Advanced Automation and Magical Devices in Botania
This guide covers advanced automation techniques and useful magical devices available in Botania.
Mana Pylon
A Mana Pylon draws natural energy from the earth to power enchanting processes. Placing a Mana Pylon next to an Enchanting Table, similar to how a bookshelf is positioned, significantly boosts the table's power. Two pylons are sufficient to allow an Enchanting Table to reach Level 30.
Botanical Brewery
The Botanical Brewery allows for the creation of Brews, which are variations of Potions. Brews use Mana as a base and are crafted with specific ingredients. Unlike standard Potions, Brews have fixed recipes that require multiple reagents, and each brewed vial provides multiple doses.
To create a Brew, you need a Botanical Brewery, Vials, Mana, and the necessary reagents. Mana acts as both the solvent and energy source, drawn from Mana Bursts. Simply direct a 
Mana Spreader towards the Botanical Brewery to supply Mana.
Using the Botanical Brewery
Working with a Botanical Brewery is straightforward:
- Add a Vial to the brewery by right-clicking or dropping it.
- Add all required ingredients in the same way.
- Once all reagents are present, allow a few moments for the brewery to absorb the necessary Mana. The finished Brew will then automatically drop into your inventory.
Partially empty Vials containing the same Brew can be combined in a crafting grid to top them up.
Brew Examples
The Botanical Brewery offers 20 different brew recipes. Some examples of ingredient combinations include:
- Nether Wart + Golden Apple + Potato
- Nether Wart + Raw Cod + Nether Quartz + Golden Carrot
- Nether Wart + Fermented Spider Eye + Lapis Lazuli + Fire Charge + Iron Ingot
- Nether Wart + Nether Quartz + Emerald + Melon Slice
- Nether Wart + Gunpowder + Rotten Flesh + Bone + String + Ender Pearl
- Nether Wart + Feather + Leather + White Wool
- Nether Wart + Magma Cream + Netherrack
- Nether Wart + Sugar + Gold Nugget
- Nether Wart + Glistering Melon Slice + Potato
- Nether Wart + Snowball + Glowstone Dust
- Nether Wart + Feather + Carrot
- Nether Wart + Spider Eye + Golden Carrot
- Nether Wart + Blaze Powder + Sugar + Glowstone Dust + Manasteel Ingot + Spider Eye
- Nether Wart + Ghast Tear + Glowstone Dust
- Nether Wart + Iron Ingot + Leather
- Nether Wart + Soul Sand + Paper + Apple + Bone
- Nether Wart + Sugar + Redstone Dust
- Nether Wart + Blaze Powder + Glowstone Dust
- Nether Wart + Prismarine Crystals + Glowstone Dust
- Nether Wart + Ghast Tear + Redstone Dust
Certain brews mimic existing potions, such as one that provides a Speed II effect, another that grants Strength II, and one that gives Haste II.
Mana Enchanter
The Mana Enchanter is a structure that uses the magical power from Mana Pylons to apply enchantments from books without consuming the books. Constructing a Mana Enchanter requires significant space and materials.
Mana Enchanter Construction
The Mana Enchanter occupies an area approximately 11x7 blocks. Its construction requires:
- 17 Obsidian blocks
- 10 Mystical Flowers (any color, or their Glimmering or Floating variants)
- 6 Mana Pylons
- 1 Lapis Lazuli Block
After construction, right-click the central Lapis Lazuli Block with a 
Wand of the Forest to activate the enchanter.
Using the Mana Enchanter
- Place the item to be enchanted into the enchanter by right-clicking it. Items that are already enchanted cannot be placed in the enchanter.
- Drop Enchanted Books containing the desired enchantments within the obsidian circle.
- To begin the enchantment process, right-click the enchanter with a Wand of the Forest.
- The enchanter will scan nearby books, and a spell circle will appear around its core once the scan is complete, indicating that the books can be safely retrieved. Only the first enchantment on a given book will be applied; multiple enchantments from a single book are not transferred.
- Mana is required during the enchantment process. It can be supplied via Mana Bursts or, more quickly, by placing a Spark over the enchanter's core.
- Once sufficient Mana is received, the enchantment process concludes, and the enchantments are applied to the item.
- The Mana cost varies based on the number of enchantments, their rarity, and their levels.
- The item being enchanted cannot be removed while the process is underway.
Hovering Hourglass
The Hovering Hourglass is a precise, sand-based timer that provides redstone pulses. It hovers and rotates automatically.
Using the Hovering Hourglass
- The hourglass can hold up to one stack of Sand, Red Sand, or Soul Sand, added by right-clicking. Right-clicking a filled hourglass removes its sand.
- Once sand is added, it begins to drain from one chamber to another.
- When the sand finishes draining, the hourglass emits a single redstone pulse and flips, restarting the timer.
- The time between pulses depends on the type and quantity of sand:
- One block of Sand takes one second.
- One block of Red Sand takes ten seconds.
- One block of Soul Sand takes one minute.
- Sand types cannot be mixed. The current time between pulses can be viewed by holding a Wand of the Forest over the hourglass.
- Sand cannot be added incrementally by hand; adjust the stack size in your inventory before adding it.
- Hoppers or similar mechanisms can adjust the sand within the hourglass.
- Right-clicking an hourglass with a Wand of the Forest locks or unlocks it, preventing accidental addition or removal of sand.
- A Mana Burst colliding with an hourglass will pause the timer. Another Mana Burst will resume it.
Mana Powder as a Counter
Mana Powder can be used instead of sand, transforming the hourglass into a counter. Instead of draining over time, the hourglass drops one unit of powder each time a Mana Burst collides with it. For example, ten pieces of powder will require ten Mana Bursts to emit a redstone pulse.
Open Crate
For situations where devices like Droppers or Dispensers lack precision or speed, an 
Open Crate offers a simple solution. This crate effectively has a hole in its bottom, allowing for item output.
Covers the mod's in-game guide topics: Mana Pylon Botanical Brewery botania:brew botania.entry.manaEnchanting Hovering Hourglass botania.entry.openCrate