Early game defenses

[Demosthenex]

So our group just started a new server with our custom modpack and
suffice it to say that in conjunction with some server side magic the
monsters are just incredible. They are supposed to be overwhelming and
put you on the defensive, and they succeed wildly.

We have come up with some basic defenses that work well:

- Build in the air: They can climb ladders, but with careful
application of multiple entrances and blocking the ladders this is
manageable. Unfortunately it's ugly and totally unrealistic.

- Build underwater: This works too since all mobs swim. I've never
fancied an underwater base though.

- Live underground: Crops only grow in daylight, so you must have a
surface presence. It's easy to be taken by surprise coming out of
your hiding hole, and if you aren't deep enough the mobs fighting
to get to you will cause creepers to blow holes into your lair.

At this point the most common defense is large numbers of drowning
traps or drowning moats. They are effective, but that can't be the
only answer. Water prevents creeper damage and thus appears to be
constantly in use.

Later in the game I'm sure we can get other tech, but early on designs
seem to always use drowning traps. I'm trying to expand our options.

Anyone else have suggestions regarding clever mob traps or defenses
using strictly early game resources?

 

[malicious_bloke]

1. Openblocks elevators. So cheap and incredibly useful for hopping up/down a dozen or so blocks. Pretty sure mobs can't use them. Great for getting into a base suspended in the air or hidden underground.

2. Underwater bases are good for avoiding creeper terrain damage but not much else, cba.

3. Setting up a farm below ground with a glass roof is an easy way to avoid setting foot on the surface ever. Transparent blocks and daylight and all that jazz.

 

[ratchet freak]

a 3 high wall should stop most mobs add a lip to stop spiders climbing over

 

[Pyure]

This sounds like a horrible horrible place to play

 

[Demosthenex]

a 3 high wall should stop most mobs add a lip to stop spiders climbing over

*laugh* This isn't vanilla! Things climb, zombies throw other zombies, ghasts fly around in the overworld with creepers on their backs. A three high wall will get you killed because mobs will cluster outside it trying to get you and when they start to fight and a creeper goes off, there goes your wall.[DOUBLEPOST=1408029814][/DOUBLEPOST]

This sounds like a horrible horrible place to play

Wonderfully horrible. You spawn in, and you are terrified for your life. If you can't secure a base, you'll die from starvation if the waves of mobs don't get you first.

Our spawn area started out as a underground room below a "chimney" tower with a drowning moat around it. We expanded it to have fields on drop, then dropped walls and enclosing the space.

I'm about to start my base out in the wilderness, and was trying to avoid the drowning moats. They are overused, we have them everywhere. Hence my asking. ;]

 

[Demosthenex]

1. Openblocks elevators. So cheap and incredibly useful for hopping up/down a dozen or so blocks. Pretty sure mobs can't use them. Great for getting into a base suspended in the air or hidden underground.

Yeah, wool's still at a premium and I have no idea where I'd get ender pearls this early. Punji sticks aren't an option, they cause things to explode. Obsidian is a pipe dream for later, and compressed cobble was removed on purpose.

2. Underwater bases are good for avoiding creeper terrain damage but not much else, cba.

I think you still get skylight under water. I feel like this is a last refuge, I don't want to concede defeat and live underwater. I want to brazenly stay on the overworld. ;]

3. Setting up a farm below ground with a glass roof is an easy way to avoid setting foot on the surface ever. Transparent blocks and daylight and all that jazz.

Glass just sounds so fragile. If you are anywhere nearby, the mobs will cluster trying to get to you. That inevitably leads to explosions.

I made a funny house in creative with a pyramid roof and water channels to take one water dot and cascade it down the sides into a 4 deep pit around the house. An iron door in the wall, and nothing could enter and the explosion damage was nerfed. It's just... odd looking. I'll keep trying.

 

[Pyure]

I'm surprised your group isn't playing Crash Landing, it sounds right up your alley. Swarming mobs, random griefsplosions, mobs riding ghasts in the overworld, starvation...to that list you can add dehydration, heat stroke, hypothermia.

On the other hand its missing Reika's mods, which I suspect you're using again.

