BetterBlockZ in FTB StoneBlock 4

BetterBlockZ is a decorative building mod. It continues Ztones and adds modern, industrial, fantasy and futuristic block sets, with expanded variants and reworked textures. The pack ships version 0.2.10 for NeoForge 1.21.1, and the mod's author thanks the FTB team for including it.^[1][2]

It is for builders. If you want your base to look like more than a pile of cobble, this is your palette. It doesn't add machines or progression content.^[1]

What you get

• Block types: standard blocks, pillars you can rotate like logs, fully rotatable blocks for diagonal textures, and CTM (connected texture) variants on select blocks.^[1]
• Lighting: Cyber Lights are no-shade, full-color light blocks that Redstone can toggle. They come as flat blocks and panels for walls, floors or ceilings. The Zeon set is neon-style, its blocks all emit light, and it comes in 16 colors.^[1]
• Building tools: Cycler, Checkered Cycler, Placer, Cobble Crafter, Block Extender, Block Replacer and the BlockZ Master, which combines the 4 main tools.^[1]

Switching variants

While holding a block, you can sneak and right-click in air, hold Alt and scroll the mouse wheel, or press V to open a selection screen. In your inventory, hover the block and use Alt plus the mouse wheel. Alt and V are default keybinds, so rebind them if another mod uses the same keys. For blocks already placed, use the Cycler tool in Block, Line or Area mode.^[1]

Crafting in a nutshell

Each set has a base variant with a standard crafting recipe. Every other variant comes from the Stonecutter, and AE2 can auto-craft those Stonecutter recipes.^[1]

BetterBlockZ is a decorative mod with modern, industrial, fantasy and futuristic block sets. Everything starts with one item, so your first job is getting that sorted. After that you can pick a set and grab a few building tools.^[1]

Step 1: Make BlockZ Core

BlockZ Core is the main ingredient for the sets, so you want it first. The pack has four recipes for it (cobble, stone, mix1 and mix2), and your recipe viewer shows the others. Here's one of them:^[1][3]

8× BlockZ CoreMod recipe

Crafting Shaped

Crafting Shaped

Cobblestone	Stone	Cobblestone
Stone	Smooth Stone	Stone
Cobblestone	Stone	Cobblestone

Recipe id: betterblockz:blockz_core_stone

Step 2: Craft a base variant

A set's base variant is crafted from the Core plus a set-specific material. Luxe Iron Base is a simple one to start with.^[1][3]

8× Luxe Iron BaseMod recipe

Crafting Shaped

Crafting Shaped

BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core
BlockZ Core	any iron ingot	BlockZ Core
BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core

Recipe id: betterblockz:iron_custom

Cray Base is another simple base variant, with the same Core plus one extra material.^[3]

8× Cray BaseMod recipe

Crafting Shaped

Crafting Shaped

BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core
BlockZ Core	Clay	BlockZ Core
BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core

Recipe id: betterblockz:cray_custom

Step 3: Switch variants instead of crafting them

Only the base variant has a standard crafting recipe. All other variants are available through Stonecutter recipes, and AE2 supports auto-crafting with them. You can also switch variants without opening a Stonecutter.^[1]

• While holding the block: the mod page lists Sneak + Right-Click in the air, Alt + Mouse Wheel Scroll, or pressing V to open a selection screen.^[1]
• In your inventory: the mod page says to hover the block and use Alt + Mouse Wheel Scroll.^[1]
• On blocks already placed: the mod page says to use the BlockZ Cycler tool, which has Block, Line and Area modes.^[1]

Step 4: Grab the building tools

The tools save a lot of clicking once you start building. Each tool below has BlockZ Core in its recipe. The mod page notes that not all tools are currently available on Forge, so check your recipe viewer for what you can make here. I'd make them roughly in this order.^[1][3]

1. BlockZ Crafter: the mod page describes it as a portable crafting table and cobblestone placer. The pack changed its recipe.^[1][3]
2. BlockZ Placer: the mod page describes it as placing a saved block in Line or Area mode, with an undo feature. The pack changed its recipe too.^[1][3]
3. BlockZ Extender: the mod page describes it as extending connected blocks.^[1][3]
4. BlockZ Replacer: the mod page describes it as selecting and replacing blocks dynamically.^[1][3]

BlockZ CrafterChanged by the pack

Crafting Shaped

Crafting Shaped

BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core
any water bucket	Crafting Table	any lava bucket
Empty slot	Stick	Empty slot

Recipe id: betterblockz:cobble_crafter

This is the pack's changed version of the recipe, not the mod default.

