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A sculk shrieker is a sculk block found in the deep dark biome that produces a "shrieking" noise when a player either stands on it (regardless of sneaking) or triggers a nearby sculk sensor. Shriekers that generate naturally in the deep dark will inflict Darkness and may summon a warden when triggered, but those that are placed by a player or sculk catalyst will never summon wardens or inflict Darkness under any circumstance.

Obtaining[]

Natural generation[]

Sculk shriekers can be found infrequently within the deep dark biome, and they are much more common within ancient cities.

Breaking[]

Sculk shriekers can be mined with any tool, but hoes are the quickest. It drops 5 experience when mined without Silk Touch. When a sculk shrieker is broken it loses the ability to summon the warden, even if mined with Silk Touch.

Block Sculk Shrieker
Hardness 3
Tool
Breaking time[A]
Default 4.5
Wooden 2.25
Stone 1.15
Iron 0.75
Diamond 0.6
Netherite 0.5
Golden 0.4
  1. Times are for unenchanted tools as wielded by players with no status effects, measured in seconds. For more information, see Breaking § Speed.

Post-generation[]

A sculk catalyst has a 1% chance of generating a sculk shrieker on top of a sculk block. These shriekers do not summon the warden.

Usage[]

Shriek

The shriek particle.

Sculk shriekers "shriek" after being activated. A sculk shrieker activates when any player stands on the black part in the center of the block, even when sneaking. Sculk shriekers are also activated by any sculk sensor triggered within an 8-block spherical radius of itself, but only if the vibration was caused by a player. However, a sculk sensor cannot activate the sculk shrieker if the line between the two contains a wool block. The shrieker shrieks for exactly 90 game ticks (4.5 seconds).

Spawning wardens[]

Sculk shriek particles

A set of shriek particles emitted by a sculk shrieker.

Sculk shriekers that naturally generate in the deep dark biome are capable of inflicting the Darkness effect upon players and summoning wardens. If a sculk shrieker is placed by a player or generated via a sculk catalyst, the tag can_summon is set to false, and therefore a warden cannot be summoned and Darkness cannot be inflicted by that sculk shrieker[1]. Each time a naturally generated sculk shrieker is activated, it adds 1 to a "warning" level to alert the warden. The warning level is specific to each player, not each sculk shrieker, meaning that the same player can activate a different sculk shrieker for each of the four times, and a warden still spawns on the fourth activation, even though any particular shrieker had been activated once. If a player does not activate any sculk shrieker, the warning level decreases by 1 every 10 minutes (12000 ticks). After the shrieking ends, all players in Survival or Adventure mode within 40 blocks are given the Darkness effect for 12 seconds. After a warden is summoned, a player's warning level does not reset back to 0, meaning multiple wardens can be summoned.

Naturally generated sculk shriekers have a 10-second cooldown per player. This means that if a player triggers one shrieker, they are completely unable to trigger any other shrieker within 10 seconds. The cooldown period includes the 4.5-second shrieking, which means 5.5 seconds after the previous shrieking ends, the player can activate sculk shriekers again.

When a player's warning level reaches level 4, the sculk shrieker attempts to spawn a warden after its shrieking ends. Up to 20 attempts are made to spawn a warden within an 11×13×11 box centered on the shrieker. If there isn't another warden within 24 blocks, a warden emerges from the ground. The warden always spawns at the highest available block. If the shrieker is broken before it ends shrieking, the warden spawns immediately as a result. If all 20 spawning attempts fail, a loud roaring sound is played.

In Java Edition, if the game rule doWardenSpawning is set to false, naturally generated sculk shriekers behave as if they are placed by a player: they do shriek, but there is no shrieking cooldown, the player's warning level does not increase, no Darkness effect is inflicted, and no warden spawns.

If the player that triggered the sculk shrieker is outside the shrieker's range when the shrieking ends, the sculk shrieker does not apply the Darkness effect to any player. The player's warning level still increases by 1.

It is possible to make a warden spawn from a distance, by shooting a projectile into the direction of known sensors that are near shriekers.

The warnings have unique subtitles at different levels of warning: 1) "Warden approaches." 2) "Warden advances." 3) "Warden draws close."

