Region Variants

Biome Variants are a feature of the mod that enable greater variation in biome generation without the need to create many similar variations of each base biome. They are generated as a second layer over the biomes themselves, and can alter terrain features of that biome, most notably height, hilliness, tree coverage, tree types, and grass coverage.

The types of biome variants that can generate in a biome are defined for each biome in the code. Normal biomes get the generic biome variants and combinations of the oak forest/spruce forest variants, Oak wood type biomes do not have spruce-including variants, Spruce wood type biomes do not have oak variants, forest biomes have clearings and hills, and swamps are different all together. Variants cannot mix or overlap; that is to say, there is only one layer of variants on top of the base biomes.

In Middle-earth, the current biome variant is shown in the F3 debug screen on the left-hand side along with other biome information.

A complete list of biome variants follows. Note that no biome has all of these, and some, such as Mordor, have none.

For biome variants that do not occur in a significant number of Middle-earth's biomes, a list of biomes is added to show where these can generate.

Standard variants
These variants appear in a wide range of different biomes.

Standard - The placeholder biome variant. Regions with this variant generate according to the biome's base properties.

Flowers - A version of the biome with an abundance of flowers. Relatively rare.

Forest - A more forested version of the biome. The trees which are generated are the same as those generated by the base biome. A plains-type biome that generates this variant will resemble a typical forest-type biome. A relatively common biome variant.

Light Forest - A variant that increases tree coverage, but not as much as the forest variant.

Steppe - A very flat version of the biome, with few trees.

Barren Steppe - A steppe, but with no trees. Structures may generate here more commonly due to the simple terrain and lack of trees. Offers very little cover from any hostile eyes.


 * Angmar
 * East Bight
 * Far Harad Bushland
 * Far Harad Savannah
 * Harondor
 * Harondor
 * Minhiriath
 * Near Harad Fertile
 * Near Harad
 * Nurn
 * Pertorogwaith
 * Tundra
 * The Wold

Hills - A hillier version of the biome, but not as hilly as the mountain variant. Does not alter the base height of the biome. One of the most common variants.

Forest Hills - A version of the hills variant that also increases tree coverage.

Mountain - A mountain that rises from the surrounding terrain. Most of these mountains have very few trees, steep sides, and a fairly flat summit. Sometimes a mountain variant can be quite large, creating an area of highlands with deep valleys.

Lake - A lake. Lakes can be many sizes, ranging from small ponds to huge lagoons. They may sometimes have small islands in. Lakes are usually rare, but the Far Harad Jungle biome generates small lakes very commonly.

River - Rivers are special biome variants that replace the vanilla generated river biomes. The mods rivers have a better fit in the biomes where they are generated.

Scrubland - Scrublands have little tree growth and are generally difficult to cross because of the many low growing scrubs that dominate the surface. Travel on a mount is advisable.


 * Andrast
 * Enedwaith
 * Eriador
 * Far Harad Savannah
 * Harondor
 * Harondor
 * Ithilien
 * Ithilien
 * Lone-lands
 * Near Harad Fertile
 * Pertorogwaith
 * Drúwaith Iaur
 * Rhûn
 * Wilderland

Scrubland Hills - The scrubland hills are a hilly type of scrubland.


 * Andrast
 * Enedwaith
 * Eriador
 * Far Harad Savannah
 * Harondor
 * Harondor
 * Lone-lands
 * Near Harad Fertile
 * Pertorogwaith
 * Drúwaith Iaur
 * Rhûn

Wasteland - Unlike steppe, wasteland can vonsist of rolling fields and hilly terrain. The soil however, is generally rather poor and vegetation sparse. Wasteland can occur in the following biomes:


 * Andrast
 * Enedwaith
 * Eriador
 * Far Harad Savannah
 * Harondor
 * Harondor
 * Lone-lands
 * Pertorogwaith
 * Drúwaith Iaur
 * Wilderland

Forested variants
These variants add new tree types in addition to changing the biome's properties.

