Duck Tools
Minecraft modding has a long history of passion projects that grow from simple ideas into something surprisingly robust. Duck Tools is one such mod, a labor of love that started years ago as a basic emerald tools add-on and has evolved into a full-fledged expansion packed with new ores, crafting mechanics, and even some playful April Fools' antics. If you are looking for a mod that adds tangible progression without completely overhauling the game, Duck Tools might just be your next favorite download.
What Exactly is Duck Tools?
At its core, Duck Tools is a content expansion mod. It does not pretend to be a massive tech mod or a magic overhaul. Instead, it focuses on adding a wide array of new ores, from the common to the fantastical, along with the tools, weapons, and building blocks that come with them. The name itself has a charmingly honest backstory. The creator originally made a mod called EmeraldToolsMod, which later became MoreToolsMod. After discovering another mod held that name, they rebranded to Duck Tools, a name as simple and straightforward as the mod itself.
One of the first things you will notice is the requirement for a core library. To run this mod, you must also install Duck Core. This is a common practice in the modding community, allowing the developer to share code across projects. For those wondering about compatibility, Duck Tools supports Minecraft versions 1.12.2, as well as 1.20.1 and 1.21.1 for versions 1.3.2 and later. It runs on the Forge loader, making it easy to integrate into your existing modpack.
The Bounty of New Ores
The primary draw of Duck Tools is its impressive list of new underground resources. These are not just palette swaps; they each have a distinct purpose, though some are still waiting for future features. Here is a breakdown of what you can find:
Primary Tool Materials
- Ditanium, Mimosium, and Tricium: These ores form the backbone of your new tool progression, offering a stepping stone between vanilla materials.
- Ruby: A classic gemstone that provides powerful tools and armor, crafted using the standard tool patterns in 1.12.2 or via the smithing table in 1.20.1.
- Bastium: Once a primary material, Bastium has been removed from the 1.20.1 versions since v1.3.4, making it a nostalgic find for older worlds.
Utility and Crafting Components
- Sulfur and Saltpeter: Thanks to Forge's Ore Dictionary, these are incredibly useful for cross-mod compatibility. You can use them in any recipe from other mods that require these items, such as alternative gunpowder recipes.
- Blurz and Izenit: Blurz is currently only used to craft a Bastium-Blurz-Mixture, which can be smelted into Izenit plates. Izenit has no current function, but the mod author has plans for its future.
- Auxilium: A glowing ore that currently serves no purpose other than looking neat in your builds.
- Brown Coal: A new fuel source found in large deposits within dirt and mud. It burns for less time than regular coal but is easier to find in bulk.
The Fun and the Weird
Duck Tools also includes some unique blocks that add a bit of personality. The Random Ore drops a random item from a configurable list, which can lead to some exciting or disappointing mining sessions. The Enchanted Ore drops Enchanted Dust, which can be combined with a glass bottle to create an Experience Bottle.
Perhaps the most charming addition is the Fake Ores. These blocks appear only on April 1st and will scurry away when you try to break them, like a blocky game of whack-a-mole. They do not grief your world and simply disappear on any other day. This feature is exclusive to the 1.12.2 versions, so modern players will miss out on this particular joke.
Building with Limestone and Crafting Hammers
Beyond tools, Duck Tools introduces a full limestone suite. In 1.12.2, it is a simple orange-textured block with brick variants. However, in the 1.20.1 versions, it received a retexture and a massive expansion. You can now craft slabs, stairs, and walls for limestone, bricks, mossy, and cracked variants. This makes it a fantastic building material for medieval or rustic-style bases.
The mod also adds two types of hammers. The standard hammer can be used for both combat and mining, letting you break a 3x3 area. For those who want pure destruction, you can craft a Big Hammer using the standard hammers. These are exclusively for combat but deal massive damage. The crafting recipes for the big hammer can be toggled via the config file, which is only available in the 1.12.2 versions.
How to Install and Download Duck Tools
Getting started is simple. To download Duck Tools, you will need to find the mod file for your specific Minecraft version. Remember that you must also grab the Duck Core library file. Once you have both, the installation process is standard. First, ensure you have the correct version of Forge installed. Then, navigate to your .minecraft folder and drop both the Duck Tools and Duck Core JAR files into the mods folder. Launch the game, and you are ready to start exploring for new ores.
For those who prefer a more streamlined experience, the foxygame.net launcher offers a one-click install feature that handles mod dependencies automatically. Instead of manually tracking down Duck Core, the launcher's add-on catalog will fetch everything you need for Duck Tools for Minecraft, ensuring version compatibility and saving you from potential crashes. This is particularly useful for players who are new to modding or want to quickly switch between different modpacks without the hassle of manual file management.
Configuration and Community
As mentioned, the config file is present in the 1.12.2 versions of Duck Tools. You can adjust everything from the in-game config GUI, including the droplist for the Random Ore and the hammer recipe toggle. The mod author is active on their official Discord server, where you can report bugs and suggest new features. The mod is free to use in private modpacks, and public packs are welcome as long as they link back to the original mod page. Republishing or decompiling the mod is not permitted.
A Mod with a Heart
Duck Tools is not the most complex or feature-rich mod on the market, but it does not need to be. It offers a solid collection of new ores, tools, and building blocks that fit seamlessly into the vanilla game. Its honest name and quirky additions, like the Fake Ores, give it a personality that is hard not to appreciate. Whether you are a veteran player looking for a fresh mining experience or a builder in need of new blocks, Duck Tools provides a satisfying and unpretentious addition to your Minecraft world.