Full disclosure: I am a total Minecraft noob. I know, I know. It's not a new game by any means, and when my Xbox came with a free download I basically ignored it. But about 2 months ago Unsupervised Nerds decided to start a realm and I agreed to give it a shot.

Another thing I should disclose, it was all just so I could have an army of llamas.

Our base has grown so much since then, and I’ve made a lot of discoveries about this Mojang classic. Firstly that the llamas are total jerks, secondly that I may be addicted to this game, and thirdly that the game is so open that it allows for a lot of different play styles.

Here is my list of the player types that I have noticed on a Minecraft Realm.

*Most players will be some combination of the following, and their play style may change over time*

The Zookeeper

“Gotta catch em all” is their motto. If they see an animal, they will figure out how to tame it or lure it back to the base. They will start setting up pens, maybe even name a few favorites, and get very excited to learn how to breed more (Panda Army, anyone?). Their second step will be to have a sheep of every colour (including a “jeb_”), and a llama with each color of blanket. They will also be unbelievably excited to have a rare “brown” panda, and to actually collect all the different variations of cats.

The Achiever

Their goal is to get all of the “platform” achievements/trophies. With their constant death notifications, they’ll leave you wondering “what are they doing”. Undoubtedly one of their first tasks is to find a jungle, get bamboo, and build scaffolding to the top of the world.

The Hoarder

Every player probably starts this way. You keep everything; every dirt block, stone tool, stick, and rotten flesh because you just never know what you may need. And unless you felt inclined to also keep track of it, you most likely ended up with chests filled with random stuff. And that leads us to the next type...

The Organizer

This one is usually the first to set up a storage system, and it may even be automated. They’ll insist that everyone uses the system, even if it means they have to sort out other player’s random chests and shulkers. Do they like being the only one to value an organized inventory? Yes, because they can organize it their own way and nothing makes them happier than a tidy and organized storeroom. Their biggest challenge will be decided which method to use... Alphabetical, color, type, biome?

The Helper

They just might be the true MVP of the realm. With no real plans of their own, they’re always around to eagerly lend a hand with the mega-farms, big builds, or just gathering resources.

The Stasher

The guy that goes strip mining, but returns to base with nothing of value. Where are they stashing it? Do they have a secret base full of diamonds? We’ll probably never know.

The Redstoner

This person does whatever they can with redstone. Got a door, it's gonna need a pressure plate. Got a storage room, it's gonna need a sorter. Got a chicken? Let's auto cook them!

The Mega-Farmer

As in, they don’t just build farms, they build mega-farms. These are the ones who keep the realm stocked with resources. Definitely a variant of a redstoner, but they specifically want to have all the AFK farms in working order.

The Pro

This player will acquire diamond tools and build a Nether Portal while everyone else is still trying to decide where to build the base. They will be the first to enchant their weapons, and to have Netherite gear.

The Warrior

This player is the one to convince everyone else to get to the big fights, mainly just for the excitement. Elder guardians, the End Dragon, or the Wither, none of them stand a chance against this player. They will also “accidentally” get a Bad Omen, and “accidentally” start a Raid just because they like taking on the Ravagers.

The Adventurer

Maybe they are looking for a great location for their builds, or maybe they just want to have a look around the world. Either way they will just disappear for days at a time, and they’re usually the ones to find the Woodland Mansion or Ocean Monuments. May also be know as “The Map Guy”, he’s the guy with the map always in his off-hand. When he dies his first thing to replace is the map, and he questions how anyone else functions without one.

The Villager Master

This player knows the value of having a functioning trading hall, with multiples of each trade. They’ll almost definitely have a pet zombie to keep the prices low. They will set up a villager breeder, with a large stockpile of carrots. Ironically, this will be the type who is often most frustrated by villagers.

The Lurker

They're just there, sometimes. Quietly working on...something.

The Decorator

Their main concern is that every block is perfect, they want their builds to be aesthetically pleasing. They’re going to be placing, and re-placing blocks, and testing different light sources, all to figure out what looks the best. They’ll also have the best tricks for decorating, like how a dead bush in a flower pot, with a leaf block above it can look like a tiny tree.

The Big Builder

Maybe it’s Mount Olympus, or a replica of Hogwarts but this player has a grand idea of the biggest builds, and is able to dedicate the time to making them happen.

The Noob

They’re just here to have fun, and learn. They're excited about everything. From baby zombies riding pigs, to all the different colors you can make the sheep. And when they finally work up the nerve to venture through the Nether, they will undoubtedly mistake a Blaze for “fire that is shooting at them” (this happened to everyone… right? It’s not just me?). They won't be able to remember the names for things, and will instead just make up their own names (like Slenderman, cause he is slender. Or Frienderman, because he’s taking a ride in a minecart).

You’ll laugh along with their discoveries, and mourn their inevitable lava deaths, because it reminds you of a time when you were just like them. You weren’t always the Pro or the Big Builder or the Villager Master; at one point you were the Noob, and you got to experience Minecraft for the first time.

I’ve learnt a lot about Minecraft over the past couple months, mostly how it’s more than just mining and crafting. Everybody starts as a noob, but in time they find their play style, and that becomes the type of game Minecraft is for them. If I was to ask each player in my realm what type of game Minecraft is, they would all have different answers. Some would say a building block game. For others it's an action-adventure. The redstoner sees it as a puzzle, trying to get all the pieces to work together. Others use it for speedruns or parkour. And that's the true joy of Minecraft; it can be whatever you make it.

Let me know in the comments what you think. Do you agree with this list? Are there other types you would add in? What type of player are you, and has your play style changed over time? Or is there a type that you really wish you were?

Types of Players in a Minecraft Realm