Enderman

An Enderman (plural Endermen) is a unique three-block-high humanoid neutral mob that densely populates The End, however, Endermen will spawn occasionally in the Overworld where there is a light level of 7 or less. Endermen will turn hostile when provoked. They are known for their spooky presentation and behavior, their unique abilities to pick up blocks and teleport, and their vulnerability to water. They are the only source for Ender Pearls, (other than Stronghold chests) which are both useful in their own right and (trading notwithstanding) needed to craft Eyes of Ender, which are necessary to reach the The End realm.

Endermen can be provoked via an attack, but also become hostile towards players who merely look at them (placing the crosshairs on them). Endermen's lower legs can safely be looked at, but placing the crosshairs any higher, from up to 64 blocks away, will be considered provocation. When provoked, Endermen stand still, stare at the player with trembling, gaping mouths, and emit a long, loud, unsettling noise.

Endermen frequently spawn in The End, their home world, but they still require a light level of seven or less in order to spawn. They will also spawn in the Overworld, although about 10 times more rarely in comparison to other mobs. They spawn in pairs, and can be seen regularly at night in groups of up to five. However, they will very often teleport away carelessly, so you will most likely see only one or two at a time.

Appearance
Endermen have long limbs, thin bodies, black skin, glowing purple eyes, and emit the signature purple Ender particle effect (like Ender Chests, Nether Portals and Eyes of Ender). They are often seen holding blocks. Enderman sometimes show their enormous jaw.

Behavior
Endermen always spawn in pairs, but sometimes pairs can mix and therefore appear to be a group, and likewise, one of the pair could teleport away, leaving a lone enderman. Endermen will take damage from coming in contact with water or rain. They can step up one full block without having to jump.

Endermen are neutral mobs that don't attack unless provoked, similar to Zombie Pigmen and Wolves. They have a unique ability to pick up certain block types and move them around, which they generally spend their time doing while neutral. Aside from attacking, if the player simply passes their crosshairs over the head or body (upper legs in SSP), Endermen will proceed to attack. This "staring" provocation can occur from a surprisingly long distance, so take caution when scanning an open area, like Plains or a Desert.

When provoked, Endermen will open their mouths and shake with rage (with the exception of Xbox 360 edition-Endermen). They will continue to shake even when the game is paused. If they are, staring at their torso will stop them from moving, and you can go up to them and attack, at which point they will teleport behind you. Provoking an Enderman will cause the player to hear a lengthy, threatening sound. This sound is not linked to the Enderman's current state; it will continue to play if the Enderman is pacified by water or sunlight, or even killed. Conversely, when the sound ends, it does not mean that the Enderman is pacified.

Endermen will continue chasing a player until they are either killed, sustain several hits, or become distracted by exterior elements like rain or sun; Endermen are likely to teleport away to underground locations at day break.

In Creative mode, looking at Endermen will not provoke them. Attacking them, on the other hand, will provoke them, regardless of game mode, that was until the 1.7.2 Update when attacking them in creative mode won't provoke them.

If an aggravated enderman is hit by, for example, a Skeleton or the Ender Dragon, the enderman will cease attacking the player.

Endermen can't see the player through transparent blocks such as glass/glass panes.

Teleportation
Endermen always attempt to teleport when attacked. Melee attacks are usually successful, but are followed by an immediate teleport, generally to a point a few blocks behind the attacking player. It is possible to hit Endermen with projectiles, but you have to be far enough away that your crosshairs are above them, not on them. Confirmed with bow with fire enchantment on Xbox 360 version. Endermen teleport when coming into contact with rain or water, and are pacified.

When teleporting, Endermen search for an air block within 32m (along each axis); if there is a solid block below that air block, they can teleport to it regardless of the downward distance. An Enderman can teleport onto nearly any solid block, exceptions being blocks directly beneath water or lava or blocks with less than 3 vertical spaces above.

An Enderman cannot teleport when it is in a minecart unless attacked or hit with rain, in which case it will teleport out of the minecart and then immediately teleport back (repeatedly until death, if rain continues long enough).

In Creative mode, if an Enderman gets stuck in a hole 3 blocks deep, and is aggressive, it will not be able to teleport out.

Endermen will not teleport in the day when it is on soul sand (of course it still will if it gets hurt!)

