Introduction
Ever been meticulously crafting a grand castle, only to return and find gaping holes where carefully placed blocks used to be? The culprit? Often, it’s the elusive Enderman, Minecraft’s tall, slender, teleporting mob with a penchant for picking up blocks. The frustration is real. Endermen, while generally harmless if you avoid direct eye contact, can be a significant nuisance, especially when they start rearranging your carefully curated landscapes.
These dark beings, known for their unique ability to teleport and their unsettling vocalizations, have a habit of picking up certain blocks in the Minecraft world. This behavior, while part of the game’s design, can quickly become an annoyance, disrupting meticulously planned builds and scattering your resources across the landscape. It can be particularly disheartening in survival mode where resource gathering is already a time-consuming task.
The problem is clear: Endermen stealing blocks is a disruptive and unwanted behavior for many players. Whether you are trying to protect your carefully constructed home, preserve the natural beauty of your terrain, or simply maintain order in your Minecraft world, preventing Endermen from picking up blocks is often a necessity.
This article will explore various methods to prevent Endermen from picking up blocks in Minecraft thirteen, offering a detailed look at practical solutions ranging from simple environmental modifications to command-based approaches. We’ll delve into the nuances of Endermen behavior, providing you with the knowledge and tools to keep your builds intact and your world Enderman-theft-free.
Understanding Endermen Block Pickup Behavior in Minecraft thirteen
To effectively combat Endermen’s block-picking habits, it’s crucial to understand the mechanics behind it. Not all blocks are at risk. Endermen have a specific list of blocks they are programmed to pick up, and it’s this limitation that offers us the first line of defense.
So, which blocks do Endermen target? Typically, they favor blocks like dirt, grass blocks, sand, gravel, mycelium, podzol, red sand, flowers, mushrooms, and even pumpkins. These are typically natural, easily moveable blocks. The selection is based on the block ID and the block’s properties, ensuring Endermen stick to picking up only specific types of blocks. This selection makes sense as endermen are often seen as a neutral mob in the overworld and often seek to repair structures by moving natural blocks around.
The behavior itself is governed by a chance-based system within the game’s code. When an Enderman spawns or teleports into an area, it has a small chance to attempt to pick up a block. If it successfully finds a suitable block within its reach, it will pick it up and carry it around until it decides to drop it, typically when teleporting. The chances are not fixed and can be influenced by game updates or modifications.
While the core behavior remains consistent, the specific list of blocks Endermen can pick up has been modified over different versions of Minecraft. Changes to the game’s block registry, or alterations to Endermen’s AI, can lead to differences in what they can and cannot pick up. In Minecraft thirteen, the list of blocks remains similar to previous versions, making the prevention methods discussed in this article relevant. This constancy is welcome as other changes to the game’s mechanics often require adjustments to existing strategies.
Simple Environmental Prevention Methods
Beyond the game mechanics, you can use simple environmental tricks to discourage, if not completely prevent, Endermen from picking up your precious blocks. These methods work by exploiting Endermen’s inherent weaknesses and preferences.
Water and Lava Placement
Endermen have an aversion to water and lava. Direct contact with either of these fluids causes them to teleport away instantly. This aversion can be strategically used to protect your builds. By surrounding your structures with moats of water or lava, you create an effective barrier that Endermen are unlikely to cross.
Practical examples include surrounding the base of your castle with a water-filled trench, creating decorative waterfalls that flow down the sides of your buildings, or even incorporating hidden lava traps that activate when an Enderman gets too close. However, be mindful of the aesthetics and potential dangers. Lava can be a fire hazard, and excessive water can be visually unappealing. Balance practicality with design to create a safe and visually appealing environment.
There is a caveat, though. Endermen are quite adept at teleporting. If the water is too shallow, or there is even a single block ledge nearby, the endermen can teleport past it. The moat must be deep, and the ledge must be out of reach in order to avoid this complication.
Solid Flooring Non-Pick Up Blocks
One of the most straightforward methods is to build your structures and landscapes using blocks that Endermen simply cannot pick up. This method is reliable and effective, as it eliminates the possibility of theft altogether.
The list of non-pick-up blocks is extensive and includes stone, cobblestone, obsidian, most wood variants (logs, planks), netherrack, and many more. By constructing your bases and paths with these blocks, you create a safe zone that Endermen cannot alter.
Integrating these blocks into your designs doesn’t have to be limiting. Stone can be used to create imposing castle walls, cobblestone paths can add a rustic charm to your gardens, and obsidian can provide a secure foundation for your most valuable structures. Get creative and experiment with different combinations to create visually appealing and Enderman-proof environments.
Lighting and Open Spaces
While Endermen aren’t directly affected by light in the same way as zombies or skeletons, lighting plays a vital role in managing their spawning. Endermen, like many hostile mobs, spawn in areas with low light levels. By ensuring your builds and surrounding areas are well-lit with torches, lanterns, glowstone, or sea lanterns, you can significantly reduce the number of Endermen that spawn nearby.
This can be used in conjunction with other tactics, especially if the intention is to cultivate a farm, as these are known to generate shadows. Try to position light sources such that shadows and dark corners are diminished.
