Classic Skyblock vs skills Skyblock: which one fits you?

Where Skyblock comes from

Skyblock began as a fan-made challenge map: a single small island hanging over the void, one tree, a chest of supplies and a simple question. How much can you grow from almost nothing? Players loved the puzzle so much that servers turned it into a multiplayer mode, where everyone gets an island of their own and can trade, visit and chat with everyone else.

Over the years, server owners have added their own ideas on top. That's how the genre split into two broad families. Most servers sit somewhere on the line between them, so think of these as two ends of a scale rather than strict boxes.

Classic Skyblock: your island is the goal

Classic Skyblock stays close to the original map. You start small, make every block count and slowly turn a speck of dirt into something impressive. Things you'll usually find on a classic server:

• A starter island with a tree and a few supplies
• A cobblestone generator as your main source of building blocks
• Island challenges or quests that reward you for reaching milestones
• An island level or value that rises as you build
• A server shop where you buy and sell resources

It feels relaxed and creative. Progress is mostly about what your island looks like and how much it produces. It's lovely if you enjoy vanilla Minecraft, designing farms or short sessions where you add a little at a time.

Skills Skyblock: an RPG in the sky

Skills Skyblock keeps the island but wraps a role-playing layer around it. The jobs you do every day, like harvesting crops or chopping trees, count toward skills that grow over time. Fighting gets its own goals too, often with bosses that need better gear before you can take them on. Things you'll usually find on a skills server:

• Skills that level up as you farm, gather wood, mine or fight
• Bosses and combat areas that give you something to train for
• Gear and tools that improve as you progress
• Your island as a home base rather than the whole game

It feels busy in a good way. There's nearly always a next goal, and switching between farming, foraging and fighting keeps sessions varied. It suits players who like RPGs, watching numbers climb and a bit of action.

Side by side

Which one should you pick?

Still can't decide? That's completely fine. Joining a server costs nothing, so try one for an evening. You'll know pretty quickly whether the extra systems feel like fun or like homework.

Where to play each style

Our home page ranks four Skyblock servers; here they are in the same order. SunRealms and AkumaMC run skills-based Skyblock, ManaCube builds its Skyblock around mcMMO skills, and PikaNetwork's OP SkyBlock centres on custom enchants and spawners.

SunRealms and AkumaMC each open a new season every six weeks, so you can start alongside everyone else instead of joining halfway through. ManaCube's realms reset every one to two years.

Tips for a first skills island

• Try a bit of everything early. Spend your first sessions sampling each activity, so you learn which ones you enjoy and how the server's skill menus work.
• Don't rush the bosses. They're meant to be a goal. Come back with better gear rather than charging in on day one.
• Ask questions. Chat and the server's Discord are full of people who've been through the same first week.

Want a step-by-step start? Our first island checklist walks you through the opening hour, and the Bedrock guide covers phones and consoles.

Questions