Sounds[]

Generic[]

Java Edition:

SoundSubtitlesSourceDescriptionResource locationTranslation keyVolumePitchAttenuation
distance
Block brokenBlocksOnce the block has brokenblock.sculk_shrieker.breaksubtitles.block.generic.break0.90.816
Block placedBlocksWhen the block is placedblock.sculk_shrieker.placesubtitles.block.generic.place0.90.816
Block breakingBlocksWhile the block is in the process of being brokenblock.sculk_shrieker.hitsubtitles.block.generic.hit0.250.516
None[sound 1]Entity-DependentFalling on the block with fall damageblock.sculk_shrieker.fallNone[sound 1]0.50.7516
FootstepsEntity-DependentWalking on the blockblock.sculk_shrieker.stepsubtitles.block.generic.footsteps0.151.016
  1. a b MC-177082

Bedrock Edition:

SoundSourceDescriptionResource locationVolumePitch
BlocksOnce the block has brokenbreak.sculk_shrieker1.00.8-1.0
BlocksWhen the block is placed [sound 1]break.sculk_shrieker1.00.8-1.0
BlocksWhile the block is in the process of being brokenstep.sculk_shrieker0.30.5
BlocksFalling on the block with fall damagestep.sculk_shrieker0.41.0
BlocksWalking on the blockstep.sculk_shrieker0.171.0
BlocksJumping from the blockstep.sculk_shrieker0.121.0
BlocksFalling on the block without fall damagestep.sculk_shrieker0.141.0

Unique[]

Java Edition:

SoundSubtitlesSourceDescriptionResource locationTranslation keyVolumePitchAttenuation
distance
Sculk Shrieker shrieksBlocksWhen a sculk shrieker is activatedblock.sculk_shrieker.shrieksubtitles.block.sculk_shrieker.shriek1.70.6-1.016
Warden approachesHostile CreaturesWhen a sculk shrieker calls a warden onceentity.warden.nearby_closesubtitles.entity.warden.nearby_close5.01.016
Warden advancesHostile CreaturesWhen a sculk shrieker calls a warden twiceentity.warden.nearby_closersubtitles.entity.warden.nearby_closer5.01.016
Warden draws closeHostile CreaturesWhen a sculk shrieker calls a warden thriceentity.warden.nearby_closestsubtitles.entity.warden.nearby_closest5.01.016
Warden groans angrilyHostile CreaturesWhen a warden fails to spawn underwaterentity.warden.agitatedsubtitles.entity.warden.agitated5.01.016
Warden takes notice angrilyHostile CreaturesWhen all of a warden's spawn attempts failentity.warden.listening_angrysubtitles.entity.warden.listening_angry5.01.016

Bedrock Edition:

SoundSourceDescriptionResource locationVolumePitch
BlocksWhen a sculk shrieker shrieksshriek.sculk_shrieker1.70.6-1.0
Hostile CreaturesWhen a sculk shrieker calls a warden oncemob.warden.nearby_close5.00.8-1.2
Hostile CreaturesWhen a sculk shrieker calls a warden twicemob.warden.nearby_closer5.00.8-1.2
Hostile CreaturesWhen a sculk shrieker calls a warden thricemob.warden.nearby_closest5.00.8-1.2
Hostile CreaturesWhen all of a warden's spawn attempts fail [more information needed]mob.warden.listening_angry10.0 [verify]0.8-1.2 [verify]

Data values[]

ID[]

Java Edition:

NameIdentifierFormTranslation key
Sculk Shriekersculk_shriekerBlock & Itemblock.minecraft.sculk_shrieker
NameIdentifier
Block entitysculk_shrieker

Bedrock Edition:

NameIdentifierNumeric ID FormItem ID[i 1]Translation key
Sculk Shriekersculk_shrieker716Block & Giveable Item[i 2]Identical[i 3]tile.sculk_shrieker.name
  1. ID of block's direct item form, which is used in savegame files and addons.
  2. Available with /give command.
  3. The block's direct item form has the same id as the block.
NameSavegame ID
Block entitySculkShrieker

Block states[]

See also: Block states

Java Edition:

Name Default value Allowed values Description
can_summonfalsefalse
true
If true, the sculk shrieker can summon the warden.
shriekingfalsefalse
true
Whether the sculk shrieker is shrieking or not.
waterloggedfalsefalse
true
Whether or not there's water in the same place as this sculk shrieker.

Bedrock Edition:

NameMetadata Bits Default value Allowed valuesValues for
Metadata Bits
Description
activeNot Supported00
1
UnsupportedWhether the sculk shrieker is shrieking or not.
can_summonNot Supportedfalsetrue
false
UnsupportedIf true, the sculk shrieker can summon the warden.

Block data[]

A sculk shrieker has a block entity associated with it that holds additional data about the block.

Java Edition:

Sculk Shrieker/BE

Bedrock Edition:

See Bedrock Edition level format/Block entity format.

