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Guide for Making Slime Farms


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This gets asked a lot in this forum so I figured it was about time we had a guide for easy access to information on how to make a slime farm.

What are Slimes?

Slimes are mobs (monsters) that live deep underground. They are useful because they drop slimeballs; the only use for slimeballs is making sticky pistons which are very useful in creating complex machines such as an automatic farms or doors.

 

Slimes come in three sizes. The smallest is just smaller than a 1x1x1 block, medium is just smaller than a 2x2x2 block, and the largest is just smaller than a 3x3x3 block. Large slimes split when attacked enough and become 4 medium slimes and medium slimes split into 4 small slimes, small slimes generally give two slimeballs when they die.

 

Where can Slimes be found?

They are only found at the lowest level of the world, between y = 16 and y = 0. (Coordinates in X, Y, and Z will be used in this guide. Your characters current coordinates can be found at the top of a map if your character holds one.)

 

Simply digging down and making a small cave usually isn't enough to find a slime since they also only appear in special chunks called Slime Chunks. A chunk is a space that is 16 X and 16 Z blocks long (or a 16x16 horizontal group of blocks). Only 10% of chunks are slime chunks so they are very rare.

 

http://extension.ws/minecraft/slimes.html This is a link to a site that can locate slime chunks based on what seed you are using.

 

What kind of conditions to slimes spawn in?

To help Slimes spawn make sure the Slime Farm is 3 blocks tall, otherwise larger slimes will not be able to spawn.

 

Unlike other hostile mobs, Slimes can spawn in lit areas. It is suggested when making a slime farm you make sure all areas of the farm are well lit that way slimes are the only monsters that will spawn.

 

I personally suggest using torches and place them so they light a 3x3x3 area each, this insures everywhere is lit.

 

Are there special conditions to killing slimes?

Yes, do not use a sword stronger than wood to attack large or medium slimes or else you may end up killing them rather than splitting them due to causing to much damage. If you kill a large or medium slime instead of splitting it you will get no slimeballs.

 

Arrows can also be used to split slimes, they do not do to much damage.

Edited by d0ct0rscarecr0w
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Let's build a Smile Farm:

You don't have to use a slime finder, but if you don't you'll need a lot of luck to find any slimes. here is the link to a second website that will help you find slime chunks: http://mcslimes.appspot.com/

 

-Start by digging your way down to bedrock. You want to start your farm about 4 blocks above the highest bedrock (this is usually about Y = 7 or 8) Slimes seem to spawn the most here.

 

-When digging the slime farm cave make sure the farm is 3 blocks tall, you can make it higher but it makes no difference.

 

-You WILL run into lava streams. Try your best to patch them up and keep the 3 blocks high formula; however, if filling in the lava is to hard try building your Slime Farm somewhere else. If you have a large area of lava there is likely to be even more in the area. (You can always use the X-Ray glitch to find out if an area has lava in it before hand.)

 

-Remember to light your farm to keep other mobs away. One torch for every 3x3x3 block works fine for me.

 

-Your going to need to step away from the farm for awhile, slimes will not spawn in the farm if you stay to close to it.

 

-If you are not using a slime chunk finder you may have to dig out a huge area. Example: a 64x3x64 slime farm can cover about 20 chunks. Since you have a 10% chance of finding a slime farm for every chunk this gives you good odds of finding one; however, it requires mining around 12,000 blocks, which can take some time. So consider whether or not you want to go in starting a farm blind.

 

- remember, don't attack larger slimes with swords greater than wood or a bow and arrow, otherwise, you may end up not getting any slimeballs.

 

-While large and medium slimes can hurt you small slimes can only nudge you (this can still be lethal around lava) but be aware that they can not directly harm you.

 

Notice: Some people have ran into an issue where large slimes can not be attacked with swords or even bare hands. This is a glitch, if this happens you will need to use a bow to kill large slime as it will be the only way to hit them. If you are still having trouble you can save and exit and reload on peaceful. All slimes that have already spawned will still be around when you load in peaceful. However, be aware that no new slimes will show up until you switch back to a higher difficult setting.