In many cases the forest floors are a patchwork of grassy meadows, and barren dirt.

Dense Oak Forest - A forest of densely clustered trees. This variant greatly increases the tree coverage of the biome and also adds a new tree type: large oak trees similar to those found in Lothlórien and Fangorn but not quite as large.

Dense Birch Forest - A dense forest with large birch trees.

Dense Spruce Forest - A dense forest with large spruce trees.

Dense Oak/Spruce Forest - A dense forest with both large oak and large spruce trees.

Dense Lebethron Forest  - A dense forest with large Lebethron trees.

Dead Oak Forest - A version of the biome with increased tree coverage and added dead oak trees.

Dead Spruce Forest  - A dead forest with dead spruce trees.

Dead Oak/Spruce Forest - A dead forest with both dead oak and spruce trees.

Oak Shrubland - A version of the biome with many short shrubs on the ground.

Aspen Forest - A forest dominated with Aspen trees.


 * Anduin Hills
 * Anduin Vales
 * Blue Mountains
 * Breeland
 * Enedwaith
 * Eregion
 * Eriador
 * Grey Mountains
 * Lindon
 * Lone-lands
 * Misty Mountains
 * Rhûn
 * Shire
 * Wilderland
 * Woodland Realm

Birch Forest - A forest dominated with Birch trees.


 * Anduin Hills
 * Anduin Vales
 * Blackroot Vale
 * Blue Mountains
 * Breeland
 * Dor-en-Ernil
 * Dorwinion
 * Enedwaith
 * Eregion
 * Eriador
 * Gondor
 * Ithilien
 * Lamedon
 * Lebennin
 * Lindon
 * Lone-lands
 * Lossarnach
 * Pinnath Gelin
 * Red Mountains
 * Rhûn
 * Rohan
 * Shire
 * White Mountains
 * Wilderland
 * Woodland Realm

Beech Forest - A forest dominated with Beech trees.


 * Anduin Hills
 * Anduin Vales
 * Blue Mountains
 * Breeland
 * Dor-en-Ernil
 * Dorwinion
 * Enedwaith
 * Eriador
 * Gondor
 * Ithilien
 * Lebennin
 * Lindon
 * Lone-lands
 * Lossarnach
 * Red Mountains
 * Rhûn
 * Rohan
 * White Mountains
 * Wilderland
 * Woodland Realm

Maple Forest - A forest dominated with Maple trees.


 * Breeland
 * Dale
 * Eriador
 * Grey Mountains
 * Lone-lands
 * Lossarnach
 * Red Mountains
 * Rhûn
 * Wilderland

Larch Forest - A forest dominated with Larch trees.


 * Anduin Hills
 * Anduin Vales
 * Blackroot Vale
 * Blue Mountains
 * Dale
 * Dunland
 * Enedwaith
 * Eregion
 * Grey Mountains
 * Lamedon
 * Lone-lands
 * Misty Mountains
 * Red Mountains
 * White Mountains
 * Woodland Realm

Pine Forest - A forest dominated with Pine trees.


 * Anduin Hills
 * Angmar
 * Blue Mountains
 * Dale
 * Dunland
 * Enedwaith
 * Ettenmoors
 * Grey Mountains
 * Lone-lands
 * Misty Mountains
 * Red Mountains
 * Rhûn
 * Taiga
 * Wilderland
 * Northern Wilderland
 * Woodland Realm

Orchard variants
These relatively small biomes represent the cultivated fruit orchards of Middle-Earth. The following varaints are defined:

Shire Orchard - An orchard type exclusive for the Shire, containing Apple, Pear and Cherry trees.

Apple-Pear Orchard - An orchard containing Apple and Pear trees.


 * Blackroot Vale
 * Breeland
 * Dale
 * Dor-en-Ernil
 * Dorwinion
 * Gondor
 * Ithilien
 * Lamedon
 * Lebennin
 * Lindon
 * Lossarnach
 * Pinnath Gelin
 * Rohan

Orange Orchard - An orchard containing Orange trees.


