Netherite is the strongest material in Minecraft. Netherite gear lasts longer than diamond, gives more armour toughness and knockback resistance, and does not burn in lava or fire. Getting it takes a few steps, though, because you never find netherite itself in the world. You find ancient debris, turn it into netherite scrap, craft netherite ingots, and use those to upgrade your diamond gear. This guide explains how to get netherite in Minecraft, where to find ancient debris, the fastest mining methods and how the upgrade works.
Quick answer
- Go to the Nether. See how to make obsidian for the portal.
- Mine ancient debris with a diamond or netherite pickaxe, mostly around Y 15.
- Smelt each ancient debris in a furnace or blast furnace to get 1 netherite scrap.
- Craft 4 netherite scrap + 4 gold ingots into 1 netherite ingot.
- At a smithing table, combine a netherite upgrade smithing template, a diamond item and a netherite ingot.
What you need before you start
- A diamond pickaxe, ideally with Efficiency and Unbreaking. Iron and below will not drop ancient debris. See how to find diamonds.
- Fire Resistance potions in case you fall into lava. See the potions guide.
- Gold armour or at least one gold piece so piglins do not attack you.
- Blocks, food and a bed or TNT for mining, plus a way home. Write down your portal coordinates.
Where to find ancient debris
Ancient debris generates in every Nether biome between roughly Y 8 and Y 119, but most of it is found low down, between about Y 8 and Y 22, with the most at around Y 15. It is very rare and is almost always hidden inside netherrack rather than exposed to air, so you will not usually spot it in caves. That is why the mining method matters.
Ancient debris looks like a dark brown block with swirled rings on the top and lines on the sides. It is very hard to break, takes a while even with a diamond pickaxe, and is immune to explosions, which is the trick most players use.
Best ways to mine ancient debris
Method 1: Strip mining at Y 15
Dig a 2 block tall tunnel at Y 15, then branch tunnels to the side every 3 blocks. It is slow but safe. An Efficiency V pickaxe and a Haste beacon make it much faster. Watch for lava pockets and always place a block ahead of you if you hear lava.
Method 2: Bed or respawn anchor mining
Beds explode in the Nether. Dig a long tunnel at Y 15, place a bed, stand behind a block, and use the bed. The explosion clears netherrack but not ancient debris, so any debris nearby is exposed. Always stand far enough away and behind cover, because the blast can kill you and it can set fires.
Method 3: TNT mining
Lay TNT every few blocks along a tunnel at Y 15 and light it. Like beds, the blast removes netherrack and reveals debris. TNT is cheaper if you have a creeper or sand farm. See fireworks and gunpowder uses for gunpowder sources.
Method 4: Bastion loot
Chests in a bastion remnant can contain ancient debris, netherite scrap and even netherite ingots. Bastions are dangerous because of piglin brutes, but the treasure room is worth it, and bastion chests are also the only place to find the netherite upgrade smithing template.
Smelting ancient debris into netherite scrap
Put the ancient debris in a furnace or a blast furnace. Each block gives 1 netherite scrap and a decent amount of experience. A blast furnace works twice as fast.
Crafting a netherite ingot
Put 4 netherite scrap and 4 gold ingots anywhere in a crafting table. It is a shapeless recipe, so the order does not matter. You get 1 netherite ingot. So one piece of netherite gear needs 4 ancient debris and 4 gold ingots.
Upgrading diamond gear to netherite
Netherite gear is not crafted from scratch. You upgrade diamond gear at a smithing table:
- Place a netherite upgrade smithing template in the first slot.
- Place the diamond item in the second slot.
- Place a netherite ingot in the third slot.
Your item keeps all its enchantments and any name. That is why you should enchant your diamond gear first.
Getting more upgrade templates
You find netherite upgrade smithing templates in bastion remnant chests; the treasure room chest always has one. Once you have one, you can copy it. Craft 1 template, 1 netherrack and 7 diamonds to get 2 templates. A full set of netherite armour plus tools needs a lot of templates, so copy them before you use the last one.
How much netherite do you need?
| Gear | Netherite ingots | Ancient debris |
|---|---|---|
| 1 tool or armour piece | 1 | 4 |
| Full armour (4 pieces) | 4 | 16 |
| Armour plus sword, pickaxe, axe, shovel | 8 | 32 |
| Netherite block | 9 | 36 |
Why netherite is worth it
- More durability than diamond.
- Netherite armour adds knockback resistance and more armour toughness.
- Netherite items float in lava and do not burn, so you rarely lose them.
- Netherite blocks can power a beacon.
Netherite vs diamond gear
Is it worth all the effort? For most players, yes, but not right away. Diamond gear is good enough for the early Nether, the End and most bosses. Netherite matters most for late-game fights, building in dangerous places and anything near lava. A sensible order is: get enchanted diamond gear first, then upgrade your sword and pickaxe, then your chestplate and leggings, and finish with the helmet and boots.
Finding a bastion for templates
Bastion remnants are huge blackstone structures found in every Nether biome except basalt deltas. They come in four types: housing units, hoglin stables, treasure rooms and bridges. Piglins guard them and piglin brutes always attack, even if you wear gold. Block off the hoglin and magma cube areas, bring good armour and food, and remember that opening chests angers nearby piglins. The treasure room bastion has the best loot.
Using netherite ingots for other items
Beyond gear, netherite ingots make lodestones, which point a compass to a set location. See how to make a compass. Nine ingots make a netherite block, which works as a beacon base and is a status symbol on servers.
Safety tips
- Never dig straight down in the Nether.
- Carry Fire Resistance, because water evaporates in the Nether and cannot save you from lava.
- Do not attack zombified piglins by accident; the whole group will chase you.
- Use nether portal coordinates so you can always find home.
FAQ
What Y level is best for netherite?
Around Y 15 in the Nether. Most ancient debris generates between about Y 8 and Y 22.
What pickaxe do you need to mine ancient debris?
A diamond or netherite pickaxe.
How many ancient debris make a netherite ingot?
4. Smelt each into netherite scrap, then craft 4 scrap with 4 gold ingots.
Where do you get a netherite upgrade template?
From bastion remnant chests. You can duplicate one with 7 diamonds and a netherrack block.
Do you lose enchantments when upgrading to netherite?
No. The item keeps its enchantments and name.
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