Blaze Farm
Intermediate Java + Bedrock
Produces: Blaze rods (0-1 per blaze, +1 with Looting, player kills only) and 10 XP per blaze
Quick answer: A blaze farm cages one of the blaze spawners found in nether fortress towers, funnels the blazes into a kill chamber and farms rods and XP. Blazes spawn at light level 11 or less, so light-level-15 blocks like glowstone switch the spawner off while you build.
How it works
- Blazes spawn naturally only in nether fortresses, at light level 11 or less - and every fortress generates up to two blaze spawner platforms on fenced towers reached by a three-block staircase.
- Rods drop only from player (or tamed wolf) kills: 0-1 blaze rods, +0-1 with Looting. Blazes also drop 10 XP - double a normal mob - which is why blaze farms double as solid XP farms.
- Because blazes need light level 11 or less, you can pause a spawner completely by surrounding it with light-level-15 blocks (glowstone, lanterns, shroomlights) and re-open it by removing them.
- Blazes shoot volleys of three small fireballs and set you on fire - fire resistance makes the whole farm safe, and snowballs deal 3 damage to blazes if you want a cheap ranged option.
- Unlike most farms, the spawner does the work: you do not need spawn-proofing beyond the spawner's own range, just a funnel and a kill spot.
Materials
- A nether fortress with a blaze spawner
- Glowstone or other light-15 blocks to disable the spawner while building
- Building blocks and slabs for the funnel and kill chamber
- Fire resistance potions, a good sword (Smite does nothing - blazes are not undead), optional Looting III
- Hoppers and chests for the rods
Build steps
- Find the spawner: blaze towers stick out of fortress walkways - a fenced platform with a cage spawner and a three-block stair. Bring blocks; the walk there is the dangerous part.
- Disable it first: place glowstone (or any light-15 block) on and around the spawner so no blazes spawn while you build. Drink fire resistance anyway.
- Build the funnel: enclose the spawner area and shape a chute so blazes, which float upward, get pushed by open trapdoors, signs or your own knockback toward one collection point.
- Add the kill chamber: a spot where blaze feet are exposed but their fireballs cannot reach you - half-slabs or a lava-free grinder. Blazes take damage from water, so no water streams in the Nether.
- Re-enable the spawner by removing the glowstone, and stand close: spawners run only when a player is within 16 blocks.
- Kill with Looting III: on Java each blaze drops 2 rods on average (0-4); on Bedrock, 1.25. Each also gives 10 XP.
- AFK is not an option here - rods require player kills - but a few minutes of swinging per session covers all brewing needs.
- Mark the way home: nether fortresses all look alike, so leave a torch trail or coordinates.
Rates
A single caged spawner with Looting III gives roughly a stack of blaze rods per 20 minutes of active killing, plus enough XP for several enchantments. Two-spawner fortresses double that if both towers are close.
Tips
- Light-15 blocks are your off switch - glowstone on every face of the spawner cage stops spawns completely while you work.
- Fire resistance turns the scariest part of the farm into background noise; never farm blazes without it.
- Snowballs hurt blazes (3 damage each) - a dispenser or a stack in hand finishes low-health blazes safely.
- Blaze rods are the only source of blaze powder (brewing and eyes of ender); one caged spawner is usually plenty.
- Source: minecraft.wiki Blaze and Tutorial:Blaze farming.