How to Get Blaze Rods in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Blaze rods drop only from blazes, which live in nether fortresses. A blaze drops 0-1 rods (50%) when killed by a player or a tamed wolf, up to 0-4 with Looting III. Blazes need light level 11 or less to spawn, and fortresses can have up to two blaze spawner platforms.

What you need

Iron armor or better + shield
Fire resistance potions (recommended)
Snowballs (cheap blaze killer)

Step by step

Enter the Nether with gear: armor, a shield, a bow and food. Blazes attack with volleys of three small fireballs and set you on fire.
Find a nether fortress: blazes are found there and nowhere else, and they are the only source of blaze rods.
Locate a blaze spawner: a fortress can generate up to two blaze spawner platforms, each surrounded by nether brick fences and reached by a three-block staircase.
Kill blazes: they drop 0-1 blaze rods by default (50%), 0-2 with Looting I, 0-3 with II and 0-4 with III. They only drop when killed by a player or a tamed wolf.
Farm the spawner: blazes always require light level 11 or less to spawn, so a spawner keeps producing them in the dark. Build a safe killing area.
Use the rods: blaze rods are required to craft brewing stands and blaze powder. Blaze powder fuels brewing stands and is needed to craft eyes of ender.

Java vs Bedrock

blazes may spawn naturally in fortresses in groups of 2 or 3 in Java Edition and from 1 to 3 in Bedrock Edition.

Versions: Blazes are the only source of blaze rods.

Frequently asked questions

Where do you get blaze rods?

Only from blazes, which are found in nether fortresses and their spawners.

What is the blaze rod drop chance?

0-1 by default (50%), up to 0-4 with Looting III, only when killed by a player or a tamed wolf.

What are blaze rods for?

Brewing stands and blaze powder, which fuels brewing and crafts eyes of ender.