Not Enough Ruby
Minecraft has always been about gathering resources, crafting gear, and pushing deeper into the unknown. While diamonds and emeralds often steal the spotlight, there is a new contender that deserves your attention. The Not Enough Ruby mod injects a vibrant red gemstone into your world, expanding the vanilla progression with a material that feels both familiar and refreshingly new. Whether you are a seasoned modpack creator or a casual miner, this add-on gives you more reasons to dig.
What Exactly Is Not Enough Ruby?
At its core, Not Enough Ruby for Minecraft is a straightforward content mod that introduces ruby as a fully functional resource. You will find ruby ore generating naturally in the Overworld, ready to be mined with an iron pickaxe or better. Once smelted, the ruby ingots can be crafted into a complete set of tools, a sword, and a suit of armor. The mod does not overcomplicate things; it simply fills a gap that many players have felt for years. Why should emeralds be the only colorful gem with limited uses? With this add-on, rubies become a practical part of your survival toolkit.
Supported Minecraft Versions and Loader
This mod was built using MCreator and is designed exclusively for Minecraft Forge. It does not require any additional dependencies, so you can drop it right into your mods folder. The creator, signormorte, has maintained builds for several key versions, ensuring that players on older worlds can still enjoy the ruby rush. You can grab the mod for Forge 1.14.4, Forge 1.15.2, and Forge 1.16.5. While it has not been officially ported to Fabric or newer versions, the existing releases remain stable and fully functional for those classic modded environments.
Ruby Ore Generation and Crafting
Once you download Not Enough Ruby and load it into your game, the first thing you will notice is the new ore scattered underground. Ruby ore generates in veins similar to iron, making it relatively common but still rewarding to find. You can mine it with an iron pickaxe or better, and each block drops one raw ruby. Smelt that in a furnace and you get a ruby ingot. The crafting recipes follow the standard tool and armor patterns, so you can immediately forge a ruby pickaxe, axe, shovel, hoe, sword, helmet, chestplate, leggings, and boots. The stats sit comfortably between iron and diamond, giving you a mid-game option that looks fantastic.
Why Modpack Creators Love Not Enough Ruby
One of the most common questions in the mod’s FAQ is whether it can be included in a custom modpack. The answer is a resounding yes. The permissive usage policy makes Not Enough Ruby for Minecraft a favorite among pack builders who want to add more variety without bloating the experience. Because the mod sticks to vanilla-style mechanics, it blends seamlessly into kitchen-sink packs, quest-driven adventures, or even lightweight vanilla-plus setups. The ruby gear provides a visual and statistical stepping stone that can be further tweaked with CraftTweaker or other recipe-altering tools.
How to Install Not Enough Ruby
Getting the mod up and running is simple, even if you are new to modding. Here is a quick guide on how to install the add-on:
- Make sure you have Minecraft Forge installed for your chosen version (1.14.4, 1.15.2, or 1.16.5).
- Locate your Minecraft directory and open the "mods" folder. If it does not exist, create it.
- Download the Not Enough Ruby .jar file from a trusted source. Do not extract it.
- Place the .jar file into the mods folder.
- Launch Minecraft using the Forge profile, and the mod will load automatically.
If you prefer a more streamlined approach, the foxygame.net launcher offers a one-click install for Not Enough Ruby, automatically matching the correct Forge version and keeping the mod updated without manual file management. That convenience is a real time-saver when you juggle multiple add-ons.
Balancing and Gameplay Feel
Ruby tools and armor are not overpowered. They offer durability and protection values that sit neatly between iron and diamond, making them a viable choice for mid-game exploration. The ruby sword deals slightly more damage than iron, and the armor provides a noticeable toughness boost without trivializing the hunt for diamonds. This balance is intentional, giving you a reason to mine rubies without making the vanilla progression obsolete. The red hue of the gear also adds a splash of color to your inventory, which is a small but welcome aesthetic change.
Compatibility and Modpack Integration
Because Not Enough Ruby only adds new content without altering base game mechanics, it plays nicely with most other mods. You can pair it with biome mods, structure mods, or even tech mods that use ruby as a crafting component. Some players have used the ruby ingots as an alternative currency on multiplayer servers, thanks to their consistent generation and recognizable value. The mod’s lightweight nature means it rarely causes conflicts, and the fact that it was built with MCreator ensures a stable, if simple, codebase.
Performance and Known Issues
Since the mod adds only a handful of new blocks and items, the performance impact is negligible. You will not experience lag spikes from ore generation, and the textures are optimized for the default resolution. The only minor quirk is that ruby ore does not generate in the Nether or the End, so you are limited to Overworld mining. This is by design, keeping the mod focused and predictable. If you ever need to remove the mod, any ruby items in your world will simply vanish, so it is wise to store them in a chest before uninstalling.
Expanding Your Ruby Empire
Once you have a steady supply of rubies, the possibilities open up. Use ruby blocks as decorative building materials to add a regal touch to your base. Combine them with glowstone for a striking lighting effect. On servers, ruby armor can serve as a uniform for a faction or a reward for completing challenges. The mod’s simplicity is its greatest strength; it gives you a new resource and trusts you to find creative ways to use it. For those who enjoy the thrill of collection, filling a double chest with ruby blocks becomes a satisfying long-term goal.
Community and Longevity
Although the mod has not been updated for the latest Minecraft versions, its community remains active. Many players continue to download Not Enough Ruby for their 1.16.5 worlds, which is still a hugely popular version for modded gameplay. The mod’s straightforward design means it does not feel outdated; rubies are timeless. If you are building a modpack on Forge 1.16.5, this add-on is practically a staple. The foxygame.net launcher even highlights Not Enough Ruby in its curated add-on catalog, making it easy to discover alongside other hidden gems.
Final Thoughts
Not Enough Ruby proves that sometimes the best mods are the ones that do one thing and do it well. It respects vanilla balance, requires no extra libraries, and gives you a beautiful new material to chase. Whether you are a builder, a fighter, or a collector, the addition of ruby ore, tools, and armor enriches the early and mid-game in a way that feels natural. So grab your pickaxe, fire up Forge, and give your Minecraft world the ruby treatment it deserves.