You Aren’t Meant To Fight “The Warden” In Minecraft 1.17

Minecraft’s 1.17 update is just a few short months from release. However, we have learned a lot about the features coming with the update, not the least of which is the fact that you aren’t meant to fight the Warden.

During the Minecraft Live event in October, it was revealed that there would be a new “boss” mob being added to the game—the Warden. In the preview video of the Warden, the mob was shown taking down a player (who was wearing full netherite armor) in just two hits. Of course, in the time since it has been revealed that you aren’t actually meant to fight the Warden, and it’s not actually a boss at all.

During an “Ask Mojang” Q&A session on YouTube, developer Kingbdogz revealed that the Warden is more like a natural disaster than a hostile mob like the End Dragon or the Wither. “The objective of the Warden is not so much to fight it head-on. We want it to actually be more like you’re avoiding it and trying to get loot from chests,” the developer said. He went further, though, and explained that you probably won’t be rewarded with anything if you do decide to take it on.

“We don’t want to incentivize players actually attacking it because that’s not the sort of gameplay we’re going for, for the Warden,” Kingbdogz explained. However, after stating this, he did float the idea of a sort of trophy that you might be able to pick up if you take on the Warden.

The Warden is the game’s first “blind” mob—navigating the terrain not by sight but by using what Kingbdogz has referred to as “vibrations.” The simplest way to think of these “vibrations” is to think in terms of sound. If you make any noise whatsoever, the Warden will be able to hear you. If you’re thinking that you’ll be able to cheese your way around the Warden by using a potion or enchantment, you can forget about it.

Kingbdogz stated that the idea of the Warden is to make the game challenging to play—and for the Deep Dark to inspire fear in all players.

Read More: Minecraft’s 1.17 Update Doesn’t Include Colored Lights

Minecraft’s “Deep Dark” Biome Is Meant To Bring Fear Back To The Game

When you think of “scary” games, Minecraft probably isn’t the first one that comes to mind. The blocky design and the bright colors don’t typically lend themselves to visions of horror and fright. However, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who wasn’t at least a little scared on their first night in Minecraft. That’s the feeling that one Minecraft developer wants to bring back with their project “The Deep Dark.”

In October, during the Minecraft Live event, developer Kingbdogz (as he’s known on Twitter) said that he wants to make Minecraft scary again. To do so, he’s been working on a biome that can only be found below y-level 0—the Deep Dark. He has even shared that he has drawn inspiration for the biome from listening to soundtracks to horror games.

In this biome, you’ll find the new Sculk Sensor and the new mob, The Warden. The Warden is supposed to be so powerful that you aren’t meant to fight it. The Warden can also—using the Sculk Sensors’ abilities—find you if you make any sound whatsoever. Speaking of sound—last month, Kingbdogz shared some of the terrifying new sounds that you’ll hear while you’re exploring the Deep Dark.

Tuning in to the darkest of depths… What's that sound? pic.twitter.com/X7AjmwHQof

— kingbdogz (@kingbdogz) January 15, 2021

We haven’t seen all that the Deep Dark will bring with it, but we have been able to explore some of its features with the latest snapshot for Java Edition. For example, we have learned that there will be another new set of blocks to play with—Grimstone. The new Grimstone block can be found in the same areas where you’ll find the Deep Dark and will be harder to mine than stone—adding more difficulty for advanced players.

It has also been revealed that ores will spawn more frequently at the lower levels of the map. That means that you’ll be rewarded for braving the Deep Dark and risking the Warden. However, you’re probably going to want to make sure you’re fully kitted-out because the Warden has been shown to deal enough damage to kill you in just three hits—even with full netherite armor.