ItemBound

Collect unique items to expand the world border.

ItemBound is a vanilla Minecraft datapack challenge where every new unique Survival obtainable item expands the world border. You begin trapped inside a small 10×10 area and have to use the resources available to you to collect new items, unlock more terrain, reach new biomes, and eventually explore the rest of the world.

ItemBound is designed for both singleplayer and cooperative multiplayer and supports Minecraft versions from 1.19.4 through 26.3 with version specific item lists.

How It Works

The world begins with a 10×10 border centered around the first player.

Every unique item collected for the first time expands the border by 1 block in every direction.

For example:

• Collect Oak Log for the first time and the border expands.
• Craft Oak Planks for the first time and the border expands again.
• Pick up another Oak Log later and nothing happens because Oak Log has already been collected.

Only Survival obtainable items count. Technical items, spawn eggs, command blocks, barriers, and other unobtainable items are excluded.

Each Minecraft version has its own item list, so newer items are only counted in versions where they are actually available.

For example, the 1.21.11 version tracks 1,384 unique items while the 26.3 version tracks 1,536.

Multiplayer

ItemBound uses one shared collection for the entire world.

All players contribute to the same counter and border.

If one player collects an Oak Log, Oak Log is permanently marked as collected for everyone. Another player cannot collect another Oak Log to earn a second expansion.

This makes ItemBound work especially well as a cooperative challenge where everyone can split up and search for different resources.

The progress bossbar is also shared between all players.

ItemBound includes additional recovery checks for multiplayer and reloads. If a player's item detection becomes out of sync, the datapack checks their inventory and restores any valid missing progress without allowing an item to count twice.

Starting Border

ItemBound begins at 10×10.

The original 1×1 style challenge can make some randomly generated worlds effectively impossible before you have a chance to collect anything useful. A 10×10 starting area gives you enough room to interact with the world while still making the first few items important.

Each unique item adds 2 blocks to the total border diameter, which means the border moves 1 block farther outward on every side.

Singleplayer Setup

New World

1. Download the ItemBound file for the exact Minecraft version you are playing.
2. Open Minecraft.
3. Select Singleplayer.
4. Select Create New World.
5. Open the Data Packs menu.
6. Add the ItemBound ZIP.
7. Make sure ItemBound is enabled.
8. Create the world normally with any seed you want.
9. Enter the world.

ItemBound automatically starts around the first active player.

You do not need a premade map.

Because ItemBound is a datapack, you can create a completely new world and use a different seed every time you play.

Existing World

1. Close the world.
2. Open the world's save folder.
3. Open the datapacks folder.
4. Place the correct ItemBound ZIP inside.
5. Reopen the world.
6. Run /reload if necessary.

For the intended challenge experience, using a new world is recommended.

Server Setup

ItemBound does not require a server plugin.

1. Stop the server.
2. Make sure the server is running the Minecraft version matching the ItemBound download.
3. Open the main world folder.
4. Open its datapacks folder.
5. Place the ItemBound ZIP inside.
6. Start the server.
7. Join the world.

The challenge automatically begins around the first active player.

Everyone who joins afterward uses the same border and the same collected item counter.

You do not need to install ItemBound on each player's client.

For a completely new challenge, generate a new server world with any seed and install ItemBound before players begin playing.

Commands

ItemBound normally does not require commands after installation.

To check the current shared progress:

/function itembound:status

To completely reset ItemBound's collected item progress:

/function itembound:reset

After resetting, the challenge will begin again around the next active player.

Operator permissions or cheats are required to manually use these functions.

Version Support

ItemBound provides separate datapacks for Minecraft versions beginning with 1.19.4 and continuing through 26.3.

Use the datapack made for your exact Minecraft version.

This is important because Minecraft's available item registry, datapack format, commands, and Survival obtainable item pool have changed considerably between these versions.

ItemBound vs BorderHoarder

ItemBound was inspired by the collect items to expand the border style of challenge popularized by BorderHoarder. ItemBound is a separate project and is not affiliated with BorderHoarder or its creator.

Advantages of ItemBound

Much wider version support

ItemBound has version specific releases ranging from 1.19.4 through 26.3, including support for modern items added long after the original BorderHoarder versions.

No server plugin required

ItemBound is a vanilla datapack. It can be used in singleplayer, vanilla multiplayer, and compatible servers without requiring Bukkit or a plugin loader.

Fresh worlds and seeds

ItemBound is not tied to a premade challenge map. Create a normal Minecraft world with whatever seed you want and add the datapack.

Shared cooperative progression

Every player contributes to one global collection. An item can only expand the border once regardless of which player obtains it.

10×10 starting area

The larger starting border makes randomly generated seeds substantially more practical while keeping the core restricted world challenge intact.

Modern item support

ItemBound includes version specific item pools for new blocks, materials, equipment, plants, decorative items, and other Survival obtainable content in newer Minecraft releases.

Automatic recovery checks

ItemBound includes additional checks designed to prevent an item's advancement detector from becoming permanently out of sync with the shared collection.

Advantages of BorderHoarder

More plugin specific commands

BorderHoarder provides dedicated commands for viewing collected items, viewing missing items, and checking whether a particular item has already been collected.

ItemBound currently focuses on the challenge itself and its shared progress counter rather than providing the same command interface.

Competitive player tracking

BorderHoarder includes a competitive mode where individual player collection totals can be compared.

ItemBound is designed primarily around cooperative shared progression. It intentionally treats an item as belonging to the entire world once anyone finds it.

More control through a server plugin

A dedicated Bukkit plugin can integrate more deeply with server systems than a vanilla datapack can.

ItemBound chooses broader vanilla compatibility and easy installation instead.

Which One Should I Use?

Use ItemBound if you want:

• A vanilla datapack
• Singleplayer support
• Fresh random seeds
• Modern Minecraft version support
• Cooperative shared progression
• No required server plugin
• A more forgiving 10×10 starting area