Minecraft wiki entry for Complete_main_adventure, associated text: Next, it is recommended that players obtain full diamond gear, preferably all enchanted, before venturing into the Nether. A minimum of 31 diamonds must be harvested (24 for full armor, 3 for a pickaxe, 2 for a sword and 2 for an enchanting table). Finding a naturally occurring cave or fissure that drops to the last 16 levels of the world will facilitate diamond mining. It is also recommended to look around lava, because you will see more open rock at once. It has never been proven or confirmed that diamonds are generated more around lava pools. Remember, upon finding diamonds, dig around them first to ensure that they won't fall into lava and burn. A bucket of water is found to be very useful as one bucket can diffuse an entire lake of lava, and still retain the bucket. You need 5 diamonds to start progressing: the first three should go to a diamond pickaxe for mining obsidian and the other two for an enchanting table. If 2 more diamonds can be found, it is recommended to craft a diamond sword. Also, grab any gold (for golden apples), lapis lazuli (for enchanting) that you see and at least some of the redstone (for potions). If still in the bowels of the world, it is likely obsidian may have been spotted. A minimum of 10 obsidian must be harvested using a diamond pickaxe to create a frame for a nether portal and an enchanting table. Once a minimum of 10 obsidian has been harvested, return to the surface, collecting 1 flint from gravel on the journey up. 1 iron ingot will also be needed. If you are having trouble finding diamonds, you can also find diamond from structures such as desert temples, dungeons, jungle temples, villages, buried treasure, pillager outposts, etc.