Open areas also impact the Endermen’s teleportation. Large expanses of open space make it difficult for Endermen to find cover or suitable landing spots. This can discourage them from teleporting into your base or near your structures, reducing the chance of them picking up blocks.
While reducing the number of endermen is a good thing, it is not as efficient at stopping griefing as, say, an obsidian floor.
Advanced Solutions Utilizing Commands
For players who are comfortable using commands, Minecraft offers powerful tools to directly control Endermen behavior. These commands provide granular control over the game world and can be used to precisely target and modify the behaviors of specific mobs.
Using the Game Rule Mob Griefing
The simplest command-based solution is to use the `/gamerule mobGriefing false` command. This command globally disables mob griefing, which includes Endermen picking up blocks, creepers destroying blocks, and villagers harvesting crops.
This command offers a quick and easy fix, as it completely prevents Endermen from picking up blocks without requiring complex setups. However, the major drawback is that it disables all mob griefing, which may affect other aspects of your game that you enjoy, such as villagers tending their farms. It’s a blunt instrument that solves the Endermen problem at the expense of other game mechanics.
This is a solution for worlds that are only concerned with building. Survival worlds may want to pursue a different solution.
Using Command Blocks and Targeted Commands
For a more precise and targeted solution, you can use command blocks in conjunction with specific commands to directly control Endermen’s block-picking behavior. This method allows you to disable Endermen block theft without affecting other mob behaviors.
The process involves two main steps: first, detecting Endermen that are holding blocks, and second, clearing the blocks they are holding.
You can use the `/execute` command in conjunction with the `/data` command to check if an Enderman is carrying a block. The `/execute` command allows you to run a command as if it were being run by a specific entity, and the `/data` command allows you to inspect and modify the data associated with entities. This approach is complex, but also specific.
The specific command to detect if an Enderman is carrying a block involves checking the `carriedBlockState` data tag of the Enderman. If this tag is not empty, it means the Enderman is holding a block.
Once you have detected an Enderman holding a block, you can use the `/data merge entity` command to clear the `carriedBlockState` tag, effectively removing the block from the Enderman’s grasp.
To automate this process, you can place a repeating command block and set it to continuously run these commands. This will ensure that any Enderman that picks up a block will immediately have it removed. You can configure the command block to run automatically using redstone or set it to “always active” mode.
As an alternative, if you’d simply prefer to get rid of endermen altogether, a kill command is also available. The command to kill endermen in the surrounding area is /kill @e[type=enderman,distance=..100]. This command will kill all endermen within one hundred blocks of the command block.
Likewise, if it is desired that Endermen do not appear on a particular map, a command to prevent Endermen spawns is also possible.
Considerations and Troubleshooting
When using command blocks, it’s crucial to pay attention to syntax errors, as even a small mistake can prevent the commands from working correctly. Double-check your command syntax and ensure you are using the correct entity selectors.
Command block setup is also important. Ensure that your command block is set to the correct mode (impulse, repeating, or chain) and that it is powered correctly. Repeating command blocks need to be set to “always active” or powered by a redstone clock to function continuously.
Keep in mind that constantly running commands can have a performance impact, especially in large worlds with many entities. Test your command setups thoroughly and monitor your server’s performance to ensure it remains stable.
Combining Strategies for Optimal Protection
The most effective approach to preventing Endermen block theft is often to combine multiple strategies. By combining environmental methods with command-based solutions, you create a multi-layered defense that is both robust and adaptable.
For example, you could use non-pick-up block flooring around your base and then use a targeted command to remove blocks only if an Enderman manages to pick one up outside the flooring. This combines the passive protection of the flooring with the active protection of the command.
Tailoring your approach to your specific needs and playstyle is crucial. Consider the layout of your world, the resources available to you, and the level of control you desire. Experiment with different combinations of methods to find what works best for you.
Conclusion
Preventing Endermen block theft in Minecraft thirteen is a multifaceted challenge with a variety of solutions. From simple environmental modifications to advanced command-based approaches, you have a wide range of tools at your disposal.
The importance of choosing the right solution based on your specific needs and Minecraft world cannot be overstated. A small cabin may benefit from only having a stone floor, while a huge castle will need multiple levels of protection, including a command block for total protection.
Whether you prefer a hands-on approach with environmental modifications or a more automated approach with commands, the key is to experiment and find what works best for you. By understanding Endermen behavior and implementing the appropriate prevention methods, you can preserve the integrity of your builds and enjoy your Minecraft world without the frustration of block theft. Minecraft thirteen offers the versatility of being a creative medium, while also having the ability to preserve the state of your world as you see fit.
Optional Frequently Asked Questions
Does this work on all Minecraft versions?
No, this article is specifically focused on Minecraft thirteen. While some of the methods may work in other versions, there may be differences in Endermen behavior or command syntax.
Will this affect other mobs besides Endermen?
The `gamerule mobGriefing false` command will affect all mobs, including creepers and villagers. Targeted command-based solutions will only affect Endermen.
What if I want Endermen to pick up *some* blocks, but not others?
Unfortunately, there is no way to selectively control which blocks Endermen can pick up using vanilla Minecraft commands. This would require custom modifications or plugins.
