Tutorials/Monster Spawner Traps

Monster spawner traps are a type of mob farm that uses a Monster Spawner. They employ the mob spawners found in dungeons as a source of mobs. The purpose of these traps is to create an infinite source of items which can be gathered in an efficient way from the mobs spawned by the monster spawner. Two general goals of these traps are to keep the player safe and to allow the mobs to spawn.

[edit] Finding the dungeon

Dungeons are found when exploring caves and Abandoned Mine Shafts. They appear to spawn in random places, but almost always underground. Third-Party programs/mods/texture packs, such as a map viewer, can help the player locate a dungeon.

Mob Spawners can be neutralized by placing torches to light up any dark areas around the spawner. Because blazes can spawn in light level 12 or below, however, torches (light level 14) are not very effective for neutralizing blaze spawners. As of Version 1.8.1, there are four types of mobs that can spawn broken into two categories, tall mobs (skeleton and zombie) and spiders (standard and cave spider). The 1.9 prerelease has Blaze spawners in Nether Fortresses which can be trapped for Blaze Rods.

Also in the 1.9 prerelease, a Silverfish spawner can be found in the portal room of a Stronghold. However, since Silverfish do not drop anything and are bothersome enemies, it is better to destroy the spawner than to trap it. The most dangerous spawners to take on are those for skeletons, due to their long range capability. As such it is advisable to plan ahead before assaulting one of these spawners.

[edit] Killing Mechanism

Any standard mob grinder can be connected to a dungeon. However, the purpose of this device is for players who are currently low on materials and can't yet build something larger.

[edit] Drowning Traps

Drowning traps employ water to drown the hostile mobs. Mobs float in water and items drop, which allows easy separation. In this example, the dungeon is a 5x5 zombie spawner.

• Capture the spawner and place water in one of the corners. The opposite corner should have one dry block.
• Dig a small hole in the dry corner. This is where the items will drop and a water channel is recommended.
• Place two signs in the corners and one in the hole. Water considers signs to be solid blocks.
• When water is placed in the corner, it will be held in place, even though it will look like it is flowing backwards.
• Place glass panes (any block works, but this is a cheap material and allows easy access while filling up the drowning chamber).
• Fill the chamber with water to the ceiling.
• Close up the chamber.
• Place a collection stream below the drowning chamber. Remove the torches and close up the dungeon walls.

Take out the torches and enclose the dungeon. This was designed for tall mobs, but can be modified for spiders by making the drowning chamber larger. Use signs to hold up water.

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  Capture spawner

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  Place water in one corner. Dig a hole in opposite corner.

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  Place signs

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  First source in drowning chamber

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  Glass panes

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  Fill the rest of the drowning chamber

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  Enclose drowning trap.

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  Collection stream

[edit] Iron Golem traps

In this trap an Iron Golem is used to kill the monsters for you. To make it, simply make an Iron Golem in the dungeon and watch it kill stuff for you. However, the iron golem will eventually die (especially if more than 1 enemy is spawned), so you'll have to replace it with another. Another farm using Iron Golems is a house with 15 npc villagers in it (houses with 15 villagers spawn iron golems) and have a killing mechanism to get free iron, it should only have one door because the golems only spawn at the door, and knowing where they will spawn. Lava traps are ideal as they will drop the items at the golems feet where you can put signs and have a water channel to collect the drops.

[edit] Cactus Traps

The following cactus trap is designed for spiders. It has a chance of destroying the items, but this is an inherent issue with cacti.

• Dig the main channel. The spider spawner is left in the wall forcing spiders to spawn on the small dry patch.
• Dig two blocks down and one block in just before the cacti. These two holes will hold the collection water sources.
• Place three ladders on the far side of the collection output. Place one on either piece of sand. Place the two water sources in the holes.
• Place the main water in the two openings. The block between them makes the water flow towards the gap in the cacti, slightly improving the collection rate of string.
• Cover the entire trap and remove all lights.

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  Main channel, dry

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  Collection channel, dry

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  collection channel, water and ladder placement

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  Main channel, water flow

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  Both channels. Front view.

[edit] Blaze Traps

Since it is difficult to obtain Ice to melt in the Nether for a drowning trap, this trap takes advantage of Blazes' weakness to snowballs. To create this trap, one must disable the Blaze Spawner and fence a Snow Golem into a nook in a wall. Once the spawner is re-enabled, the Snow Golem will shoot snowballs at the Blaze until it dies. Alternately, one may create a redstone mechanism that brings out Glowstone or turns on redstone lights to prevent the Blazes from spawning until the mechanism is switched. Fenced access to a Snow Golem's nook can allow the player to construct a new one should the Blaze defeat it. However, in Minecraft version 1.2, Snow Golems die in the Nether, making this trap unusable.