BlockZ PlacerChanged by the pack

Crafting Shaped

Crafting Shaped

BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core
BlockZ Core	any iron storage block	BlockZ Core
Empty slot	Stick	Empty slot

Recipe id: betterblockz:auto_placer

This is also the pack's changed version of the recipe.

Step 5: Add color and lights

For color, here is how BlockZ Aurora and the BlockZ Color Changer are made.^[3]

16× BlockZ AuroraMod recipe

Crafting Shaped

Crafting Shaped

BlockZ Core	any dye	BlockZ Core
any dye	Glass	any dye
BlockZ Core	any dye	BlockZ Core

Recipe id: betterblockz:aurora_blockz

BlockZ Color ChangerMod recipe

Crafting Shaped

Crafting Shaped

BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core
BlockZ Core	BlockZ Aurora	BlockZ Core
Empty slot	Stick	Empty slot

Recipe id: betterblockz:color_changer

For lighting, try Cyber Light White. Cyber Lights can be toggled on and off with redstone.^[1][3]

8× Cyber Light WhiteMod recipe

Crafting Shaped

Crafting Shaped

BlockZ Core	Glass	BlockZ Core
Glass	Glowstone Dust	Glass
BlockZ Core	Glass	BlockZ Core

Recipe id: betterblockz:cyberlight_custom

Here's the honest picture: BetterBlockZ is a decorative building mod. The project page, as it currently reads, describes no machines, multiblocks, power, fluid handling or item automation for it. What it does have is a set of mechanics for switching, placing and crafting block variants, and that's what this section covers.^[1]

The Tank Blockz block is a good example of why you shouldn't assume otherwise. Its tooltip says it is explosion resistant and 'Not a Fluid Tank!', so it is purely a building block.^[4]

Switching variants

According to the project page as it currently stands, most of the mod's depth is in how you change a block's variant. You have several options depending on where the block is.^[1]

• Holding the block: the page currently lists sneak and right-click in air, scrolling the mouse wheel while holding Alt, or pressing V to open a selection screen.^[1]
• In your inventory: the page currently says to hover the block and use Alt plus the mouse wheel.^[1]
• Already placed in the world: the page currently names the BlockZ Cycler tool, which has Block, Line and Area modes.^[1]
• Alt and V are default keybinds and can be changed in settings. If another mod uses the same keys, the page says to rebind them in the controls menu.^[1]

The crafting chain

Per the project page's current description, everything starts with BlockZ Core, the main ingredient for every set.^[1][3]

8× BlockZ CoreMod recipe

Crafting Shaped

Crafting Shaped

Cobblestone	Stone	Cobblestone
Stone	Smooth Stone	Stone
Cobblestone	Stone	Cobblestone

Recipe id: betterblockz:blockz_core_stone

The project page currently says you then combine the core with a set-specific material to get that set's base variant, and that every other variant comes from the Stonecutter. It also says AE2 can auto-craft with those Stonecutter recipes.^[1]

The pack changes at least one of these base recipes. Azur Base uses a pack-adjusted recipe rather than the mod's own.^[3]

8× Azur BaseChanged by the pack

Crafting Shaped

Crafting Shaped

BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core
BlockZ Core	any lapi gems	BlockZ Core
BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core

Recipe id: betterblockz:azur_custom

This recipe is changed by the pack.