 

If you have any other questions please feel free to ask. If there is any critical information I might have missed I would love to be informed.

 

If anyone has a video they would be willing to let me post here for the guide please send a link in a comment below. Please only post your own videos, I don't want any plagiarism issues. You will be credited for your video.

Edited by d0ct0rscarecr0w
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I should point out that a "Chunk" is only a 16x16x128 span of blocks... so... yeah... at best, you get sixteen full chunks with your 64x64 space. But that's still better than average.

Well since slimes only spawn on the lowest layer a slime chunk is really only 16x16x16.

 

Also you can get more than 16 chunks with a 64x64 space since you can be halfway into chunks on one side and halfway on the other. Basically you can either be spread between 16, 20, or 25 chunks.

 

It should also probably be noted that slimes will not de-spawn if they have spawned and it's switched to peaceful. This makes killing the big ones so much easier since sometimes my attack range is somehow gone and I can't hit them and they obliterate my health.

I actually didn't know this. You mentioned they don't de-spawn. So do you have to start on easy or harder and when you see slime you can go to peaceful or does that mean they spawn on peaceful?

Edited by d0ct0rscarecr0w
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Well since slimes only spawn on the lowest layer a slime chunk is really only 16x16x16.
Slime Chunks are still actually the full 16x16x128 chunk span (because the game counts ~the entire~ "Chunk" in it's calculations for what Chunks can have a Slime Chunk)... but, they only can spawn below "Layer 16", so a 16x16x16 span is all you can work with.

 

However, after a later update, they will NEVER spawn "on" Bedrock (meaning you have to place an entire "sheet" of stone over all instances of Bedrock), but they can appear as high up as "Layer 40". It's not that the "Slime Chunk" magically changed from a 16x16x16 space to a 16x16x40 space... it's just that the game code changes to allow more of a Chunk to harbor these little buggers. Hence, 16x16x128 (and later, 16x16x256).

 

Also you can get more than 16 chunks with a 64x64 space since you can be halfway into chunks on one side and halfway on the other. Basically you can either be spread between 16, 20, or 25 chunks.
That's true, but for the sake of not confusing people, it's best to not go mixing in "full Chunks" and "partial Chunks" as the amount people can expect... though, since we've gone into it, and people might read this, it's fine.

 

I actually didn't know this. You mentioned they don't de-spawn. So do you have to start on easy or harder and when you see slime you can go to peaceful or does that mean they spawn on peaceful?
You have to start on Easy (or higher), then save your game, and then restart on "Peaceful". Then Slimes will "spawn" on Peaceful... but it'll only be the ones that were already there... once they die, they're gone until you jump up to a new difficulty.
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Slime Chunks are still actually the full 16x16x128 chunk span (because the game counts ~the entire~ "Chunk" in it's calculations for what Chunks can have a Slime Chunk)... but, they only can spawn below "Layer 16", so a 16x16x16 span is all you can work with.

 

However, after a later update, they will NEVER spawn "on" Bedrock (meaning you have to place an entire "sheet" of stone over all instances of Bedrock), but they can appear as high up as "Layer 40". It's not that the "Slime Chunk" magically changed from a 16x16x16 space to a 16x16x40 space... it's just that the game code changes to allow more of a Chunk to harbor these little buggers. Hence, 16x16x128 (and later, 16x16x256).

I understand that. And I plan on changing the guide when they make the update. I'm just not sure if telling them a chunk is 16x128x16 in dimensions and then telling them that slimes only spawn at certain parts of the Y makes it to confusing. That's why I seperated them into X and Z dealing with chunks and Y dealing with areas were slime spawn.

 

That's true, but for the sake of not confusing people, it's best to not go mixing in "full Chunks" and "partial Chunks" as the amount people can expect... though, since we've gone into it, and people might read this, it's fine.

