MC PvP 5: AFK Farming

Something that I’ve mentioned on a couple of different occasions, but have yet to really explain is afk farming. Now for most you’ll be familiar with the concept of afk or away from keyboard, but for some this may be a new concept and I thought it’d be appropriate to take some time and explain it as it’s likely going to play a role in your own pvp strategy.

A Semi-Complete Fully-Auto Cactus Farm

The first thing you need to know about afk farming is what it is. Now in Minecraft crops will only grow if the chunk they’re in is loaded. A chunk will only be loaded if a player is in range of it, so for those who build their bases closer to spawn you’ll likely have your farm running 24/7 regardless of whether or not you’re actually actively playing at the time. This can be quite handy for obvious reasons, but makes your base more vulnerable to raiding. If however you build your base further out the likelihood that another player will be in range often enough to keep your crops growing is limited and as such you’ll need to employ afk farming. This involves staying logged on even though you’re not actively playing. For example you could log on to the server and just leave your character to sit in range of your farm while you go to work, read a book, or enjoy a movie. When you come back your crops are all grown so you harvest, replant, and repeat eventually selling the crops at spawn to provide money for things you need to effectively pvp.

A more advanced system involves full automation which is often accomplished through use of redstone, but can also be done via other means. A fully automatic farm will allow you to sit tight for longer periods without needing to return to harvest and replant as these things are done for you. These types of farms are most often made using cactus, melons, pumpkins, and sugarcane, but can also include mushrooms and even chickens if you’re clever. Of course if you’re on a factions server, afk farming can be something your faction splits into shifts so no one person has to stay logged in all the time.

The obvious danger is that your character will be standing somewhere without you at the controls. This makes your character vulnerable to attack and it’s why farm security is one of the most important aspects of afk farming, though shockingly it’s one of the most overlooked. Often times it’s you’re extremely valuable resources like diamonds that get the best security, but I personally believe that your farms should be nearly as well protected in order to keep your character safe and to protect your source of income.

Finally it’s important to remember to check the game occasionally even with a fully automatic system as accidental loss of connection will occasionally occur and if left un-resolved for a long period of time could seriously cut into your profits. While afk farming you’ll also want to make certain that your inventory or pause window is open to make sure you’re not logged out for inactivity.

So there you have it, a crash course on afk farming. I hope this helps you set up your own farms and I look forward to seeing you server-side. Until next time, thanks for visiting my N3rd C0rn3r.