Java Edition guides/Nether Update

Nether Update
Edition	Java Edition
Official name	Nether Update
Released versions
upcoming
◄ Buzzy Bees
◄ Buzzy Bees

For the Bedrock Edition version of this guide, see Bedrock Edition guides/Nether Update.

This guide is a simplified overview of all changes in the Nether Update (Java Edition 1.16.x releases), which assumes at least some familiarity with the Buzzy Bees update (Java Edition 1.15.x releases).

Mobs

New

Name	Image	Habitat	Drops	Note
Hoglin		Crimson forest	Raw Porkchop (2–4) and Leather (0–2)	Hoglins will run if in contact with Warped fungi or Nether portals. Hoglins will turn into zoglins if in the Overworld for 15 seconds. Hoglins can be bred with Crimson Fungi. Hoglins are hostile towards the player.
Piglin		Crimson forest Nether wastes	8.5% of chance to drop their naturally-spawned equipment. Which can be a golden sword, a crossbow, or random golden armor.	Adult piglins are hostile and babies are passive. Adult piglins can be bartered with. Piglins will run from placed soul fire and soul fire items. Piglins will not attack the player if they're wearing a piece of golden armor. Piglins wiill turn into zombified piglins if in the Overworld for 15 seconds. Piglins will occasionally hunt hoglins.
Strider	File:Saddled Strider shivering.gif	Nether lava lakes	String (0–5)	Striders can walk on top of the surface of lava. Striders can be saddled. Striders are attracted by warped fungi. Striders can be bred using warped fungi. Striders shiver outside of Lava. Striders are damaged by rain and water.
Zoglin		None	Rotten Flesh (1–3)	Zoglins and baby zoglins attack all nearby mobs and players except for creepers and other zoglins. Zoglins are incapable of breeding. Unlike baby hoglins, do not play with baby piglins. Piglins will flee from zoglins if unengaged in combat. Zoglins do not flee from warped fungi.

Changed

Name	Image	Changed
Bee		Reduced the maximum distance a bee can wander away from its home hive when randomly wandering to around 22 blocks.
Enderman		Endermen now spawn in the Nether more commonly again. Endermen now pick up nylium, roots, and fungi variants. Endermen no longer pick up netherrack.
Ghast		Sounds are now heard at a shorter range.
Parrot		Parrots imitate hostile mobs less often. Parrots no longer randomly imitate hostile mobs when gamemode is on peaceful.
Farmer villager		Farmer villagers can now put seeds in the composter to create bone meal. Farmers can now use bone meal to grow crops.
Wither		Withers can now be summoned using soul soil in the base.
Zombie Pigman		Zombie pigmen now spawn in the crimson forest . Zombie pigmen are renamed to "zombified piglin" and given a new model and texture.

