Getting an Upgrade
Construct a better Pickaxe
Overview
Getting an Upgrade is a task advancement in the Minecraft tab of Minecraft's advancement system, carrying the in-game description "Construct a better Pickaxe." It branches directly off Stone Age, so that earlier advancement is its prerequisite and must be earned first. The Minecraft tab covers the main story progression tree. Getting an Upgrade was added in Minecraft 1.12 and remains part of the current 1.21 advancement set.
It is rated Easy difficulty on this site: can be completed quickly with minimal resources. Good for beginners. It uses the standard task frame, meaning it is a normal step in the tree rather than a goal or challenge milestone. One further advancement, Acquire Hardware, is gated behind it.
In tree terms, Getting an Upgrade sits second along its line: the full path from the Minecraft root reads Minecraft -> Stone Age -> Getting an Upgrade. That means 2 advancements must be completed before this one becomes available, and Getting an Upgrade is one of 14 total advancements in the Minecraft tab. No other advancement shares its parent, so it is the only thing that branches from Stone Age.
How to Complete Getting an Upgrade
Earning Getting an Upgrade comes down to the following, performed in order:
- Craft a stone pickaxe using 3 cobblestone and 2 sticks on a crafting table.
- This allows you to mine iron ore and other harder blocks.
Tips & Fastest Route
Tips & Fastest Route- Fastest route: Place 3 cobblestone across the top row of a crafting table with 2 sticks below to make a stone pickaxe.
- The stone pickaxe is the cheapest tool that can mine iron ore, so make it before you go ore-hunting.
- Make sure Stone Age is already ticked off before you start, otherwise Getting an Upgrade will not be tracked even if you perform the steps correctly.
- This is one of the more approachable Minecraft advancements, so it is a good early target while you build toward the harder entries deeper in the branch.
Common Mistakes
Common Mistakes- Remember that Getting an Upgrade will not appear as available until Stone Age is done, since the game only tracks an advancement once its parent has been unlocked.
Reward & What It Unlocks
Reward & What It UnlocksCompleting Getting an Upgrade grants 10 experience points. The XP drops at your position the moment the advancement fires.
Earning it unlocks Acquire Hardware, which becomes the next step along this branch of the tree.
Details
- Advancement ID
minecraft:story/upgrade_tools- Icon Item
- Stone Pickaxe
- Category
- Minecraft
- Difficulty
- Easy
- XP Reward
- 10 XP
- Version Added
- 1.12
Advancement ID
Category
Version Added
Getting an Upgrade Advancement FAQ
How do you get the Getting an Upgrade advancement in Minecraft?
Place 3 cobblestone across the top row of a crafting table with 2 sticks below to make a stone pickaxe. In full, craft a stone pickaxe using 3 cobblestone and 2 sticks on a crafting table. This allows you to mine iron ore and other harder blocks.
What do you need for Getting an Upgrade?
Before you can work on it you must have completed Stone Age. Craft a stone pickaxe using 3 cobblestone and 2 sticks on a crafting table. This allows you to mine iron ore and other harder blocks.
Which advancement tab is Getting an Upgrade in?
Getting an Upgrade is in the Minecraft tab, hanging beneath Stone Age. Its in-game advancement ID is minecraft:story/upgrade_tools.
Is Getting an Upgrade part of the Stone Age branch?
Yes. Getting an Upgrade sits directly below Stone Age in the Minecraft tree, so you must earn Stone Age first. Completing Getting an Upgrade then opens Acquire Hardware.
How much XP does Getting an Upgrade give and how hard is it?
Getting an Upgrade awards 10 XP and is rated Easy difficulty.