A totem of undying is an uncommon combat item that can save holders from death. It is dropped by evokers, which spawn in woodland mansions and raids.
Obtaining[]
Mob loot[]
Evokers always drop one totem of undying upon death. The drop rate is not affected by Looting.
Usage[]

Animation of the totem activating in Java Edition, with the player manually walking backwards at the same time.

Animation of the totem activating in Bedrock Edition.
If the player is holding a totem of undying in their off-hand or main-hand slot and receives otherwise fatal damage, the totem saves the player from death. The totem of undying must be in the player's hand (main hand or offhand) for it to work—it does not work if it is in the hotbar, unless selected. Any mob that can hold a totem of undying (in a hand or in the mouth) can use it while holding it.[Java Edition only] The totem can be used only once; it disappears after use. It does not save the player from death caused by void damage, the /kill
commands or even a tipped arrow with harming effect damage.[1]
Effect[]
When activated, the totem of undying restores 1, removes all existing status effects, then grants 40[BE only] or 45[JE only] seconds[2] of Regeneration II, 40 seconds of Fire Resistance I and 5 seconds of Absorption II. An animation shows the totem of undying appearing to hover in front of the player's screen, similar to the animation seen when a player receives the Bad Omen or Hero of the Village effect[BE only] or encounters an elder guardian. When killed by an Instant Damage tipped arrow, the arrow's instant damage takes effect after the totem has been activated.
The totem of undying also works in Hardcore mode.
Sounds[]
Sound | Subtitles | Source | Description | Resource location | Translation key | Volume | Pitch | Attenuation distance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Totem activates | Entity-Dependent | When something dies, using a totem of undying | item | subtitles | 1.0 | 1.0 | 16 |
Sound | Source | Description | Resource location | Volume | Pitch |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Players | When something dies, using a totem of undying | random | 1.0 | 1.0 |
Data values[]
ID[]
Name | Identifier | Form | Translation key |
---|---|---|---|
Totem of Undying | totem_of_undying | Item | item.minecraft.totem_of_undying |
Name | Identifier | Alias ID | Numeric ID | Form | Translation key |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Totem of Undying | totem_of_undying | totem | 568 | Item | item.totem.name |
Achievements[]
Icon | Achievement | In-game description | Actual requirements (if different) | Gamerscore earned | Trophy type (PS4) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PS4 | Other | |||||
Cheating Death | Use the Totem of Undying to cheat death | Have the Totem of Undying in your hand when you die. | 30G | Silver |
Advancements[]
Icon | Advancement | In-game description | Parent | Actual requirements (if different) | Resource location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Postmortal | Use a Totem of Undying to cheat death | Monster Hunter | Activate a totem of undying by taking fatal damage. | adventure/totem_of_undying
|
History[]
2016 | ![]() | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Java Edition | |||||
1.11 | 16w39a | ![]() | |||
1.11.1 | 16w50a | The ID name has now been changed from totem to totem_of_undying . | |||
1.13 | 17w47a | Prior to The Flattening, this item's numeral ID was 449. | |||
1.14 | 18w43a | ![]() | |||
18w47a | The totem of undying is now renewable as evokers now spawn in raids. | ||||
1.16.2 | 20w28a | The totem of undying now gives the Fire Resistance II status effect for 40 seconds. | |||
20w29a | The level of Fire Resistance given by the totem of undying is now reduced from II to I.[3] | ||||
1.20.2 | 23w31a | Totems of undying now trigger sculk sensors when they activate.[4] | |||
Pocket Edition | |||||
1.1.0 | alpha 1.1.0.0 | ![]() | |||
Bedrock Edition | |||||
1.10.0 | beta 1.10.0.3 | ![]() | |||
1.11.0 | beta 1.11.0.3 | The totem of undying is now renewable as evokers now spawn in raids. | |||
1.16.100 | beta 1.16.100.54 | The level of Fire Resistance given by the totem of undying is now reduced from II to I.[5] | |||
beta 1.16.100.56 | The ID of totems of undying has been changed from totem to totem_of_undying . | ||||
Legacy Console Edition | |||||
TU54 | CU44 | 1.52 | Patch 24 | 1.0.4 | ![]() |
TU56 | CU48 | 1.55 | Patch 26 | 1.0.6 | The totem of undying now applies Fire Resistance II when used. |
1.90 | ![]() | ||||
1.91 | The totem of undying is now renewable as evokers now spawn in raids. | ||||
New Nintendo 3DS Edition | |||||
1.9.19 | ![]() |
Issues[]
Issues relating to "Totem of Undying" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.
Trivia[]
- If a mob holds a totem of undying, the mob also resurrects upon death and the sound effect plays. However, the animation does not appear.
- In the New Nintendo 3DS Edition, the totem of undying can be put in any hotbar slot to activate it, due to the lack of an off-hand slot in that version.
- Being able to obtain totems of undying in raids without exploring woodland mansions is considered a "massive game play design flaw" by Mojang.[6]
Gallery[]
Screenshot of the totem of undying being used mid-animation after a drowned deals otherwise fatal damage to the player.
References[]
- ↑ MC-206307
- ↑ MCPE-90716
- ↑ MC-194220
- ↑ MC-261427 — "Sculk sensors and calibrated sculk sensors don't detect totem of undying activating" — resolved as "Fixed".
- ↑ MCPE-52364
- ↑ https://youtu.be/YRPlscod34Y