Blocks

New

Name	Image	Obtaining	Tool Required	Uses
Ancient Debris		Ancient debris can be found in the Nether, but are extremely rare. Never generates exposed to air, and is most common between levels 8-22.	Ancient debris can be mined with diamond pickaxe or higher.	Ancient debris can be smelted into netherite scrap. Can be used in blast-resistant doors.
Basalt		Basalt can be found in the Nether making up basalt pillars within soul sand valley biomes. basalt deltas contain an abundance of basalt blocks, as it is one of the main blocks that form the biome.	Basalt can be mined with any pickaxe.	Basalt can be used as a decorative block. Basalt is formed when lava flows over soul soil next to blue ice. Can be crafted into Polished Basalt.
Blackstone		Blackstone can be found in large patches in basalt deltas.	Blackstone can be mined with any pickaxe	It can be used as a substitute for cobblestone in certain crafting recipes. Blackstone can be made into slabs, stairs and wall variations. Blackstone can be crafted into polished blackstone.
Block of Netherite		Ingredients Crafting recipe Netherite Ingot	Blocks of netherite can be mined with a diamond or netherite pickaxe.	Can be used decoratively, as a storage block for netherite ingots, or as part of a blast-resistant wall/door. Can be used in the base of a beacon.
Chiseled Nether Bricks		Ingredients Crafting recipe Nether Brick Slab	Chiseled Nether Bricks can be mined with any pickaxe.	Can be used decoratively.
Cracked Nether Bricks		Ingredients Smelting recipe Nether Bricks + Any fuel	Cracked Nether Bricks can be mined with any pickaxe.	Can be used decoratively.
Crimson and Warped Fungus		Crimson fungi generate in crimson forests and warped fungi in warped forests.	Fungi can be mined with any tool or hand.	Fungi can be used as a decorative block. Crimson fungi can be used to breed hoglins, while warped fungi will repel them. Warped fungi can be used to breed striders. Can be grown into huge fungi when bonemeal is used on it.
Crimson and Warped Nylium		Crimson nylium generates in crimson forests and warped nylium in warped forests.	Nylium can be mined with any tool or hand, but the fastest way is to use a shovel.	Crimson or warped fungi will grow on their respective nylium variants.
Crimson and Warped Planks		Ingredients Crafting recipe Crimson Stem or Warped Stem 44	Crimson and warped planks can be broken with any tool as well as by hand, with axes being the fastest way to break them.	Can be used to craft respective slabs, stairs, fences, fence gates, pressure plates, buttons, doors, trapdoors, and signs. Does not burn and cannot be used as fuel in a furnace.
Crimson Roots, Warped Roots and Nether Sprouts		Can be found in crimson or warped forests	Crimson roots, warped roots, and nether sprouts can be mined with any tool or hand.	Crimson roots, warped roots, and nether sprouts can be used as a decorative block.
Crimson and Warped Stem		Stems comprise the trunks of huge fungi.	Crimson and warped planks can be broken with any tool as well as by hand, with axes being the fastest way to break them.	Stems can be placed directionally, similarly to logs. Stems do not burn and cannot be used as fuel in a furnace Stems can be stripped
Crimson Hyphae and Warped Hyphae		Ingredients Crafting recipe Crimson Stem or Warped Stem 33	Hypae can be mined with any tool or hand.	Hyphae does not burn and cannot be used as fuel in a furnace. Hyphae can be stripped
Crying Obsidian		Crying obsidian can be bartered from piglins. This is currently the only way to obtain Crying Obsidian	Crying obsidian can be mined with a diamond or netherite pickaxe.	Crying obsidian is used to craft respawn anchors.
Gilded Blackstone		Gilded blackstone can be found on bastions.	Gilded blackstone can be mined with any pickaxe.	Have a chance to drop gold nuggets or the block itself. Affected by Fortune enchantment.
Lodestone	File:Lodestone JE1.png	Ingredients Crafting recipe Chiseled Stone Bricks + Netherite Ingot	Lodestone can be mined with any pickaxe.	Lodestones can be used to link a compass to it's position, acting as a waypoint. Can be used in any dimension.
Nether Gold Ore	File:Nether Gold Ore JE2.png	Nether gold ore can be found at any height in the Nether.	Nether gold ore can be mined with any pickaxe.	Drops gold nuggets. Affected by Fortune enchantment. Requires Silk Touch to be obtained. Nether gold ore otherwise behaves exactly like normal gold ore.
Polished Basalt		Ingredients Crafting recipe Basalt 4	Polished basalt can be mined with any pickaxe.	Polished basalt can be used as a decorative block.
