Fastest way to clear out a large area down to bedrock?

I'm thinking of building a large mobfarm (standard spawn on pressure plates, piston pushes the mob off, dies from fall damage and a waterflow collects the drops).

However, to maximize efficiency I want to build it at bedrock-level (due to lc values), meaning I need to clear out the area that I plan to build this on. Since mobs spawn within 128 blocks, this means I'll need to clear out a 128-radius circle from the collection point, which is a good few million blocks.

I realize the simplist option is to build it in the sky, but due to minecraft's lc value mechanics, the spawn rate will go down significantly and I want it to be as efficient as possible. I've tested with JL2579's mob farm design at bedrock compared to y=180, and the bedrock farm spawned about 2-3x faster.

I don't have any TNT right now (obtaining TNT being the purpose of making a mobfarm), so mining it all out by hand would probably take several weeks. Is there a good mining strategy to clear out large areas, or any better options? It's an SMP server, so no MCedit or world editing. Thanks!

The best would be to build it in stages.

• You start in one corner of the future, large spawner to make a small spawner only to craft TNT.
• Then you make a tunnel around the planned perimeter of the spawner while the spawner is producing.
• Then you use that TNT to start mining blocks on the opposite end of the spawner area and work your way back to the place you started.
• While your small spawner is producing TNT, you can work on the details of the spawner in the TNT mined areas.

In the end you will have the mob spawner of the size you need.

If you are stubborn on having it at bedrock and digging out that area I suggest you collect a few diamonds, make an enchantment table and/or anvil and try to make a Efficiency IV & Unbreaking III pickaxe. This will be the quickest way of clearing out huge areas of stone.

However, in my opinion your best choice is to build it in the sky, check out MonkeyFarm's mob spawners (YouTube Playlist). His are really good and don't require digging for days.

What ever you do don't use TNT, TNT against stone only breaks a small area. Unless you have lots of gun powder, and I mean thousands of pieces (which you realistically need a HUGE mob spawner), you can't clear that sort of area with it.

No there's no efficient way to detroy it all without TNT. You'll have to mine every block.

If you have a lot of gold I suggest you to use it to make tools, since they are faster at mining and have more chance of getting good enchantment but has less durability.

Also, I'd suggest you to call some friends because it's going to be a pretty long ride.