Minecraft wiki entry for Tips_and_tricks, associated text: What you need for the base will be a bed, crafting table, furnace, and a chest. If there is no wool for the bed, you can use string (plentiful in mineshafts) to make some. The chest should contain at minimum a full set of iron armor, iron sword, a bucket, and either a second bucket, an iron pick, or shears and a flint-and-steel. (By an amazing coincidence, this is exactly what can be made with half a stack of iron ingots.) You should also have a stone pick, shovel, and axe, a bow and at least half a stack of arrows, preferably a full-stack. Pre-craft some tools: Another chest, and at least half a stack of torches. Some fences, gates, and ladders, a door, or whatever, may come in handy too. You will need a fair bit of food, at least a quarter-stack of steak or porkchops or more of lesser foods. Just to be careful, stick some spare blocks in there too—a half-stack to a stack apiece of cobblestone, dirt, and gravel, as well as extra wood. (Sand is less useful, but some glass might come in handy.) Having some extra raw materials handy: coal, string, redstone, etc., is always good. If possible, top off the selection with a spare copy of the map, and a clock—these can be in frames if desired.