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Wardens are undoubtedly one of the hardest mini-bosses in Minecraft, comparable to the Elder Guardian found in Ocean Monuments! As you soon adventure into the Deep Dark for The Sift, or you want to explore the darkest depths of the world yourself, we'll help cover what you need to keep an eye out for.
Where Do Wardens Spawn in Minecraft?
Wardens can exclusively spawn in the Deep Dark biomes underground, but be careful! If you aren't cautious about how you navigate the Deep Dark, you could soon find yourself fighting way more wardens than you were prepared for.
For those that aren't familiar, we also have a separate post on the easiest way to find Ancient Cities in Minecraft!
Once you're in the Deep Dark, though, it's time to summon a Warden. This is especially easy in Ancient Cities, so we'll assume you're in one for the sake of the visuals here!
How to Summon the Warden
As long as you're in the Deep Dark biome, you'll be able to encounter two unique block types that you'll need to be aware of for summoning a warden: Sculk Sensors and Sculk Shriekers.
Sculk Sensors will detect when you make sound near them. This includes actions like walking (crouch/shift-walking is silent, so that's okay!), opening chests, block placing/breaking, etc.
Once a Sculk Sensor has been activated, it will alert nearby Sculk Shriekers, which may then send out a signal which summons a Warden. When successful, a Warden will rise from the ground nearby and shout, so it's time to get ready for your fight.
Hidden Warden Spawn Locations
Oftentimes, a warden may spawn underneath the portal in the middle of ancient cities. If you hear a warden or caused one to spawn and have been unable to find it, this is your first place to check.
Digging down from the portal in the middle of an ancient city, or opening the door if you'd like to take the polite way in, will bring you into a corridor of rooms which may contain the warden you're looking for! Just be careful, as it may blast its way towards you in the enclosed space.
What Do Wardens Drop?
If you're looking to summon a warden for a unique and powerful item drop like a nether star, you may want to look elsewhere. They do have a signature drop, though, as killing a warden has a 100% chance of dropping 1 Sculk Catalyst block.
As opposed to killing the warden, you can also mine Sculk Catalysts all around the deep dark and ancient cities using any tool with the Silk Touch enchantment (hoes are fastest!). Farming the blocks this way though can be a bit more limited, since eventually you'll run out and need to find another deep dark biome. So if you need a lot of them, killing lots of Wardens can still be a good option.
Sculk Catalysts give you a way to convert normal blocks like grass and dirt into sculk, emit light, and are really mostly a tool for generating new sculk related blocks if you love the aesthetic!
