Decoding the Wandering Trader’s Mysterious Schedule in Minecraft
The wandering trader’s schedule in Minecraft is a mix of predictable mechanics and a sprinkle of randomness. After spawning, a wandering trader sticks around for 40–60 minutes (48,000 to 72,000 ticks). Once this timer runs out, they despawn, even if named or placed in a vehicle. Note that having the trading UI open pauses this timer. The trader will also despawn sooner if all their trades have been locked (used up multiple times). New traders spawn on average every 14.325 Minecraft days, with a chance of spawning that starts at 2.5% and rises to 7.5% if a trader hasn’t appeared for a while. Let’s dive deeper into the details of this unique character!
Understanding the Wandering Trader’s Arrival and Departure
The Spawn Trigger
Unlike villagers that populate villages, the wandering trader spawns randomly in the world. The game checks every so often, and if certain conditions are met, a trader appears with their two llamas. They appear on the surface and will not appear in single-biome worlds that are deep dark. The initial chance is 2.5%, and it increases up to 7.5% the longer it takes for one to spawn, averaging at around 14 in-game days.
The Time Limit
The core of the wandering trader’s schedule is its limited time window. Once spawned, the trader is programmed to despawn after a set amount of time: 40 to 60 minutes of loaded time. This timer is running whenever the wandering trader is loaded.
Factors Affecting Despawning
- Time Expiry: As mentioned, the primary despawn trigger is the expiration of the 40-60 minute timer.
- Trade Depletion: If you exhaust a wandering trader’s limited stock of certain items, the trader may also despawn sooner than the standard 40-60 minutes. The traders are programmed to sell only a finite amount of any particular item. Once you have bought all of the trader’s available stock, they will pack up shop and leave.
- Other Factors: The code governing the trader is complex. There are many factors involved, including the chance that the trader will despawn on any given tick. Therefore, it is not possible to provide an absolute guarantee that the trader will remain available for trading.
Preventing Despawning (With Commands)
While you can’t stop the despawning by traditional means like naming the trader with a name tag or placing them in a minecart or boat, you can use commands to alter their behavior. Using the command /summon wandering_trader spawns a trader, and by default, this will give the trader a DespawnDelay value of 0, which prevents them from despawning! You can also use the command to set the DespawnDelay to a custom value. If you rename the trader after summoning them, it will not affect the despawning behavior.
Wandering Trader FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about the wandering trader, designed to provide a deeper understanding of this unique mob.
1. How do I summon a wandering trader using commands?
You can summon a wandering trader using the command /summon wandering_trader within a world where cheats are enabled. This will instantly spawn a wandering trader with their llamas near you.
2. What are the best items to buy from a wandering trader?
The best items depend on your specific needs and what biomes you have access to. Wandering traders often sell rare saplings (like jungle or acacia), flowers from different biomes, and unique items like blue ice, podzol, or moss blocks which might be hard to obtain otherwise. It’s all about convenience and access to resources you can’t easily find yourself. They also sell Nautilus Shells!
3. Do wandering traders ever restock their trades?
No, wandering traders do not restock their trades. Once they run out of a particular item or lock a trade due to repeated purchases, that’s it. The only way to get a fresh set of trades is to wait for a new wandering trader to spawn.
4. Why do wandering traders turn invisible at night?
Wandering traders are programmed to be cautious. When they sense danger, such as hostile mobs or nighttime, they will drink an invisibility potion to protect themselves. This makes them harder to spot, but it’s a clever survival mechanism.
5. Does naming a wandering trader prevent it from despawning?
Unfortunately, naming a wandering trader has no effect on its despawn timer. Regardless of whether you name it or not, it will still despawn after the 40-60 minute window expires. The same is true of placing them in a boat or minecart.
6. What happens if I kill a wandering trader?
If you kill a wandering trader, you get the leads that were attached to their llamas. However, you don’t gain any experience points. Also, killing a wandering trader will decrease your standing with any nearby villagers. You are punished in this case.
7. Does killing a wandering trader affect my village reputation?
Yes, killing a wandering trader has a negative impact on your village reputation. The effect is similar to lowering village popularity, which can affect iron golem spawn rates and villager willingness to trade or breed.
8. Can I refresh a wandering trader’s trades?
No, there’s no way to refresh a wandering trader’s trades. Once a trade is locked or an item is sold out, it’s gone for good with that particular trader. Waiting for a new one is your only option.
9. How often do wandering traders spawn?
The average spawn rate is roughly every 14.325 Minecraft days. The actual time can vary due to the random nature of the spawn chance, but this gives you a general idea of how frequently to expect them.
10. Can wandering traders open doors?
Yes, wandering traders can open regular doors in an attempt to trade with someone new. However, they cannot open iron doors. They can also leash and unleash their llamas from fence gates, allowing them some level of interaction with the environment.
11. Why aren’t wandering traders spawning in my world?
If wandering traders aren’t spawning, ensure that the gamerule doWandererSpawning is set to true. Additionally, wandering traders don’t spawn in deep dark single biome worlds.
12. Do wandering traders sell bamboo?
While wandering traders sell a variety of plants, they do not sell bamboo. If you need bamboo, you’ll have to venture into a jungle biome.
13. How do I keep a wandering trader from despawning?
Normally, you cannot prevent them from despawning through standard gameplay (like naming them). However, you can summon one using the /summon wandering_trader command, which will give it a DespawnDelay value of 0, preventing despawning.
14. Do wandering traders have levels?
No, wandering traders do not have levels like villagers. You can’t improve their trades through repeated interactions. They simply offer a random selection of trades based on their programming. Trading with them does reward the player with some experience though!
15. Does killing a wandering trader anger iron golems?
Attacking or killing a wandering trader near a village will not anger an iron golem. The trader is considered villager-like, but not a full villager in the eyes of the iron golem’s protective instincts.
By understanding the wandering trader’s schedule and mechanics, you can better utilize their unique offerings and plan your interactions accordingly. Keep an eye out for their random appearances, and make the most of their limited-time deals!
For more insights into the mechanics and educational applications of games like Minecraft, visit the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/ or GamesLearningSociety.org.