Endermen cannot be hurt by potions of harming, because they will teleport away before it hits the ground

Moving blocks
Endermen will only pick up and move certain blocks, regardless of whether they were natural or placed by the player. They will pick up blocks horizontally and vertically nearby, within a short reaching distance similar to the player's (3 layers).

Endermen will not drop the block they are holding when enraged or slain. It will simply disappear.

Endermen can only pick up the following blocks:

Endermen cannot pick up entities, such as boats, minecarts, primed TNT, and mobs.

Because Endermen possess the ability to move blocks, they can cause damage to the natural environment and in some cases player-built structures. They can also allow fenced animals to jump out by placing blocks adjacent to fences. Their block handling is not purposeful, but they may randomly breach walls and the like.

In the Overworld, signs of Enderman activity will become apparent in frequently loaded chunks in the form of misplaced blocks. In desert areas, Endermen may also propagate cacti by removing blocks and placing them on fresh sand, gradually increasing the population of cacti in frequently loaded deserts.

Endermen do not spawn in well-lit areas, but they may wander or teleport into lit areas from adjacent dark ones, particularly if rain or water causes them to teleport. It can be risky to stay awake at night, as an Enderman can teleport into your house. This is more apparent in large buildings, where rain may cause the building to be invaded by multiple Endermen seeking shelter. Therefore, lighting your structures with torches is not a guaranteed defense. However, they will not teleport into areas where they won't fit, so two-block high ceilings will keep them out.

Strategy
Endermen are considered one of the most dangerous mobs in the game to fight. While initially neutral, they are easily provoked. They have more health (40 hit points) than any mob short of an Iron Golem (which has 100), and cause deadly amounts of damage (half the players health from full health in hard/hardcore difficulty). On top of that, they use their teleportation in combat—they often teleport behind the player to attack, or teleport out of sight only to reappear later for a surprise attack.

That said, they do have a few weaknesses that can be exploited: They take damage from water and rain on top of most of the usual sources, sunlight can turn them neutral (as does water or fire damage), and their height lets the player retreat to, or attack them from, a 2 block high shelter. Also, while their block-moving ability can be annoying, they don't use it purposefully: If they breach your defenses, it's by accident, and you need to strengthen your defenses.

Avoiding attack
There are only three ways to provoke an Enderman:
 * Actually hit it, which is usually easy to avoid. Using potions against them, or pushing them off a cliff or into a trap, will not provoke them.
 * Set off TNT with a flint and steel or flame bow. Setting it off with Dispensers or Redstone power won't provoke them.
 * Look at its face/upper body with the crosshairs. Looking at them through transparent blocks such as glass or fences will not provoke them, so a windowed watchtower is safe. As well, a player wearing a pumpkin as a helmet can look at them safely, without provoking them. This can be very useful in The End.  However, once provoked, a pumpkin will not prevent them from attacking, nor will the pumpkin help as armor.

As Endermen are 3 blocks tall, the player can keep his or her house's interior 2-2.5 blocks tall to prevent Endermen from teleporting into it. Due partly to their size, Endermen are usually only encountered in relatively open spaces. Although they will still spawn, you're much more likely to see other mobs in cramped caves underground, before you see any Endermen. When exploring caves, a player can often spot an Enderman in the darkness by its glowing eyes. A player can use this warning to avoid accidentally staring at them. In a cave, you can often retreat into a 2 block high area, or even build a small ceiling as shelter as soon as one is spotted.

Also, if the player is in a body of water, no closer than 2-3 blocks away from dry land, and at least one block deep, and provokes an Enderman, it will become aggressive, but rather than charge and attack when the player moves the crosshairs away, it will stand in one spot for at least 30 seconds, then either teleport into the water, take damage, and teleport away, or continue to stand in one spot. Also, if the player continuously stares at the Enderman for at least 30 seconds, it may teleport away, or try to attack, and then teleport away upon coming in contact with water. After at least 90–120 seconds, if the Enderman has not tried to attack or teleport away, it will turn neutral again.

If provoked under sunlight, Endermen will usually teleport away rather than attack the player. In any case, they will immediately become neutral. In rain, they will teleport randomly and rapidly, and even if provoked, they will not stay hostile.

