ‘cause there is a place you can go, where all of these blocks reside; handy, isn’t it? Or rather, it would be if that place wasn’t a gosh darn trial chamber! You know what that means? Skeletons and zombies and breezes and whatnot getting in your face, that’s what it means! And chatting is not what they have on their mind, no siree! It really is a cornucopia of mobs that want to tear your health bar to pieces.

Think you can be smart and just try mining for copper and amethyst? Joke’s on your there, partner, ‘cause guess what? Mineshafts are death traps too! Just slightly less elaborate ones. And the spiders in there aren’t equipped with as much enchanted stuff. But other than that, danger lurks everywhere in the Minecraft world more or less equally.

The Minecraft Spyglass Recipe

Anyway, once you have an amethyst shard and 2x copper ingots (which you can smelt in a furnace or blast furnace), you have all you need to follow the Minecraft spyglass recipe:

1x amethyst shard + 2x copper ingot = 1x Minecraft spyglass

And there you have it. A Minecraft spyglass for you, my friend. Now, it’s time to relax and look at mobs and landscapes from a distance, right? Wrong! What about the ‘constant fight for survival’ thing don’t you get? No, it’s actually time to use the thing now. In the wilderness that is.

How to Use a Spyglass in Minecraft

Gotta say, that is a mighty fine thing in your inventory there, partner. Why don’t you put it in your main hand and activate the Minecraft spyglass? See, the spyglass, Minecraft’s single best item to play as a pirate, mainly does two things: it reduces your field of vision by 90% but also offers a 10x zoom. And a powerful zoom it is; although there are a few caveats. For one, you move very slowly while using the spyglass. Minecraft also has a fatal weakness that can inhibit your usage of the spyglass: Minecraft doesn't keep everything loaded at all times. Rather, the game only renders objects and mobs that are close enough to the player. As you know, the Minecraft world is measured in chunks (and if you didn’t know, now you do. Wonder what a chunk is? Well, get your answers. We’ll wait here.) Each chunk is only rendered once you get close enough.

Now, of course the chunks still exist even if they’re not rendered. They are just invisible. See, the point we’re trying to make here, partner, is that chunks are only loading depending on your position, not your view. So if you use the Minecraft spyglass to look at something that is too far away to render, it’ll remain unrendered. So the bottom line is: make sure your render settings are not too low, otherwise the Minecraft spyglass only has limited use. Except for the little sound it makes when you use it. Be warned though, it can be quite addictive!

Some Ideas for Using the Minecraft Spyglass

As we said earlier, the one thing the Minecraft spyglass is paramount at is gathering information. So the best use is probably scouting enemy bases. Especially when it comes to pillager outposts, taking some time to look at their numbers and organization can be very useful down the line. To really lure them out, you can use commands to summon a few mobs to attack them from afar and see how many of them there are before rushing in.

At the same time, even veterans like us have to admit that Minecraft has some pretty views every once in a while. For us, the cherry blossom biome is a real looker. With that in mind, you can really step up your screenshot game by focusing on a view far away. You can also use it to observe wild animals and study their behavior. Channel your inner wildlife documentary filmer (and get spiritual bonus points by narrating them in your head!) Oh, and how about using the Biomes o’ Plenty mod for this project?

Finally, what solid pirate (or sailor) skin would be complete without a spyglass? Minecraft is a place where you can be anything and being authentic really lets you step into the role. What will this precious technological marble reveal? Loot hidden in chests, terrifying guardians or the secret life of your villagers? Only time will tell.

Bonus Tip:
Standing on a shipwreck or a boat enhances the Minecratft pirate experience!

So, this is where we part ways. We gotta admit, telling you something about surviving this mad, blocky world was fun, partner. But don’t fret, we will meet again. And until then, you can hang out on a Minecraft server from G-Portal. But whatever you do, try to have fun. And always look over your shoulder. You can never be too careful. Say, what is that green thing I’m spotting with my Minecraft spyglass in the distance?