What is the Dragon Thing in Minecraft?
The “dragon thing” in Minecraft is, without a doubt, the Ender Dragon. This formidable creature is not just any mob; it’s the final boss of the base game, a powerful entity that guards the gateway to the End dimension. The Ender Dragon is a large, black-scaled, serpentine dragon that is capable of flight and possesses a range of devastating attacks. It’s a defining element of Minecraft, representing a significant milestone for players and acting as a major obstacle in their progression. Defeating the Ender Dragon signifies the conclusion of the player’s initial journey within the game, unlocking further exploration and challenges. It’s more than just a mob; it’s an iconic figure, often cited as one of Minecraft’s most recognizable and challenging elements.
The Ender Dragon: A Closer Look
The Ender Dragon’s primary role is to act as the ultimate challenge in the End dimension. She doesn’t wander the overworld, and only appears in the End. She is not tameable, controllable or friendly, and her sole purpose is to defend her domain from any invaders. Her imposing presence and formidable attacks make her a terrifying foe to encounter, especially when unprepared.
Appearance and Behavior
The Ender Dragon is characterized by her dark scales, large wings, and glowing purple eyes. She circles the obsidian pillars in the center of the End, and will actively attack players with her claws, teeth and dragon fireballs, which are special projectiles. These fireballs are unique, unlike those from Ghasts, they cannot be deflected and don’t inflict impact damage. Instead, they create purple clouds on the ground that damage players similar to a lingering potion of Harming. The Dragon will also occasionally perch on the central exit portal to heal. This is a strategic moment that players can capitalize on by attacking her.
Significance of Defeating Her
Defeating the Ender Dragon marks a pivotal point in Minecraft gameplay. When you successfully defeat the Ender Dragon for the first time, you’ll be rewarded with 12,000 experience orbs, which are more than enough to boost you from level 0 to around 68. A dragon egg is spawned atop the central portal after the dragon dies, and a gateway appears. Going through this portal will lead you to the End City, a rich area of exploration with valuable loot. While you can respawn the Ender Dragon, subsequent defeats only yield 500 experience orbs and no additional dragon eggs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
To help you further understand the significance of the Ender Dragon, here are 15 frequently asked questions:
1. What is the Ender Dragon’s Purpose in Minecraft?
The Ender Dragon serves as the primary boss mob in Minecraft, acting as the ultimate test of a player’s skills and resilience. Her presence acts as the end point of the game’s initial progression. She is designed to defend the End dimension and its resources from any players and cannot be tamed.
2. What are Dragon Fireballs?
Dragon Fireballs are projectiles shot by the Ender Dragon. They cannot be deflected. Upon impact, instead of dealing direct damage, they create purple clouds that damage players in the same way a lingering potion of Harming does.
3. What is Dragon’s Breath and How is it Used?
Dragon’s Breath is a unique item obtained by collecting the purple clouds of dragon fireballs. It’s primarily used to brew lingering potions, which create an area-of-effect cloud when thrown, subjecting any creatures within it to the potion’s effects.
4. Why is the Ender Dragon Considered the Final Boss?
The Ender Dragon is widely regarded as the final boss of Minecraft because defeating her triggers the end credits and opens access to new parts of the game, like The End City which offers valuable loot and exploration opportunities. This also unlocks further progression and challenges beyond the main game.
5. What Rewards do You Get for Killing the Ender Dragon?
The first time you defeat the Ender Dragon, you receive 12,000 experience orbs, a dragon egg, and a portal to the End City. Subsequent defeats yield 500 experience orbs each and no further dragon eggs.
6. Can the Ender Dragon be Tamed or Controlled?
No, the Ender Dragon cannot be tamed or controlled in vanilla Minecraft. She is designed to be a hostile, powerful boss that players must defeat.
7. What is the Significance of the Dragon Egg?
The dragon egg is a unique trophy item given after defeating the Ender Dragon for the first time. It can be placed as a decoration but has no functional purpose in the game.
8. Can You Hatch the Dragon Egg?
While the dragon egg cannot be hatched into another Ender Dragon the way most might expect, you can place it on top of the central portal in the End, surrounded by four end crystals. Doing this will respawn the Ender Dragon in that world.
9. How do You Find the Ender Dragon?
To find the Ender Dragon, players must first locate a Stronghold using Eyes of Ender. Within the Stronghold, they will find a portal which will transport them to the End dimension, where the Ender Dragon resides.
10. Is the Ender Dragon a Boy or a Girl?
The Ender Dragon is confirmed to be a female, and is sometimes referred to as “Jean” by Notch. The fact that she lays an egg is another indicator of this.
11. What is the Rarest Item Related to the Ender Dragon?
The dragon egg is considered the rarest item directly related to the Ender Dragon, as it can only be obtained once per world after killing her for the first time.
12. Can you Bring the Ender Dragon to the Overworld?
Yes, with a bit of ingenuity you can push the Ender Dragon through a portal to bring her to the overworld, but this requires a lot of careful planning, lots of resources and precise timing.
13. Can you get a Pegasus in Minecraft?
A popular misconception says that defeating the Ender Dragon 20 times will grant a pegasus. This is not true in vanilla Minecraft. This idea likely originates from modifications and server plugins that add custom rewards to the game.
14. What is the Most Effective Way to Defeat the Ender Dragon?
Bows and arrows are extremely effective, especially enchanted. Surprisingly, snowballs are also effective as a way to deal significant damage to the Ender Dragon. It’s a good idea to take plenty of each.
15. What Happens if you Break or Mine the Ender Egg?
If you attempt to break or mine the Ender Egg, it will simply teleport to a nearby location. This can be frustrating for players who are trying to obtain the egg. It’s necessary to get the placement right the first time in order to take the egg.
Conclusion
The Ender Dragon is a central and iconic figure in Minecraft, serving as the final boss of the base game. She is a powerful and hostile mob that guards the End dimension. Understanding her role, attacks, and significance is important for any player looking to conquer Minecraft’s core challenge. Beyond just a boss fight, the Ender Dragon is an integral part of the game’s lore and progression, making her a truly memorable encounter for every Minecraft player. By understanding these aspects and the associated FAQs, you’ll be much better prepared for the epic showdown against Minecraft’s iconic “dragon thing.”