Mining is slower this season, and that's by design. A fresh, unenchanted pickaxe now takes noticeably longer to break each block — the base break time was raised to 2000ms per block (up from 1500ms). Insta-mining isn't the default anymore; it's something you build toward by stacking speed sources.
How break time is calculated
Your actual break time is the base time divided by your stacked speed multipliers. Each source you add divides the timer down a little further:
- Tool tier — better pickaxe materials mine faster.
- Efficiency — the classic pickaxe enchant.
- Momentum — speed that ramps the longer you keep mining.
- Pickaxe-prestige Mining Speed — the Mining Speed stat from Pickaxe Prestige.
- Hermes' Pace — the mining-speed armour enchant.
Stack enough of these and you close the gap back toward insta-mine. None of them alone gets you there from a base 2000ms block — that's the point.
Mining above your tier
The ore you're swinging at matters as much as your speed. Pickaxes are built to break a normal range of ore tiers:
- One tier up — minable, but slower. Reaching one tier above your pickaxe's range applies a tier-up slow.
- Far above your tier — a heavy slow penalty kicks in rather than the swing failing outright. Ores well beyond your range are effectively unmineable until you upgrade.
So if mining suddenly feels like wading through treacle, check whether you've wandered into ore your pickaxe and gear aren't ready for — that's the above-tier penalty, not a bug.
The takeaway
Base mining is a starting line, not a finished tool. Lean on enchants, prestige stats, and armour to earn your speed back — see Mining for how the whole loop fits together.
Version history
v2.0.0
- Base mining is now slower across the board — a fresh, unenchanted pickaxe takes noticeably longer per block, so Efficiency, Momentum, Prismatic Efficiency and the new Hermes' Pace armour enchant matter again.