Although defeating the Ender Dragon is a major challenge for many players, it’s usually just the beginning of a new Minecraft world. This is because the End Dimension can be significantly expanded, giving you the opportunity to find many exciting items and use them for your more advanced constructions. For one, there are the Shulker Boxes, which function like backpacks and are extremely useful. Another is the Elytra, the glider wings in Minecraft, which allow you to travel long distances. Both can be found in the End Cities, which we will also take a closer look at today!
Gaining Access to the Extended End Islands
For those entering the End for the first time, it’s important to first face the Ender Dragon. The battle may be a bit lengthy, but it should actually be quickly manageable for most. However, this is not the end of the End Dimension! When you return through the End portal of a Stronghold after defeating the dragon and the Minecraft credits, a whole new challenge awaits you.
The End consists not only of the large main island but also extends millions of blocks in every direction. However, without help, you won’t get far, as you may notice that there is no direct landmass near the main island. This is due to the so-called “Void Sea,” a radius of around 1000 blocks surrounding the center of the End. So initially, there is only one way for you to explore the further End islands: the End Gateway Portal. These small portals made of Bedrock can teleport you to the End islands using an Ender Pearl. From there, you can start your search for End Cities!
By the way, you can defeat the Ender Dragon multiple times and unlock up to 20 of these Gateway Portals. They then line up around the main island and teleport you to different positions in the End.
The Best Equipment for the End Adventure
To make your time in the End a bit easier, you should be well-prepared, especially for your first trip. A wrong step could mean your death! You should also be prepared to collect some important items to simplify your return journey.
- Diamond Armor
- Sword with Sharpness 5 and Looting 3
- Shield
- Water Bucket
- Enough Food
- Several Stacks of Ender Pearls
- Fireworks (for the later Elytra)
- Ender Chest (as insurance for important items)
Finding and Exploring End Cities
Surprisingly, despite its very uniform appearance, the End has different biomes. You will only find End Cities in the End Highlands, so it might take some time to stumble upon such a structure. However, they are not to be missed! They consist of Purpur blocks and End Stone Bricks and often tower far above the barren landscape in the End. The purple blocks are made from the Chorus Fruits, which you can also find in the End.
End Cities are composed of various components and can be both very small and very large. So, it is worthwhile to visit and explore multiple cities. Shulkers can be found everywhere, but the Elytra is only available in the End Ships. These are rarer and only found in certain End Cities.
Tips for Fighting Shulkers
In addition to riches such as diamonds and enchanted tools and armor, End Cities are particularly interesting because of their opponents. Shulkers are unusual mobs in Minecraft and do not attack you directly. At first glance, they don’t seem particularly strong since they can’t directly harm you. But you should be cautious of them because Shulkers are not easy to defeat!
The monsters disguised as purple boxes can be found in all End Cities, sometimes more, sometimes less. They open and close, and inside is a small, yellow face. If they see you, they attack you with Shulker projectiles. These deal two hearts of damage and give you the “Levitation” status effect. This means you float uncontrollably in the air and lose control of your movement. Your worst enemy then becomes the impending fall damage, which is why a Water Bucket is so essential for your equipment in the End. You can deflect the projectiles with a shield or your sword.
It’s best to attack Shulkers with your sword when they are open. However, they may teleport. Interestingly, Shulkers also spawn on “Peaceful,” but they do not attack you.
Shulker Boxes: Portable Storage Solutions
When you defeat a Shulker, it may drop a Shulker Shell. In Java, your chances are significantly lower than in Bedrock, so use Looting on your sword. With two shells and a chest, you can craft a Shulker Box!
For many Minecraft players, these boxes are highly sought after because they function similarly to backpacks. They have as much space as a single chest (27 slots) but can be broken down and retain their contents. Additionally, they can be dyed and renamed at an anvil for differentiation. You can have as many boxes in your inventory as you want. However, you cannot store a Shulker Box inside another Shulker Box… that would probably be TOO crazy! Still, you save a tremendous amount of space in your inventory if you venture into the End.
Elytra: Discover Flying
The Elytra is the second item that makes a visit to the End so important. With the gray wings, you can glide and cover long distances! However, these armor pieces can only be found in certain End Cities that also have a ship. It might take some time until you find one.
To fully utilize the potential of the Elytra, we recommend Fireworks. We even have a tutorial for that , showing you how to craft them automatically. In most cases, you only need one Elytra, as you can repair it either with Phantom Membrane or enchant it with “Unbreaking” and “Mending,” allowing it to be fixed with experience points. A fun fact, the Elytra is not always gray but takes on the color of your cape, which you have activated on your Minecraft skin.
Conclusion: Embark on the Adventure!
Once you have defeated the Ender Dragon, you should venture back into the End and seek out an End City. Many Endgame items await you here, including the Shulker Boxes and the Elytra. Both are necessary if you want to take your Minecraft world to a new level. Rent your own Minecraft server and experience the adventure together with your friends! In the cities, you will also find many enchanted items and armor pieces worth checking out.
