Curing the Undead: A Comprehensive Guide to Zombie Villagers in Minecraft

Curing a zombie in Minecraft, specifically a zombie villager, transforms it back into a regular villager. This process not only removes the undead status but also unlocks a world of economic advantages and strategic gameplay. You’ll need a Splash Potion of Weakness and a Golden Apple to complete the cure. After applying both, the zombie villager will begin to shake, emit red particles, and eventually revert to its former self.

The Nitty-Gritty of Curing Zombie Villagers

The process of curing a zombie villager is relatively straightforward, but knowing the nuances can greatly improve your experience. First, you’ll need to acquire a Splash Potion of Weakness. This can be brewed using fermented spider eye, gunpowder, and water bottle at a brewing stand. Next, you’ll need a Golden Apple, crafted with one apple surrounded by eight gold ingots.

Once you have both items, locate a zombie villager. It’s important to note that zombie villagers are less common than regular zombies, but can be found in any biome where zombies spawn, and have a 5% chance of appearing instead of normal zombies.

The Curing Process: Step-by-Step

1. Isolate the Zombie Villager: For safety, trap the zombie villager in an enclosed space. This will prevent it from wandering off or being attacked by other mobs during the curing process. A simple fenced-in area is sufficient.

2. Apply the Splash Potion of Weakness: Throw the splash potion at the zombie villager. You’ll know it worked when the zombie villager develops a particle effect similar to that of the Weakness status.

3. Use the Golden Apple: With the Weakness status active, right-click the zombie villager while holding the Golden Apple. This initiates the curing process.

4. Patience is Key: The zombie villager will begin to shake and emit red particles. This is a sign that the curing process has begun. This process takes approximately 3-5 minutes. Keeping the villager near a bed or iron bars speeds this up. Do not attack the zombie villager during this time.

5. The Transformation: After the allotted time, the zombie villager will transform back into a regular villager. The cured villager retains its previous profession (if it had one), and offers discounted trades as a thank you for being cured.

The Economic Benefits: Trade Discounts

One of the most compelling reasons to cure zombie villagers is the trade discounts they offer. A newly-cured villager, if it had a profession before being zombified, will offer a trading discount to the player who administered the cure. These discounts are permanent and can be incredibly valuable for acquiring essential resources at a reduced cost.

Stacking Discounts: Curing Multiple Times

The discounts become even more significant if you cure a villager multiple times. Each time a villager is cured, the discounts increase, eventually reaching the minimum price of one emerald for certain trades. This can be exploited to create highly efficient trading relationships.

However, there’s a caveat. If you save and quit the game while a villager is being cured, the villager will “forget” if it has been cured before. So, always ensure the curing process is fully completed before exiting the game.

Affecting Nearby Villagers: Spreading the Love

Interestingly, curing a zombie villager also affects other villagers nearby. These villagers will also offer a smaller discount on their trades, creating a ripple effect of economic benefit within your village. This makes curing zombie villagers not only beneficial for individual trades but also for the overall economy of your settlement.

Other Important Considerations

Baby Zombie Villagers

Curing baby zombie villagers follows the same process as curing adult zombie villagers. However, keep in mind that baby zombie villagers are faster and more difficult to contain. A baby zombie villager on a chicken is a very rare sight. Curing this villager does not dismount the chicken.

Zombie Villager Infection and Death

It’s important to protect your villagers from zombies. In hard mode, a zombie will always infect a villager upon attack. Also, zombie villagers take damage while they are zombified and can die.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Does curing a zombie villager change its trades?

In Java Edition, a cured zombie villager generally retains its original profession and trades. The trades are not reset. However, the discounts offered on those trades will be significantly improved. Bedrock Edition behavior may vary.

2. How many times can you cure a zombie villager?

You can cure a villager multiple times, with each subsequent curing resulting in deeper discounts. The discounts stack until the price reaches the minimum of one emerald for certain trades.

3. What happens if you cure a normal zombie?

You cannot cure a normal zombie using a Splash Potion of Weakness and a Golden Apple. This method only works on zombie villagers. Normal zombies can be dealt with through conventional combat methods.

4. Is it worth curing zombie villagers?

Absolutely! Curing zombie villagers is highly worthwhile due to the permanent trading discounts they offer. These discounts can significantly reduce the cost of essential resources, making it a strategic advantage.

5. What happens if you cure a zombie villager twice?

The discount from curing a zombie villager persists permanently and increases with each cure. Curing a villager multiple times further reduces their trading prices, eventually leading to minimal costs.

6. Do villagers forget you cure them?

Normally, no. Villagers will remember being cured, and their discounts will be applied. However, if you save and quit the game while a villager is still in the process of being cured, the villager will forget whether it has been cured before.

7. Will a cured baby zombie villager grow up?

Yes, a cured baby zombie villager will eventually grow up into an adult villager, just like any other baby villager.

8. Do zombie villagers drop their items when cured?

If a zombie villager was holding any item it picked up, that item will be dropped at the end of the curing process.

9. Why do my villagers keep dying to zombies?

Villagers can die if they don’t have enough health when being infected by a zombie. In hard mode, zombies have a 100% chance of infecting villagers. Always protect your villagers with adequate defenses.

10. Why isn’t my zombie attacking my villager?

Sometimes, zombies may fail to attack a villager, especially right after curing another zombie villager nearby. This can be a temporary glitch or bug in the game.

11. Do villagers keep their levels?

Yes, villagers will retain their profession level even if their workstation is temporarily removed. They will continue to act as if they have that profession until a new workstation is claimed.

12. Can you bring a zombie villager back to life?

Yes, curing a zombie villager with a Splash Potion of Weakness and a Golden Apple effectively brings them “back to life” as a normal villager.

13. Do villagers you kicked out remember you?

Generally, villagers who have been removed from your village do not remember you if you encounter them elsewhere, such as on a mystery island.

14. Why do my villagers keep raising their prices?

Villager prices can increase due to high demand for certain items. If you trade a particular item too frequently, the villager will raise the price until it restocks. Not trading for the item will help it reduce the price again.

15. What happens if you cure a zombie villager on a chicken?

Curing a baby zombie villager jockey (riding a chicken) does not cause it to dismount. The villager will remain on the chicken, even after growing up. This creates a villager chicken jockey.

By understanding the process and benefits of curing zombie villagers, you can significantly enhance your gameplay experience in Minecraft. Happy curing! This mechanic provides interesting trade-offs in the game and relates to topics explored by the Games Learning Society and available at GamesLearningSociety.org.