 * Dor-en-Ernil
 * Near Harad Fertile
 * Umbar

Lemon Orchard - An orchard containing Lemon trees.


 * Dor-en-Ernil
 * Near Harad Fertile
 * Umbar

Lime Orchard - An orchard containing Lime trees.


 * Dor-en-Ernil
 * Near Harad Fertile
 * Umbar

Almond Orchard - An orchard containing Almond trees.


 * Dor-en-Ernil
 * Dorwinion
 * Near Harad Fertile
 * Pelargir
 * Umbar

Olive Orchard - An orchard containing Olive trees.


 * Dor-en-Ernil
 * Dorwinion
 * Ithilien
 * Lossarnach
 * Near Harad Fertile
 * Pelargir
 * Umbar

Plum Orchard - An orchard containing Plum trees.

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 * Blackroot Vale
 * Dale
 * Dor-en-Ernil
 * Dorwinion
 * Gondor
 * Ithilien
 * Lamedon
 * Lossarnach
 * Near Harad Fertile
 * Pinnath Gelin
 * Shire
 * Umbar

Date Palm Orchard - An orchard containing Date Palm trees. This orchard type is exclusive for Near Harad Fertile.

Exclusive variants
These biome variants are only found in specific biomes or specific types of biomes.

Forest Clearing - A clearing in the surrounding forest. Only found in forest biomes.

Swamp Upland - A version of the the biome with fewer pools, higher land generation, and many more trees. Only found in swamp biomes.

Swamp Lowland - A variant of the the biome that is flat and watery, like a vast pool choked with bits of land and quagmire. Only found in swamp biomes.

Baobab Savannah - A variant of the Far Harad Savannah with a light forest of Baobab trees.

Red Boulders  - A variant of the Near Harad Desert with boulders made of red sandstone.

Rohan Boulders - A variant of Rohan with boulders of Rohan rock.

Dense Jungle - A variant of the Far Harad Jungle with enormous Jungle and Mahogany trees, much larger than those found in other 'dense' variants, in addition to increased tree coverage.

Vineyard - A variant found exclusively in Dorwinion. This is one of the two places where Grapevines grow and the only place where Vinekeepers and Vinehands can be found.

As mentioned above, both the Shire and Near Harad Fertile are home to an exclusive orchard variant.

Other notable features
The terrain generation for the mod's biomes differs in many respects from that of Vanilla Minecraft. Here are a few notable features that may strike the eye when you're travelling Middle-Earth:


 * The soil has patches of barren dirt, and . The variety of which is dependent on the biome variant.


 * Forested biomes and biome variants have fallen leaves on the ground to give the impression of leaf litter.


 * The occurrence of clay deposits is more randomised and less clustered (as it is in Vanilla MC).


 * Vegetation is much richer. Some biomes and variants have special, or even unique flowers and, while many biomes and their variants share a large number of types of common vegetation.


 * Many trees and tree variants are added in comparison to Vanilla MC. Some are widespread, some are unique to specific biomes.


 * The wildlife is equally enriched. Some biomes have unique wildlife, while many have a lot of very common animals such as birds and butterflies.


 * Apart from the numerous structures created as faction or biome specific builds, there are also a number of structures that generate randomly in a great number of biomes, independent of the biome variants. These are: orc dungeons, stone ruins and, as of, a fair number of various smaller stone ruins.


 * Quite a few biomes have unique rock types, like Rohan and the Red Mountains giving these biomes a unique look and feel.


 * The mod also uses customised code to spawn caves and ravines. You will certainly notice this as travelling greater distances. Lava lakes are generally not present on higher altitudes, except in a few biomes, like Mordor and the Far Harad Volcano biome.


 * Finally, the terrain generation is far more realistic, and more suitable for a Middle-Earth themed mod, than that of Vanilla Minecraft.