What Is Simply Hammers?
Simply Hammers is a Minecraft mod that completely reimagines how you approach mining. Instead of breaking blocks one by one with a standard pickaxe, you can craft powerful hammers that clear a 3x3 area in a single swing. This mod is all about speed, comfort, and giving you more control over what ends up in your inventory. Whether you are strip-mining for diamonds, hollowing out a base underground, or just tired of the vanilla grind, Simply Hammers adds a satisfying new layer to the game’s core mechanics.
The mod introduces a variety of hammers made from different materials, each with its own durability and mining speed. But it does not stop there. A broken hammer does not vanish; instead, it turns into a broken version that you can repair using the same material it was crafted from. This small detail makes the mod feel fair and encourages you to keep your favorite tool in service for as long as possible.
Crafting Your First Hammer
Getting started is straightforward. The crafting recipes follow a logical pattern: you arrange the material of your choice (such as iron ingots, gold ingots, diamonds, or even stone) in a 3x3 grid, leaving the top-middle and top-right slots empty. The result is a sturdy hammer ready to tear through stone, ores, and other blocks in a 3x3 area. The mod supports a wide range of materials, so you can progress from a simple stone hammer all the way to a netherite powerhouse. Each tier offers better durability and faster mining, making the upgrade path feel natural alongside your vanilla tool progression.
One of the most convenient aspects of Simply Hammers is how easy it is to add to your game. If you use a modern launcher like foxygame.net, you can browse and install the mod directly from the built-in mod menu without manually searching for files or worrying about compatibility. This kind of seamless integration makes experimenting with new tools and mechanics a breeze, especially when you want to jump straight into mining with a fresh set of hammers.
Upgrades That Transform Your Hammer
Simply Hammers truly shines with its upgrade system. You can combine your hammer with special items in a crafting window to add powerful abilities. These upgrades turn a simple mining tool into a multi-functional device. Here are the available upgrades and what they do:
- Trash Upgrade – Acts as a filter for mined items. In normal mode, any block type you add to the filter list gets automatically deleted when mined. In inverted mode (add a redstone torch to the upgrade), everything except the listed items gets deleted. You can even use this upgrade directly in your inventory to filter all incoming items.
- Auto-smelt Upgrade – Instantly smelts mined blocks that have a furnace recipe. Works with recipes from other mods too. Normal mode smelts everything in its list (or all smeltable items if the list is empty); inverted mode smelts everything except the listed items.
- Vacuum Upgrade – Mined items go straight into your inventory, no matter where they drop. Perfect for mining near lava or over a deep ravine.
- Multitool Upgrade – Combine your hammer with a shovel or axe to give it those tool qualities. The breaking speed and harvest level for soil or wood depend on the tool you used.
- Torch Upgrade – Combine any torch (vanilla, glowstone, or from other mods) with your hammer. Right-clicking with the hammer will place a torch from your inventory, keeping dark areas lit while you mine.
- Diamond Upgrade – Simply adds 500 durability points to your hammer.
- Dye Upgrade – Use any dye to change the color of your hammer. A purely cosmetic but fun addition.
Special Hammers for Tech and Magic Mods
Simply Hammers also integrates beautifully with popular tech and magic mods. If you enjoy GregTech, IndustrialCraft 2, Blood Magic, or Thermal Expansion, you will find dedicated hammers that use energy or LP instead of durability. These special tools maintain the 3x3 mining area but add a new resource management layer.
- EU Hammer – Uses 20 EU per block from an internal buffer of 2,024,000 EU. Its stats depend on the IC2 drill used in crafting. The Unbreaking enchantment reduces EU cost (formula: 20 / (enchant level + 1)).
- RF Hammer – Consumes 200 RF per block with a capacity of 8,096,000 RF. Harvest level is 3 (obsidian). Unbreaking reduces RF usage similarly.
- Blood Hammer – Uses 5 LP from your Blood Magic network per block. Crafted by performing a Binding ritual with any existing hammer; all upgrades are preserved. Unbreaking lowers LP cost.
- Temporal Hammer – Crafted similarly to the Temporal Pickaxe from the Clockwork Phase mod, with matching characteristics.
These cross-mod hammers let you keep your favorite mining style even when you switch to a tech-heavy or magic-focused modpack. The consistency of the 3x3 mining mechanic across different power systems is a thoughtful touch.
The Prospector’s Pick and Other Utility Items
Beyond hammers, the mod includes a few unique utility items. The Prospector’s Pick is a standout tool for ore hunting. When you right-click a block, it scans a 21x21x21 area in a spiral pattern, starting from the clicked block and moving outward layer by layer. It reports any ore deposits it finds, saving you from endless speculative digging. This is especially useful in large biomes or when searching for rare modded ores.
Another small but interesting item is the Loupe Name, which displays the block update time in nanoseconds. While niche, it can help technical players understand server performance or redstone timings.
Customizing Hammers via JSON Config
Simply Hammers offers deep customization through its configuration file. You can find the JSON array at /config/SimplyHammers/Hammers.json. This file allows you to modify the characteristics of existing hammers or add entirely new ones. You can define durability, mining speed, attack damage, harvest level, and even the 3x3 mining behavior. The mod provides an example structure inside the config, so you can copy it and adjust values to create your own balanced or overpowered tools. This level of control is perfect for modpack makers or players who want a tailored experience.
Why Simply Hammers Deserves a Spot in Your Modpack
Simply Hammers respects the vanilla progression while expanding it in a meaningful way. The 3x3 mining feels powerful but not cheaty, because you still need to gather materials, manage durability, and choose upgrades wisely. The repair mechanic keeps your investment safe, and the upgrade system adds layers of strategy. Whether you want to auto-smelt iron, vacuum up drops, or filter out cobblestone, the mod adapts to your playstyle.
For server owners, the mod is lightweight and configurable. The JSON config makes it easy to disable certain hammers or tweak numbers for a balanced economy. The integration with tech mods means players can transition from manual hammers to powered versions without losing the core mechanic. And because the mod is available through convenient launchers like foxygame.net, adding it to a custom modpack or personal instance takes just a few clicks.
Conclusion
Simply Hammers is more than just a tool mod; it is a complete rethinking of how mining can feel in Minecraft. From the satisfying 3x3 block breaking to the clever upgrade system and cross-mod support, every feature is designed to make your time underground more efficient and enjoyable. The Prospector’s Pick alone can change the way you hunt for ores, while the config file gives you the freedom to shape the mod exactly to your liking. If you have ever wished mining was faster, smarter, or just more fun, Simply Hammers delivers on all fronts. Give it a try in your next world, and you might never go back to a plain old pickaxe again.