Defense
If a player has accidentally provoked an Enderman, they have several options for turning them neutral and cutting off the fight:
 * Endermen will become neutral and teleport away once they take damage from water, lava, fire, or any other environmental source (except fall damage). This makes a bucket of water/lava (or a Dispenser with a Bucket) very useful for chasing off an accidentally provoked Enderman, or for clearing out crowds in The End.  Likewise, if the player retreating into water (beyond their attack range of 3-4 blocks), they will generally try to follow, but then take damage from the water, turn neutral, and teleport away.  Similarly, Flint and Steel can put fire in their way, and they are likely to walk into the fire.
 * Enchanted weapons can be useful: Hitting them with a Fire Aspect sword, or otherwise setting them  on fire will also cause them to turn neutral and teleport rapidly.  Using a Knockback sword to knock them into water or off a steep drop will effectively get rid of them.
 * Luring them into sunlight or rain will likewise turn them neutral and make them go away. (If already provoked, you may need to attack or "look" at them in the sun.)
 * When Endermen take damage from a Creeper explosion when following you, right after the blast they have a chance of teleporting away and back again, teleporting away and getting neutral, just getting neutral or still continuing to follow you.
 * When you encounter Endermen in the desert, you can try hiding behind a cactus, or build some around you (try not to get hurt by them yourself). Unfortunately, they may teleport behind you instead of running into the cactus, or they may even pick the cactus up.
 * If you're planning on using a trap for them, make a 3 deep hole with 1 extra block on top (not over the hole!), then make a 2 high way out, make a way back up and suffocate them with sand or gravel by placing it on the 1 extra block on top.

Combat
The most basic preparation against them is to build a 2-high ceiling, at least 3&times;3 in size. 4&times;4 is a little safer, giving more room to retreat out of their attack range. Underground or in close quarters, this should be done against a wall to prevent them from teleporting behind you. In an open area, it's probably better to have the shelter open on all sides, including removing any pillar used to build it. This will let you scan in all directions, and also keep watch for other monsters such as Skeletons or Creepers.

Hostile Endermen will often teleport away after a player hits them, though they may attack first. Similarly, Endermen may teleport away several seconds after attacking. Above or below ground, be very wary if they teleport away in the middle of a fight, as they may well teleport behind you (and attack) as soon as you emerge from your shelter. In open areas or under high ceilings, they may also teleport onto the roof. Endermen teleportation can be tracked by looking for the glowing particle trail they leave behind, or by listening for their snarls and screeches.

Their melee attacks hit hard enough that you want to avoid being hit by them as much as possible. Naturally, you'll want good armor and sword, preferably iron or better. For armor enchantments, only Protection and Thorns will be useful. For the sword, Sharpness and Knockback are both useful. However, Fire Aspect is useless for hunting them, as they will turn neutral and flee at the first strike.

A flint and steel is difficult to use effectively, but still rather useful, as the flame can damage them before they are provoked. Prior to 1.6.1, with care, lava can be used similarly. Before 1.6.1, Endermen that wander into fire or lava will not teleport away, nor will they become aggressive to the player. This can be used to weaken or kill them, though killing them will require they setting them on fire several times, due to their high hit points. One problem with this is that the drops might get destroyed by the lava.

In general, focus on hitting their legs, as they will not teleport when their legs are attacked. Try to time your attacks so that the Enderman is continually knocked back, so that it will not be able to hit you. This will usually kill them fairly quickly.

You can perform preemptive strikes against Endermen by keeping your crosshair over them, which will cause them to stay still for several seconds, or until the Enderman is hit, whichever comes first. A player can also get in the first hit by looking only at the Enderman's legs until they attack - though once hit, the Enderman will become aggressive as normal.

A height advantage of at least one block will also help keep the Enderman at bay as you hit it. A three block height advantage will prevent them from hitting you at all.

Fishing lures will hit an Enderman and snag them on the end of the line. However, the Enderman teleports away when the lure hits them (possibly behind a wall or into caves), so this is only sometimes useful as a tool for killing them. If do you manage to pull it forward, it will travel a remarkable distance.

Another effective way of hunting an Enderman is to make a 4-block high pillar underneath yourself, then look at them. The Enderman will run toward you and come into melee range. You will be in range to attack them, but they will not be in range to attack you. Make sure that there are no skeletons nearby (within 16 blocks), as they will shoot you off your pillar and make you a vulnerable target. If you can restrict the Enderman to a single square, you may also be able to drop three blocks of sand and gravel onto them, which will suffocate them to death.