Polished Blackstone and Chiseled Polished Blackstone		Ingredients Crafting recipe Blackstone 4	Polished blackstone can be mined with any pickaxe.	Polished blackstone can be used as a decorative block. Polished blackstone can be made into slabs, stairs and wall variations. Polished blackstone slabs can be used to craft chiseled polished blackstone.
Polished Blackstone Bricks and Cracked Polished Blackstone Bricks		Ingredients Crafting recipe Polished Blackstone 4	Polished blackstone bricks can be mined with any pickaxe.	Polished blackstone bricks can be used as a decorative block. Polished blackstone bricks can be made into slabs, stairs and wall variations. Polished blackstones can be smelted in a furnace to create cracked polished blackstone bricks.
Quartz Bricks		Ingredients Crafting recipe Block of Quartz 4	Quartz bricks can be mined with any pickaxe.	Quartz bricks can be used as a decorative block. Quartz bricks have a different pattern than stone bricks.
Respawn Anchor	File:Respawn Anchor Charges 0 JE1.pngFile:Respawn Anchor Charges 1 JE1.gifFile:Respawn Anchor Charges 2 JE1.gifFile:Respawn Anchor Charges 3 JE1.gifFile:Respawn Anchor Charges 4 JE1.gif	Ingredients Crafting recipe Crying Obsidian + Glowstone	Respawn anchors can be mined with a diamond or netherite pickaxe.	Player can set their spawn point by clicking on it in the Nether. Only four charges can be set at once, and one is used up for every respawn. Can be recharged with glowstone. Respawn anchors emit 4 different light levels depending on what charge it is at. Explodes if used in the Overworld or End.
Shroomlight		Shroomlights can be found on huge fungi.	Shroomlights can be mined with any tool, but hoes are the most efficient.	Shroomlights emits a light level of 15, similarly to glowstone.
Soul Campfire		Ingredients Crafting recipe Stick + Soul Soil + Any Log or Any Stripped Log or Any Wood or Any Stripped Wood or Any Stem or Any Stripped Stem or Any Hyphae or Any Stripped Hyphae	Soul campfires can be broken with any tool as well as by hand, with axes being the fastest way to break them.	Soul campfires emit a light level of 10, instead of 15 by the regular one. Soul campfires have a blue flame instead of orange. Soul campfires have all behaviors of the campfire. Piglins are repelled by soul campfires.
Soul Fire		Soul fire generates naturally in the soul sand valley biome in the Nether. Fire lit on soul soil is soul fire regardless of dimension.	Soul fire can't be obtained but can be extinguished by clicking on it.	Soul fire deals damage at a rate of 2 per second as opposed to the 1 per second of regular fire. Soul fire repels piglins.
Soul Fire Lantern	File:Soul Fire Lantern.png	Ingredients Crafting recipe Iron Nugget + Soul Fire Torch Soul fire lanterns are crafted similarly to a normal lantern, using a soul torch instead of a normal torch.	Soul fire lanterns can be mined with any pickaxe.	Soul fire lanterns give off a light level of 10. Soul fire lanterns repel piglins.
Soul Soil		Soul soil generates in the soul sand valley, alongside conventional soul sand.	Soul soil can be broken with any tool as well as by hand, with shovels being the fastest way to break them.	Fire lit on soul soil appears as soul fire. The player does not sink and is not slowed when walking on soul soil. Can be used to summon the Wither.
Soul Fire Torch	File:Soul Fire Torch JE1.png	Ingredients Crafting recipe Coal or Charcoal + Stick + Soul Soil	Soul fire torches can be broken instantly with any tool as well as by hand.	Soul fire torches give off a light level of 10. Soul fire torches repel piglins.
Target		Ingredients Crafting recipe Redstone Dust + Hay Bale	Targets can be broken with any tool as well as by hand, with hoes being the fastest way to break them.	Targets emit a Redstone signal for 1 second when hit with most projectiles. The closer a projectile hits to the center, the stronger the signal it gives off.
Twisting Vines		Twisting vines generate in the warped forest biome. Twisting vines grow upward.	Twisting vines can be broken instantly with any tool as well as by hand.	Twisting vines can be used as a decorative block. Twisting vines can be climbed like vines. Can be grown using Bone Meal.
Warped Wart Block		Warped wart blocks generate as a part of huge warped fungi.	Warped wart blocks can be broken with any tool as well as by hand, with hoes being the fastest way to break them.	Warped wart blocks can be used as a decorative block.
Weeping Vines		Weeping vines generate in the crimson forest biome.	Weeping vines can be broken instantly with any tool as well as by hand.	Weeping vines are placed on the bottom of a block and grows downward. Weeping vines can be used as a decorative block. Weeping vines can be climbed like vines. Can be grown using Bone Meal.

