Compare pearl sources, survive a Nether fortress, and craft Eyes of Ender.
Before looking for a stronghold, collect ender pearls and blaze powder. Get pearls by fighting endermen or trading; obtain blaze rods from blazes in a Nether fortress, then turn the rods into powder. A pearl and powder make an Eye of Ender.
This route assumes ordinary survival. World settings and editions can affect trades; fighting the relevant mobs also requires a difficulty where they can spawn.
Choose a pearl route
| Route | How to start | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Endermen | Find and defeat them in the Overworld | Drops aren't guaranteed; bring food, a weapon and a safe escape route |
| Villagers | Trade with a cleric offering ender pearls | You'll need trade progression and emeralds; check that villager's actual offers |
| Piglins | Barter gold ingots with ordinary piglins in the Nether | Rewards are random; a given ingot won't necessarily yield pearls |
When fighting endermen, find cover and avoid getting surrounded by other mobs. They can teleport, so leave room to retreat. Trading avoids repeated fights but needs preparation: emeralds and villager progression for clerics, or gold and a safe Nether position for piglins. Ordinary piglins and zombified piglins are different mobs.
Bring home blaze rods
Take food, armor, a weapon, pickaxe, blocks and flint and steel; note your portal's location. In the Nether, look for a Nether fortress and mark the route. Secure your footing near lava and don't assume every dark structure is a fortress. Your target is the blazes inside.
Blazes fire projectiles and can set the area alight. Use solid cover, watch for a gap in attacks, and retreat to eat if your health is low. A defeated blaze can drop a blaze rod, but a drop isn't guaranteed. Collect the rods and follow your markers back to the portal; getting home with the items matters more than chasing another enemy.
For a reliable drop attempt, defeat the blaze yourself (or with a tamed wolf). A blaze killed solely by environmental damage does not drop a blaze rod; even a player-caused kill may drop none.
Make Eyes of Ender
Place a blaze rod in a crafting grid to make blaze powder. Combine one ender pearl and one blaze powder to make an Eye of Ender. Eyes point toward strongholds and fill their End portal frames. An eye may break when used to search, so bring spares instead of relying on your last one to survive the trip.
Not ready for the stronghold yet? Pearls can also be thrown for teleportation, although the landing spot may be dangerous. Blaze rods and powder also have brewing uses. Set aside what you need before converting everything into eyes.
Sources
- Minecraft: Ender Pearl — Pearl sources and Eye of Ender crafting
- Minecraft: Meet the Blaze — Blazes, blaze rods and blaze powder
- Minecraft: Stronghold — Eyes locating strongholds and activating the portal
- Minecraft Wiki: Blaze — Player or tamed wolf kill required for rod drops
Revision history
— Recently updated