The Wild Update, introduced in Minecraft version 1.19, brought a host of new features, particularly focusing on the eerie deep dark biome. This underground realm is not only unsettling but also holds many rewards for players brave enough to explore its depths.
One of the main threats in the Deep Dark is the Warden, a powerful entity that protects this biome and its hidden treasures. The Warden is unlike anything seen in Minecraft before, presenting a significant challenge for anyone foolish enough to confront it. Fortunately, this guide provides insights into how the Warden operates, giving players a better chance at survival against this blind giant.
What Is the Warden?
The Warden is a hostile mob exclusive to the Deep Dark. With an astonishing 250 hearts of health, its resilience is notable. It is equally dangerous, dealing up to 22.5 hearts of damage with its melee attacks if you’re playing on hard mode.
Special Attacks
In addition to its melee capability, the Warden can unleash a powerful sonic boom attack that can inflict severe damage.
The Warden’s most significant disadvantage is that it is blind, relying instead on its acute senses of smell and hearing. It is particularly sensitive to vibrations, allowing it to track players based on noise. Its ability to detect these vibrations enhances the chances of it locking onto a player’s scent.
Where Does the Warden Spawn?
Typically, the Warden spawns in the Deep Dark biome, but only in the presence of Shriekers. It’s essential to note that simply entering the Deep Dark does not guarantee a Warden’s appearance. Only natural Shriekers found within this biome can trigger its spawning. Placing Shriekers in other biomes won’t summon a Warden.
How Does the Warden Spawn?
Unlike standard mobs that appear due to low light levels, the Warden’s spawning is linked to Sculk Shriekers. These blocks react to vibrations produced by player actions, such as walking or placing blocks.
How Do Shriekers Work?
Sculk Shriekers activate upon detecting vibrations. They can either pick up vibrations directly or receive them through Sculk Sensors. It’s crucial to stay vigilant; even in the absence of a visible Shrieker, nearby Sensors can still alert the Warden.
The Shriekers emit a terrifying scream when activated, which inflicts a "darkness" effect on nearby players, momentarily blinding them. The most menacing aspect of Shriekers is their ability to summon the Warden.
How Do Shriekers Summon the Warden?
The mechanics of Warden summoning involve a count of activated Shriekers. Players can activate three Shriekers without any consequences, but activating a fourth one triggers the Warden. This counter is consistent regardless of which Shriekers are activated, meaning it’s cumulative across all Shriekers.
Furthermore, the count for activating Shriekers is player-specific. If you’ve already activated three, your friend can safely trigger a Shriek without repercussions.
Each further activation after reaching four might summon the Warden, provided the conditions are right:
- No other Warden within 48 blocks.
- A light level below 11.
The Warden’s Rage Meter
Initially, when the Warden is summoned, it exists in a calm state without knowledge of nearby players. However, activating vibrations changes its state.
Calm State
When first summoned, the Warden’s default behavior involves random wandering around. Despite its calmness, it can impose a passive effect that causes darkness for those nearby.
Anger Management
As the Warden begins to hear vibrations, it can sense activity within a 16-block radius. Every action generates vibrations that add to a hidden anger meter toward nearby players.
Every vibration generates 35 points on this meter, while projectiles contribute only 10 points. Upon reaching 80 points, the Warden enters its enraged state, roaring and pursuing its target relentlessly.
What Are the Warden’s Attacks?
The Warden has a couple of potent attacks that can wreak havoc on players:
- Normal Melee Attack: Executes every 0.9 seconds, dealing between 8 and 22.5 hearts of damage.
- Sonic Boom Attack: A sound-based projectile with a 20-block range that goes through walls, inflicting 7.5 hearts of damage, bypassing any armor.
Notably, the Warden is immune to knockback and unaffected by fire or lava.
Tips to Avoid the Warden
To steer clear of a confrontation with the Warden, follow these strategies:
Sneak Around
To prevent summoning the Warden, try to sneak rather than run. Surrounding Sculk Sensors with wool can muffle vibrations.
Distract the Warden
Throwing snowballs or other objects creates noise and can divert the Warden’s attention long enough for you to escape.
Have an Escape Route
Building up can help distance yourself from the Warden since it can’t follow vertically. However, you should have a clear escape path in mind because you might lose visibility.
A crucial key is that if the Warden remains calm for 60 seconds, it will return underground and despawn. So, escaping detection and letting it go back to its lair could be your safest bet.
Can You Kill the Warden?
The simple answer is yes, but it’s a challenging quest. If you wish to confront the Warden, consider bringing:
- Potion of Night Vision
- High-quality Food
- Enchanted Netherite Armor
- Wool
- Blocks for quick escapes
- Torches
- Snowballs
- Ranged Weapons Like Bows
In multiplayer scenarios, coordinating with others can significantly enhance your chances. For reference, the Warden boasts an astounding 500 HP, surpassing even the Ender Dragon.
A fun twist is to name a Warden to prevent it from despawning and use various means to move it to your base, although this requires considerable care!
