The Nether is a vast and dangerous dimension in Minecraft filled with lava, fungi-based vegetation, and hostile mobs. Since Minecraft released the 1.16 Nether update, the Nether has become a mysterious and exciting place to explore.
During the MINECON 2019, the Minecraft developers expressed they wanted to create the Nether where players can actually “live in it,” thus adding new vegetation and edible food dropped by certain mobs. With this update, the Nether ultimately expanded, and new biomes were added. While the Nether itself is pretty intimidating and scary, there has been much new content for players to discover since the update. This guide will go through all the biomes you can find in the Nether, including blocks, resources, and mobs.
Nether Wastes
Nether wastes are the most common biome in the Nether, which was also the only biome added before the 1.16 Nether update. Nether wastes make up almost half of the Nether and are primarily made of netherrack with lava seas reaching the distance. There are a lot of materials you can farm in the Nether wastes and mobs to kill for loot. Here is a list of all the resources you can gather in this biome:
- Netherrack,
- Nether Quartz Ore,
- Nether Gold Ore,
- Glowstone,
- Soul Sand,
- Ancient Debris,
- Magma Blocks,
- Blackstone,
- Gravel,
- Lava,
- Red Mushrooms,
- Brown Mushrooms.
Along with certain blocks and resources, you can also find these specific mobs wandering around the Nether wastes and their corresponding loot:
- Zombified Piglin: Undead variants of piglins often drop rotten flesh, gold nuggets, gold ingots, and possibly a random weapon.
- Magma Cube: Magma cubes are magma slimes that drop magma cream when killed.
- Enderman: Endermen are your primary source of ender pearls which can be crafted into an eye of ender.
- Piglin: Neutral mobs that roam the Nether, and you can trade the gold with them in exchange for rare loot.
- Ghast: The ghast is a large white floating hostile mob that shoots fireballs at the player when seen. They have a chance to drop gunpowder and a ghast tear when killed.
- Strider: Striders are passive mobs that stride in lava. The player can saddle them to cross the lava sea below. Learn how to ride striders here!
Nether wastes will also have a chance to spawn magnificent structures such as the Nether fortress and Bastion Remnants—both of which you can explore and open chests for rare loot.
Nether Fortress
The nether fortress, also known as “fortress,” is a large structure comprised of bridges, corridors, and towers. Common hostile mobs roam the nether fortress and rare mobs such as blazes and wither skeletons. The nether fortress is also an excellent source for farming nether wart, which is vital in creating potions.
Bastion Remnants
Bastion remnants are large structures that look like abandoned castles and contain bridges, hoglin stables, housing units, and treasure rooms. If you are willing to brave the remnant, loot can be found within abandoned chests scattered amongst the ruins.
Soul Sand Valley
The soul sand valley is a dry biome found in the Nether. It is the equivalent of the overworld’s desert biome. In this biome, all flames generated will turn blue (called soul fire) due to the soul sand block, which allows you to craft blue campfires and torches. Soul sand will also slow movement from mobs and players who walk here, making it challenging to trek. Here is a list of all the resources you can gather in this biome:
- Netherrack,
- Gravel,
- Soul Sand,
- Soul Soil,
- Basalt,
- Blackstone,
- Bone Block,
- Glowstone,
- Crimson Roots,
- Red Mushroom,
- Brown Mushroom,
- Lava.
Nether Fossils
The soul sand valley also generates a unique structure called nether fossils, made of bone blocks. And because of the number of nether fossils present in this biome, the soul sand valley is thought to have once been a habitable biome full of ancient creatures that possibly went extinct due to famine.
In addition to unique structures, the soul sand valley will only spawn a few mobs, such as:
- Skeleton,
- Ghast,
- Enderman,
- Strider.
Crimson Forest
The crimson forest is one of two forest biome varieties in the Nether. The crimson forest is comprised mainly of red tree-like fungi, which can be chopped down for crafting. It is one of the only biomes found in the Nether with an ecosystem, thus making it habitable for the player. Below is a list of all the resources that you can gather in this biome:
- Crimson Nylium,
- Netherrack,
- Crimson Stem,
- Nether Wart Block,
- Blackstone,
- Gravel,
- Shroomlight,
- Crimson Roots,
- Crimson Fungus,
- Warped Fungus,
- Red Mushroom,
- Brown Mushroom,
- Weeping Vines.
The tree-like fungi predominantly seen in this biome grow from a small crimson fungus when planted on a crimson nylium block. Crimson nylium blocks are similar to netherrack but with red grass on top. Mining crimson nylium blocks using a tool without the silk touch enchantment will revert the block to netherrack. A silk touch enchanted tool will allow you to bring the block back to the overworld for farming purposes. Like the other biomes in the Nether, nether fortresses and bastion remnants may spawn in this biome. Mobs that spawn in this biome are as follows:
- Zombified Piglin,
- Hoglin,
- Piglin.
Warped Forest
The warped forest is the second of two forest biomes found in the Nether. Like the Crimson forest, the warped forest grows large tree-like fungi but is instead tainted with bright cyan color. Below is a list of all the resources you can gather in this biome:
- Warped Nylium,
- Netherrack,
- Warped Stem,
- Warped Wart Block,
- Blackstone,
- Gravel,
- Shroomlight,
- Warped Roots,
- Crimson Roots,
- Warped Fungus,
- Crimson Fungus,
- Red Mushroom,
- Brown Mushroom,
- Nether Sprouts,
- Twisting Vines.
Like crimson nylium blocks, the warped fungus must be planted on a warped nylium block to grow. Endermen are the only mobs to spawn in this biome, making this relatively safe to traverse.
Basalt Deltas
The last biome is basalt deltas. It is a volcanic biome located in the Nether with high amounts of lava, thus making this one of the most dangerous biomes in the Nether. There are fewer blocks and resources in this biome compared to the others. Here is a list of all of them:
- Netherrack,
- Basalt,
- Blackstone,
- Magma Block,
- Lava,
- Gravel,
- Brown Mushroom,
- Red Mushroom.
Basalt deltas can generate nether fortresses but cannot spawn bastion remnants. Additionally, only two mobs spawn in this biome: ghast and magma cube. And although hostile mobs do not roam this biome very much, the terrain makes this a difficult and dangerous biome.
After encountering all five biomes, you will achieve “Hot Tourist Destinations.”
