How Often Do Pillager Outposts Spawn in Minecraft?
Pillager outposts are structures that add an element of danger and challenge to the Minecraft world. They are not as common as villages but appear more frequently than woodland mansions. If you’re wondering exactly how often you might encounter these imposing towers, the answer isn’t a simple fixed number, but rather a matter of probability based on world generation. Pillager outposts are semi-rare structures that generate during world creation. They appear roughly every several hundred to a couple of thousand blocks. This means that while you might stumble upon one relatively quickly in some worlds, you might need to travel significant distances in others to find one. They are not tied to any specific biome, and appear in a variety of areas that also generate villages.
Understanding Pillager Outpost Generation
Frequency Compared to Other Structures
Pillager outposts occupy a niche in terms of rarity among Minecraft structures. They are rarer than villages, which often appear within sight of each other. However, they are more common than woodland mansions, which are the rarest of the large, generating structures. This balance in rarity makes finding an outpost a noticeable event in your gameplay, unlike a village, which you may pass by countless times. The spacing between these outposts makes them a fun point of interest to travel to.
Biomes Where Pillager Outposts Spawn
Pillager outposts can generate in any biome that a village can also generate in. These include:
- Plains
- Deserts
- Meadows
- Savannas
- Snowy Tundras
- Taigas
- Snowy Taigas (Bedrock Edition)
- Sunflower Plains (Bedrock Edition)
This versatility means that you’re likely to encounter them anywhere that has a chance of a village to appear. This makes finding them a little less predictable, but it means you could encounter them in most areas.
The Spawning Area
The outpost itself is a marker for a larger pillager spawning zone. This area is approximately 71×71 blocks around the tower. Pillagers, including captains, will continuously respawn within this area, making the outpost a source of ongoing hostile activity. The tower, however, does not control the spawning of pillagers in that area. Even if the tower is destroyed, pillagers will continue to spawn in the designated area.
Pillager Patrol Spawns
In addition to the pillagers that inhabit the outposts, you will also encounter pillager patrols in the wild. The game will attempt to spawn a patrol approximately every 10 minutes, but this has only a 20% success rate. So it is likely it will take longer than 10 minutes, and could take up to 50 minutes to encounter a patrol. Patrols are comprised of a group of 2-5 pillagers, and one of them is usually a captain. These patrols can be found regardless of whether or not there is a pillager outpost in the area.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions about pillager outposts to provide even more in-depth knowledge:
1. How Often Do Pillager Patrols Actually Spawn?
The game tries to spawn a patrol every 10 minutes with a 20% success rate. This means, on average, a successful patrol will spawn roughly every 50 minutes if you are within the parameters. However, it can sometimes take longer or happen in quick succession.
2. Can Pillager Outposts Stop Spawning?
No, the outposts themselves will not stop spawning. However, you can prevent pillagers from spawning in the area by removing the blocks they can spawn on. This includes the blocks found inside of the 71×71 area around the tower. Replacing floor with bottom slabs and illuminating the area with torches will also prevent pillager spawns.
3. How Do You Get Pillager Captains to Spawn at Outposts?
Pillager captains naturally spawn in the area. In Bedrock Edition, you can also use the /summon pillager ~ ~ ~ minecraft:spawnasillager_captain command to force them to spawn.
4. Do Pillagers Only Spawn at Night?
No, pillagers spawn at both day and night. However, they need a block light level of 8 or less to spawn, and can spawn on any valid opaque blocks other than leaves. Torches will need to be placed to prevent spawns, as the sky light does not affect pillager spawning.
5. What is the Pillager Outpost’s Spawning Area?
Pillagers spawn in a 71×71 area centered on the top level of the watchtower. In Java Edition this area is 72x54x72, on the same level as the chest.
6. Can You “Farm” a Pillager Outpost?
Yes, you can farm pillager outposts by creating spawning platforms. Pillagers are a great source of the Bad Omen effect, so you can farm them to trigger raids and then loot raids. You can also farm the cobblestone that outposts generate.
7. What Blocks Do Pillagers Spawn On?
Pillagers can spawn on any opaque block except leaves as long as the block light level is 8 or less. They cannot spawn on blocks that emit a light level of 14 or greater.
8. How Do You Permanently Clear a Pillager Outpost?
To permanently clear a pillager outpost, you need to remove all spawnable blocks in the spawning area. This includes grass and sand. Replace the floor with slabs and add lighting, which will prevent spawns.
9. Do Torches Prevent Pillager Spawns?
Yes, torches prevent pillager spawns by increasing the light level. Like every other hostile mob, pillagers need a light level of 7 or less to spawn.
10. Is There a Secret Room in Pillager Outposts?
Yes, some pillager outposts have a secret underground room that contains a ravager and an illusioner. It has a chest inside that contains a significant amount of loot.
11. Why Do Pillagers Keep Spawning Near My Base?
Pillagers often spawn near your base if you have a village nearby. A village in Minecraft is defined as having at least one villager and a bell. Removing the bell should stop spawns, unless you are also within range of an outpost.
12. How Do You Cure the Bad Omen Effect?
The Bad Omen effect can be cured by drinking milk from a bucket or by dying. This will allow you to freely go into a village without starting a raid.
13. What Happens if You Enter a Village with Bad Omen?
Entering a village with the Bad Omen effect will start a raid. This will bring a number of illagers to attack the village in waves.
14. Can You “Tame” a Pillager?
While you cannot tame pillagers in the traditional sense, you can break their crossbow, name them, and keep them in a boat. This prevents them from despawning, but they will remain hostile.
15. How Long Does Bad Omen Last?
The Bad Omen effect lasts up to 1 hour and 40 minutes after killing a patrol captain or illager at a raid or outpost.
Conclusion
Pillager outposts are a dynamic element of the Minecraft landscape, providing both challenges and opportunities. They are semi-rare, and continuously spawn pillagers within their designated area. Understanding their mechanics, spawn rates, and methods of prevention helps you navigate the world more effectively. By using the information above, you can better manage your encounters with pillagers, whether you choose to avoid them or farm them.