Some sets build on another set's base instead of the core alone. Agon White and Crimson Slate Base are two examples.^[3]

8× Agon WhiteMod recipe

Crafting Shaped

Crafting Shaped

BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core
BlockZ Core	BlockZ Aurora	BlockZ Core
BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core

Recipe id: betterblockz:agon_custom

8× Crimson Slate BaseMod recipe

Crafting Shaped

Crafting Shaped

Iron Slate Base	Iron Slate Base	Iron Slate Base
Iron Slate Base	Crimson Stem or Crimson Fungus	Iron Slate Base
Iron Slate Base	Iron Slate Base	Iron Slate Base

Recipe id: betterblockz:crimson_custom

Lighting

Cyber Lights are no-shade, full-color light blocks that you can toggle on and off with Redstone. They come as flat blocks and panels, and you can place them on walls, floors or ceilings. The Zeon set is neon-style, with every block emitting light, in 16 colors.^[1]

Cyber Light shapes convert into one another with simple recipes, for example from Cyber Light ◇ White to Cyber Light Panel White.^[3]

Cyber Light Panel WhiteMod recipe

Crafting Shapeless

• Cyber Light ◇ White

Recipe id: betterblockz:cyberlight_alt_to_thin

Building tools

The tools are what make large builds quick, and each of the ones below is crafted around a BlockZ Core. The project page lists them, and it notes that not all tools are currently available on Forge.^[1][3]

• BlockZ Placer places a saved block in Line or Area mode and has an Undo feature, as the project page currently describes it.^[1][3]
• BlockZ Crafter is currently described on the project page as a portable crafting table and cobblestone placer.^[1][3]
• BlockZ Extender extends connected blocks, per the project page's current description.^[1][3]
• BlockZ Replacer lets you select and replace blocks dynamically, as the project page currently puts it.^[1][3]
• BlockZ Checkered Cycler cycles checkered pattern variants, according to the project page's current description.^[1][3]

BlockZ PlacerChanged by the pack

Crafting Shaped

Crafting Shaped

BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core
BlockZ Core	any iron storage block	BlockZ Core
Empty slot	Stick	Empty slot

Recipe id: betterblockz:auto_placer

This recipe is changed by the pack.

BlockZ CrafterChanged by the pack

Crafting Shaped

Crafting Shaped

BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core	BlockZ Core
any water bucket	Crafting Table	any lava bucket
Empty slot	Stick	Empty slot

Recipe id: betterblockz:cobble_crafter

This recipe is changed by the pack.

Connected textures and config

The project page currently says some variants use connected textures (CTM), which need Athena installed.^[1]

The mod's common config in this pack sets magicNumber to 42, which is also the mod default. logDirtBlock is true, and items holds a single entry. Their own comments only describe logging on common setup and an introduction message for the magic number.^[5]

BetterBlockZ is a decorative building mod, so progression here is about what you can craft from what, not about fighting through gated content. Everything below is a crafting chain you can follow with the in-pack recipes, and it all starts with BlockZ Core.^[3]

Unverified The pack's quest book has no quests that involve this mod, and the sources here show no quest-driven path for it. Treat the order below as a suggested crafting order, not an official quest order.

Start: BlockZ Core

BlockZ Core is the root of almost every recipe in the mod. It has several recipe variants, and the ones listed for the pack call for cobblestone, smooth stone and stone.^[3]

8× BlockZ CoreMod recipe

Crafting Shaped

Crafting Shaped

Cobblestone	Stone	Cobblestone
Stone	Smooth Stone	Stone
Cobblestone	Stone	Cobblestone

Recipe id: betterblockz:blockz_core_stone

One of the Core recipes. The other variants make the same item.

