Expert Mode

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Don't forget to give expert mode a go...

Expert mode was introduced in version 1.7 as a more challenging way to play The Blockheads.

Starting

See also: Getting Started

Worlds enter expert mode while they're being created. Such worlds are a form of custom world that imposes a number of alterations, only some of which can be changed.

Expert mode worlds may be used to host multiplayer sessions normally.

Conditions

When playing a world in expert mode, harvesting produces less resources (including products from trees and plants) and crafting tends to require more, although this is partially compensated by an increase in the abundance of deposits of all kinds. Gold chests do not spawn under beaches, only in caves, and are less common. And, as is normal with custom worlds, the portal chest is unavailable.

The situation is complicated due to the default of blockheads spawning with no items, and by blocking ready access to meditation and trade portals.

Some of the changes can be adjusted using custom rules, such as teleportation requiring a diamond portal, meditation being blocked, attacks and hunger doubled in effect, and tools wearing out at half the rate (unless misused, including non-weapons being used to attack).

Additional differences from normal mode are also present:

Crafting trade portals is only possible in a diamond portal
If a blockhead foolishly chops down a tree at the bottom, then they receive one wood (whereas in normal mode, an abundance of wood blocks and sticks drop).

Crafting Progression

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In addition to significant changes in the recipes for crafting, expert mode imposes a clear progression through the crafting surfaces by adding levels between every item on a workbench. Further restriction exists in that a trade portal cannot be crafted without a diamond portal and many level-ups (some of them new) on all crafting surfaces require a gem as an ingredient. The result can be seen in the following list:

Level 1: make a campfire, use it to craft an ember and a torch to level up
Level 2: make a tool bench, make tools to harvest flint and flax to level up
Level 3: make a craft bench, use it to craft a basket to level up (along with wood)
Level 4: make a woodwork bench, use it to craft a ladder to level up (along with flax and an amethyst)
Level 5: make a tailor's bench, use it to craft linen to level up (along with an amethyst)
Level 6: make a kiln, use it to craft charcoal to level up (along with copper ore, tin ore, and an amethyst)
Level 7: make a furnace, use it to craft bronze ingots to level up (along with an amethyst)
Level 8: make a press, use it to craft oil, carbon black, and marble white to level up (along with an amethyst)
Level 9: make a compost bin, use it to craft compost to level up (along with a sapphire)
Level 10: unlock armor bench, use tin ingots and a sapphire to level up
Level 11: unlock easel, use iron ingots and a sapphire to level up
Level 12: make a builder's bench, use it to craft a red marble column and a lapis lazuli column to level up (along with a sapphire)
Level 13: make a metalwork bench, use it to craft a cage to level up (along with a sapphire)
Level 14: make a pizza oven, use it to craft a pizza to level up (along with an emerald)
Level 15: make a train yard, use it to craft a rail and a train wheel to level up (along with an emerald)
Level 16: make a mixing bench, use it to craft paint stripper to level up (along with an emerald)
Level 17: unlock dye bench, use a steam engine and emerald to level up
Level 18: unlock steam generator, use copper wire and an emerald to level up
Level 19: unlock electric kiln, use red bricks and black glass and a ruby to level up
Level 20: make an electric furnace, use it to craft titanium and platinum ingots to level up (along with a ruby)
Level 21: make an electric press, use it to craft rainbow essence to level up (along with a ruby)
Level 22: make an electric stove, use it to craft rainbow cake to level up (along with a ruby)
Level 23: make an electric metalwork bench, use it to craft silicon wafers to level up (along with an electric motor and a ruby)
Level 24: unlock flywheel, use a steel block, buckets of water, and a diamond to level up
Level 25: unlock electric sluice, use a steel block, dodo eggs, and a diamond to level up
Level 26: unlock egg extractor, use silicon wafers, copper wire, and a diamond to level up
Level 27: unlock solar panel, use oil, coal, and a diamond to level up
Level 28: make a refinery, use it to make carbon fiber sheets to level up (along with gold coins and a diamond)
Level 29: unlock shop

The increased number of gems needed for portal upgrades and the need for gems for upgrading other crafting surfaces gives the player some strategic planning to consider.