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netherite block high quality

Best Y Level for Netherite in Minecraft 1.20

Isn't strip mining fun?

Netherite tools and armor are some of the strongest and most difficult-to-obtain items available in Minecraft 1.20. Here are a few of our best tips and tricks for getting Netherite fast in Minecraft 1.20, and the best Netherite level to find Netherite.

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Best Netherite Level in Minecraft 1.20

While Ancient Debris (Netherite) can be found at any Y level in the Nether, it is most commonly found between Y levels 8-22. Most Netherite is at level 14 and 15. Strip mining at this level with TNT or beds will give you your best chance at finding a large amount of Ancient Debris quickly.

Where Does Netherite Spawn?

It is reported that Ancient Debris spawns more commonly around the border of a chunk. To take advantage of this, simply hit F3 + G in Java Edition. In Bedrock Edition, go to Settings, Game, and then enable “Show Coordinates.” You will be at a chunk border when your Z or X coordinates can be divided by 16.

Enabling Chunk Borders in Java Edition will show a yellow border at the edge of each chunk. Strip mine along this border to increase your chances of finding Netherite.

Netherite at a chunk border in Minecraft
Finding Netherite at a Chunk Border (Image via Minecraft)

It only took us around five minutes of mining at a Chunk Border to find a vein of Ancient Debris.

How to Farm Netherite in Minecraft 1.20

Following the steps above will give you a solid foundation for farming Netherite in Minecraft. However, there are a few additional steps that can be followed to increase your chances.

You should mine Ancient Debris with an Efficiency and Unbreaking enchanted Pickaxe and Shovel. This will allow you to cover as much ground as possible in the shortest amount of time.

Tip:

You can get Efficiency and Unbreaking enchantments with an Enchantment table. You can find enchantment books around the world by fishing or opening loot chests. You can also find enchanted weapons as loot from mobs, barter for them with Piglins, or get them from the enchanting table by spending the appropriate Lapis Lazuli and experience points.

How to Mine for Netherite in Minecraft

Strip mining goes by several names, such as Vertical Mining and Shafting. It is when a player digs a long tunnel to expose resources for easy extraction. There are a few ways to do this, but the most straightforward approach is to dig three blocks forward, and five blocks to either side.

However, strip mining isn’t the only way to mine optimally in Minecraft. There are a few options available to players, each with their own pros and cons.

TNT Mining Netherite

Unlike other blocks in the Nether, ancient debris is resistant to blasts, ensuring it remains intact even when subjected to the explosive force of TNT.

To use TNT for mining, construct a strip mining tunnel in the Nether, maintaining a depth between Y=8 and Y=22. Given the big explosion caused by TNT, we advise creating the tunnel around Y=14, effectively covering the region both above and below.

Once your strip mining tunnel is ready, strategically position TNT every 4 blocks within the mine. After placing all the TNT, ensure you have sufficient space to retreat. Don’t forget that TNT can pose a serious threat, so give yourself some space between the TNT, and build your mine shaft with an exit.

Using a flint and steel, ignite the nearest TNT and get back a few blocks. After a few seconds, the TNT will explode, triggering a chain reaction along the strip mining tunnel. Allow all the TNT to complete its explosion sequence before returning to the tunnel. You should now see a hollowed-out cavern, revealing any exposed ancient debris in the vicinity.

Tip:

Always bring fire potions, or wear fire-resistant armor when using the TNT method. When you mine for netherite this way, you can accidentally cause lava flow into your mine shaft.

The main limitation of this is that you’ll need a gunpowder farm to make all the TNT.

Mining Netherite with Beds

An alternative method for netherite mining involves using beds. Although it comes with inherent dangers, this approach proves to be an excellent option for discovering ancient debris, especially if you lack access to gunpowder.

To initiate bed mining, manually carve out a 4×1 tunnel, strategically placing a bed in the last two spots In the fifth space, insert two blocks stacked atop each other, effectively “closing” off the tunnel with the bed. Now, when viewed from the side, continue mining until only the corner of the bed is visible.

Crouch down and click on the bed’s corner; this action triggers an immediate explosion. While there will be a bit of knockback, basic armor should provide ample protection, resulting in minimal to no damage from the blast. We rigorously tested this setup with no armor, and no damage was incurred.

For this starategy, we recommend having a wool farm handy so you can make all the beds.

Basic Mine Shaft

Mining with the basic mine shaft method involves making 3×3 or 4×4 mine shafts with a ladder on one side. This allows you to easily go through the tunnel and extract resources as you go.

Staircase Mining

For staircase mining, you’ll want to build a simple staircase descending down into any quarry. Each staircase drop is only one block length per three blocks mined, creating enough headway for the player to traverse. There are numerous ways to build this staircase, such as spiral staircases, diagonals, and so on.

Vertical Strip Mining

Vertical Strip Mining involves creating vertical mine shafts of a specific width, leading all the way down to mine resources. Many players like to build spiral staircases within the shaft for easy ascension, and descension. Your width can be anything, such as 2×1, 1×1, 2×2, 4×4, and so on. You should bring water and blocks in case you find lava.

If you’re not into strip mining, feel free to explore the Nether to your heart’s content and mine any Ancient Debris on the surface. Using a Spyglass can help you see any Ancient Debris blocks in the distance.

This will take much longer than using the strip mining method listed above. However, it’s not as much of a soul-sucking experience…

It is important to keep a large stash of Food and Night Vision Potions to make your time in the Nether as comfortable as possible. It gets really dark, and you want to make sure you aren’t missing any Netherite.

How to Get Into the Nether

You’ll need to be in the Nether in order to find Ancient Debris. To do this, you’ll first need to craft a Nether Portal. The normal way to build a Nether Portal is by building any rectangular frame from collected Obsidian blocks. The size of this can be from 4×5 to 23×23. Next, you’ll need to use a Flint and Steel tool to light a fire inside of the frame itself. This will turn the portal on.

Now that you know the best Y level for Netherite in Minecraft, you are one step closer to crafting some Netherite Armor.

If this guide helped you, consider checking out our Minecraft tab below. It is full of helpful information to make your Minecraft play-throughs much smoother.


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Joe Greene is currently the SEO Manager for the prestigious Prima Games. If Joe isn't playing Bloons Tower Defense 6, he's probably thinking about playing it. With a background in writing, music and coding, Joe can really do it all!
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Michael Dawson is a skilled writer on pop culture, video games, and film/TV. He has 8+ years of experience writing on various topics and for multiple publications. He loves Elden Ring, Zelda, Mario, Metal Gear solid, competitive games, horror, and indies.
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