Planning Long-Term Survival Without Easy Diamond Access
Early Game Strategy
Without craftable diamond shards, prioritize finding diamonds through mining. Gather iron tools first, then descend to diamond-level caves (Y-level 16 and below). Use stone or iron pickaxes to mine diamond ore—never use wood or gold, as they won't drop the ore.
Mid-Game Progression
Once you have diamonds, use them sparingly for essential tools: pickaxe, sword, and armor. Avoid crafting unnecessary diamond items early. Focus on building Create mod infrastructure to automate other resources, reducing your reliance on diamonds for everything.
Alternative Material Chains
Explore what other materials the mod offers as substitutes. Create: Dreams n' Desires includes various alloys and processed materials that may serve similar purposes to diamonds in certain recipes. Experiment with these alternatives to progress without constant diamond farming.
Long-Term Resource Planning
Establish a sustainable mining operation or cave system that generates diamonds passively over time. Use hoppers and storage systems to collect ore automatically. This approach requires initial setup but pays off as your world ages and you need more diamonds for endgame content.