Minecraft wiki entry for Things_not_to_do, associated text: Trying Minecraft in Hard difficulty may sound fun for beginners, but new players may not have enough experience to do well in hard difficulty. In hard difficulty, mobs deal more damage, players can starve to death if they run out of food, certain mobs gain additional abilities, and some status effects last longer. New players have less experience dealing with these hazards and may not get the enjoyable experience of exploring and experiencing Minecraft in a manageable difficulty for their experience, which may ruin the game for the player.