Minecraft is a game with endless possibilities. However, gathering resources for many things can be quite challenging. That’s why many players focus on making resource collection easier. Today, we’re going to look at one of the simplest monster traps in the game. This way, you don’t have to hunt down skeletons or zombies yourself, but can easily gather and kill them. This will not only give you valuable items but also experience points. The design is very simple and has remained unchanged, so it will work in future versions as well. We’ll show you how it’s done!
Why Do I Need a Monster Trap?
Monster traps are one of the oldest automatic machines in Minecraft, which don’t require Redstone. They collect mob spawns and make sure these mobs fall into a pit thanks to their natural pathfinding. You then stand ready at the bottom to easily defeat them and collect the items. But which monsters drop which items?
- Creepers
- Gunpowder
- Skeletons
- Arrows
- Bows
- Zombies
- Rotten Flesh
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- Iron Ingots
- Witches
- Sticks
- Spider Eyes
- Glowstone Dust
- Gunpowder
- Redstone (always)
- Sugar
- Glass Bottles
Additionally, you also get valuable experience points that fill up your bar. However, you only get these if you kill the monsters yourself. That’s why we build the monster trap!
Which Monsters Are Not Suitable for Such a Monster Trap
You may have noticed that some monsters are missing from this list. There’s a reason for that. We’ll explain why spiders and endermen are not included.
- Spiders: Spiders spawn in a 3x3 block area (2x2 in Bedrock). They like to climb, which causes the trap not to work properly.
- Endermen: Endermen only spawn at a height of at least three blocks. Unfortunately, they have a habit of picking up blocks, which is not good for a self-built monster trap.
Building Instructions for a Simple and Effective Monster Trap!
Now let’s take a closer look at how you can build one of these automatic monster traps. The design has barely changed since the early days of Minecraft, so it should work in every version. This makes it very convenient and practical! And you can also expand the trap, which we’ll cover at the end.
List of Materials
You should have all of this in your inventory:
- Several stacks of building materials (we used cobblestone)
- Several stacks of slabs
- Around 100 ladders
- 64 trapdoors
- 4 hoppers
- 2 chests
- Water buckets
- 36 carpets
Building Instructions
Finding the Right Spot
While you can build a monster trap anywhere, it will be less effective if not placed correctly. You need to be far enough from places where monsters can spawn. The ocean is ideal, and then another 100 blocks above sea level (Y=163). This keeps you far enough from land and underground caves. This is where the ladders come in handy; simply build a tall tower over the ocean and place a small 4x8 platform at the top.
Fall Tower and Collection Basin
Next, you need to build a tower for the monsters to fall down and take enough fall damage so you can easily kill them. Build a 2x2 tower upwards – 22 blocks high.
At the bottom, build a collection basin. Place the chest at the front, and then four hoppers leading into the chest. Place some slabs over them to allow items to be collected. Enclose the whole setup, leaving just a small slit to attack through.
Building the Spawn Platform
Now it’s time to build the spawn platforms. At the top, you need to place water channels to carry the monsters down. These look like a plus sign and are 8 blocks long, just as far as water flows. These 2x8 channels should be surrounded by a 2-block-high wall.
Then, fill in the form to create a level surface at the four corners. Build another 2-block-high wall around the edges. This ensures that endermen won’t spawn. On the platforms, place the carpets every 3 blocks to prevent spiders from spawning. Finally, install the trapdoors along the water channels. These make the monsters think they can walk on the water, causing them to fall in and be carried down.
Securing the Roof
Finally, you need to build a roof. First, use full blocks, and then add a layer of slabs. This prevents monsters from spawning on top of the trap. Alternatively, you can secure the roof with torches if you prefer.
Enjoy Your Mob Items!
Now the monster trap is ready! Stand in front of the chest and wait a few minutes for the monsters to gather on the platform above. Soon, creepers, zombies, skeletons, and witches will start falling! Thanks to the fall damage, you can kill them with a single swipe of your sword or even just your fist. You’ll gain experience, and the items will land in the chest.
Expanding the Monster Trap
The great thing about this design is that you can expand it to two or three more levels if you want. Usually, more levels aren’t necessary as you will eventually hit the monster spawn limit. The additional levels should keep the water channels clear, so all the monsters fall to the bottom level. Continue using 2-block-thick platforms and trapdoors.
Conclusion – Monster Drops for Eternity
If you need simple mob items like gunpowder or bones, an automatic monster trap is the best design! It’s easy to build and a great investment of your resources for any beginner. The monster trap has been a crucial part of every base since the Alpha and allows you to collect endless monster items. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work for spiders or endermen, but perhaps we’ll introduce some traps for those later. Gather endless resources on your own server without interruptions. Rent your Minecraft server and build the ultimate monster trap for you and your friends!
