Terralith is a worldgen overhaul mod created by Stardust Labs that completely transforms the Minecraft Overworld without adding any new blocks or items. It introduces 84 new surface biomes and 11 cave biomes, dramatically expanding the variety of landscapes players can explore. From floating Skylands to volcanic craters and lavender-filled valleys, Terralith makes every journey feel fresh and exciting.
What makes Terralith special is its seamless integration with vanilla Minecraft. Since it uses only existing blocks in creative new ways, it works perfectly in multiplayer servers without requiring clients to install anything. The mod also adds over 20 unique structures ranging from mysterious Mage Towers to underground Giant Bee Hives.
Getting Started
Terralith is available for Forge, Fabric, and NeoForge mod loaders. Simply download the mod from CurseForge or Modrinth and place it in your mods folder. A standalone datapack version is also available for vanilla players who prefer not to use a mod loader.
Once installed, create a new world to experience the full effect. Existing worlds will only generate Terralith biomes in unexplored chunks, leaving previously generated terrain unchanged.
What to Expect
Terralith replaces and enhances the vanilla worldgen while maintaining the same general distribution of resources. Diamonds, Iron, and other ores generate normally, and vanilla structures like Villages and Strongholds still appear. The main difference is the terrain itself, with more dramatic mountains, deeper valleys, and unique combinations of biomes.
Players will notice custom cave biomes underground that feature unique fog colors and ambient particles. Some caves, like Frostfire Caves, spawn Strays alongside regular Skeletons, while Thermal Caves feature underwater lava and Drowned spawns.
Terralith is fully compatible with other Stardust Labs projects like Incendium (Nether overhaul) and Nullscape (End overhaul). Together, they create a completely revamped Minecraft experience across all three dimensions.
Surface Biomes
Terralith adds 84 surface biomes that transform the Overworld’s look and feel. These range from subtle variations of familiar biomes to completely unique landscapes not found in vanilla Minecraft. Each biome features custom terrain generation, vegetation placement, and mob spawning rules.
Forest Biomes
The Sakura Grove and Sakura Valley feature pink-leaved Cherry Trees mixed with Birch, creating a serene Japanese-inspired landscape. These biomes have custom grass and foliage colors that complement the pink blossoms. Sheep, Pigs, Chickens, Cows, and Rabbits spawn naturally here.
Lavender Valley and Lavender Forest offer rolling hills covered in purple Allium flowers with custom lavender-tinted foliage. Wolves spawn naturally in these biomes, making them excellent locations for finding tameable companions.
Moonlight Grove and Moonlight Valley stand out for their blue-tinted water and purple grass. These biomes feature Nylium disk patches and scattered Amethyst clusters on the surface. The unique color palette creates an otherworldly atmosphere perfect for fantasy builds.
Mountain Biomes
Terralith’s mountain biomes create truly dramatic landscapes. Emerald Peaks tower over the surrounding terrain with custom rock formations and snow-capped summits. Painted Mountains feature layered terracotta formations similar to badlands but with more vertical relief.
Volcanic Crater and Volcanic Peaks introduce active volcanic terrain, complete with flowing lava and white ash particles. These biomes have custom fog effects that create a hazy atmosphere. No passive creatures spawn in volcanic biomes due to the hostile environment.
Yosemite Cliffs and Yosemite Lowlands recreate the iconic granite walls and valleys of their real-world namesake. Alpine Highlands offer expansive meadows above the tree line with scattered boulders and wildflowers.
Desert and Arid Biomes
Beyond the standard desert, Terralith adds Bryce Canyon with its towering sandstone spires and narrow passages. Desert Oasis offers relief through palm-like vegetation and water pools surrounded by lush greenery.
Amethyst Canyon combines jungle vegetation with dramatic Calcite canyon walls. Parrots, Pandas, and Ocelots spawn here among Bamboo groves and Melon patches. This biome has increased fire burnout, making it safer during thunderstorms.
Skylands Biomes
The Skylands are among Terralith’s most unique additions. These floating island biomes are high in the sky with waterfalls cascading down into the void below. There are four seasonal variants: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.
Skylands Summer features lush grass, trees, and even cacti on the floating islands. Dolphins, Squid, Cod, and Nautilus spawn in the water pools that form on these islands. Glowberries hang from the undersides of islands, creating a magical appearance at night.
Finding Skylands biomes requires exploration at high altitudes. They typically generate above other biomes rather than at sea level, so flying or building up is necessary to discover them.
Use the command /locate biome terralith:skylands_summer (or spring, autumn, winter) to find the nearest Skylands biome. Elytra flight makes exploring these floating islands much easier.
