Should I Kill Nitwits in Minecraft? A Comprehensive Guide
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The short answer is: No, you should not kill Nitwits in Minecraft. While they might seem like useless villagers, they are an integral part of the game’s ecosystem, and killing them has more negative consequences than you might think. They might not have jobs or trade, but they still play a role. Let’s delve into why targeting these green-robed villagers is a bad idea, and explore everything you need to know about Nitwits in Minecraft.
Why You Shouldn’t Kill Nitwits
Reputation Damage
The most immediate and significant consequence of killing a villager, including a Nitwit, is reputation damage. Villagers operate under a gossip system, and acts of violence against one of their own won’t go unnoticed. Killing a Nitwit will negatively affect your standing within the village, leading to:
- Increased Trading Prices: Expect to pay more for goods. Villagers will inflate their prices, demanding more emeralds for their wares. This can severely hinder your progress, especially in the early game when resources are scarce.
- Iron Golem Aggression: If you anger the villagers enough, the protective Iron Golem will be triggered. This powerful entity will become hostile towards you and won’t hesitate to attack. Engaging an Iron Golem is usually an unnecessary and dangerous endeavor for most players.
- Overall Village Unfriendliness: A negative reputation also means villagers won’t be as keen to trade or interact with you. They may become wary and avoid you, limiting your access to their goods and services.
Nitwits are not entirely useless
While they don’t have defined professions or trade, they do have value.
- Breeding Stock: Nitwits can still breed like regular villagers, meaning you can use them to grow your village’s population. Having a large population means higher chances of villagers with the trades you’re looking for.
- Iron Golem Farms: Nitwits contribute to Iron Golem spawning. In later updates of Minecraft, villager job blocks are not required for Iron Golems to spawn, so nitwits can passively contribute to your Iron golem farms, as long as they are kept within a villager-dense area with beds.
- Curing into Regular Villagers: Nitwits can be zombified and then cured, turning them into regular villagers. This allows you to remove a nitwit and replace them with a useful villager.
- Bed Usage: Nitwits, like other villagers, will occupy beds. This can be useful in ensuring a good distribution of available beds that are required for village growth.
Misconceptions About Nitwits
It’s understandable why some players might feel inclined to eliminate Nitwits. They appear unproductive and don’t contribute directly to your trading needs, however many players operate under misconceptions:
- Nitwits Don’t Take Up Space: While they are not tradespeople, they still have all the useful features of a standard villager. They take up bed space, which is critical for breeding, and contribute to iron golem spawns just like a regular villager.
- Nitwits Don’t Have Any Impact: The impact of nitwits on a village is the same as any other villager. Killing them lowers your reputation and risks aggro-ing an iron golem.
- There Is No Benefit to Keeping Nitwits: Nitwits are just as valuable as any villager when it comes to breeding, and they contribute to iron golem spawns.
Understanding the Villager Dynamic
Minecraft’s villager system is designed to encourage community interaction and strategic planning. Killing Nitwits is a short-sighted action that prioritizes immediate “efficiency” over long-term benefits. Instead of trying to eliminate them, think of them as an investment in the village’s overall growth and your long-term trading potential. They are part of the ecosystem and killing them simply does more harm than good.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Nitwits
Here are 15 commonly asked questions about Nitwits to further clear things up:
1. What is a Nitwit in Minecraft?
A Nitwit is a type of villager that wears a green robe and has no assigned job. They do not trade with players and instead wander aimlessly. They are the only Villager that does not have a profession.
2. Can Nitwits breed?
Yes, Nitwits can breed just like regular villagers, provided there are enough beds available. This is a critical function.
3. Can a Nitwit be cured?
Yes, a Nitwit can be zombified and then cured to become a regular villager with a profession. This can be an effective way of getting rid of Nitwits and getting some professional villagers in your village.
4. How do you get a Nitwit?
In Bedrock Edition, baby villagers have a 10% chance of becoming a Nitwit when they grow up. Alternatively, you can cure a zombie villager that was originally a Nitwit, or if a baby zombie villager spawned as a nitwit.
5. Do Nitwits contribute to Iron Golem spawning?
Yes, Nitwits contribute to Iron Golem spawning as of update 1.16, even without job blocks, contributing to the need to keep nitwits in your village.
6. What happens if you try to trade with a Nitwit?
Nitwits won’t trade with you. Attempting to trade with them will result in them shaking their heads as if saying no.
7. Can Nitwits get jobs?
No, Nitwits are the only villager that cannot get a job. They are permanently unemployed. This is why they are green instead of having a job-specific color.
8. Do Nitwits lose happiness?
While there isn’t a traditional “happiness” meter visible, nitwits simply do not participate in work, however, nitwits are just like any other villager, and they contribute to village happiness as much as any other villager.
9. Are Nitwits useful in villager breeders?
Yes, they are. They are fully functional villagers and contribute to a villager breeder as much as any other villager.
10. What is the difference between an unemployed villager and a Nitwit?
Unemployed villagers can be assigned to jobs with a job block. Nitwits, however, cannot and are permanently unemployed.
11. Can Nitwits climb ladders?
Yes, Nitwits can climb ladders, but not intentionally. They will only do so if pushed onto it or if a ladder is placed at their feet level.
12. How many beds do you need to breed villagers?
You need at least one bed for each villager plus one extra bed for a new baby villager to be conceived.
13. Can cured villagers become Nitwits again?
No, once a Nitwit is cured, they become a normal villager and cannot revert back into a Nitwit.
14. Do villagers forget you cured them if you leave the game?
Yes, if you save and quit the game while a villager is being cured, it will forget that it was being cured. This means a reduced discount for you in the long term.
15. Why are Nitwits green?
Nitwits wear green robes to signify that they are the only type of villager without a profession.
Final Thoughts
While Nitwits may appear to be nothing more than useless villagers, killing them is counterproductive to your progress. They contribute to breeding, contribute to iron golem spawns, and ultimately are just villagers. Understand the importance of each villager in your village and embrace these green-robed friends. By working with the village rather than against it, you’ll find your gameplay experience far more rewarding and enjoyable. Resist the urge to kill Nitwits and instead, embrace their potential role within your village’s development.