Changed

Name	Image	Changed
Bamboo Sapling		Renamed to "Bamboo Shoot".
Beacon		Beacons can now have a base composed of blocks of netherite. Beacons can now use netherite ingots as a fuel.
Bell		Bells will now ring when hit by any projectile.
Bone Block		Now generate as part of nether fossils in soul sand valleys. Now have their own sound, instead of using the stone sound.
Campfire		Campfires now ignite when hit by any burning projectile.
Dispenser		Can now saddle pigs, striders, and tamed horses, donkeys and mules. Can now put horse armor on tamed horses. Can now put carpets on tamed llamas. Can now put chests on tamed llamas, donkeys, and mules. Can now shear mooshrooms and snow golems.
Fire		Fire now has a proper hitbox (1⁄16 blocks). Fire can no longer be put out by swords or tridents in Creative mode, akin to other blocks, and can be modified via the debug stick. Fire now has loot tables.
Flower Pot	File:Potted Dandelion underside.pngFile:Potted Poppy underside.pngFile:Potted Allium underside.pngFile:Potted Azure Bluet underside.pngFile:Potted Oxeye Daisy underside.pngFile:Potted Blue Orchid underside.pngFile:Potted Red Tulip underside.pngFile:Potted Orange Tulip underside.pngFile:Potted White Tulip underside.pngFile:Potted Pink Tulip underside.pngFile:Potted Red Mushroom underside.pngFile:Potted Brown Mushroom underside.pngFile:Potted Oak Sapling underside.pngFile:Potted Birch Sapling underside.pngFile:Potted Spruce Sapling underside.pngFile:Potted Jungle Sapling underside.pngFile:Potted Acacia Sapling underside.pngFile:Potted Dark Oak Sapling underside.pngFile:Potted Cactus underside.pngFile:Potted Fern underside.pngFile:Potted Dead Bush underside.pngFile:Potted Cornflower underside.pngFile:Potted Lily of the Valley underside.pngFile:Potted Wither Rose underside.pngFile:Potted Bamboo underside.png	Flower pots now have a bottom texture.
Gravel		Gravel now generate naturally in the soul sand valley and basalt deltas biomes.
Jigsaw Block		Jigsaw blocks can now have one of 12 orientations.
Lava		Now pushes entities.
Nether Wart Block	File:Nether Wart Block JE3 BE2.png	Nether wart blocks now generate as a part of huge crimson fungi.
Netherrack		Using bone meal on netherrack adjacent to nylium converts it into nylium. If two nylium blocks of different types are present, it chooses the type at random based on how many blocks of each type are around it.
Observer and Block of Redstone		Observers and blocks of redstone now allow placing of ladders and tripwire hooks.
Smithing Table		It now has a GUI use. It can be used to upgrade diamond gear to netherite
Snow		Doors, rails, buttons, torches, pressure plates and redstone can now be placed on a full-block of snow layers.
Soul Sand		Soul sand now generates in soul sand valley biomes. Soul sand with a rail on top will no longer slow-down minecarts. Doors, buttons, torches, pressure plates and redstone can now be placed on soul sand.
TNT		TNTs now ignite when hit by any burning projectile.
Vines		Vines now play a sound when climbed.
Wall		Walls in the middle of a row have longer pillars when stacked vertically. Block state now uses none, low, and tall for east, west, north, and south directional values.

Items

New

Name	Image	Obtaining	Uses
Netherite Scrap	File:Netherite Scrap JE2.png	Ingredients Smelting recipe Ancient Debris + Any fuel	Netherite scraps can be crafted into Netherite Ingots.
Netherite Ingot		Ingredients Crafting recipe Netherite Scrap + Gold Ingot	Netherite ingots can be used for upgrading diamond armor, weapons and tools
Netherite Armor
Diamond Boots or Diamond Helmet or Diamond Leggings or Diamond Chestplate + Netherite Ingot + Netherite Chestplate or Netherite Helmet or Netherite Leggings or Netherite Boots	Upgrade Gear
Does not burn in lava. Floats on lava. Tougher than diamond armor. Has a higher durability and enchantability than diamond.
Netherite Axe, Hoe, Pickaxe, Shovel, and Sword
Diamond Axe or Diamond Sword or Diamond Shovel or Diamond Pickaxe or Diamond Hoe + Netherite Ingot + Netherite Hoe or Netherite Sword or Netherite Shovel or Netherite Pickaxe or Netherite Axe	Upgrade Gear
Do not burn in lava. Have a higher durability, mining level, breaking multiplier, and enchantability than diamond. All items, except the hoe, deal 1 more damage than their diamond counterparts. Float in lava.
Warped Fungus on a Stick	File:Warped Fungus on a Stick JE1.png	Ingredients Crafting recipe Fishing Rod + Warped Fungus	Can be used to control Striders
Spawn Egg (Hoglin/Piglin/Strider/Zoglin)		Can be obtained only via creative inventory.	Has the same function as any other spawn egg.

