Understanding Pace and Split Times

What Are Splits?

Splits divide a speedrun into timed segments corresponding to major milestones. Each split marks the completion of a phase: entering the Nether, completing the bastion, getting blaze rods, entering the stronghold, and killing the dragon. Split times let you evaluate how each segment of your run compares to your target pace.

SpeedRunIGT tracks splits automatically if configured. You can also use external timer software like LiveSplit (though the in-game timer is preferred for Minecraft).

Standard Split Points

The community-standard splits for Any% RSG are:

• Nether Entry: Time from world creation to stepping into the nether portal. Target for intermediate runners: 2:00 to 3:00.
• First Structure: Time to reach the first Nether structure (bastion or fortress). Target: 3:00 to 5:00.
• Second Structure: Time to complete both bastion and fortress (pearls and rods collected). Target: 5:00 to 7:00.
• Nether Exit: Time to build the exit portal and return to the Overworld. Target: 6:00 to 8:00.
• Stronghold: Time to locate and enter the stronghold. Target: 7:00 to 9:00.
• End Entry: Time to fill the portal and enter The End. Target: 7:30 to 9:30.
• Finish: Total time when credits begin. Target varies by skill level.

These targets are for intermediate to advanced runners. Adjust them based on your current skill level and personal best.

Reading Your Pace

During a run, your split times tell you whether you are ahead of or behind your target pace. Reading pace correctly is critical for making good reset decisions.

Ahead of pace: If your Nether entry is at 1:30 instead of your target 2:30, you are 1 minute ahead. This buffer means you can absorb some bad luck later (slow bartering, missing blaze rods) and still finish with a good time.

On pace: Your splits match your targets within a few seconds. Continue executing without changing strategy.

Behind pace: If your Nether entry is at 4:00 against a 2:30 target, you are 1:30 behind. At this point, evaluate whether catching up is realistic. Can you make up 1:30 in the remaining splits? If not, resetting saves time in the long run.

Cumulative vs. Segment Splits

There are two ways to view splits:

Cumulative time shows the total time at each split point (e.g., Nether Entry at 2:30, First Structure at 4:00, Second Structure at 6:30). This tells you your overall pace.

Segment time shows the time spent in each individual segment (e.g., Overworld: 2:30, Nether Travel: 1:30, Bastion+Fortress: 2:30). This tells you which segments are fast or slow compared to your typical performance.

Both views are useful. Cumulative time helps with reset decisions during runs. Segment time helps identify weak areas during post-run review.

Reset Decision Framework

Knowing when to reset is one of the most impactful skills in speedrunning. A structured framework helps you make consistent decisions instead of emotional ones:

1. Spawn assessment (0:00 to 0:10): If no useful structures or resources are visible, reset immediately. Do not waste time exploring a bad spawn.
2. Overworld checkpoint (1:30): If you do not have portal materials by 1:30, the overworld split is likely too slow. Reset unless you have a great lead from other factors.
3. Nether structure checkpoint (4:00): If you have not found a bastion or fortress by 4:00 cumulative, the run is behind pace. Reset in most cases.
4. Bastion pearl check (6:00): If you do not have 12 pearls by 6:00 cumulative, the bartering is too slow. Reset unless you are ahead in other splits.
5. Post-fortress (8:00): If you exit the Nether after 8:00 cumulative, you need an exceptionally fast stronghold and dragon fight to achieve a competitive time.

Adjust these checkpoints based on your target time. A runner aiming for sub-30 has much more lenient checkpoints than a runner aiming for sub-12.

Using Splits for Improvement

After accumulating 20+ completed runs, analyze your split data to find patterns:

• Which split has the highest variance? High variance means inconsistency, which can be reduced through targeted practice.
• Which split is farthest from your target? This is where the most time can be gained.
• Are there correlations between splits? For example, a fast overworld often leads to a fast overall time, while a fast Nether structure find is the strongest predictor of a good run.

Focus your practice on the split with the largest gap between your average and your target. Improving your weakest split by 30 seconds has more impact than improving your strongest split by 10 seconds.

Setting Split Targets

When setting targets, use your personal data rather than world record splits. Take your average split times from your last 10 completed runs and set targets 10% to 15% faster. This is an achievable improvement that compounds across all splits.

For example, if your average splits are:

• Overworld: 3:00 (target: 2:30)
• Nether structures: 3:30 (target: 3:00)
• Stronghold: 2:00 (target: 1:45)
• Dragon fight: 1:30 (target: 1:15)

These modest improvements add up to a total time save of 1:30, which can mean the difference between a 15-minute run and a 13:30 run. Set new targets once you consistently hit the current ones.

Race Pacing

When racing against other runners (on MCSR Ranked or in events), pacing strategy changes. You no longer optimize for your best possible time; instead, you optimize for finishing before your opponent.

In races, finishing is more important than speed. A completed 14-minute run beats a reset at 8 minutes. Adjust your reset criteria to be more lenient in race settings. Accept slightly worse RNG than you would in solo runs because the cost of resetting (your opponent gains free time) outweighs the cost of a slower split.

Watch your opponent's progress if visible. If they are ahead, take calculated risks to catch up (skip food, use fewer beds for dragon). If you are ahead, play safe and avoid deaths.