skate's CraftBlock: The Expert Skyblock Challenge for Minecraft
If you have ever looked at a skyblock map and thought "this is too easy," then skate's CraftBlock was made for you. CraftBlock stands for Craft Attack 3 Skyblock, and it is an expert skyblock modpack in the same spirit as FTB Infinity Evolved Skyblock. That means a long journey through many different mods, far harder recipes, and a progression that rewards planning over brute force. The good news? Despite its expert label, it is not too grindy, so your time goes into solving problems rather than farming the same block for hours.
The pack comes with custom items, custom recipes, custom advancements, custom mod progression, and new interdependencies between mods. It also leans on extreme crafting from the very early game, so be prepared before you punch your first tree. On top of that, skate's CraftBlock ships with its own map, heavily inspired by the iconic Craft Attack 3 project. This is the third modpack from skate702, a German streamer and the creator of the Minecraft Sky modpack.
Supported Versions and Loader
skate's CraftBlock for Minecraft runs on the Forge loader and targets Minecraft 1.12.2, the classic era for large expert packs. If you are used to modern versions, keep in mind that many of the mods here were built for 1.12.2 mechanics, and the pack is balanced around them. Always check the pack page for the exact recommended Forge build before you launch, since a mismatched loader can break recipes and world generation.
How the Progression Works
Early Game: Botania and Hearth Well
The early game heavily relies on Botania, Astral Sorcery, Hearth Well, Immersive Engineering, and Embers. Custom advancements roughly guide you through the pack, and you also start with an already filled akashic tome containing all the information you need. To get started, use the Botania ore generation known from Garden of Glass, meaning the Orechid. From there, play through Hearth Well to move forward. Once that is done, you might be able to create your first machinery and electricity.
Mid Game and the Current Endgame
The modpack is not finished yet. Currently, progression ends with tier 2 extreme crafting and a non-autocrafting version of Refined Storage. Development is active, driven by skate702 and the community, with playthroughs and development streamed live on Twitch. The source files are open source and available on GitHub, so you are welcome to report bugs and suggest enhancements. Server files can be found in the GitHub release section as well.
If you would rather skip the manual setup, the foxygame.net launcher offers a one-click install for skate's CraftBlock, pulling the correct Forge build and pack files automatically so you can jump straight into your first island.
Tips and Tricks to Get Started
- This modpack has no quest book, but custom advancements guide you, including hidden ones.
- If you lose your akashic tome, you can easily craft a new one.
- There is a ton of stuff to discover in the map, including food. Happy exploring, but be aware of the fish.
- All ores you need early on can be generated with a Botania Orechid.
- An evil person made all vanilla tools useless, so use Tinkers' Construct or Botania instead.
- The pack relies heavily on Hearth Well with many custom recipes. Use the in-game guide or JEI.
- Jungle trees are easier to chop down than many normal trees.
How to Install
Learning how to install skate's CraftBlock is straightforward. First, install the Forge profile for Minecraft 1.12.2 through your launcher of choice. Next, grab the pack files from the official source and drop them into your instances folder, or let a launcher handle the heavy lifting. Allocate at least 6 GB of RAM, since expert packs with heavy mod counts need breathing room. Once the game loads, confirm that the custom map and advancements appear correctly before starting a long-term world.
Keeping the pack updated matters, because recipes and progression gates change between releases. A launcher with auto-updates for skate's CraftBlock saves you from manually swapping files every patch and keeps your save compatible with the newest balance changes.
Final Thoughts
skate's CraftBlock is not a casual skyblock experience, and that is exactly its appeal. It rewards players who enjoy interdependencies, extreme crafting, and a map full of secrets. Whether you are a veteran of expert packs or someone looking for a fresh challenge, download skate's CraftBlock, gather your first sapling, and see how far your island can grow.