Why Isn’t My Cured Villager Restocking? The Ultimate Guide

You’ve diligently trapped, zombified, and painstakingly cured a villager in Minecraft, anticipating those sweet, sweet discounted trades. But instead of happily refreshing its inventory, it’s just… standing there. Frustrating, right? The most common reason a cured villager isn’t restocking is that it can’t access its workstation. Restocking in Minecraft is directly tied to a villager’s ability to pathfind to and interact with its assigned job site. If something is blocking its way, even subtly, it won’t restock.

However, several other factors can also contribute to this issue. Let’s delve into the details and explore troubleshooting steps.

Understanding the Restocking Mechanic

Before diving into the fixes, it’s crucial to understand how villager restocking works. Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Workstations are Key: Villagers need access to their assigned workstation (e.g., a composter for farmers, a lectern for librarians, a brewing stand for clerics) to restock.
• Time of Day Matters: Villagers typically restock twice a day, usually around the beginning of their “workday” (9-10 AM in-game time) and again after the first set of trades are exhausted.
• Limited Trades: Each trade has a limited number of uses per restock cycle (typically four times). Once those trades are exhausted, the villager won’t offer them again until the next restock.
• Village Validity: The villager needs to consider that the block they are connected to is valid and working.

Troubleshooting Steps: Why Your Cured Villager Won’t Restock

Here’s a step-by-step guide to diagnose and fix the problem:

1. Workstation Accessibility: This is the most common culprit. Ensure the villager can physically reach its workstation.

   • Is there anything blocking its path? Even a single block of dirt or a misplaced carpet can prevent a villager from pathfinding.
   • Is the workstation properly placed? It needs to be directly accessible. The villager should be able to stand right next to it.
   • Try breaking and replacing the workstation. This can sometimes refresh the villager’s connection.

2. Village Recognition: The villager must recognize its position within the village.

   • Ensure the villager is still part of a valid village. This can be confirmed by the presence of other villagers with workstations and beds nearby.
   • If you’ve moved the villager a significant distance, it may no longer be considered part of the original village. You might need to establish a new village around it.

3. Time of Day: Be patient! It needs to be during the day.

   • Wait until morning (in-game time) and see if the villager restocks during its work hours.
   • Sleeping in a bed can help advance time and trigger the restock.

4. Trade Limits:

   • Have you exhausted all available trades for the day? Try again the next day.

5. Glitches and Bugs: Minecraft can be buggy, especially with complex mechanics like villager trading.

   • Try restarting your game. Sometimes a simple restart can fix temporary glitches.
   • If you’re playing on a server, check with the server administrators for any known issues or plugins that might affect villager behavior.
   • Ensure your game is up to date. Developers often release patches to fix bugs related to villager trading.

6. Bedrock vs. Java: Trading mechanics can differ slightly between Bedrock and Java editions.

   • Consult edition-specific guides or forums for more tailored advice.

Advanced Tips

• Villager Housing: A simple 1x1x2 cell with the workstation against one wall and an open space for you to interact with the villager is often the most reliable setup.
• Lighting: Ensure the area around the workstation is well-lit to prevent hostile mob spawns, which can disrupt villager behavior.
• Observation: Spend some time observing the villager. Is it actively trying to reach the workstation? Is it exhibiting any unusual behavior? This can provide clues to the problem.

Remember that villager mechanics can be finicky in Minecraft. Patience and careful troubleshooting are key to getting those sweet discounts! And don’t forget, the Games Learning Society offers fantastic resources for understanding the complexities of game mechanics and using them for educational purposes! Visit GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Do villagers need a bed to restock?

No, villagers do not need beds to restock. Restocking is primarily linked to their ability to access their workstation. However, a lack of beds can lead to unhappiness, potentially impacting their willingness to trade.

2. How long does it take for a villager to restock?

Villagers typically restock twice per in-game day. The first restock occurs around the beginning of their workday (9-10 AM), and the second restock happens after the first set of trades has been exhausted.

3. Can a cured villager restock?

Yes, a cured villager can and should restock. If a cured villager isn’t restocking, it’s usually due to one of the reasons mentioned above (workstation accessibility, village recognition, time of day, trade limits, or glitches).

4. Why is my cured villager not getting a job?

If a cured villager isn’t taking a job, it might be due to the following reasons:

• Locked Trades: If you’ve already traded with a villager before curing it, its profession might be locked, preventing it from switching.
• Conflicting Workstations: Another unclaimed workstation might be nearby, causing the villager to attempt to claim that instead.
• Time of Day: Villagers typically claim workstations during their workday.

5. Are cured villager trades permanent?

The trades themselves are not necessarily permanent in terms of what they offer. However, the discount you receive for curing a villager is permanent. This discount stacks for each time you infect and cure the villager.

6. What happens if you cure a villager multiple times?

Each time you cure a villager from being a zombie villager, the trading discounts get deeper. The price of their trades will decrease until it reaches the minimum of one emerald per trade.

7. Do villagers forget you cure them?

Villagers do not inherently forget that you cured them. However, there’s a known bug where saving and quitting the game while a villager is in the process of being cured can cause it to “forget” it was ever cured.

8. Why won’t my villagers refresh their trades?

For a villager to refresh (restock) their trades, they must be able to reach their workstation and it must be during work hours.

9. Do villagers lose their trades after being cured?

In Java Edition, villagers retain their original trades after being cured. However, it’s worth noting that mechanics can differ slightly in Bedrock Edition. Always verify edition-specific information.

10. How long do cured villager trades last?

The discounted trades resulting from curing a villager are permanent. The discount remains in effect for all future trades with that villager.

11. Why are my villagers still out of stock?

Villagers have a limited number of trades available per day. If you’ve exhausted all available trades, they won’t restock until the next day. Also, check if enough workstations for all of your villagers.

12. Do villagers need to sleep to spawn iron golems?

While villagers don’t need to sleep, for a village to spawn iron golems, 100% of the villagers must be linked to a bed and 75% of the villagers must have worked (i.e. stood beside or atop their workstation).

13. Why aren’t my villagers breeding?

Villagers need specific conditions to breed:

• Sufficient Beds: There must be at least one more bed than there are villagers in the village.
• Food: Villagers need to have food in their inventory (3 bread, 12 carrots/beetroot/potatoes).
• Proximity: Villagers need to be in close proximity to each other.

14. Do villagers despawn without beds?

Villagers never despawn under normal circumstances, regardless of whether they have beds or not. Bugs can occasionally cause despawning, but this is rare.

15. How many trades can a villager make before restocking?

Villagers now restock their trades twice a day, and most trades can only be done 4 times. This means you can usually make four of a particular trade before the villager needs to restock.

Understanding these nuances will help you effectively manage your villager trading operations and maximize your emerald gains in Minecraft. Enjoy your trading adventures!