Changed

Name	Image	Changed
Bone meal		Bone meal can now be used to grow kelp, weeping vines, and twisting vines. Bone meal will now grow fungus, roots, and nether sprouts if it is used on a nylium block.
Clay		Clay is renamed to "Clay Ball".
Compass		Using a compass on a lodestone creates a lodestone compass, which points to that block. Compasses can now be enchanted with Curse of Vanishing.
All hoes		Each tier now has a different speed at which it mines blocks it is effective against. Hoes can now be enchanted with Efficiency, Fortune, and Silk Touch through the enchanting table. Hoes are now the appropriate tools for mining hay bales, targets, dried kelp blocks, sponges, wet sponges, shroomlights, nether wart blocks, and warped wart blocks.

Biomes

New

Name	Image	Description	Structures
Soulsand Valley		An open space made mostly of soul sand and soul soil. Basalt pillars span from floor to ceiling. Nether fossils generate across the valley. Ash falls through the air. A light blue glow envelopes the valley. Ghasts and skeletons traverse the valley. Biome-exclusive ambient sounds can be heard within the valley. The music track 'So Below' composed by Lena Raine will play inside this biome.	Nether Fossils Basalt Pillars
Warped Forest		Warped nylium carpets the cave floor with nether sprouts and warped fungi growing throughout the biome. Huge Warped Fungi make up the "trees" of this forest, with shroomlights lighting up their interiors. Many Twisting Vines grow upwards from the floor of the biome. A dark blue fog covers the forest. Warped spores swirl through the air. The warped forests are the least hostile places in the Nether. Endermen can be found more frequently within the forests. Biome-exclusive ambient sounds can be heard within the forests.	Huge Warped Fungi
Crimson Forest		Crimson nylium makes up the floor of the Crimson Forest with nether sprouts, crimson roots, and crimson fungi growing throughout the biome. Huge Crimson Fungi grow abundantly throughout the biome, providing crimson stems and shroomlights, as well as nether wart blocks. Weeping vines will often grow down from the nether wart blocks on the Huge Crimson Fungi. A red fog covers the entirety of the biome. Red ashes and particles often flow through the air. Many Hoglins, Piglins and Zombified Piglins can be found spawning within the Crimson Forest. The Crimson Forest Has many new, exclusive ambient sounds. The music track 'Chrysopoeia' composed by Lena Raine will play inside this biome.	Huge Crimson Fungi
Basalt Deltas		Basalt is found in an abundance in this biome. Patches of blackstone generate inside the basalt formations. A grey fog covers the deltas. White ash swirls through the air. Magma Cubes spawn very frequently within the deltas. The basalt deltas come with a variety of ambient sounds. The music track 'So Below' composed by Lena Raine will play inside this biome.

Changed

Name	Image	Changed
Nether		The Nether was split into biomes.
Nether (as original biome)		The Nether biome is renamed to Nether Wastes. Piglins, hoglins, and striders now spawn here. Added new Ambient sounds. The music track 'Rubedo' composed by Lena Raine will play inside this biome.

Structures

File:250px-Bastion Remnant

New

Name	Image	Generation	Consists of	Description
Bastion Remnant		Generate in the Nether in all biomes except basalt deltas.	Basalt Blackstone Blackstone Slab Chain Chest Chiseled Polished Blackstone Cracked Polished Blackstone Bricks Gilded Blackstone Gold Block Lantern Lava Magma Block Netherrack Nether Wart Polished Basalt Polished Blackstone Bricks Polished Blackstone Brick Stairs Spawner	Large, castle-like structures where Piglins lives
Nether Fossil		Nether fossils generate in The Nether and are found exclusively in Soul Sand Valley biomes.	Bone Block	Remains of unknown creatures
Ruined Portal		Generate in all biomes in both the Nether and the Overworld. They can spawn underground (partially or fully), underwater, or exposed to the air.	Obsidian Crying Obsidian Magma Block Lava Netherrack Chest Gold Block	Naturally generated damaged nether portals

Music

New

Four new music tracks composed by Lena Raine have been added to the game. Three of which are biome-specific ambient tracks. The fourth being a music disc - found exclusively in the nether.

Filename in Minecraft	Gameplay	Soundtrack Title	Track Preview
Rubedo	Nether Wastes	"Rubedo"
Chrysopoeia	Crimson Forest	"Chrysopoeia"
So Below	Soul sand valleys and Basalt Deltas	"So Below"
Pigstep	Music Disc (Bastion Remnants)	"Pigstep"

Gameplay

New

Name	Description
Bartering	Trading system between players and piglins.

Changed

Name	Changed
Fishing	To find treasures, a player must be in water that is at least 5x3x5 blocks.