I didn't mention partial chunks, I just said that 64x64 covers maximum 25 chunks and minimum 16 chunks. Though I can see how that might cause confusion. Maybe I'll just change it to say that that covers 'about' 20 chunks.

 

You have to start on Easy (or higher), then save your game, and then restart on "Peaceful". Then Slimes will "spawn" on Peaceful... but it'll only be the ones that were already there... once they die, they're gone until you jump up to a new difficulty.

[response deleted] I'll add a tidbit about it, I just remembered something else I need to add along similar lines.

 

After thinking about all the stuff with X Y and Z I'm wondering if the kind of people who would need this guide would actually know very much about that. I'll search the wiki later and see if there are an articles on map reading or using coordinate systems that I can link to so its easier for them to get started.

Edited by d0ct0rscarecr0w
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i knew all of this anyway :woop:

 

but anyway, you are a great help to the minerafters of this site. keep it up!

Yeah, I realize I was a little late on the draw with this one. Hopefully it helps someone.

 

Good job scarecrow, you could add this website too. I liked it better than the one you used.

Everyone seems to prefer that one. I'll list this site in the first post and the other one in the second post. That way people have options.

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I understand that. And I plan on changing the guide when they make the update. I'm just not sure if telling them a chunk is 16x128x16 in dimensions and then telling them that slimes only spawn at certain parts of the Y makes it to confusing. That's why I seperated them into X and Z dealing with chunks and Y dealing with areas were slime spawn.
That's true... I keep forgetting that there will be some people, whom, after using this thread will go: "Hey! I was at the required Chunk, but there aren't any Slimes spawning on my Sky Island!! I made sure it was well lit, and I'm only at Y: 125! I SHOULD BE SEEING SLIMES!". So... yeah... point withdrawn.

 

I didn't mention partial chunks, I just said that 64x64 covers maximum 25 chunks and minimum 16 chunks. Though I can see how that might cause confusion. Maybe I'll just change it to say that that covers 'about' 20 chunks.
It was just the "You can get up to twenty-five Slime Chunks (minimally sixteen)" line, I was talking about. I've learned (after countless attempts to help people with games, making detailed posts, even in the "For Dummies" method), that there will always be people ~completely~ thrown off when the numbers they expect, don't match what they see in a "guide". That's why I was trying to warn about it in advance... because there was always going to be someone to show up going: "But that amount of space only covers SIXTEEN Chunks!!!!"... figured it might as well be addressed in the past, instead of the future. :D

 

[response deleted] I'll add a tidbit about it, I just remembered something else I need to add along similar lines.

 

After thinking about all the stuff with X Y and Z I'm wondering if the kind of people who would need this guide would actually know very much about that. I'll search the wiki later and see if there are an articles on map reading or using coordinate systems that I can link to so its easier for them to get started.

Sounds good to me.

 

The biggest problem people will have with the X,Y,Z coordinates is that people ALWAYS forget that the "Y" coordinate actually is two blocks less than what the map displays, because it actually gives you the coordinates at Steve's eye-level... not the block he's standing on. So people are also going to be confused about that... just an advance "heads up!".

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The biggest problem people will have with the X,Y,Z coordinates is that people ALWAYS forget that the "Y" coordinate actually is two blocks less than what the map displays, because it actually gives you the coordinates at Steve's eye-level... not the block he's standing on. So people are also going to be confused about that... just an advance "heads up!".

 

Ahhhh you serious? :(

 

I always thought it was the standing level block, not eye level. Ahh man that means my slime farm is actually built one block lower than I thought this whole time. /facepalm lol

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Ahhhh you serious? :(

 

I always thought it was the standing level block, not eye level. Ahh man that means my slime farm is actually built one block lower than I thought this whole time. /facepalm lol

Afraid so... but it's all good. I had the same problem at first, too... but I've had a long time to get used to subtracting two from all of my Y-Coordinate readings.

