What Do Pillagers Hate in Minecraft? A Comprehensive Guide
Pillagers, the crossbow-wielding scourge of Minecraft villages, are driven by a singular purpose: disruption and conquest. While they might seem like simple adversaries, understanding their motivations and, more importantly, what they detest, is crucial for effective defense and even strategic gameplay. At their core, Pillagers hate anything that opposes their raiding and pillaging lifestyle. This boils down to a few key elements: players, Iron Golems, Wandering Traders, and adult villagers. They despise any challenge to their dominance and react aggressively to anything that threatens their ability to loot and pillage.
Understanding Pillager Hostility
Pillagers are programmed to actively seek out and attack anything that falls into the categories mentioned above. Their hostility isn’t random; it’s hardcoded into their AI. This means their actions are predictable, allowing players to anticipate their behavior and plan accordingly. A critical aspect of their hostility is their aid to other pillagers. If one pillager is attacked, nearby pillagers will rush to its defense, creating a formidable force.
It’s also interesting to note a quirky exception in Bedrock Edition. If a pillager accidentally harms a Vindicator or Evoker, those Illagers will retaliate, showcasing a level of internal strife within the Illager hierarchy.
Pacifying Pillager Outposts
A major part of dealing with pillagers is understanding how to prevent their spawns. Pillager Outposts are notoriously difficult to deal with, but there are methods to minimize their influence. The text says it’s important to pacify the outpost first.
How to Prevent Pillager Spawns
- Light Levels: Pillagers can spawn around outposts regardless of light level on grass or sand, but can only spawn at block light levels of 8 or lower on other opaque blocks.
- Block Replacement: A very effective way to prevent spawns at a Pillager Outpost is to replace the grass and sand around the outpost with something else like cobblestone, you can prevent spawns like other hostile mobs.
Pillagers and Raids: A Perfect Storm
The true danger of pillagers is unleashed during raids. When a player with the Bad Omen status effect enters a village, a raid is triggered. This spawns waves of illagers, including pillagers, that relentlessly attack the village and its inhabitants.
During a raid, pillagers exhibit even more aggressive behavior. They will attempt to loot chests, barrels, and shulker boxes, stealing valuable resources. This looting behavior occurs on Normal difficulty and higher, adding another layer of challenge.
Defensive Strategies Against Pillagers
Knowing what pillagers hate is one thing; knowing how to defend against them is another. Here are some effective strategies:
- Fortification: Building high walls (at least three blocks tall) around your village can prevent pillagers and ravagers from seeing villagers, reducing their aggressive behavior.
- Iron Golems: These powerful protectors are natural enemies of pillagers and will actively engage them in combat.
- Strategic Lighting: While less effective around outposts, maintaining high light levels in and around your base can deter pillager spawns.
- Ambush Tactics: If confronted by a pillager near your house, tunneling underground and ambushing them can provide a tactical advantage.
FAQs: Everything You Need to Know About Pillagers
1. Are Pillagers hostile to all mobs?
No, pillagers are primarily hostile toward players, Iron Golems, Wandering Traders, and adult villagers. They generally ignore other mobs unless provoked.
2. Can Pillagers steal items from the player’s inventory?
No, pillagers cannot directly steal items from the player’s inventory. However, they can loot chests and other storage containers during raids.
3. How do you get the Bad Omen effect?
The Bad Omen effect is acquired by killing a Pillager Captain. These captains are easily identified by the banner they carry. They can be found at outposts or leading patrols.
4. Can Pillagers open doors?
Yes, Pillagers can open doors, just like villagers. This makes it crucial to reinforce your base with iron doors or other more secure options.
5. Do Pillager banners attract more pillagers?
No, displaying a Pillager banner will not attract pillagers to your base. The only way to attract Pillagers to your base and attempt to attack you is if you have the effect “Bad Omen” and you enter a village.
6. Can you tame a pillager?
While not “taming” in the traditional sense, the text does detail how to prevent pillagers from despawning by using a name tag. To do this, you need to break its crossbow with a shield, use a name tag to prevent it from despawning, and move it around in a boat.
7. Can you turn a pillager into a villager?
The text suggest using a Confusion potion and a Golden apple to change a Pillager into a Villager.
8. Do pillager outposts have a secret room?
Yes, some pillager outposts have a secret room located underneath the main structure. This room usually contains a Ravager and a chest filled with valuable loot.
9. Can you make a pillager outpost your home?
While technically possible, converting a Pillager Outpost into a home is not recommended. Pillagers can still spawn in the area, even after clearing them out, making it a dangerous and inconvenient location.
10. Can you cure a Pillager?
You cannot cure a pillager in the same way you cure a Zombie Villager, by throwing a Splash Potion of Weakness at the zombie villager then feed the villager a Golden Apple.
11. What triggers a pillager raid?
A raid is triggered when a player with the Bad Omen status effect enters a village. The severity of the raid depends on the difficulty level and the number of villagers present.
12. Will pillagers eventually go away?
Pillagers will follow the player for a distance if you abandon the raid. Raids will expire in two to three Minecraft nights, and all Pillagers will despawn.
13. What are the blue things at Pillager Outposts?
The “blue things” you see are actually Allays. The text indicates they are often held in cages within the outpost and can be freed by the player.
14. Does every pillager outpost have a captain?
Typically, each Pillager Outpost will have 1-3 Pillager Raid Captains.
15. Can you leash a pillager?
The text suggests that you can’t use a lead on a villager. You can put him in a boat or a minecart to move him around. Additionally you can also place Workblocks and/or Beds to lure the Villager towards you.
Conclusion: Mastering Pillager Defense
Understanding what pillagers hate, how they behave, and the mechanics behind raids is essential for success in Minecraft. By implementing strategic defenses, exploiting their weaknesses, and preparing for the inevitable raids, players can effectively protect their villages and thrive in a world dominated by these crossbow-wielding raiders.
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