Cataclysm Testing Grounds

Q: This modpack feels too easy. Why did you include (gun loot/starter kits/minimap/etc)?

A: The difficulty and fun of CDDA comes, in my opinion, from the challenge of managing your supplies to defend against an ever-growing threat. For this reason, I didn’t want early-game scarcity to be a big factor in this modpack – the true challenge is surviving the insane growth curve of these infection mods, after all.

Q: There isn’t a lot of building variety. Have you considered adding (X) structure mod?

A: Yes, most likely. Unfortunately, with the way that Minecraft handles structure spawning, worldgen lag becomes a problem if you want even remotely common structures. For this reason, I’ve had to severely limit the amount of structure mods present in the modpack in order to let the world feel actually populated.

Zombies have grown in number, and are more intelligent. Despite this, they're still the weakest threat you'll face - and killing them will have a chance to drop crafting materials or healing items.

Flesh monsters are extensions of The Flesh That Hates, a dangerous hivemind that grows rapidly if left unchecked. Destroying their Flesh Embryo will stop the spread of the Flesh, and should always be first priority. Attacking the Embryo from a distance is advised, as approaching it will leave you vulnerable to counterattack. 

Infected monsters have been parasitized by the Fungal Infection. Infected humans are not particularly deadly, but more adapted creatures can pose a significant threat to even well-armored survivors. Bear traps or barbed wire can be excellent tools to slow them down and leave them vulnerable towards ranged and melee weapons alike.

Mutated monsters are, as the name suggests, mutated zombies. While not particularly dangerous, even when evolved, some mutants can initiate the spread of The Mold. The Mold is a fast-spreading hub of tendrils that will quickly cover terrain and structures in durable mold blocks. These blocks will slowly disappear when the mold hub is destroyed.

The Insurgency is a band of hostile survivors intent on hunting every other human they see. Insurgents should be tracked via minimap and engaged from behind cover whenever possible. They are exceedingly deadly. Snipe them at long range or ambush them with a shotgun to best avoid damage. Insurgent loot is the most immediately useful, however - they can drop military-grade armor or even their gun, and are garunteed to drop a full magazine of ammunition.

Void Entities come from The Void, a nightmarish realm hidden below the bedrock level. Falling into it, or being kidnapped by a void abductor, will mean almost certain death. Void Entities can be fought in melee, but excersize extreme caution and maintain distance where possible.

The Alien will fall from the sky sometime around day one, and will be a persistent threat until it is killed. Its strength as a force of infection is weak, but the alien itself is extremely powerful. It will not heal or respawn, however - it can be chased off with bullets, or killed outright with fire. If you manage to locate its crash site, destroying the shipwreck will reward you with a netherite ingot.