Basics of survival in Minecraft: Building a campfire in the game

Mastering Minecraft survival starts with the basics, and few skills are as crucial as building a campfire. More than just a pretty decoration, a campfire is a versatile tool vital for early survival.

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It provides light, cooks food, and even helps ward off hostile mobs. This guide covers campfire creation, uses, and some handy tips and tricks.

Table of Contents

• What is a Campfire?
• How to Create a Campfire
• Main Functions of a Campfire
• Extra Features and Life Hacks
• Campfire vs. Soul Campfire
• Effective Campfire Use in Survival

What is a Campfire?

A campfire is a multi-functional block. It illuminates the area, cooks food, acts as a signal fire, and even has decorative and mechanical uses. Unlike many light sources, it requires no fuel. Its smoke creates a visible landmark, useful for navigation. You can safely walk through a campfire without taking damage (unless you stand directly on it!), but it does damage mobs and players who remain on it for too long. Beyond the standard campfire, there's also the soul campfire, with a blue flame, piglin-repelling properties, and slightly weaker light.

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Campfires can be extinguished with water or a shovel and relit using flint and steel, lava, or fire arrows.

How to Create a Campfire

Crafting a campfire is simple. You'll need three logs (any type), three sticks, and one piece of coal (or charcoal).

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At your crafting table, place the logs in the bottom row, sticks in a triangle above, and the coal in the center. You now have a reliable, rain-resistant light and heat source!

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While you can't magically start a fire with sticks, gathering the materials beforehand is far more efficient.

Main Functions of a Campfire

The Minecraft campfire is a versatile survival tool:

• Lighting and Mob Protection: Provides light similar to a torch, deterring many hostile mobs. However, creepers remain a threat, so consider adding fences.
• Cooking: Cook up to four food items simultaneously without fuel. Be mindful of retrieving cooked food before it burns.
• Signal Fire: Emits smoke visible from a distance. Placing hay above it increases visibility, perfect for marking your location.
• Mob Trap: Deals damage over time to mobs standing on it, creating a simple but effective trap.
• Decoration: Extinguish it with a shovel for a decorative hearth-like texture.

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Extra Features and Life Hacks

• Smoke Beacon: Hay above a campfire creates a smoke plume up to 25 blocks high.
• Safe Honey Harvesting: Placing a campfire (even extinguished) under a beehive prevents bee attacks during honey collection.
• Extinguished Campfire Decoration: An extinguished campfire provides a useful texture for various building projects.
• Automatic Mob Trap: Deals consistent damage without destroying dropped items, ideal for passive mob farming.
• Fire-Safe Use: Unlike lava and fire, campfires won't ignite nearby flammable blocks.
• Controllable Fire: Extinguish and relight as needed using various methods.

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Image: ensigame.com

Campfire vs. Soul Campfire

The soul campfire features a blue flame, emits slightly less light, repels piglins, and has unique uses in redstone contraptions and with certain mobs. Aesthetically, the regular campfire is often preferred for its brighter light and cozy atmosphere, while the soul campfire lends itself to Nether-themed builds.

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Effective Campfire Use in Survival

Strategic campfire placement near your base provides light and mob deterrence (though fences are still recommended). Use it for fuel-free cooking, safe honey harvesting, and creative decoration. Its damage-over-time effect can also be incorporated into mob traps or farms.

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The campfire's versatility makes it an invaluable tool for both survival and creative building in Minecraft.