Do Zombie Villagers Despawn if They’ve Been Traded With? A Comprehensive Guide

The short answer is, yes, zombie villagers can despawn even after you’ve traded with them, however, this has a few exceptions. The mechanics of despawning for zombie villagers are a bit more nuanced than for other mobs in Minecraft, often leading to confusion among players. This article will delve into the intricacies of zombie villager despawning behavior, clarify common misconceptions, and answer frequently asked questions to equip you with a complete understanding.

The Complexities of Zombie Villager Despawning

In Minecraft, mobs typically despawn if they are a certain distance away from the player and the game determines they are no longer needed. However, several factors influence whether a zombie villager will despawn. Generally, if a zombie villager hasn’t interacted with the player, it will despawn according to the usual rules.

The key exception relating to player interactions occurs when a player has traded with a zombie villager prior to its zombification or before it’s been cured and turned into a villager. Trading with a villager (or a cured villager), does not prevent the villager from despawning once it becomes a zombie villager.

The specific conditions that determine whether a zombie villager will despawn, are as follows:

• No Player Interaction: If you haven’t traded with a villager before it becomes zombified, the resulting zombie villager will despawn if you move far enough away from it or if the game determines it’s not needed based on the mob cap.
• Trading is Irrelevant to Persistence: Trading with a villager before it becomes a zombie villager does not make the resulting zombie villager persistent. Persistence in this case is not affected by previous trades.
• Item Pickup and Persistence: If a zombie villager picks up an item, it will become persistent and will not despawn, regardless of player interaction before or after it picked up the item. Importantly, mobs that are holding an item or wearing picked-up armor also do not count toward the hostile mob cap. This is a reliable way to prevent a zombie villager from despawning if it is able to pick something up.
• The Nametag Exception: The most reliable way to ensure a mob does not despawn is to use a nametag. If you apply a nametag to a zombie villager, it will become persistent and will never despawn, regardless of other conditions.

Why the Confusion?

The confusion often stems from the fact that trading with a villager makes that specific villager persist. This persistence does not transfer over when the villager turns into a zombie villager. The zombification essentially resets the persistence, and unless the zombie villager picks up an item or is nametagged, it will behave like a regular zombie regarding despawning.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions to help further clarify the subject of zombie villager despawning.

1. Do Zombie Villagers Count Toward the Hostile Mob Cap?

Yes, unless the zombie villager has picked up an item or is riding in a boat, it will count towards the hostile mob cap. This means that having a large number of uncured zombie villagers can limit the spawning of other hostile mobs in your world.

2. Does Difficulty Affect Zombie Villager Despawning?

Changing the difficulty to Peaceful will cause all hostile mobs, including zombie villagers, to despawn immediately. This is the exception to nametagged and item-holding mobs, they will also despawn if the world difficulty is switched to peaceful. This is regardless of player interaction or items it is holding.

3. Can Zombie Villagers Despawn if They Are Converting?

No, zombie villagers that are in the process of being converted back to villagers after being given a weakness potion and a golden apple will not despawn even if the player moves far away. However, they can still despawn if the difficulty is changed to peaceful.

4. Do Zombie Villagers Despawn if They Are in a Boat?

No, mobs in boats will not despawn. Placing a zombie villager in a boat is a great way to keep it around, and it will also not count towards the hostile mob cap while in the boat.

5. Do Zombie Villagers Despawn if They Are on the Surface?

The despawning mechanic is not directly tied to whether a mob is on the surface or underground. The key factors are distance from the player and whether the conditions of persistence are met (picking up an item or having a name tag).

6. Can Zombies Despawn if They Pick Up Items?

Yes, but if a zombie picks up an item or wears armor it has picked up, it becomes persistent and will not despawn. This is true for all zombies, including zombie villagers.

7. Why is my Zombie Villager Not Attacking Villagers?

Sometimes, there can be a bug where zombies and drowned fail to attack a villager, even when they are standing right next to them. This is often observed immediately after curing a zombie villager that was near other zombies. This is a recognized bug in the game.

8. Can Baby Zombie Villagers Despawn?

Baby zombie villagers follow the same despawning rules as adult zombie villagers. They will despawn if not made persistent by a nametag or picking up an item.

9. What are the Chances of a Zombie Spawning as a Zombie Villager?

Zombies have a 5% chance to spawn as a zombie villager.

10. How Can I Stop My Villagers From Despawning?

Villagers, themselves, are not supposed to despawn. However, if they are losing their job and home they might lose their persistent state in the game and despawn. To prevent them from disappearing, make sure they have a bed, a job, and a safe space (like a fenced-in area). Also, ensure their bed is not on a chunk border, as this can be a known bug. Using name tags on villagers can provide added security.

11. Can Zombie Villagers Turn Into Drowned?

No, zombie villagers do not turn into drowned, even if they are kept in the water. They will bob in the water and chase and attack villagers like any other normal zombie. They are however susceptible to the mechanics that allow zombies to turn into drowned, which occurs if they’re submerged in water for a prolonged period of time.

12. Do Wandering Traders Despawn?

Wandering Traders do not despawn from player distance or the mob cap, they despawn on a timer that is determined at the time of their spawn.

13. Can Zombie Villagers Despawn While Being Cured?

No, a zombie villager being cured will not despawn, even if you leave the area. However, changing the difficulty to peaceful will despawn them.

14. Do Villagers Despawn if They Don’t Have a Job?

No, villagers are not supposed to despawn if they don’t have a job. There are bugs that may cause them to disappear, but the absence of a job isn’t intended to cause despawning.

15. What’s the Rarest Thing a Zombie Can Drop?

The rarest items a zombie can drop are carrots and potatoes. While rotten flesh is the most common drop, obtaining a carrot or potato is relatively rare.

Final Thoughts

Understanding the mechanics of zombie villager despawning can save you a lot of heartache in Minecraft. While trading with a villager before it turns into a zombie doesn’t make the resulting zombie villager persistent, using a name tag or letting it pick up an item will. Remember to always have a backup plan and safe environment for your villagers and zombie villagers. By following the tips and understanding the facts in this article, you can manage your zombie villager population more effectively.