Block of the day

[Alexiy]

Let's try this game:
1. Pick a favorite block from any mod you've played;
2. Explain what it does and why is it so good;
3. Optionally link relevant images with this block;
4. Don't post the block if you are the one who created it.

The goal is to get familiar with cool blocks you possibly haven't seen or used yet.

I'll start with the Marker from a mod 'Builder's Guides':

This block is intended to be used as a guide for building structures. It can display various 'ghost' shapes for assitance. Here it shows the shape of two walls:

There are several modes and shapes, including spheres, cuboids, stairs; they are quite configurable by a tool of this mod (you can rotate, expand/shrink, change color and such).
I've used it mostly for outlining range of monster spawners or farms.

 

[triggerfinger12]

Dimension builder from RFTools!!! (does what it says in the title)

 

[GamerwithnoGame]

I'd be inclined to say: the humble Phantomface, from Actually Additions.

This block, when linked to another using a phantom connector, will act as the block its linked to in terms of being an inventory. So for example, you can pump items into the phantomface, and they will go into the linked block; you can also pump items out (or Retrieve items from) the phantomface in the same manner. This is SUPER useful, as it means you have many more sides from which to act on a block.

 

[MrMonsterGuy18]

The tesseract from TE4. It was amazing being able to move ALMOST everything wirelessly(*cough* gas *cough*). Now you must use Ender chest, tanks, and flux points to do the same thing but in multiple blocks.

 

[GamerwithnoGame]

The tesseract from TE4. It was amazing being able to move ALMOST everything wirelessly(*cough* gas *cough*). Now you must use Ender chest, tanks, and flux points to do the same thing but in multiple blocks.

The Ender IO Dimensional Transceiver can do power and items, and apparently fluids, though I'm not sure on that one! But yeah the Tesseract is a great block!

 

[MrMonsterGuy18]

The Ender IO Dimensional Transceiver can do power and items, and apparently fluids, though I'm not sure on that one! But yeah the Tesseract is a great block!

Mekanism has a quantum entagloporter which I'm pretty sure does the same thing but with gas. Also mekanism is now on twitch so now I'll remember to add it to new worlds

 

[Alexiy]

Today's block is Item Interface from Actual Additions:

The manual says that this block is like an aggregator of inventories which are linked by Item Laser Relays. It has no GUI, but it provides an ability to do operations on connected inventories at once. For example, you can transfer items from all connected inventories through this block to other place or insert items by Hopper and alike. Kind of like Grid with limited functionality.

For me, it is quite convenient to use with a Fine Crafter from Fine Stuff (WIP mod), which uses similar ways of accessing inventories. Fine Crafter is a block for semi-automatic item processing using existing machines. It acts similarly to Ref. Storage's Crafter, but is able to both insert inputs and retrieve results. For example, it can fully automate brewing stand:

In this case, Fine Crafter operates with Item Interface using Inventory Scanner:

It gets inputs through the Item Interface and returns the results.
Remote technologies for the win!

 

[MrMonsterGuy18]

Ender IO from Ender IO
It lets you interact with blocks around it. Remote activating my mob farm so there is no ugly lever for the win

 

[Alexiy]

Ender IO from Ender IO
It lets you interact with blocks around it. Remote activating my mob farm so there is no ugly lever for the win

I forgot about that one. Definitely a useful block.

 

[Henry Link]

I think I would have to go with the Ender IO Painter. It can be used to hide all of your Ender IO conduits.

 

[triggerfinger12]

Can i suggest multi-block structures?

 

[Henry Link]

New day, different block. So the old computercraft turtle. It mines, it builds, it monitors and automates crafting, it kills and collects XP, possibilities with this one are just endless.

 

[MrMonsterGuy18]

The travel anchor from Enderio.
It lets you travel to one which is up to 72 blocks away. For 8x the distance in a use, use it in the nether

 

[Alexiy]

Can i suggest multi-block structures?

Yes, let's see what you've got to tell.

 

[triggerfinger12]

The Big Reactor From Big reactors! (aka Extreme reactors in 1.10+) You can make it pretty much as big as you want, and each block has an effect on how much power is produced per piece of Fuel and how much rf/tick is outputted! It is #1 on my favorite Power gen mods!

 

[MrMonsterGuy18]

The Big Reactor From Big reactors! (aka Extreme reactors in 1.10+) You can make it pretty much as big as you want, and each block has an effect on how much power is produced per piece of Fuel and how much rf/tick is outputted! It is #1 on my favorite Power gen mods!

Fusion reactor from mekanism. you post reminded me that there are generators besides Botania.

The Reactor generates A TON of rf

 

[GamerwithnoGame]

Oh man, don't even get me started on multiblocks. How do I love thee, let me count the ways...

Going back briefly to a single block (technically) the IE garden cloche. It LOOKS awesome, with its bell jar, plants visibly growing inside and so on; its mechanically effective - it needs water, power and fertilizer but it produces a steady stream of whatever crop you put in there; its fairly easy to automate, if you have a source of bonemeal; its just... GOOD.

The only negative I've heard are that certain seeds (ExU2 ender lily is a known example) have caused hard crashes when placed inside. I believe that's fixed in latest versions, but I don't know if that's the case for the version in Beyond, so I'm nervous to test it. Also (and this is a lack of knowledge on my part) I don't know whether you need dirt or mycelium to grow mushrooms in one - if its the latter, that could be annoying.

 

[LordPINE]

Going back to reactors, there is one more I have to mention. The nuclearcraft fission reactor. It is basically a puzzle to figure out the cooling of the thing, and it generates a decent, but not ridiculous amount of power.

 

[GamerwithnoGame]

Going back to reactors, there is one more I have to mention. The nuclearcraft fission reactor. It is basically a puzzle to figure out the cooling of the thing, and it generates a decent, but not ridiculous amount of power.

Aw man, I've been meaning to have a play with that, it looks AWESOME

 

[MrMonsterGuy18]

The tinkers crafting bench (or something like that). It stores up to 9 stakes of items and can craft. The number of times I forget something early game is unbelievable.