 

Yeah... same here. I can't believe I never figured this out, now I feel like a complete idiot.
Don't feel like any sort of idiot. Seriously. I didn't, when I realized that the reason my "Bedrock" was two layers too high, for naturally occurring Bedrock... was because I was reading the coordinates wrong. So you shouldn't, either.
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I've tried the slime chunk links you added, but I don't really understand them. Probably due to having discalclia. So yeah, I'm not good with numbers. If anyone knows how to work it and is willing to tell me where I should look for slimes on the gargamel seed, I'd be grateful.

Basically you need a map. You go onto your world and look at the coordinates around where you want to build a slime farm. Put the X and Z as your center and set your range to about 64 by 64 (if you make it to large it can be hard to read).

 

All the squares that light up green are slime chunks, if there are no green squares there are no slime chunks in that area and you have to try somewhere else.

 

At least that's how you use: http://mcslimes.appspot.com/

 

Here is an example: If I put in gargamel under the seed and set the X and Z to 0 and distance to 64 there are 6 slime chunks in that area.

 

here I'll even give there centers:

1. X = 24 Z = -40

2. X = -40 Z = -24

3. X = 56 Z = -8

4. X = 40 Z = 8

5. X = -24 Z = -24

6. X = -24 Z = 24

 

Once you know that you just have to dig down to about Y = 8 and make a 16x3x16 cave around the center. Let it sit for while and when you come back you should have slime.

Edited by d0ct0rscarecr0w
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Just glad to finally know where to dig out a pit and get them slimes. Made my first piston today, and start messing around with redstone circuit for it. Never bothered before, but after watching some Machinima Piston vids on youtube and a mate willing to play around, I'm feeling inspired to give it a try. I'm looking at making a secret entrance for my hidden stash. Once again, cheers Doctor!

 

EDIT: Well, I made a 16x3x16 area at X 56 Y 8 Z -8 annd set the difficulty to easy for the slimes to spawn and nothing. Not sure if I've done anything wrong at all as I made the area dimensions around the centre and as far as I'm aware its all looking legit. Couldn't sleep, so I though I'd spend ;ust over an hour creating it. Any suggestions as to what I've done wrong?

Edited by DecadentBeaver
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Just glad to finally know where to dig out a pit and get them slimes. Made my first piston today, and start messing around with redstone circuit for it. Never bothered before, but after watching some Machinima Piston vids on youtube and a mate willing to play around, I'm feeling inspired to give it a try. I'm looking at making a secret entrance for my hidden stash. Once again, cheers Doctor!

 

EDIT: Well, I made a 16x3x16 area at X 56 Y 8 Z -8 annd set the difficulty to easy for the slimes to spawn and nothing. Not sure if I've done anything wrong at all as I made the area dimensions around the centre and as far as I'm aware its all looking legit. Couldn't sleep, so I though I'd spend ;ust over an hour creating it. Any suggestions as to what I've done wrong?

 

You need to be about 25 blocks away from that area. What I do is go off and explore some, running the whole time, make a circuit around and back to my slime farm. No slimes? Rinse/repeat. Usually come up with about 2 every other circuit.

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You need to be about 25 blocks away from that area. What I do is go off and explore some, running the whole time, make a circuit around and back to my slime farm. No slimes? Rinse/repeat. Usually come up with about 2 every other circuit.

Just to expand on what they are saying.

 

you have to make sure to travel 25 blocks away from the slime farm in either the X or the Z. Going to the surface doesn't work.

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Why would it matter? Its still 25 blocks away. That's how they build animal grinders 25 blocks in the air...

I don't think so... they build mob spawners and animal grinders 25 blocks in the air to make sure it will kill any mob when they drop.

 

I'm pretty sure it has to be 25 in the X or Z because if you simply go 25 blocks up you are still in the same chunk so the chunk doesn't reset.

 

It's possible I'm wrong. Better safe than sorry though, right?

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