The Nether has always felt like a barren wasteland of lava lakes with nothing lurking beneath the surface — until now. Nether Depths Upgrade Mod transforms those empty lava seas into a thriving underwater ecosystem complete with new fish species, submerged structures, unique biomes, and craftable gear that makes exploring the fiery depths actually worthwhile. Downloaded over 2.5 million times and actively maintained, this community favorite by scouter567 gives players a compelling reason to look below the lava line.
Key Features
- Lava Fishing System — Cast your rod into lava pools to catch nine unique Nether fish species, including Soul Suckers, Witherbonefish, and Lava Pufferfish, each with their own special properties and crafting uses.
- Potion of Lava Vision — Brew a Lava Pufferfish into a potion that clears lava fog entirely, giving you clear visibility while swimming through molten rock.
- Soul Sucker Boots — Craft these from Soul Sucker Leather to boost your movement speed on Soul Sand and Soul Soil, turning those annoying slowdown blocks into highways.
- Hell Strider Enchantment — Apply this to any boots to move faster while wading through lava, pairing perfectly with fire resistance potions for deep exploration.
- Lava Sponges — Discover these in small submerged structures and use them to absorb lava, similar to how regular sponges work with water. Place them in water to dry and reuse.
- New Biomes and Structures — Explore submerged structures and volcanic vents hidden beneath lava lakes that spawn valuable ores and rare loot.
Screenshots
How to Install
- Download and install your preferred mod loader (Forge, Fabric, NeoForge, or Quilt) for your Minecraft version.
- Install the required dependency GeckoLib — drop it into your mods folder. If using Fabric, also install Fabric API.
- Download Nether Depths Upgrade Mod for your Minecraft version and loader from the links below.
- Place the downloaded
.jarfile into your.minecraft/modsfolder. - Launch Minecraft with your mod loader profile and dive into the Nether.
Requirements
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Mod Loader | Forge, NeoForge, Fabric, Quilt |
| Dependencies | GeckoLib, Fabric API (Fabric only), Quilt Loader (Quilt only), NeoForge Installer (NeoForge only) |
| Minecraft Versions | 1.21.1, 1.21, 1.20.1, 1.20, 1.19.3, 1.19.2, 1.18.2, 1.16.5 |
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Adds meaningful content to an otherwise empty part of the Nether — lava lakes finally have a purpose
- Multi-loader support across Forge, NeoForge, Fabric, and Quilt with broad version coverage from 1.16.5 to 1.21.1
- New gear and enchantments reward exploration without feeling overpowered
- Open-source under MIT license with active development and over 2.5M downloads
- Lava fishing adds a fun new gameplay loop that integrates naturally with vanilla mechanics
Cons
- Requires GeckoLib as a dependency, adding an extra install step
- Loader support varies by version — older versions are Forge-only, NeoForge only available for 1.21+
- Submerged lava exploration requires fire resistance potions, which may be challenging for early-game players
Download
Always download mods from official sources to stay safe.
What's New
- Fixed an issue where the lava fishing rod was not functioning correctly.
- The mod continues to receive updates, with the latest release targeting Minecraft 1.21.1.
- Ongoing stability improvements across all supported mod loaders.
FAQ
Can you fish in lava with Nether Depths Upgrade?
Yes — the mod adds a full lava fishing system. You can cast a fishing rod into any lava pool in the Nether to catch nine unique fish species, each with different properties and crafting recipes.
Does Nether Depths Upgrade work with Fabric and Forge?
The mod supports Forge, NeoForge, Fabric, and Quilt, though loader availability depends on your Minecraft version. For 1.21.1, NeoForge and Fabric are supported. For 1.20.1, both Forge and Fabric are available.
What does the Potion of Lava Vision do?
Brewed using a Lava Pufferfish, the Potion of Lava Vision removes lava fog and gives you clear visibility while submerged in lava, making it much easier to explore the submerged structures and biomes the mod adds.
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