Turning the Undead Around: A Comprehensive Guide to Curing Zombie Villagers in Minecraft
The shuffling, moaning sounds of a zombie villager can strike fear into the heart of any Minecraft player. But don’t despair! These undead villagers aren’t beyond redemption. With the right ingredients and a little patience, you can restore them to their former, more helpful selves.
The Cure: Splash Potion of Weakness and a Golden Apple
The process is relatively straightforward: you need a Splash Potion of Weakness and a Golden Apple. First, you’ll weaken the zombie villager with the potion, then offer them the golden apple. The transformative magic will begin, eventually turning them back into a normal villager.
How to Cure a Zombie Villager: A Step-by-Step Guide
Here’s a detailed breakdown of each step, ensuring a successful resurrection:
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Preparation is Key: Before venturing out, make sure you have the necessary items. This includes a Splash Potion of Weakness and a Golden Apple.
- To craft a Splash Potion of Weakness, you’ll need a fermented spider eye and a water bottle, brewed into a potion, and then gunpowder added to make it a splash potion.
- To craft a Golden Apple, you’ll need one apple surrounded by eight gold ingots.
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Locate a Zombie Villager: Zombie villagers can spawn naturally in the world, particularly at night, or they can be created when a zombie infects a normal villager.
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Secure the Area: Before starting the curing process, it’s crucial to isolate the zombie villager. A simple fenced-in area works well. This prevents the zombie villager from wandering off or being attacked by other mobs.
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Apply Weakness: Equip the Splash Potion of Weakness and throw it at the zombie villager. A successful hit will be indicated by grey swirling particles surrounding the zombie villager.
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Offer the Golden Apple: With the zombie villager weakened, equip the Golden Apple and “use” it on the zombie villager. This is usually done by right-clicking on the zombie villager (or using the equivalent button on your game console).
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Observe the Transformation: If done correctly, the grey swirling particles will turn red, and the zombie villager will begin shaking. This indicates the curing process has begun.
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Patience is a Virtue: The curing process takes 3-5 minutes. Keep the zombie villager safe during this time, as it’s still vulnerable to attacks. Iron bars and beds placed nearby are rumored to speed up this process, though this hasn’t been definitively proven by game developers.
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The Grand Finale: After the wait, the zombie villager will transform back into a normal villager. Congratulations, you’ve successfully cured a zombie villager!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Curing Zombie Villagers
Here are some common questions and their answers regarding zombie villager cures:
1. Can you cure a zombie without a weakness potion?
No, a weakness potion is absolutely essential. The golden apple won’t have any effect without first weakening the zombie villager. The zombie villager must be under the effect of weakness for the golden apple to work.
2. Can baby zombie villagers be cured?
Yes, baby zombie villagers can be cured using the same method as adult zombie villagers: a Splash Potion of Weakness followed by a Golden Apple. However, be warned: baby zombie villagers are much faster than adults, making them harder to hit with the potion.
3. How many times can you cure a zombie villager?
You can cure a villager multiple times. Each successful cure grants you further discounts on their trades. Keep in mind, this exploit can be used to drive the trading prices down to as low as one emerald per trade! For more insights on game-based learning, visit GamesLearningSociety.org.
4. Is curing a zombie villager permanent?
Yes, the transformation is permanent. However, the trading discounts you receive from a cured villager aren’t indefinitely static. They can fluctuate based on supply, demand, and your relationship with the villager.
5. What happens if I cure a nitwit villager?
Curing a nitwit (a villager without a profession) after they’ve been turned into a zombie villager will result in a villager that is now unemployed. This means they can then be assigned to a job with a workstation.
6. Why won’t my zombie villager convert?
Several reasons could be at play. Make sure the Splash Potion of Weakness actually hit the zombie villager and that you’re seeing the grey particles. Ensure you are using a regular Golden Apple and that you are “using” it on the zombie villager. Also, it is possible that you are not being patient enough.
7. Do zombie villagers drop items when cured?
Yes, if the zombie villager was holding any items that it picked up prior to being cured, it will drop those items upon transforming back into a normal villager.
8. Does curing a zombie villager lower prices?
Yes, curing a zombie villager grants you a temporary discount on their trades. This discount is larger than the usual discounts from village reputation and can be further increased by curing the same villager multiple times.
9. Can I speed up the curing process?
While there’s no definitive proof, some players believe placing iron bars or beds near the zombie villager can speed up the curing process. Experiment and see if it works for you!
10. Why are my villagers still dying to zombies after being cured?
The cured villager shouldn’t die to the zombie you just cured them from. It’s possible the village is still being attacked by other zombies and the cured villager is dying from them. Be sure to light up your village to prevent zombie spawns.
11. What are the chances of a villager turning into a zombie villager?
The chance depends on the difficulty setting. On Easy, the villager will simply die. On Normal, there’s a 50% chance of conversion. On Hard, it’s a guaranteed 100% conversion to a zombie villager.
12. Why won’t my villager take a job?
A villager must have access to a valid workstation to claim a profession. Ensure there’s an available workstation near them that hasn’t already been claimed by another villager. Also, villagers need to be linked to beds in order to take a job.
13. Can you cure a nitwit in Bedrock edition?
Yes! Converting a nitwit into a zombie villager and then curing them can turn them into regular villagers instead of turning them back to nitwits. This is a great way to make sure all villagers have professions and are helpful to you!
14. Why aren’t my villager prices going down?
While curing a zombie villager provides discounts, villager trading mechanics also depend on supply and demand. Trading too much with the same villager for the same item can increase the price over time. Try trading different items to balance things out.
15. How do I get villagers to forgive me?
If you’ve angered your villagers (e.g., by attacking them), you can improve your reputation by trading with them or with other villagers in the same village. Curing a zombie villager also significantly improves your reputation with all villagers in the vicinity.
By following these steps and understanding the nuances of villager curing, you can transform your zombie villager woes into a thriving, trading-fueled utopia! Remember, Minecraft is about creativity and experimentation, so don’t be afraid to explore and discover new strategies. Good luck, and happy curing! To further enhance your understanding of learning within gaming environments, consider exploring the resources available at the Games Learning Society website.