It has been known for at least 6 years that achieving true 100% completion in SkyFactory 4 may be impossible; one advancement, i.e. Twilight Foresst's Maniacal Dendrologist requires obtaining all 94 items obtainable from trees.
Over the years, many people have attempted to solve this problem including, but not limited to:
Is the achievement maniacal dendrologist possible to gain? I cannot find a way to get the liveroot block, thorn leaves, and thorn rose? If not it is disappointing because I was going for 100 percent completion.\1])
Okay I've seen a few posts on Maniacal Dendrologist but none seem to get concrete answers. How are you intended to get items like thorn rose? otherwise whats the point of having the prestige page for it? Surely someones 100% completed sf4 prestige pages right?\2])
This is still a problem in 4.2.4. May I suggest adding missing items to Deep Mob Learning Pristine Matter? Or chest loot tables? I've confirmed that you can get root strands and liveroot via the Cyclic uncrafting grinder, but I'm pretty sure thorn leaves/roses and liveroots are impossible to obtain.\3])
I've now spent the past month trying to achieve a true 100% completion myself, and I've reached the point where I need your help.
If a solution exists, I'd like to find it. If it doesn't, I'd like to prove why. Either way, I'd appreciate any ideas, testing, or obscure information that could help finally this mystery.
Background
As DaDiamondDude (2020) stated,
However, it doesn't seem possible to get 3 of the needed items.\4])
that is:
- Liveroots (block), since it generates only in regular caves, which are lacking in void-like Skylight World config;
I even loaded my world's Twilight Forest dimension, selected everything, and searched for the block ID of Liveroots in McEdit (which I cross-referenced by placing one down in a creative world and selected just it) to no avail.\4])
Thorn Leaves, and...
Thorn Roses, as the Thornlands biome that surrounds the Final Castle/Final Plateau biome does not generate the usual deadrock plain with dense groups of leaves and roses-decorated thorns; again, as the result of Skylight World config. Instead, it is replaced by the green and normal thorns that surrounds the Final Castle, for which there is no evidence of decoration with Thorn Leaves or Thorn Roses.\4])
There have been numerous attempts to solve this issue, with some of the most prominent examples being:
- Hidden loot tables. Quoting MilkbelongsonToast (2020),
I believe that it may be possible that the three may be hidden somewhere in a loot table at an extremely low weight (probably a specific hollow hill for liveroots and maybe the troll caves for thorn stuff) that might not be findable without some data mining\5])
- Mystcraft. A mod allowing for "the writing of and travel to new dimensions",\6]) with configurable properties, such as Single Biome world type (includes Twilight Forest biome), forced cave generation, or world composed of only single block/liquid type. People, such as 0wucat (2024)
my only ideas is mystcraft could generate it\7])
and raegus (2024)
Yeah mystcraft might work\8])
had long speculated that Mystcraft could generate normal Twilight Forest biomes.
- Updating the pack. MBCollector672 (2022) provided a potential fix, i.e. "adding missing items to Deep Mob Learning Pristine Matter" or "chest loot tables".\3])
Personally, there are also potential solutions that are not mentioned above due to having significant drawbacks, including:
- Downgrading. NPCKing (2020) has demonstrated that completing 100% of SkyFactory 4 is possible in one of its older versions,\9]) supported by his reply on IndependentLow2609 (2024) question about getting the impossible Maniacal Dendrologist achievement,\10]) stating that he has "made this post before that advancement was added, lol".\11]) However, this approach does not resolve the underlying challenge, instead circumventing the need to complete the Maniacal Dendrologist advancement in order to achieve 100% completion.
- Changing the config for Twilight Forest. RadianJelly (2021) found that the void-like Twilight Forest dimension in SkyFactory 4 can be reverted back into its normal version, by changing the configuration of Twilight Forest mod options menu, namely disabling the "Skylight Forest" and "Skylight Oaks" options.\12]) Although this ultimately achieves the aforementioned objectives, it relies on an unofficial server-side modification and may therefore be regarded as a form of cheating.
Methodology and Results
After looking at the current three solutions, I decided to only investigate the Mystcraft solution, considering my individual abilities, effort, and prior knowledge, as data mining and Java modding were beyond my capabilities.
Mystcraft dimensions, also known as Ages, can be made at a minimum by putting a Linking Panel and Leather into a Book Binder, resulting in a random Age. Additional pages can be added to influence the world generation.\13])
Some recorded attempts in world generation including (pages placed in order from the left to the right of Book Binder screen):
- Link Panel Page. Resulting in world generation with highly varied features. This was intended to test whether normal Twilight Forest biomes and structures could generate naturally on Ages. Currently, only Spooky Forest biome showed up, with no structures observed.
- Link Panel Page, Spooky Forest Biome. Resulting in random terrain (e.g. Island, Normal, etc.), with biomes generation similar to vanilla Minecraft Overworld, except with small biome sections of Spooky Forest Biome. This configuration was designed to specifically target Liveroots (block) generation, as it generates in regular caves. There is no sufficient evidence of the dimension containing the three missing items.
