What Happens if You Name a Pillager in Minecraft?
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The simple act of naming a mob in Minecraft can often lead to interesting results, and pillagers are no exception. So, what exactly happens if you name a pillager? The answer is straightforward: naming a pillager with a name tag prevents it from despawning naturally. That’s the core effect, but there’s more to the story. It’s important to understand that a name tag doesn’t magically tame the pillager or change its behavior in any way other than preventing despawning. It will still attack you, other villagers, and will still engage in raids.
Understanding Mob Despawning in Minecraft
To fully grasp the impact of naming a pillager, you need to understand how despawning works in Minecraft. Most hostile mobs, including pillagers, will despawn if they are far enough from a player. This is a game mechanic designed to keep the world from getting too cluttered with entities, which can impact game performance. However, when you apply a name tag to a mob, you essentially make it a permanent part of your game world. Naming a pillager does not tame it; it simply anchors it in the world unless it is killed or otherwise removed.
The Naming Process
You name a pillager using an anvil and a name tag. First, place the name tag in the anvil’s first slot, and change its name in the second slot. Then, simply use the renamed tag on the pillager. When successfully named, you will see the renamed mob’s name hovering above it.
Practical Implications of a Named Pillager
While naming a pillager doesn’t make it friendly, it has several interesting consequences:
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Permanent Presence: Named pillagers will not disappear, making them good for experiments or peculiar personal projects. However, remember that they will still aggressively pursue you.
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Raid Complications: If a pillager you’ve named is in the vicinity of a village when you trigger a raid, it will participate in the raid and stay on the map. This may complicate efforts to complete a village raid.
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Potential Farm Implications: For players who create mob farms, keeping a named pillager in the farm may make it easier to engage in farming without needing a new pillager to spawn in.
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A Unique Pet: While they are not in any way tamed, having a named pillager can be an unusual type of pet. Remember to keep your distance though!
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Visual Marker: Having a name tag on a pillager can help you track it in a larger environment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Pillagers
Here are 15 frequently asked questions (FAQs) about pillagers to further expand your understanding of these hostile mobs:
1. Can I turn a pillager into a villager?
Yes, it is possible. Using a Confusion potion and a Golden apple, you can revert a pillager into a villager. This is an unusual workaround that is not officially part of gameplay mechanics, but it has gained notoriety in the Minecraft community.
2. Why do pillagers stare at me?
Pillagers are programmed to stare at the player if they are nearby. Even if you are in Creative mode or under the effect of invisibility, pillagers will notice you. If a pillager detects another enemy, such as an Iron Golem, the pillager will switch its attention.
3. How do I make pillagers go away?
In easy difficulty, pillagers will despawn within 150 blocks from you, so lighting up your surroundings to those distances may clear some pillager presence. In higher difficulties, pillagers will not despawn naturally. You will need to place slabs and use other mob-preventing techniques to stop the pillagers spawning around you.
4. What happens if I hit a pillager?
If you kill a pillager, you get the Bad Omen effect. This effect stays with you until you enter a village, which triggers a raid. Successfully winning a raid awards you with Hero of the Village effect.
5. Can pillagers steal from me?
During a raid, pillagers will attempt to loot storage items like chests, barrels, and shulker boxes, in normal difficulty and above. Looted items can be retrieved by killing the pillager.
6. What do I do if pillagers attack my house?
If you are not a good fighter, it is better to run and tunnel away, and perhaps ambush them. Otherwise, you can wait for them to go away on their own, or despawn in easy mode difficulty, or you will need to battle them.
7. Can I live in a pillager outpost?
While you can clear out a pillager outpost, they will respawn based on light levels similar to other hostile mobs. Outposts are therefore not suitable for living in. However, Outposts and Woodland Mansions are the only places where you can find Allays.
8. Do pillager outposts have a secret room?
Yes, pillager outposts have a secret room beneath them. This room contains a ravager and an unused illusioner. The chest here contains valuable loot, depending on the game’s difficulty.
9. Do pillager banners attract pillagers?
No, displaying a Pillager banner does not attract pillagers. However, having the Bad Omen effect and entering a village will cause pillagers to attack you.
10. Do pillagers glow when you ring a bell?
Yes, during a raid, pillagers can be highlighted when a bell is rung. This is useful for seeing pillagers who are hiding behind blocks or in buildings.
11. What is the difference between Illager and pillager?
Illagers are the general group of hostile humanoid mobs, which include pillagers. Pillagers are more adventurous than other Illagers, and prefer to explore the world.
12. How rare is a pillager outpost?
Pillager outposts are semi-rare structures, generating every several hundred to a couple of thousand blocks. They are more rare than villages, but less rare than woodland mansions.
13. Can you befriend a pillager?
There is no method for befriending a pillager. However, you can break their crossbows, which has 326 durability by using a shield. By letting the pillager use their crossbow that many times, the crossbow will break, making it unable to attack.
14. Will pillagers shoot baby villagers?
Rather than killing them, pillagers attempt to kidnap baby villagers during raids.
15. How can I stop bad omen effect in Minecraft?
By milking a cow or goat with an empty bucket and then drinking the milk, you can remove the Bad Omen effect. This allows you to safely enter villages without starting a raid.
Conclusion
In summary, naming a pillager has a simple yet significant impact. It prevents the mob from despawning, making it a permanent fixture in your game world, albeit still a hostile one. Understanding this, along with the other information about pillagers, can enhance your Minecraft experience. Whether you choose to name one for novelty or strategy, knowing the consequences is crucial.