Crafting Colossus: Your Ultimate Guide to Building a 23×23 Nether Portal in Minecraft
So, you want to build a massive 23×23 Nether portal? Fantastic! It’s an impressive feat, but entirely achievable. Here’s the breakdown:
- Gather Obsidian: You’ll need a LOT of obsidian. A 23×23 portal requires a frame made of 92 blocks of obsidian. Remember, you create obsidian by mixing water and lava. Diamond pickaxes (or netherite pickaxes) are the only way to mine it!
- Find a Suitable Location: Make sure you have a clear area, both in the Overworld and the Nether if you’re linking portals. A flat, open space is ideal to avoid terrain interference.
- Build the Frame: Create a rectangular frame using your obsidian blocks. The internal dimensions should be 23 blocks wide and 23 blocks tall. The outer dimensions will be 25×25 as there are outer blocks as well. This is key, so double-check your measurements! Remember, the corners are optional; the portal will function without them, but most players prefer the complete rectangular aesthetic.
- Ignite the Portal: Equip your Flint and Steel and right-click on any of the inner obsidian blocks. If the frame is correctly built, the portal space will fill with that mesmerizing swirling purple texture.
- Step Through: Congratulations! You’ve just built a colossal gateway to the Nether.
Troubleshooting Your 23×23 Portal
Even with careful planning, things can sometimes go awry. Here are some common issues and their solutions:
- Portal Won’t Activate: Ensure every block in the frame is indeed obsidian. Double-check for any gaps or misplaced blocks. Also, make sure you’re using a Flint and Steel to ignite the portal, not just fire.
- Portal Isn’t Rectangular: The frame must be a perfect rectangle. Irregular shapes, even if they use the correct number of blocks, will not function.
- World Corruption: In rare cases, extremely large structures can contribute to world corruption, especially on older or less powerful devices. Back up your world before embarking on massive builds.
- Performance Issues: Very large portals can sometimes cause lag, particularly when players are near them. Consider the performance capabilities of your device and server before committing to such a large build.
Tips for a Smooth Build
- Plan Ahead: Lay out the portal’s dimensions with blocks of a different material (dirt, cobblestone) before you start placing obsidian. This will help you visualize the size and avoid errors.
- Use a Beacon: A Beacon can provide you with haste, making mining obsidian significantly faster.
- Enchant Your Pickaxe: Fortune will increase the amount of obsidian you can mine; however, it only drops one block of obsidian per obsidian block that is mined. The most important is efficiency which will greatly increase how quickly you mine blocks.
- Consider a Portal Room: A massive portal deserves a grand entrance! Build a suitably impressive room around your portal to showcase your achievement.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the minimum size a Nether portal can be?
The smallest functional Nether portal is 4 blocks wide and 5 blocks high, for a total of 14 obsidian blocks.
What is the maximum size a Nether portal can be?
The maximum functional Nether portal size is 23 blocks wide and 23 blocks high, forming a huge rectangle.
Do the corners of a Nether portal need to be obsidian?
No, the corners are optional. The portal will activate and function perfectly well without the corner blocks in place.
Can I use Crying Obsidian to build a Nether portal?
No, Crying Obsidian cannot be used to construct the frame of a Nether portal. It must be regular obsidian. Crying obsidian is used to make respawn anchors.
Why isn’t my Nether portal lighting?
Double-check that all frame blocks are obsidian, the frame is a perfect rectangle (within the 4×5 to 23×23 limits), and you’re using Flint and Steel.
Can I make a Nether portal with lava and water only?
Yes, a Nether portal can be created with a lava bucket and a water bucket, by creating obsidian in the necessary shape. However, you still need the flint and steel to light the portal!
How rare are giant Ruined Portals?
Giant Ruined Portals have a 5% chance of generating when a ruined portal generates.
What is the best Y-level for a Nether portal?
The Y-level is less critical than the X and Z coordinates. However, the game will attempt to place the portal within a reasonable range, typically between Y=70 and 10 blocks below the world height.
Can the Ender Dragon destroy Obsidian?
No, the Ender Dragon cannot destroy Obsidian, or Crying Obsidian.
What is the blast resistance of Obsidian?
Obsidian has a blast resistance of 1200, making it one of the most blast-resistant blocks in the game.
Can dispensers light Nether Portals?
Dispensers can light Nether Portals, but only if the fire has a supporting block.
What happens if I break a Nether portal while in the Nether?
If you break a portal in the Nether, the connection to the Overworld is severed. You’ll need to rebuild and relight the portal to return. If another portal exists within 128 blocks, you might appear at that one upon returning.
Why do I keep ending up at the wrong portal in the Nether?
Portal linking in Minecraft can be complex. The game attempts to find the closest matching portal in the other dimension. If your portal is too close to another, or if the coordinates are significantly different, you might end up at the wrong location. Use the equation Overworld Coordinates Divided by 8 = Nether Coordinates.
Do 3×3 Nether Portals work?
No, 3×3 Nether portals do not work. The minimum size is 4×5.
Can a Nether portal be any shape?
No, the frame must be a rectangle. While you can decorate around it, the core frame that the purple portal appears in must be rectangular.
Crafting a 23×23 Nether portal is a testament to your dedication and resourcefulness in Minecraft. Enjoy your colossal gateway to the Nether!
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