Skipping Building a Nether Portal in a Speedrun

In the high-stakes world of Minecraft speedrunning, efficiency is paramount. While entering the Nether is an unavoidable step towards defeating the Ender Dragon, speedrunners have developed ingenious methods to “skip” traditional, time-consuming aspects of Nether portal creation and usage. This guide will delve into these advanced techniques, focusing on rapid obsidian generation, animation skips, and strategic portal destruction to shave precious seconds off a run.

Key Mechanics for Optimized Nether Travel

Speedrunners leverage several core mechanics to accelerate their journey through the Nether. These methods bypass conventional requirements and streamline portal interactions.

• Obsidian Generation (Water/Lava Method): The most significant “skip” in portal construction involves creating obsidian directly using a water bucket and natural lava sources. This technique entirely bypasses the need to mine obsidian with a diamond pickaxe, a process that would otherwise require finding diamonds and crafting the tool. By manipulating water and lava, speedrunners can rapidly form the necessary obsidian blocks for a portal, drastically cutting down early-game preparation time.
• Nether Portal Animation Skip: Entering a Nether portal traditionally involves a purple swirling animation that holds the player in place for a few seconds. In some versions of Minecraft, this animation can be bypassed. By placing a flowing liquid (such as water or lava) on the edge of an activated Nether portal at the moment of entry, players can instantly load into the Nether. This not only saves the animation time but may also allow for inventory usage during traversal. Furthermore, in Minecraft 1.21 and later versions, using a boat to enter the portal achieves a similar instant load into the Nether, providing another method to circumvent the animation.
• Portal Break: This advanced technique involves destroying a Nether portal with water or lava at the precise moment a player enters it. The primary purpose of a portal break is to prevent the newly created Nether-side portal from linking back to the original overworld portal. By breaking the original portal, a new one can be created nearby in the Nether at a different location. This is incredibly useful for speedrunners who find themselves far from a stronghold upon exiting the Nether, as it allows them to force a new portal generation closer to their target, significantly reducing travel time in the Overworld.

Step-by-Step Process: Water/Lava Portal Construction

The water/lava method is the cornerstone of rapid Nether portal construction in speedruns. Mastering this technique requires practice and precision.

• Find a Lava Pool: The first step is to locate a suitable lava pool. Ideally, you want a pool that contains at least four lava source blocks in a continuous row. This provides a stable and predictable environment for obsidian generation.
• Prepare the Base:
  • Begin by placing a temporary block (such as dirt or cobblestone) on the second or third lava source block within your chosen four-block row. This temporary block will serve as a guide for your water placement.
  • Next, place your water bucket next to this temporary block. The water will flow over the lava, converting it into obsidian. This initial placement is crucial for forming the sturdy obsidian base of your portal.
  • Once the obsidian is formed, break the temporary block you placed earlier. Also, break any blocks underneath the newly formed obsidian to create a clean, flat obsidian base for your portal frame. This ensures the portal is at ground level or your desired height.
• Build the Frame:
  • Using non-flammable blocks like cobblestone, begin building the vertical sides of the portal. A common and efficient method is to construct an “inverted L” shape on each side. This involves building three blocks high, then placing one block out horizontally at the top. This creates a scaffolding for the water and lava manipulation.
  • Once the vertical structures are in place, strategically place water on the corner block of one of these vertical “inverted L” structures. The water will flow down and across, preparing the area for the controlled placement of lava.
• Form the Top:
  • With the water flowing, use an empty bucket to pick up lava from the surrounding pool. Carefully place this lava strategically to form the remaining obsidian blocks of the portal frame. The flowing water will guide the lava’s conversion, ensuring that only the desired blocks turn into obsidian. This requires careful timing and placement to avoid converting too much or too little lava.
  • Repeat this process until all ten obsidian blocks required for the 2×3 inner frame of the portal are correctly formed.
• Light the Portal:
  • Once the 10 obsidian blocks are perfectly arranged to form the standard 2×3 inner frame, remove any remaining water sources that might interfere with the portal’s activation.
  • Finally, use a flint and steel to light the portal. It should activate instantly, providing access to the Nether.

Important Tips for Speedrunners

Mastering these techniques requires more than just knowing the steps; it demands practice and strategic thinking.

• Practice: The most crucial tip is to practice. Familiarize yourself thoroughly with the precise water and lava placement required to efficiently create obsidian. Muscle memory and an intuitive understanding of fluid mechanics will significantly improve your speed and consistency.
• Block Placement: Learn specific block configurations, such as 2-block or 3-block setups, to effectively control water flow. This prevents the water from spreading too far and converting unwanted lava, which can waste time and resources. Understanding how water interacts with different block arrangements is key to precise obsidian generation.
• Mob-Proofing: Upon entering the Nether, hostile mobs like Ghasts, Piglins, and Blazes can pose an immediate threat. Consider quickly building a small enclosure around your portal using cobblestone or other blast-resistant blocks. This provides a safe zone to assess your surroundings and plan your next move without immediate danger.
• Location Scouting: As soon as you enter the Nether, pause the game and open the debug screen (F3). Observe the “E: [number]/[number]” statistic, which indicates the number of entities loaded. A significant spike in the first number (around +30 entities) often indicates a nearby Bastion Remnant. This allows speedrunners to quickly identify potential locations for crucial loot and advancements without extensive exploration.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced speedrunners can make errors. Being aware of these common pitfalls can save valuable time during a run.

• Water Overflow: Incorrect water placement is a frequent mistake. If water spreads too far, it can convert more lava than intended, creating unwanted obsidian blocks that then need to be mined away, or it can interfere with subsequent lava placements, wasting time.
• Incorrect Lava Source Placement: Placing lava in the wrong spots, or not allowing it to flow correctly, can lead to an incomplete or improperly shaped portal. This forces you to either break and replace obsidian or rebuild parts of the frame, which is a significant time loss.
• Lack of Materials: Before attempting portal construction, ensure you have all the necessary items. This includes at least one water bucket, a pickaxe (preferably stone or better for speed), a flint and steel, and a stack of non-flammable building blocks (like cobblestone or dirt) for scaffolding. Forgetting any of these can halt your progress.
• Rushing: While speed is the ultimate goal, rushing without a clear understanding of the mechanics or without proper practice often leads to more errors and wasted time. Take a moment to plan your placements, especially in the heat of a run, to ensure accuracy and efficiency.