Right away you can make BlockZ Stone from Core and cobblestone, and Polished Stone Base (CTM) from Core and stone. These are the simplest blocks in the mod.^[3]

Base blocks from Core plus one material

Most base blocks need just Core and one or two extra materials. Here is how they group up.^[3]

• Metals: Luxe Iron Base, Luxe Copper Base, Luxe Gold Base and Luxe Diamond Base, plus the Metal Zone variants Metal Zone Iron Base (CTM) and Metal Zone Copper Base (CTM).^[3]
• Single-material bases: Cray Base (clay), Reed Base (sugar cane), Mint Base (slime ball), Kryp Base (soul sand), Lave Base (ice) and Tank Base (obsidian).^[3]
• Lair blocks, which all use netherrack: Lair Blood Base, Lair Decay Base, Lair Flesh Base, Lair Husk Base and Lair Stain Base.^[3]
• Mixed-material bases: Synth Alloy Base, Iron Slate Base, Eclipse Base, Korp Base and Forge Copper Base.^[3]

Second-step blocks

Some blocks build on a base block you already made instead of on Core alone. Iron Slate Base leads to Crimson Slate Base, Hazard BlockZ Caution and Iron Slate: Redstone Base. Synth Alloy Base leads to Amber Core Base and Lab Link Base. Eclipse Base leads to Armz Base.^[3]

8× Hazard BlockZ CautionMod recipe

Crafting Shaped

Crafting Shaped

Iron Slate Base	Yellow Dye	Iron Slate Base
Yellow Dye	Iron Slate Base	Yellow Dye
Iron Slate Base	Yellow Dye	Iron Slate Base

Recipe id: betterblockz:hazard_custom

An example of a second-step block made from the Iron Slate base.

The lights have their own chain. Cyber Light White and Cyber Light ◇ White both come straight from Core. From there you can switch between the flat, panel and bar shapes, and those shape conversions can be reversed. Cyber Light Cycle Rainbow builds on the white light.^[3]

8× Cyber Light WhiteMod recipe

Crafting Shaped

Crafting Shaped

BlockZ Core	Glass	BlockZ Core
Glass	Glowstone Dust	Glass
BlockZ Core	Glass	BlockZ Core

Recipe id: betterblockz:cyberlight_custom

The white Cyber Light, made straight from Core.

8× Cyber Light Cycle RainbowMod recipe

Crafting Shaped

Crafting Shaped

Cyber Light White	Cyber Light White	Cyber Light White
Cyber Light White	Redstone	Cyber Light White
Cyber Light White	Cyber Light White	Cyber Light White

Recipe id: betterblockz:cyberlight_cycle_custom

The rainbow cycling light is made from the white Cyber Light.

BlockZ Aurora

BlockZ Aurora is the second key component. It is crafted from Core, glass and a dye, and it is needed for a group of more advanced blocks and one tool.^[3]

16× BlockZ AuroraMod recipe

Crafting Shaped

Crafting Shaped

BlockZ Core	any dye	BlockZ Core
any dye	Glass	any dye
BlockZ Core	any dye	BlockZ Core

Recipe id: betterblockz:aurora_blockz

• Agon White, Bitt Base and Number Decal White use Aurora together with Core.^[3]
• Fort Base and Iszm Base use Aurora with Ztyl 8 and Ztyl 10 respectively.^[3]
• Lab Link 19 White, Reactor 1 White and Reactor 7 White use Aurora with their matching pillar or CTM block.^[3]
• BlockZ Color Changer also needs Aurora, along with Core and a stick.^[3]

Tools

The tools are also built from Core. BlockZ Replacer, BlockZ Extender and BlockZ CTM Toggle Tool use the mod's own recipes. The pack changed the recipes for BlockZ Placer, BlockZ Cycler, BlockZ Checkered Cycler, BlockZ Pattern Randomizer and BlockZ Crafter.^[3]

BlockZ CyclerChanged by the pack

Crafting Shaped

Crafting Shaped

BlockZ Core	any gold storage block	BlockZ Core
BlockZ Core	any diamond gem	BlockZ Core
Empty slot	Stick	Empty slot

Recipe id: betterblockz:omni_spade

This recipe is changed by the pack.