Complete Biome List
Below is the complete list of all 84 surface biomes added by Terralith, organized alphabetically. Use these names with the /locate biome terralith:[name] command to find any biome.
Cave Biomes
Terralith introduces 11 unique cave biomes that appear underground. These feature custom fog colors, ambient particles, and sometimes unique mob spawns. Cave biomes generate at all underground Y-levels and replace portions of the standard cave generation.
Frostfire Caves
Frostfire Caves feature icy columns and Sculk patches with blue-to-cyan dust particles floating in the air. The caves are shrouded in a distinctive blue fog that reduces visibility. Both Skeletons and Strays spawn here, making it more dangerous than standard caves.
Large Dripstone formations appear throughout these caves alongside Amethyst Geodes. The combination of ice and dark blocks creates an eerie atmosphere. Mining here can be profitable due to the standard ore distribution plus decorative blocks.
Thermal Caves
Thermal Caves simulate geothermal activity with warm-colored fog and underwater magma. Drowned spawn frequently in the water pools, adding extra danger to exploration. Sea Pickles and Dripleaf plants grow on Clay patches near the water.
The ambient music changes to the Dripstone Caves soundtrack when entering Thermal Caves. Dripstone formations and underwater lava create a unique visual style distinct from other cave biomes.
Underground Jungle
The Underground Jungle features tropical vegetation below the surface with Cherry Leaves particles drifting through the air. Axolotls, Turtles, Frogs, and Tropical Fish spawn in the water pools here, making it a vibrant underground ecosystem.
This cave biome plays the Lush Caves ambient music and contains extra Coal Ore generation. Giant Bee Hives and Sunken Towers can spawn in this biome, offering unique underground exploration opportunities.
Fungal Caves
Fungal Caves feature hanging roots, vines, and mushroom patches throughout. Extra Coal Ore generates in these caves, making them valuable for fuel gathering. The warm-tinted fog creates a cozy underground atmosphere.
Glow Lichen patches illuminate the walls while classic cave vines hang from the ceiling. Standard hostile mob spawning applies here, with no special creature variants.
Complete Cave Biome List
Terralith adds 11 cave biomes in total. Each can be located using the /locate biome terralith:cave/[name] command format.
Andesite Caves – Features abundant Andesite for building materialsDeep Caves – Spawns Mining Outpost and Old Refinery structuresDiorite Caves – Features abundant Diorite for building materialsFrostfire Caves – Icy caves with Strays and Sculk patchesFungal Caves – Mushroom-filled caves with extra Coal OreGranite Caves – Features abundant Granite for building materialsInfested Caves – Contains Silverfish-spawning ore blocks, dangerous miningMantle Caves – Generate at deepest levels near BedrockThermal Caves – Geothermal caves with underwater magma and DrownedTuff Caves – Features abundant Tuff for building materialsUnderground Jungle – Tropical vegetation below the surface, spawns Giant Bee Hives and Sunken Towers
Structures
Terralith adds over 20 unique structures that spawn throughout the world. These range from small ruins to large multi-room complexes with custom loot tables. Structures introduce exploration goals and reward adventurous players.
Mage Towers
Mage Towers are tall magical structures that spawn in Moonlight Valley, Lavender Valley, Amethyst Canyon, and Mirage Isles biomes. Six variants exist, including standard, complex, and four seasonal versions (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter).
Inside Mage Towers, players find treasure chests containing Diamonds (30% chance for 1-2), Amethyst Clusters, Amethyst Shards (2-5), Glow Ink Sacs (2-3), Crossbows, Arrows (9-18), Coal (2-3), Paper (2-4), Cobwebs (2-3), Bone Meal (2-8), Bones (2-5), String (2-4), Leather (1-2), and Warped Planks (1-3).
Fortified Villages
Fortified Villages are larger, more defensible versions of standard Villages. The plains variant spawns in Plains, Sunflower Plains, Meadow, Temperate Highlands, Forested Highlands, Alpine Highlands, and Brushland biomes. A desert variant also exists.
These villages feature defensive walls and more elaborate buildings than standard Villages. Custom loot tables include profession-specific chests like Archer, Butcher, Cartographer, Fisherman, Library, Mason, Shepherd, and Smith variants. A Tavern building contains both upstairs and downstairs loot.
Spire
Spires are tall ice structures that spawn exclusively in Frozen River biomes. They generate at Y-level 92 and contain treasure chests with some of the best loot in Terralith.
