The Nether is likely the dimension where you spend most of your time in Minecraft, alongside the Overworld. However, unlike the normal world, it is significantly more challenging to navigate! Thankfully, there are some helpful tools, mobs, and even tricks that can make the Nether much easier for you. This is especially beneficial for advanced players who want to make the Nether their own and explore a large portion of their surroundings. Let’s look at some important aspects you need to know for your journey through the hellish dimension!
Use Striders for Crossing Lava
Striders are a fantasy creature that you can only find in Minecraft. They have a large head and two long legs. Their skin is red, but it can turn to a greyish purple if they are not directly standing in the lava. They even start to freeze when on land. One of the coolest features of Striders is that you can walk over lava with them! In the Nether, this function is extremely practical and can save you some long detours.
You can find Striders at almost any large lava lake in the Nether. They are usually found in groups of 2 to 4 and can also have baby Striders. Interestingly, Striders can walk over each other through lava, which is a very amusing sight.
To ride a Strider, you only need a saddle. It doesn’t need to be tamed first, so you can start right away! To steer the Strider, you need a fishing rod—not with a carrot, but with a warped fungus. You can also let the Strider eat the fungus to make it run faster, although this will use up the rod. Striders are especially useful when you want to cover long distances over lava lakes. You should definitely look out for Nether fortresses or bastion remnants. (The Ultimate Guide to Minecraft Bastion Remnants in the Nether)
With warped fungi, you can also breed Striders if you want more of them. If you like one of the Striders, you should fence it in and use it for your travels through the Nether. You only get the saddle back if you kill the Strider, which you surely don’t want to do. Also, avoid dismounting a Strider over lava. Always carry a potion of fire resistance with you, just in case.
Efficient Respawning with Lodestones and Respawn Anchors
Let’s take a look at two more blocks that will definitely help you on your adventure in the Nether. Firstly, we have the lodestone, which ‘fixes’ your compass, and secondly, the respawn anchor, which finally offers an alternative to beds. We already have a guide on the Nether in general if you want to know why these two things are so crucial for your exploration. (Surviving Minecraft Nether: Tips and Tricks for Experienced Players)
Using a Lodestone
You can use the lodestone in any dimension, but it is probably most practical in the Nether. Your regular compass won’t be of much use here. The needle moves erratically and doesn’t point to an accurate direction. You can easily find lodestones, for instance, in bastion remnants, but you can also craft them yourself. Thankfully, the recipe has been reduced to eight chiseled stone bricks and one iron ingot, so you no longer need a netherite ingot.
Once you have placed the lodestone at your desired location in the Nether and right-clicked on it with a compass, the compass will be tuned to the lodestone and will point to its direction until the lodestone is broken.
Using a Respawn Anchor for a Safe Spawn Point
Since beds explode in the Nether, you couldn’t set your spawn point there for a long time. However, the respawn anchor now brings this functionality to the hellish dimension! But the anchor is not that simple to use, so we’ll explain how it works.
Craft the anchor with six crying obsidian and three glowstone blocks. Place it in a safe location of your choice. You must first charge the anchor with full glowstone blocks for it to serve as a spawn point later. You can see how full the anchor is by the filled-in point or the light it emits. You need at least one charge to respawn after death. After that, right-click on the anchor with an empty hand to set your spawn point. The charge is used up when you die and respawn next to the respawn anchor. Always carry enough glowstone blocks to recharge it.
The anchor also works when you leave the Nether. It practically overrides your last set spawn point. And just like a bed in the Nether, it explodes if you place it in the Overworld.
Cleverly Breaking Bedrock in the Nether
One last tip for navigating the Nether is somewhat controversial but has become widely used by many players. With a few tricks, you can get to the “roof” of the Nether, even though it is covered with a layer of bedrock. Over the years, savvy Minecraft players have found various methods to bypass this. Many players use this technique to create a large network of transportation options in the Nether. (How to Build a Nether Hub: Travel Faster in the Minecraft World) You don’t have to do this, of course, but we think it’s worth at least hearing about.
To reach the roof, you need to throw an ender pearl at bedrock at height 127 (look for “targeted block” in the F3 menu on the right). This works best if you place some ladders on the bedrock. One throw should suffice.
However, you shouldn’t do this with empty pockets because you still need to break the bedrock. You will need: 2 TNT, 2 pistons, obsidian, a trapdoor, a lever, and a solid block. First, place a piston facing upwards over the bedrock you want to destroy. Next to it, place obsidian, and behind it, a TNT. Place TNT over the piston, a solid block next to it, and then the lever at the end. Attach the trapdoor to the obsidian.
Then change your right-click to an unused key of your choice. Crawl under the trapdoor, activate the lever, hold the other piston in your hand, and aim it at the gap between the extended piston, the trapdoor, and the obsidian. Hold the changed key down. Wait for the TNT to explode, and the bedrock should be destroyed! It may take a few attempts to get it right.
Conclusion to Your Nether Adventure
The Nether has many secrets to offer and is packed with all sorts of exciting features that many players may not yet know about. From lava-loving Striders, to the respawn anchor, to the ability to destroy bedrock—your options for adventure in the Nether are endless! Rent your own Minecraft server from us for you and your friends and explore the various aspects of the Nether together. Perhaps you can build a cool base on the roof of the Nether together.
