Building beneath the ocean surface is, of course, not a new idea in Minecraft. Since the early versions, many players have taken on the challenge of creating some cool things underwater. However, for many years, it wasn’t that easy, as you would run out of air faster than you’d like. But since the release of the 1.13 Aquatic Update and some fantastic new features, it’s no longer a problem to realize your dreams of an underwater city! Today, we’re looking at everything that makes working under the sea easier, including the often forgotten conduit. Make sure to keep it in mind to turn your plans into reality.
Essential Items for Efficient Underwater Work
You can now work underwater undisturbed without having to resurface constantly for air. The swimming mechanics have also significantly improved compared to earlier versions. But what exactly is available to you? These items should definitely be part of your sea projects to make your job easier.
Potions for Underwater Work:
Water Breathing: This self-explanatory potion allows you to breathe underwater without any issues for its duration. To brew it, you’ll need a pufferfish, and with a redstone dust, you can extend its duration to a full 8 minutes. No sea construction project should start without this potion.
Night Vision: Your visibility will also be limited when building underwater, which is not exactly practical. While you can use regular light sources (Effective Light Sources for Decorative Building Projects in Minecraft) , that’s not the best solution for the construction process. We recommend crafting a night vision potion from golden carrots. You can also extend this one to 8 minutes with redstone, which should be enough for initial excursions.
Enchantments for Underwater Work:
Respiration: You can enhance your helmet with extra breathing time. It doesn’t last forever, but it gives you significantly more time before the air bubbles completely disappear.
Aqua Affinity: This enchantment is also for the helmet, allowing you to break blocks faster underwater.
Depth Strider: To move faster, you should opt for Depth Strider. Up to three levels allow your boots to reach the same speed as on land.
Better Movement Underwater:
Dolphin’s Grace: Swimming with dolphins also increases your speed. Moreover, these adorable creatures can lead you to hidden treasures.
Trident with “Riptide”: The trident is an often overlooked weapon, but it’s an absolute must underwater, especially with the “Riptide” enchantment! It allows you to dash through the waves, moving extremely swiftly.
Effective Use of Sponges in Underwater Construction
Sponges are, in fact, one of the oldest blocks in Minecraft, but they were long only available in creative mode. However, with the introduction of ocean monuments, they were added to the survival part of the game and are perfect for underwater construction work. You can find them in “sponge rooms” or by defeating an Elder Guardian.
Just like in real life, they absorb water and can be used for larger construction projects you want to realize underwater. They can be used within a 7x7x7 block area, absorbing all the water within this radius. However, water from surrounding areas can still flow in. Once they’re filled with water, you need to dry them. This can be done in a furnace, or you can place them in the Nether, where they dry instantly. We recommend having a few sponges on hand for your underwater projects.
Using Water Columns as Effective Transport Mechanisms
The use of different elevator mechanisms is also no longer new in Minecraft. However, with the functionality of bubble columns, you can easily reach the water surface or be pulled down. Use soul sand blocks to shoot yourself up with a bubble column and magma blocks to be pulled down. Both are super practical, not just for underwater constructions but also for regular buildings where a fast elevator is needed.
The Conduit: A Powerful Helper in Underwater Construction
Lastly, let’s take a look at the conduit, an often overlooked block that can be super practical for your underwater construction work. It functions similarly to a beacon on land, and if you want to learn more about that, check out our article (Building a Minecraft Beacon: All Effects & Materials Explained!) .
To create a conduit, you’ll need two items. First, you need eight nautilus shells. You can obtain these by fishing, as a drop from Drowned mobs, or through trading with the wandering trader. They’re not super rare, but you still need to actively search for them. The second item is a bit harder to acquire, the “Heart of the Sea.” You can only find it in buried treasure chests, which can only be located through corresponding treasure maps. These maps can be found in ocean ruins or shipwrecks. Fortunately, every buried treasure chest contains a Heart of the Sea.
Once built, you need to set up the conduit underwater and surround it with a ring of 42 prismarine blocks. Any prismarine block will work. The shape should consist of two vertical rings measuring 5x5, along with a horizontal outer ring. You’ll have the full power of the conduit activated when its red eye lights up. The entire radius of the subsequent effect is 96 blocks in every direction.
But what effects does the conduit provide? The “Conduit Power” grants you the following within its radius:
Increased mining speed, comparable to Haste 1
Complete underwater breathing
Night vision
Damage against hostile mobs within an eight-block radius (e.g., Drowned)
These effects make the conduit a must-have for any projects you want to undertake underwater. It practically provides all the effects you can achieve with potions, but permanently and over a large radius. You won’t have to constantly deal with finding the necessary resources for potions. However, some of the enchantments from the first section are still recommended.
Conclusion
Some of the most beautiful construction projects in Minecraft are those that require a bit more effort. Since ancient times, underwater buildings have been incredibly cool to look at, although their construction was challenging before Update 1.13. But with sponges, the conduit, and excellent enchantments, nothing should stand in your way. Rent your own Minecraft server from us and build a cool underwater city with your friends, like in games such as “BioShock” or “Subnautica.”
