Overview#
Ex Compressum is a heavy-duty expansion for the Ex Nihilo series of mods, specifically designed to alleviate the repetitive manual labor associated with skyblock-style gameplay. While Ex Nihilo introduces the core mechanics of sifting and hammering, Ex Compressum provides the means to scale these operations through compression and automation.
The mod focuses on three primary pillars: Compression (handling blocks in bulk), Automation (power-driven machinery), and Utility (obtaining animals and resources that are otherwise difficult to find in a void world). It is compatible with modern Minecraft versions like 1.20.1 and 1.21.1, integrating seamlessly with energy systems (FE/RF) and various ore processing mods.
Compressed Tools#
Compressed tools allow players to process compressed blocks manually. These tools have significantly higher durability than their standard counterparts and are essential for transitioning out of the early-game grind.
Compressed Hammers
Compressed Hammers are used to break compressed blocks into their constituent parts. For example, breaking a Compressed Cobblestone with a Compressed Hammer will yield nine pieces of Gravel (or one Compressed Gravel, depending on the tool and configuration).
| Tool | Durability | Material Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Compressed Wooden Hammer | 531 | 2x Stick, 7x Compressed Oak Log |
| Compressed Stone Hammer | 1,179 | 2x Stick, 7x Compressed Cobblestone |
| Compressed Iron Hammer | 2,250 | 2x Iron Ingot, 7x Compressed Iron Block |
| Compressed Gold Hammer | 288 | 2x Gold Ingot, 7x Compressed Gold Block |
| Compressed Diamond Hammer | 13,959 | 2x Diamond, 7x Compressed Diamond Block |
| Compressed Netherite Hammer | 18,279 | 1x Netherite Ingot, 1x Compressed Diamond Hammer |
Compressed Crooks
Compressed Crooks are used on leaves to increase the drop rate of silkworms and saplings while processing blocks much faster than a standard crook. They possess 4x the durability of a standard crook of the same material.

Automation Machinery#
Automation is the core of Ex Compressum. These machines require Forge Energy (FE) or Redstone Flux (RF) to operate.
Auto Sieve
The Auto Sieve automates the sifting process. It accepts a mesh and a block (like Gravel, Sand, or Dust) and produces resources automatically.
- Input: Siftable blocks and a Mesh.
- Power Usage: Base 40 FE/t.
- Upgrades: Can be upgraded with Speed Upgrades (increases processing speed but increases power cost) and Fortune Upgrades (increases drop rates).
Auto Hammer
The Auto Hammer mimics the action of a hammer. It will break down blocks into finer versions (Cobblestone -> Gravel -> Sand -> Dust).
- Input: Hammerable blocks.
- Power Usage: Base 40 FE/t.
- Efficiency: It processes one block at a time but can be sped up significantly with upgrades.
Auto Heavy Sieve
A massive version of the sieve designed specifically for Compressed Blocks. Sifting a Compressed Gravel block in a Heavy Sieve is equivalent to sifting nine individual Gravel blocks in a standard sieve, but it is much faster than doing so manually.
Auto Compressor
The Auto Compressor is a utility machine that automatically crafts items into their 2x2 or 3x3 compressed versions. This is vital for managing the massive amounts of ore pieces and dust produced by automated sieves.
| Machine | Function | Energy Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Auto Sieve | Automates mesh sifting | 64,000 FE |
| Auto Hammer | Automates block hammering | 64,000 FE |
| Auto Compressor | Crafts 3x3 recipes (e.g., Cobble to Compressed) | 32,000 FE |
| Auto Heavy Sieve | Sifts Compressed Blocks | 128,000 FE |
Animal Baits#
In skyblock environments, passive mobs do not always spawn naturally. Baits are consumable items that, when placed in a specific environment, will eventually spawn a corresponding animal.
Usage Mechanics
- Place a source of water (usually a 1x1 hole).
- Surround the water with the required block type (e.g., Grass for cows).
- Right-click the bait onto the water.
- Wait for the animal to appear (this consumes the bait).
Bait Types and Requirements
| Bait | Animal | Required Nearby Blocks |
|---|---|---|
| Cow Bait | Cow | Grass Blocks |
| Pig Bait | Pig | Grass Blocks |
| Sheep Bait | Sheep | Grass Blocks |
| Chicken Bait | Chicken | Grass Blocks |
| Rabbit Bait | Rabbit | Sand or Flowers |
| Squid Bait | Squid | Deep Water |
| Ocelot Bait | Ocelot | Jungle Leaves/Grass |
| Wolf Bait | Wolf | Grass/Snow |
| Parrot Bait | Parrot | Jungle Leaves |
Utility Blocks#
Wooden Crucible
An early-game alternative to the Stone Crucible. It is used to generate water by placing organic material (leaves, saplings) inside. Unlike the stone version, it cannot be used to melt cobblestone into lava, as it would burn.
Heavy Sieve (Manual)
A non-powered version of the Heavy Sieve. It allows players to manually sift compressed blocks. It requires the player to stand nearby and hold right-click, or it can be automated using the Auto Heavy Sieve later.
Wood Pellet
A highly efficient fuel source made from sawdust (a byproduct of some hammering operations). It burns longer than standard coal and is an excellent early-game power source for steam engines or furnaces.
Mechanics and Recipes#
Hammering Logic
Ex Compressum follows a strict hierarchy for hammering. Using a Compressed Hammer on a compressed block yields 9x the output of the base block.
- Compressed Cobblestone -> 9x Gravel (or 1x Compressed Gravel)
- Compressed Gravel -> 9x Sand (or 1x Compressed Sand)
- Compressed Sand -> 9x Dust (or 1x Compressed Dust)
Evolution of Ore
When sifting with the Auto Sieve, the mod supports "Ore Pieces." These pieces must be combined in a 2x2 grid to create an Ore Chunk, which can then be smelted into an ingot. This prevents players from obtaining full ingots too easily in the early game.
Upgrades
Machines can be enhanced using the following items:
- Speed Upgrade: Decreases the time per operation but increases FE/t consumption exponentially.
- Fortune Upgrade: Increases the chance of receiving rare drops from the sieve. It mimics the Fortune enchantment levels (I, II, and III).