[edit] A Note on Lava

Lava can quickly kill mobs and can be suspended on either a ladder or a sign. To suspend the lava, create a 3-long channel then put a sign or ladder on the last block. Lava spreads three blocks away from the source, so the last section of the lava will be left suspended on the sign or ladder.

Lava generates light, which can lower the spawn rate in the dungeon unless placed far away.

Here [1] is a video example of how to make a dungeon trap using a lava grinder.

[edit] Other

Traps that use unusual methods, such as huge pits, fall into this category.

[edit] Pit Trap

For this method, you must dig a pit that reaches far under the dungeon. Depending on the height (at least 23 blocks), the mob will die on impact, as long as there isn't 2+ blocks of water at the bottom. However, this method takes a long time to make and only works for spawners near or above the surface.

[edit] Experience Trap

For this trap, you need to dig a large pit 22 blocks deep under the dungeon, or make a water elevator taking the upwards so you can stay near the monster spawner. Go to the bottom of the pit and place water in a fashion so that it should flow towards a wall. Then make a room where the water is flowing . This is where you will stay while finishing off the mobs. Make the room so that it has a one-block hole where you can see the mob drop zone . Hopefully, mobs should spawn, fall down the pit and survive with half a heart, get pushed towards you by the water current, and get killed by a single hit. If you like, you can bring food along as your hunger will deplete over time. This should provide normal mob drops and experience levels, making it quite useful .

[edit] Efficient Pit + Experience Trap w/ TuT (by Epiiik)

*Note, all dimensions are given the format: Horizontal x Vertical. This method is an indirect hybrid of the aforementioned traps, utilizing both fall damage and mob control with water. In the mob spawning room, dig 1 block down so that the spawner is at eye level, and place water blocks at two adjacent corners. On the wall opposite of the two water blocks, dig a 1 x 2 hole for three blocks in the middle of the wall (allowing mobs to pass through). Begin digging upwards in a 1 x 2 fashion for 26 blocks. How do you get up? Simple. Place signs on the long-faced wall (your left/right) in a zig-zag pattern going up while placing water blocks in between the signs. The first sign should be placed as furthest, lowest space possible. Stop placing signs after the 23rd level. The last water block should be against the wall furthest away from the mob spawner on the 24th level. On the 25-24 block levels, dig a 1 x 2 hole for seven blocks in the direction the mob spawner. On the seventh block in, dig one block downwards. Dig in the forward direction for eight more blocks (again, 1 x 2). You should notice the water block placed on the 24th level should stop where the path drops by one block. Place a water block against the wall of the drop. Notice how this water block stops 1 block short of the path. Dig further for two block and begin to dig downwards in a 1 x 1 fashion for 22 blocks. Face the direction of the mob spawner and dig another 1 x 2 hole one block deep. Dig down one and fill the top level with one block so that you can only see through one block of the pit you just created. You are now standing on the loot point. Dig a path in any manner that will connects to your dwelling/rest area. Now that the almost-dead mobs (Haha, they're already dead. Oh save me the irony.) are depositing into your 1 x 1 hole, simply attack them with any item to gain their loot and experience! You may use TNT + water to do splash damage to kill all mobs at once at the risk of lag spikes.

[edit] Another Experience Trap (by AlexxShadenk777)

Firstly it should be noted that this was made with a Zombie spawner in mind. Basically you just make a balcony of sorts and wail on the zombies as they approach you while being unable to hit you.

Seal the zombie spawner in a 5x5x5 chamber, naturally you want it to stay in the center of the chamber at the lowest height. Outside of the chamber make a platform that is 2 blocks high that surrounds the outer wall, and while standing on this platform, punch a wide hole in the corner of the chamber 1 block above the platform. Remove the corner block so you can stand in the corner while the zombies practically funnel toward you. They'll be able to push you but not hit you at all, so you're free to smack them on the head with your weapon of choice.

Naturally the rotten meat they drop will remain inside the chamber but the experience points will hover toward you. If for some reason the points end up too far just walk around the chamber to their nearest corner.

Optional: lead some tamed wolves into the chamber before sealing it!

[edit] Multiple spawners of the same species

To maintain maximum efficiency a trap must take on an increased complexity in keeping mobs separated or moving quickly when dealing with multiple spawners of the same species. Minecraft first checks within the 17 wide by 17 long by 9 high area with the spawner in the center (or 8x8x4 radius from the spawner) for mobs of the same species as the spawner. If there are fewer than 6 mobs of the same species in the checking zone, it will spawn a mob within half the distance of the checking radius. This means that with two spawners of the same species near to each other, there will be a zone that mobs will count for both spawners and severely impact the spawn rates. It would be a wise idea to work out where these checking zones overlap and ensure that mobs being funneled to the trap do not enter that zone and/or leave the overlapped / checking area as quickly as possible to maintain peak monster spawner output.

[edit] Videos

• Simple Mob Trap

This design is easy to build and doesn't require too many materials. It allows mobs to enter, but blocks them from leaving with pressure plates and pistons.