Treasure chests in Spires can contain enchanted Diamond gear including Pickaxes, Shovels, Axes, Swords, Chestplates, Leggings, and Boots. There is a 50% chance for one of these items, enchanted between levels 10-27. Tridents can also appear with 70-100% durability.
Spires contain guaranteed Enchanted Books with powerful enchantments like Mending, Silk Touch, Fortune, and Looting. Ender Pearls and TNT also appear in the loot pools. Ice-themed loot includes Snow Blocks (1-7), Powder Snow Buckets (1-2), Packed Ice (3-12), and Blue Ice (3-7).
Spires are among the best structures for early-game gear. The guaranteed Enchanted Books with top-tier enchantments make them worth seeking out, especially for Mending.
Underground Structures
Five underground structures spawn throughout cave systems, appearing relatively frequently during exploration. Each structure generates in specific cave biomes with appropriate loot.
Oak Cabins appear in Lush Caves and contain basic supplies for underground travelers. Mining Outposts spawn in Deep Caves and provide early-game resources like tools and torches. Old Refinery structures generate in Fungal Caves, Infested Caves, and Deep Caves.
Giant Bee Hives spawn exclusively in Lush Caves and Underground Jungle biomes. These structures contain Honeycomb (11-15), Honey Bottles (4-7), and the unique Royal Jelly potion. Sunken Towers appear in Lush Caves and Underground Jungle biomes with their own loot pools.
Giant Bee Hive and Royal Jelly
The Giant Bee Hive is a unique underground structure that contains a special item called Royal Jelly. This custom potion grants multiple beneficial effects when consumed, making it valuable for combat and exploration.
Royal Jelly provides a powerful combination of effects. The Absorption grants extra hearts, Haste II speeds up mining, and the 5-minute Speed effect aids exploration. The high-level Saturation instantly fills hunger. Look for Giant Bee Hives while exploring Lush Caves or Underground Jungle biomes.
Surface Structures
Valley Lodge spawns in Valley Clearing and Shield Clearing biomes, offering shelter and supplies for travelers. Desert Outpost appears in vanilla Desert, Desert Oasis, and Lush Desert biomes. This structure spawns Pillagers, making it a dangerous but rewarding location to raid.
Witch Hut structures spawn in Orchid Swamp, Ice Marsh, and vanilla Swamp biomes. Glacial Hut and Igloo variants provide biome-appropriate shelter in cold regions. Rubble structures exist as ruined versions for Forest, Taiga, Jungle, Mesa, Mountain, and Desert biomes.
Tips for Exploration
Terralith’s diverse biomes reward thorough exploration. Mountains often hide caves with valuable resources, while valleys contain the most accessible structures. Keeping a map helps track which biomes have been discovered.
Cave exploration becomes more interesting with Terralith’s cave biomes. Watch for fog color changes that indicate transitions between cave types. Frostfire Caves and Thermal Caves contain unique mob spawns, so prepare accordingly.
Skylands biomes require flight or tall scaffolding to reach. An Elytra makes exploring these floating islands much safer. Water buckets provide emergency landing options in case of a fall from the islands.
Volcanic biomes contain surface lava and white ash particles. Fire Resistance potions are recommended when exploring Volcanic Crater and Volcanic Peaks. No passive mobs spawn here, so bring your own food supplies.
Fortified Villages and Spires offer the best loot in Terralith. Prioritize these structures when exploring new areas. Frozen River biomes always contain potential Spire locations, while magical biomes like Moonlight Valley often have Mage Towers nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Terralith is compatible with most mods since it only modifies worldgen without adding new blocks or items. It works particularly well with other Stardust Labs datapacks like Incendium and Nullscape. Mods that add their own worldgen may need compatibility patches.
Terralith only affects newly generated chunks. Your existing builds and explored areas will remain unchanged. New chunks generated after installation will use Terralith’s worldgen. There may be visible borders between old and new terrain.
Use the /locate biome terralith:[biome_name] command to find any Terralith biome. Replace [biome_name] with the biome you want, using underscores for spaces. For example: /locate biome terralith:sakura_grove. Cave biomes use the terralith:cave/ prefix.
Terralith maintains vanilla ore distribution across its biomes. Diamonds, Iron, Gold, Copper, and other ores generate at their normal rates and depths. Some cave biomes like Fungal Caves have extra Coal Ore, but this is additive rather than replacing standard generation.
Terralith adds 95 total biomes: 84 surface biomes and 11 cave biomes. Surface biomes include forests like Sakura Grove and Lavender Valley, mountains like Volcanic Crater and Emerald Peaks, and unique terrain like Skylands and Amethyst Canyon.