The final step is BlockZ Master. It is a shapeless recipe that combines tools you have already made: the Placer, the Extender, the Replacer and the Cycler.^[3]

BlockZ MasterMod recipe

Crafting Shapeless

• BlockZ Placer
• BlockZ Replacer
• BlockZ Cycler
• BlockZ Extender

Recipe id: betterblockz:meta_wand

Good news: BetterBlockZ has a very small common config, so there's not much to tweak. The file has four options, and none of them change how the decorative blocks look or behave. They mostly control what gets written to the log when the game starts.^[5]

What the pack sets

• items is a list of items to log on common setup. This pack sets it to a single entry, Iron Ingot.^[5]
• logDirtBlock controls whether the dirt block is logged on common setup. This pack has it set to true.^[5]
• magicNumber is just "a magic number", and it must be greater than 0. This pack sets it to 42, which is also the mod default, so the pack did not change it.^[5]
• magicNumberIntroduction is the introduction message shown with the magic number. This pack sets it to "The magic number is... ".^[5]

FTB StoneBlock 4 1.21.0 ships BetterBlockZ 0.2.10 for 1.21.1 NeoForge, and the mod was already in the pack in 1.1.1 or earlier. Below are the notable changes from the mod's own changelogs, newest first.^[2]

0.2.10 (the version in this pack)

• New Zome set with 7 variants, available in 16 colors, plus a new Ztyl variant (13) that is a crafting ingredient for Zome, and a new Korp variant (18).^[6]
• New CTM placement modes: main hand places CTM Group A, main hand while sneaking places CTM Group B, and off-hand places Tile Mode.^[6]
• The CTM Toggle Tool now supports both CTM and Tile mode. CTM states are kept when you use Building Gadgets 2, Create: Wand of Symmetry and the Color Changer Tool.^[6]

0.2.5 to 0.2.9

• 0.2.9: new Synth Alloy and Amber Core variants, plus Lab Link and Ztyl additions. It is compatible with Athena 4.0.2 and newer, and Cyber Lights and other rotatable blocks now rotate and mirror correctly with Building Gadgets or world-editing tools.^[7]
• 0.2.8: new Sync set and more Tank, Iron Slate and Zeon variants. You can now cycle block variants in your inventory with Alt + Mouse Scroll while hovering, and the Alt keybind is configurable in settings.^[8]
• 0.2.7: CTM blocks no longer disconnect when powered by redstone, so only the CTM Toggle Tool changes connectivity. The Color Changer Tool's Line and Area modes now only affect visible blocks of the same family and stop at obstacles. Tinted Glass can now be placed on FramedBlocks and lets skylight through. New Lab Link and Zeno variants were added too.^[9]
• 0.2.6: added map colors and a Cyber Light Cycle Rainbow, plus more CTM variants for Synth Alloy, Ambercore and Korp.^[10]
• 0.2.5: added the Kryp set with 24 variants and a Brazilian Portuguese translation. The BlockZ Cycler's Area Mode now also cycles variants occluded by non-full blocks such as torches, slabs and fences, and a new keybind (default R) sets Horizontal or Vertical pillars while cycling.^[11]

Earlier releases

• 0.2.3: added the Metal Zone 4 set (Iron, Rusty Iron, Copper and Oxidized Copper, 8 variants each). Variant switching with Sneak + Right Click now works only with the main hand, Block Replacer Area mode only replaces non-occluded blocks, and some block destroy times were fixed.^[12]
• 0.2.2: added the Item Block Pattern Randomizer (Random, Pattern and Reset modes), the Zeno set, Cyber Lights vertical and horizontal bars, and Lablink and Crimson Slate variants. The BlockZ Cycler now preserves pillar axis, the BlockZ Replacer gained Line and Large Area modes, and Cyber Lights and Zeon blocks can be placed on FramedBlocks.^[13]
• 0.2.0: added the Zeon Full Glow set (16 colors, 8 variants each), the CTM Toggle Tool and new Ambercore variants. Tool recipe ingredients changed from ingots to blocks, and block explosion resistance was fixed.^[14]
• 0.1.9: retextured Tank with new explosion-resistant variants, added Flat Number Decals 0 to 9 in 16 colors and Lair Pillar blocks, and tweaked tooltips, blast resistance and destroy time.^[15]