Another technique is to have four or more wolves ready before attacking them. Fewer wolves can still help, but be ready to help them out with your own attacks, and/or by healing them during combat. Similarly, Iron golems will attack Endermen, and will kill one in two hits. Endermen will hit the iron golem once before the iron golem kills it.

If you are near a high drop, it is possible to kill Endermen by pushing them off the edge of a cliff. With care, this can be done without even provoking them. Note that Endermen cannot teleport while falling, so it may be possible to kill them with repeated attacks that knock them down the slope.

Endermen also cannot teleport when riding a minecart, even hitting them with an arrow will not cause the Enderman to teleport away (Though they will flash red and disappear for a second, as if trying to teleport unsuccessfully.) This is one potential way to kill them at a distance.

Players with brewing capability can also use splash potions of poison against them. A level II potion, or two level I potions (waiting for the first to finish before using the second) can reduce them to 1 health, or nearly so. Then they can easily be killed with a single sword blow. Make sure to carry a milk bucket to cure self-inflicted poison, and be wary that it may take two hits to kill them if the potion(s) struck too far away (reducing their effect).

Trivia

 * Notch claimed in public that the Enderman is a "(subtle)" reference to "the Slenderman", a similar looking monster with a similar name. Given the later development of the End, it is possible he already had the name in mind, and did not choose it because of the Reddit thread in which their name was revealed.
 * In the Halloween texture pack for the Xbox 360 Edition, the Enderman is re-skinned to look like The Slenderman.
 * If an Enderman is in his aggressive state, you can prevent him from walking/going anywhere if you stare at him (you can freeze the enderman as long as your cursor remains on him). However, if attacked in this state, the enderman may teleport away.
 * The Enderman seems to use a re-colored version of the player's face texture, much like blazes, zombies, and skeletons.
 * The exact size of an Enderman is 0.6x0.6x2.9 blocks(1.9x1.9x9.5 feet).
 * Enderman sounds seems to stem from reverse audios:
 * the "idle1" sound is a reversed “here”
 * the "idle2" sound is a reversed "hiya"
 * the "idle3" sound is a down-pitched “whats up?” or "this way!"
 * the "idle4" sound is a down-pitched reversed "forever!"
 * the "idle5" sound is a reversed "uh oh!"
 * Even in an aggressive state, they can still pick up blocks, which at times makes it look like they are tearing through walls to reach the player. However, they will never pick up blocks to reach the player.
 * If a Mob Spawner is tweaked to spawn Endermen, the model inside will have its head jutting out the top of the frame.
 * The purple particles that Endermen emit are hard-coded into the game, so they cannot be re-textured without mods.
 * Endermen are able to create snow golems and iron golems if they pick up a pumpkin and place it correctly on snow and iron blocks placed by the player..
 * After 12w38a Snapshot update, the previously unused stare.ogg and scream.ogg can now be heard without use of any mods. Stare.ogg plays whenever the player is staring at an Enderman, and Scream.ogg plays when Enderman is chasing a player.
 * Amusingly, if an Enderman is set on fire, they may try to put it out by teleporting into water, and therefore committing 'suicide', because they take damage from it.
 * Amusingly enough, if an Enderman is caught in rain, he will continuously teleport in random directions. Players can sometimes, during rain, see Endermen teleport in front of them quickly and teleport off the moment they take damage.
 * If you throw a Potion of Invisibility to an Enderman, the Enderman will be invisible, but you can still see the eyes. This is because the eyes, like spiders, are in a separate texture file.
 * In the End, an invisible Enderman at a distance will become visible as a pale purple figure.
 * Burning Endermen will teleport randomly; similar to if they are in rain.
 * Using spawn eggs, Enderman continuously spawned into lava will humorously teleport - in the Nether, they will often teleport in circles for lack of room due to the lava oceans.
 * If you go to sleep in a bed it is possible for an Enderman to teleport on it and knock you off. You will still continue to go to sleep as if you were in a bed.
 * To make Endermen aggressive in the Xbox 360 Edition, players must perform critical hits.
 * Endermen cannot teleport onto lily pads or cobwebs.
 * Endermen originate from the End, yet they are unable to pick up and move the End Stone of which that world is made.
 * It is actually possible to hit Endermen with arrows, but only if you are far enough from the Enderman.
 * Strangely, this will not make the Enderman hostile.

Beta 1.8+
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