- Link Panel Page, Spooky Forest Biome, Single Biome Distribution, Cave World. Resulting in singular biome (Spooky Forest) with enormous cave sizes. There is no sufficient evidence of the dimension containing the three missing items.
- Link Panel Page, Spooky Forest Biome, Single Biome Distribution, Standard World, Caves. Resulting in singular biome (Spooky Forest) with regular cave sizes. There were two observed cave primary materials, which is dirt and stone. Dirt caves currently have no observed Liveroots (block) generation. On the other hand, multiple Liveroots (block) were observed in stone caves. Extraction using a Silk Touch Diamond Pickaxe successfully yields the block. Nevertheless, there is no sufficient evidence of the dimension containing the other two missing items.
Additional info:
- The /tpx 0 command was used to return to the original SkyFactory 4 dimension. Alternatively, a Linking Book may also be used.
Conclusion and Future Works
I am really happy to be able to solve at least one of the missing items needed to achieve the long-awaited SkyFactory 4 100% completion, alongside documenting and sharing the literature review, methodology, and the results of my experiment to the public. I hope that these works could rekindle the spirit and interest towards the true 100% completion of SkyFactory 4. To thank the people who contributed to this research, I have manually referenced all the contribution using APA Style guidelines.\14][15])
Future works may further investigate hidden loot tables through data mining or develop an updated version of SkyFactory 4 that introduces intended methods for obtaining Thorn Leaves and Thorn Roses. Additionally, some speculative approaches, such as chunk regeneration or intentionally inducing chunk generation failures, may be investigated further.
References:
- flagbox. (2021, June 9). Maniacal Dendrologist. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/SkyFactory/comments/nvok1o/maniacal_dendrologist/
- .ava_. (2022, March 28). Okay I've seen a few posts on Maniacal Dendrologist but none seem to get concrete answers. How are you intended [Message on the Discord server "Darkosto's Community"]. https://discord.com/channels/329440410839678986/567041598785847310/957816581465972836
- MBCollector672. (2022, Jul 3). This is still a problem in 4.2.4. May I suggest adding missing items to Deep Mob Learning Pristine Matter? Or [Comment on the Github issues "Maniacal Dendrologist is not completable #1587"]. https://github.com/DarkPacks/SkyFactory-4/issues/1587#issuecomment-1173019418
- DaDiamondDude. (2020, September 28). I found a workaround for the buttons: Use the crafting functionality (middle 3x3 grid) of the Uncrafting Table from Twilight [Comment on the Reddit post "are you able to finish maniacal dendrologist legit?"]. https://www.reddit.com/r/SkyFactory/comments/izn86s/comment/g6wqofc/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
- MilkbelongsonToast. (2020, December 19). I believe that it may be possible that the three may be hidden somewhere in a loot table at an [Comment on the Reddist post "are you able to finish maniacal dendrologist legit?"]. https://www.reddit.com/r/SkyFactory/comments/izn86s/comment/ggc0xpo/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
- XCompWiz. (2020, May 16). Mystcraft. https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/mc-mods/mystcraft
- 0wucat. (2024, August 9). my only ideas is mystcraft could generate it [Message on the Discord server "Darkosto's Community"]. https://discord.com/channels/329440410839678986/567041598785847310/1271203214737408070
- raegus. (2024, August 9). Yeah mystcraft might work [Message on the Discord server "Darkosto's Community"]. https://discord.com/channels/329440410839678986/567041598785847310/1271216795772256277
- NPCKing. (2020, May 1). I got all SF4 Advancements! Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/SkyFactory/comments/gbja0h/i_got_all_sf4_advancements/
- IndependentLow2609. (2024, November 5). how did you get maniacal dendrologist achievement if its impossible to get thorn leaves, live roots, thorn rose,? [Comment on the Reddit post "I got all SF4 Advancements!"]. https://www.reddit.com/r/SkyFactory/comments/gbja0h/comment/lvjgp8x/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
- NPCKing. (2024, November 6). I made this post before that advancement was added, lol It's currently impossible because of those items. It's already been [Comment on the Reddit post "I got all SF4 Advancements!"]. https://www.reddit.com/r/SkyFactory/comments/gbja0h/comment/lvkkswb/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
- RadianJelly. (2020, December 13). UPDATE: I found out how to disable the void in the twilight forest! To do this, go into your mod [Comment on the Reddit post "Voidless dimensions?"]. https://www.reddit.com/r/SkyFactory/comments/k9wg3l/comment/gfmazg8/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
- Feed The Beast Wiki. (2021, January 25). Getting Started (Mystcraft). https://ftb.fandom.com/wiki/Getting_Started_(Mystcraft))
- APA Style (2020). Blog Post and Blog Comment References https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/examples/blog-post-references
- APA Style (2026, June). Webpage on a Website References https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/examples/webpage-website-references