Can You Make Non-Rectangular Nether Portals in Minecraft?
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The short answer is: no, you cannot make non-rectangular Nether portals that will function properly in Minecraft. While the game allows for some flexibility in the size of your portal, the fundamental shape must be a rectangle or a square. Despite the interesting possibilities suggested by the game’s mechanics and the creativity of players, the portal frame must always form a four-sided, rectilinear shape to activate and allow passage to the Nether dimension. This limitation is a core part of the game’s design and mechanics, regardless of the version you are playing.
While you cannot change the overall shape of the portal frame to be circular, triangular, or any other non-rectangular form, there is freedom in the dimensions of the rectangle you use. Let’s explore what those are. The game’s logic checks for a rectangular frame with specific minimum and maximum sizes to determine if a portal is valid. This ensures that the game remains predictable and prevents the creation of potentially game-breaking or unmanageable portal structures. Players have experimented extensively, trying various configurations, but the rectangular requirement persists.
The Limitations of Portal Design
The core mechanic behind Nether portal creation is based on a simple rule: The game looks for a rectangular or square frame built of obsidian. These frames are essentially a perimeter, and anything within that perimeter that is lit with fire will activate the portal. The frame’s shape is fixed to four sides at 90-degree angles. The portal itself doesn’t actually use the corner blocks; they are simply part of the common framing technique and can be omitted.
Minimum and Maximum Portal Sizes
The accepted portal dimensions are quite flexible, while maintaining the rectangular design. Here are the parameters you need to keep in mind:
- Minimum Size: The smallest functional portal is 4 blocks wide and 5 blocks tall (with four free corner blocks) or 3 blocks tall and 2 blocks wide (not including the frame).
- Maximum Size: The largest possible functional portal is 23 blocks wide and 23 blocks tall.
As long as your frame adheres to this rectangular or square shape, and falls within the size limits, it will work. Any deviations from this basic principle will result in a non-functional portal. It is also important to note that the internal area enclosed by the obsidian frame needs to be a rectangular shape.
Creative Building and Visual Effects
While you can’t change the fundamental shape, players often use building techniques around portals to create the illusion of non-rectangular forms. They might use blocks to form an octagon, circle, or any other shape around the actual portal, and thus give the illusion of something that isn’t rectangular. This doesn’t change the portal functionality; instead, it provides an interesting visual effect. Creative builders also utilize different types of blocks, patterns, and lighting to make their portal areas visually stunning. You could create ornate portals, futuristic portals, or nature-themed portals – all while adhering to the rectangular core requirements. This creative liberty allows players to customize the appearance of their portals without compromising their functionality.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Nether Portals
Here are 15 frequently asked questions about Nether portals, covering various aspects of their construction, function, and related topics, to provide a comprehensive understanding:
1. Do Nether Portals have to be a specific size?
Yes, Nether portals need to be at least 4×5 blocks (4 blocks wide and 5 blocks high), and at most, 23×23 blocks. Any size within these limits will work.
2. Can you make a 3×3 nether portal?
No, a 3×3 Nether portal will not work. The smallest size that functions is 4×5 blocks. The internal area of a portal must also be at least 2 wide and 3 high.
3. Is it possible to make a horizontal nether portal?
While a naturally occurring horizontal portal isn’t available in vanilla Minecraft, with a mod called Horizontal Portals/Fractal Portals you can add a horizontal nether portal by using Crying Obsidian in a minimum 4×4 to a maximum 21×21 configuration. In vanilla, Nether portals are typically vertical.
4. Does crying obsidian work in portals?
No, crying obsidian cannot be used to construct a Nether portal frame. It’s primarily used for crafting the Respawn Anchor in the Nether. Crying obsidian does not function as a Nether portal frame material.
5. How rare is a big ruined nether portal?
When a ruined portal generates in the game, there’s only a 5% chance that it will be a giant ruined portal, making these structures relatively rare. This translates to about a 1.67% chance per giant portal design.
6. How many ways are there to make a Nether Portal?
There are two main methods: mining obsidian blocks and placing them directly, or creating obsidian in-place using water and lava to form the frame. You will still need some sort of fire source to light the inside.
7. Can you make a square nether portal?
Yes, you can make a square Nether portal as long as it fits within the size constraints, such as 5×5 or 20×20. The critical requirement is that the portal is a rectangle or square.
8. What happens if you build two nether portals in close proximity?
Creating two portals in the Overworld will usually link them to the same portal in the Nether. The game calculates coordinates and can sometimes lead to unexpected or unwanted connections, so be cautious. The same applies in reverse from the Nether to the overworld.
9. What is the smallest Nether portal possible?
The smallest functioning Nether portal is 4 blocks wide and 5 blocks tall or, when omitting the corner blocks, 2 wide and 3 high. This is the lower limit for creating a working portal.
10. Can Nether portals be built on the ground?
Yes, Nether portals can be built directly on the ground. They do not need to be elevated or built on any other structures as long as there is sufficient space. However, they cannot be built underwater or in the End.
11. How many obsidian blocks do you need to make a portal?
You need a minimum of 10 obsidian blocks to build the basic 4×5 portal, but it is recommended to gather 14 blocks as it makes framing easier and allows for corner blocks to be included, although corner blocks are not required for portal functionality.
12. What are the 4 portals in Minecraft?
The 4 portal types in Minecraft are Nether portals (for travel to the Nether), End portals (to reach the End dimension), Exit portals (from the End dimension back to the Overworld), and Ruined Portals which are structures that can spawn randomly throughout the game that were not player created.
13. What is Crying Obsidian used for?
The primary purpose of crying obsidian is to craft the Respawn Anchor. Combining 6 crying obsidian with 3 glowstone will craft this block that is used to respawn in the Nether. It is important to note that the anchor must be charged with glowstone to function.
14. Can lava light a Nether portal?
Yes, you can use lava to ignite your portal by placing wood blocks in front of the portal and letting the wood catch fire. That fire, as with flint and steel, will activate the portal.
15. Do all ruined portals have chests?
Yes, all ruined portals have a chest. Additionally, you’ll find at least one gold block near the ruins. The chest can contain various items, including obsidian, flint and steel, enchanted golden tools, gold ingots, and clocks.
In summary, while Nether portals have a variety of build options when it comes to size, they must always be rectangular or square. Although the overall shape cannot be changed to non-rectangular designs, the size can vary widely. This limitation forms an essential part of the game’s mechanical logic, ensuring that portals function predictably. The creativity of players is best spent designing elaborate structures around the basic rectangular frame.