 

[Demosthenex]

I'm surprised your group isn't playing Crash Landing, it sounds right up your alley. Swarming mobs, random griefsplosions, mobs riding ghasts in the overworld, starvation...to that list you can add dehydration, heat stroke, hypothermia.

On the other hand its missing Reika's mods, which I suspect you're using again.

Totally. This is the Zombie Apocalypse with Rotarycraft. ;]

I intend to build reactors on this one too! Btw, our modpack is now distributed through the launcher if you want to join us again. Single player isn't as hot, I'm doing some server side magic to keep it intense.

One item is that we have 200+ mob slots and they generate every half second all night long. Then every IRL hour a cron job does a '/cofh killall' to remove all hostile mobs. This clears out mobs stuck in caves or other places you don't see them. That keeps the mobs fresh and lively. I suppose I could try and tinker with methods to change spawn rates or clear then in single player, but this is just for our server so I haven't bothered.

 

[Pyure]

One item is that we have 200+ mob slots and they generate every half second all night long. Then every IRL hour a cron job does a '/cofh killall' to remove all hostile mobs. This clears out mobs stuck in caves or other places you don't see them. That keeps the mobs fresh and lively. I suppose I could try and tinker with methods to change spawn rates or clear then in single player, but this is just for our server so I haven't bothered.

That's actually really clever. Its too bad you can't get mobs to "prefer" spawning outside (whatever your definition of outside is)

 

[Demosthenex]

That's actually really clever. Its too bad you can't get mobs to "prefer" spawning outside (whatever your definition of outside is)

What's worse is that if you're in an area and there's only ONE dark spot (ie: something you missed in a mine) you're guaranteed to have things spawn there immediately. Zombies and Creepers both will destroy any lightsource and many different blocks (ie: crops).

Demosthenex's Zombie Apocalypse Server: Keeping those zombies fresh for your satisfaction. Over 1 billion spawned.

 

[Pyure]

Sounds fun; I'm hooked on CL for my "ultra-difficult" gaming atm. Lemme know if you ever start up one of those

 

[malicious_bloke]

*plants magnum torch, giggling madly*

 

[Demosthenex]

*plants magnum torch, giggling madly*

Isn't that Extra Utils? We don't have those. ;]

 

[Yusunoha]

my god.... are you perhaps related to jaded or eyamaz?

 

[Demosthenex]

No, but I must admit they are inspiring! Our group has played progressively more difficult servers starting with vanilla, to small custom packs, to Unleashed, Monster, and now this one. Our server pack is similar to Monster but with major difficulty tweaks. I have yet to go as far as AS/MF2/BnB.

I've considered BnB for the next iteration, it adds weight restrictions which would be new.

 

[RJS]

Purified soil from Tinker's Construct hurts undead mobs which walk over it, so would help with zombies and skeletons. I know you said that punji sticks cause creepers to explode, does cactus do the same? If not then a cactus fence could be your answer. Torch Levers(in Monster but not sure if you have it still in your pack) also has some spike traps, not sure if that falls foul of the explosion issue.

 

[Pyure]

Purified soil from Tinker's Construct hurts undead mobs which walk over it, so would help with zombies and skeletons.

Do mobs killed by purified (consecrated?) soil drop items? I have an interest in that

 

[Demosthenex]

Purified soil from Tinker's Construct hurts undead mobs which walk over it, so would help with zombies and skeletons. I know you said that punji sticks cause creepers to explode, does cactus do the same? If not then a cactus fence could be your answer. Torch Levers(in Monster but not sure if you have it still in your pack) also has some spike traps, not sure if that falls foul of the explosion issue.

That's an excellent suggestion, and precisely why I asked on here! I'll go look this up.

 

[Pyure]

That's an excellent suggestion, and precisely why I asked on here! I'll go look this up.

As per our usual arrangement, you also need to do my investigation for me so that I am able to sit here and not do the investigation.

I can cite precedents as necessary.

 

[RJS]

Do mobs killed by purified (consecrated?) soil drop items? I have an interest in that

Couldn't remember the exact name
I don't know if you get item drops, I've never played around with it, I just know what it does