How to Get Sculk in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Mine it in the deep dark with a Silk Touch hoe: without Silk Touch, sculk blocks shatter and drop 1 XP instead of the block. For infinite sculk, kill mobs near a sculk catalyst - it converts surrounding blocks into sculk, which makes for a great XP farm.

What you need

Silk Touch hoe (any tier works, faster tiers help)
Wool for stealth
Optional: sculk catalyst + mob spawner for farming

Step by step

Find the deep dark: the cave biome deep underground (usually below Y=0) where sculk generates in patches, often around ancient cities.
Bring a Silk Touch hoe: hoes are the correct tool for sculk, and only Silk Touch makes the blocks drop themselves - otherwise they break into 1 XP each.
Sneak while you mine: sculk sensors detect vibrations and shriekers summon the warden. Crouch, place wool, and break sensors first if you must.
Take a sculk catalyst home too: it's the engine of sculk farming - when a mob dies within 8 blocks of a catalyst, nearby blocks convert into sculk.
Farm it: funnel mobs (a mob spawner works perfectly) to die on stone next to your catalyst. The area converts to sculk, and mining it without Silk Touch rains XP.
Loot some: sculk also appears as chest loot in ancient cities - grab it while you're there for Swift Sneak and echo shards.

Java vs Bedrock

Sculk behaves the same in Java and Bedrock: hoe tool, 1 XP per block without Silk Touch, catalyst conversion within 8 blocks. Both editions added the whole sculk family together in the Wild Update.

Versions: Shown at Minecraft Live 2020 and finally added in Java 1.19 and Bedrock 1.19.0 (The Wild Update, June 2022) alongside the deep dark.

Frequently asked questions

How do you pick up sculk blocks?

Only with Silk Touch - any tool with the enchantment works, but a hoe is the proper tool. Without Silk Touch, sculk drops 1 experience point instead of the block.

Is sculk renewable?

Yes: when a mob dies within 8 blocks of a sculk catalyst, surrounding blocks convert into sculk. A mob farm next to a catalyst produces unlimited sculk and XP.

What is the fastest tool for sculk?

The hoe. Any tier of hoe breaks sculk quickly; higher tiers are faster. Add Silk Touch to keep the blocks, or Efficiency to speed up an XP farm.

What is sculk used for?

Mostly decoration and XP farming - the plain sculk block has no crafting recipes, but an XP farm built on a sculk catalyst is one of the best in the game. The family (sensors, shriekers, catalysts) has its own redstone and stealth uses.