ObsidianPlus: 6 New Obsidian Types and Tools for Minecraft
Vanilla Minecraft treats obsidian as a final-tier material: tough to mine, essential for Nether portals and enchanting tables, but visually monotonous and mechanically limited. After you have built your fifth obsidian farm or crafted your umpteenth pair of obsidian-based decorations, the material loses its luster. ObsidianPlus: 6 New Obsidian Types and Tools for Minecraft directly addresses that fatigue. This content addon, developed by the French programmer 4Spartan8 with visual contributions from designers Wazha Doh and Arzène, expands the obsidian family into a full-fledged resource tree. It introduces six distinct obsidian variants, each with its own block, ingot, and complete toolset, all while staying visually coherent with the base game's aesthetic.
What Exactly Does the Mod Add?
Rather than offering a single recolored texture, the mod introduces six fully realized ore types. Each variant is not merely a palette swap; it has a unique crafting identity, distinct color grading, and its own progression logic. The complete list of additions is as follows:
- Obsidian Mistos — a dark, redstone-infused variant with a full block, ingot, and toolset.
- Obsidian Maculis — a Nether-quartz composite with a cooler, pale hue.
- Obsidian Raker — a diamond-enhanced type with a sharp, crystalline appearance.
- Obsidian Tycus — an emerald-based variant with a subtle green glow.
- Obsidian Valme — a blaze-powder-infused version with warm, fiery tones.
- Obsidian Lazulite — a lapis-lazuli blend featuring deep blue accents.
Every type includes a decorative block, a smeltable ingot, and a complete set of tools: sword, pickaxe, axe, shovel, and hoe. This transforms obsidian from a static building block into a versatile material with meaningful depth.
Core Mechanics and Crafting Recipes
The crafting system is where ObsidianPlus: 6 New Obsidian Types and Tools for Minecraft shines. You cannot simply mine these new ores from the ground; you must synthesize them. The base recipe for any variant requires standard obsidian plus a specific secondary material. The full recipe list is as follows:
- Lazulite: one lapis lazuli block combined with one obsidian block.
- Valme: one blaze powder combined with one obsidian block.
- Mistos: one redstone dust combined with one obsidian block.
- Tycus: one emerald combined with one obsidian block.
- Maculis: one Nether quartz combined with one obsidian block.
- Raker: one diamond combined with one obsidian block.
Once you have crafted the new block, you smelt it in a furnace to produce the corresponding ingot. From there, you use standard tool templates (two ingots and two sticks for a pickaxe, etc.) to assemble your equipment. This layered approach—ore to block, block to ingot, ingot to tool—gives each variant a distinct crafting pipeline and encourages players to seek out specific resources across different biomes and dimensions.
Tool Performance and Durability
In terms of raw stats, the new tools are comparable to diamond gear, which is a sensible balance choice. However, they offer a slight edge in mining speed, making them a desirable upgrade for resource gathering. The durability is nearly identical to diamond, so you are not sacrificing longevity for speed. Visually, the tools are striking: a dark obsidian base with colored inlays that match the specific variant. For example, the Lazulite sword shimmers with a deep sapphire tone, while the Tycus pickaxe emits a faint green luminescence. These visual cues make it easy to distinguish your gear at a glance and add a layer of personalization to your loadout.
Practical Use Cases in Survival and Building
The mod is not just about combat efficiency. The six new block types are excellent for construction projects. Their saturated, dark textures fit perfectly into gothic castles, futuristic bunkers, or any build that requires a dramatic, moody palette. The Valme variant, with its fiery undertones, is ideal for Nether-themed bases, while Lazulite works beautifully in wizard towers or underwater laboratories. For survival players, the new tools provide a meaningful mid-to-late-game goal. Instead of jumping straight from iron to diamond, you now have an optional tier that rewards exploration and resource diversification. The recipes require materials from different dimensions—Nether quartz, blaze powder, and emeralds—so you will need to travel to gather everything.
Technical Specifications and Compatibility
ObsidianPlus: 6 New Obsidian Types and Tools for Minecraft is built specifically for Minecraft version 1.7.10. This is a legacy version, but it remains popular among modded players who prefer lighter, more stable packs. The mod requires the Forge mod loader to function. There are no additional libraries or dependencies, which makes it a lightweight addition to any existing modpack. The mod is available in three versions: 1.0.0, 1.1.0, and the latest 1.2.0. The 1.2.0 update introduced several refinements, including texture polish and minor recipe adjustments. Because it targets 1.7.10, the mod is highly compatible with other classic mods from that era, and it does not introduce any known conflicts with popular content or optimization mods.
Installation Guide
If you are wondering how to install this addon, the process is straightforward. First, ensure you have Forge installed for Minecraft 1.7.10. Next, you need to download ObsidianPlus: 6 New Obsidian Types and Tools for Minecraft from a trusted source. The archive contains a single .jar file. Navigate to your Minecraft directory, open the mods folder, and drop the .jar file inside. Launch the game with the Forge profile, and the mod will load automatically. There is no need for configuration files or manual tweaking. For players who prefer a more automated approach, some third-party launchers allow you to install the mod directly from their interface. These launchers will automatically select a compatible Forge version and place the file in the correct directory, saving you the manual steps. Regardless of your chosen method, the installation takes less than two minutes.
Licensing and Development Team
The mod is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license. This means you are free to use the mod in your personal worlds and share it with others, provided you give credit to the original authors. However, you cannot modify the code or create derivative works without explicit permission. The development team is small but dedicated. 4Spartan8 handled the programming, while Wazha Doh and Arzène crafted the textures and visual design. Despite the developer's modest English proficiency, the mod is intuitive and well-documented, with clear in-game item names and tooltips.
Why You Should Try It
ObsidianPlus: 6 New Obsidian Types and Tools for Minecraft does not attempt to reinvent the game. Instead, it excels at what it sets out to do: giving a beloved but underutilized material a fresh lease on life. The six new tool sets are visually appealing and mechanically sound, offering a slight but noticeable performance boost over diamond. The decorative blocks are versatile enough for a wide range of build styles. The mod is lightweight, conflict-free, and easy to install, making it an excellent choice for any modpack targeting version 1.7.10. Whether you are a builder seeking new dark textures with vibrant accents or a survivalist looking to diversify your gear, this addon delivers. Craft a single sword from Obsidian Lazulite, and you may find it hard to return to the vanilla diamond standard.
In conclusion, ObsidianPlus: 6 New Obsidian Types and Tools for Minecraft is a compact, well-executed content expansion that respects the vanilla aesthetic while adding meaningful variety. Its simple crafting tree, balanced tool stats, and attractive visuals make it a worthwhile addition to any 1.7.10 setup. For those who appreciate the darker side of Minecraft's material palette, this mod is a hidden gem.