Advancement[]

Icon Advancement In-game description Parent Actual requirements (if different) Resource location
Advancement-fancy-rawHow Did We Get Here?
Have every effect applied at the same time A Furious CocktailHave all of these 33 status effects applied to the player at the same time: The source of the effects is irrelevant for the purposes of this advancement. Other status effects may be applied to the player, but are ignored for this advancement.
This is a hidden advancement, meaning that it can be viewed by the player only after completing it, regardless of if its child advancement(s), if any, have been completed.
nether/all_effects

History[]

October 16, 2021Sculk Shrieker JE1 Sculk shriekers are shown at Minecraft Live 2021.
Java Edition
1.19Deep Dark Experimental Snapshot 1Sculk Shrieker JE1 Added sculk shriekers.
22w11aSculk shriekers no longer drop when mined with Silk Touch.
Sculk shriekers can't be activated in this snapshot, as wardens and the Darkness effect is not added in this snapshot.
22w12aReadded functionality to the sculk shrieker.
Sculk shriekers are no longer generated by sculk catalysts.[2]
22w13aSculk shriekers are once again obtainable with Silk Touch and once again spawn from sculk catalysts.
Introduced a new can_summon tag for sculk shriekers that determines whether or not they can spawn a warden, it is set to true for naturally generated shriekers and false for ones that were placed by a player or spawned by a sculk catalyst.
Sculk Shrieker Inactive JE1 Added a new texture for when the can_summon tag is set to false.
22w15aSculk Shrieker JE2Sculk Shrieker Inactive JE2 The model of the sculk shrieker has been changed.
Sculk shriekers can no longer be triggered by redstone activation.[3]
22w19aSculk shriekers now need to be activated four times to summon the warden.
1.19.322w42aThe warning level for sculk shriekers is no longer reset upon a player's death.[4]
1.2023w14aWaterlogged sculk shriekers are now silenced.
Sculk shriekers are now located in the "Redstone Blocks" creative tab.
23w16aIf a vibration is scheduled to be received by a Sculk Shrieker, it will stay queued until all adjacent chunks are loaded and ticking. This prevents vibration resonance setups from breaking when unloading their chunks from a distance.
Bedrock Edition
1.17.30beta 1.17.30.22"Sculk Shrieker" was mentioned in the Bedrock Beta documentation.
beta 1.17.30.23Sculk Shrieker (top texture) BE1 Sculk Shrieker (side texture) BE1 Sculk Shrieker (bottom texture) BE1 Sculk Shrieker (inner texture) BE1 Added textures of the sculk shrieker in internal Caves & Cliffs files.
Vanilla Experiments
(Experimental)
beta 1.18.0.22Sculk Shrieker BE1 Added sculk shriekers behind the "Vanilla Experiments" toggle.
It uses an outdated model.[5]
It can be activated with a redstone signal, or by stepping on it.
Wild Update
(Experimental)
beta 1.18.10.21Moved sculk shriekers to the "Wild Update" experimental toggle.
beta 1.18.30.20Sculk shriekers now listen to sculk sensor tendril clicking.
The threat level that causes the warden to spawn in the future now decreases over time.
beta 1.18.30.22Sculk Shrieker JE1 Updated the sculk shrieker's model.
Revamped the sculk spreading mechanics to match Java Edition.
beta 1.18.30.28Sculk shriekers no longer drop when mined with Silk Touch.[6]
beta 1.18.30.32Sculk shriekers can now summon the warden.
1.19.0beta 1.19.0.20Sculk shriekers are now available without enabling experimental gameplay.
beta 1.19.0.24Sculk shriekers can be obtained again with Silk Touch.
There’s now a new can_summon tag for sculk shriekers that control whether or not they can spawn a warden, it is set to true for naturally generated shriekers and false for ones that were placed by a player or spawned by a sculk catalyst.
Sculk Shrieker Inactive JE1 When the can_summon tag is set to false, it has another texture.
Sculk shriekers can no longer be triggered by redstone activation.
beta 1.19.0.26Sculk Shrieker JE2Sculk Shrieker Inactive JE2 The model of the sculk shrieker has been changed to match Java Edition.

Issues[]

Issues relating to "Sculk Shrieker" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.

Trivia[]

  • The sculk shrieker's design was inspired by the human larynx.[7]
  • The old shrieker was a combination of the modern day shrieker and scrapped sculk jaw as it would both scream and show teeth[8]

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. MC-250137 — resolved as "Works As Intended".
  2. MC-249437
  3. MC-250200 — resolved as "Works As Intended".
  4. MC-255164 — resolved as "Fixed".
  5. "Oh and Sculk Shrieker model is outdated"@kingbdogz on X, October 21, 2021
  6. MCPE-153359
  7. "Minecraft Live 2021 @ 1:52:36" – Minecraft on YouTube, October 15, 2021
  8. "The old shreiker didn't have lights"@CagilMartin on X, July 23, 2022
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