Will Striders Despawn in the Overworld? Your Definitive Guide
The short answer is: yes, striders can despawn in the Overworld if they meet the standard despawning conditions for mobs. However, there are specific circumstances that prevent despawning, primarily when the strider is tamed, named with a name tag, or is wearing a saddle placed by the player. Understanding the mechanics behind mob despawning is crucial for anyone looking to keep a strider as a pet outside of the Nether. Let’s dive into the intricate details of how despawning works in Minecraft and what it means for your strider friend.
Understanding Despawning Mechanics
Minecraft’s despawning system is designed to keep the game running smoothly by removing mobs that are unlikely to interact with the player. This system targets mobs that spawn naturally and haven’t been significantly interacted with. Here’s a breakdown:
- Random Ticks and Distance: The game regularly checks for mobs within a certain radius of the player. Mobs far enough away from the player have a chance to despawn. This chance is determined by random ticks.
- Despawnable Mobs: Most passive and neutral mobs that spawn naturally are subject to despawning. This includes striders, even in the Overworld.
- Conditions Preventing Despawning: Certain conditions prevent mobs from despawning:
- Tamed: Once a mob is tamed (which doesn’t apply to striders in the traditional sense, but applying a saddle counts as taming), it will not despawn.
- Named: If a mob is given a name using a name tag, it is considered “special” and will not despawn.
- Leashed: While leashing a mob doesn’t permanently prevent despawning, it keeps the mob within a smaller area, thus reducing the chance of it wandering too far and despawning.
- Equipment: Mobs wearing armor or holding items are less likely to despawn, with mobs wearing player-placed armor or equipment never despawning. The Saddle is the Key here. A saddle placed by the player renders the strider immune to despawning.
Striders and the Overworld: A Unique Case
Striders are unique because they originate in the Nether but can survive in the Overworld, albeit uncomfortably. This presents some interesting scenarios regarding despawning.
- Natural Spawns vs. Transported Striders: Striders do not naturally spawn in the Overworld. Any strider you find in the Overworld has been brought there through a portal.
- Rain and Water: Striders take damage from rain and water. This means their survival in the Overworld depends on keeping them sheltered.
- Despawning Vulnerability: If a strider is simply transported to the Overworld and left unattended, it will be subject to the normal despawning rules.
Keeping Your Strider Safe: Best Practices
So, how do you ensure your strider doesn’t vanish into thin air after bringing it to the Overworld?
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Saddle Up: Place a saddle on the strider. This action is considered a form of taming, and prevents the strider from despawning.
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Name Tag: Use a name tag to give your strider a name. This is a foolproof way to prevent despawning. Name tags can be found in generated structures or crafted using name tag printer datapacks or mods.
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Build a Shelter: Protect your strider from rain and water by building a covered enclosure.
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Keep it Close: Regularly interact with your strider to ensure it stays loaded in your game’s memory. Visiting it regularly can also help keep it from despawning.
The Importance of Understanding Game Mechanics
Understanding despawning mechanics is just one aspect of mastering Minecraft. Delving into the game’s code and systems reveals a depth of complexity that many players appreciate. This kind of learning can be valuable in other contexts too, fostering problem-solving skills and analytical thinking. Organizations like the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/ explore how games can be used as tools for education and development. Studying games is actually a thing!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Strider Despawning
1. Can baby striders despawn?
Yes, baby striders can despawn just like adult striders, unless they are tamed, named, or meet other conditions that prevent despawning.
2. Does difficulty level affect strider despawning?
No, the difficulty level (Peaceful, Easy, Normal, Hard) does not affect the mechanics of mob despawning.
3. If a strider is riding another strider, do both despawn?
If the top strider isn’t tamed or named it could despawn and the strider under it won’t be ridden anymore.
4. Do striders despawn in lava?
Yes, striders can technically despawn in lava if they meet the despawning conditions. However, given that lava oceans are typically in loaded chunks within the Nether, it’s less likely.
5. How far away does a player have to be for a strider to despawn?
The despawn radius varies, but generally, if a strider is more than 128 blocks away from the player, it is more likely to despawn. Within 32 blocks, despawning is very unlikely.
6. Does chunk loading affect strider despawning?
Yes, if a chunk containing a strider is unloaded, the despawning timer is paused. However, when the chunk is reloaded, the timer resumes.
7. Can I use commands to prevent a strider from despawning?
Yes, you can use commands like /data merge entity @e[type=minecraft:strider,limit=1,sort=nearest] {PersistenceRequired:1b} to make a strider persistent and prevent it from despawning.
8. Do striders despawn if they are enclosed in a small area?
Enclosing a strider in a small area does not prevent despawning. The despawning mechanic primarily relies on distance from the player and whether the mob has been tamed or named.
9. What happens if a strider is leashed to a fence post?
While leashing a strider does not prevent despawning, it keeps the strider within a smaller area, reducing the likelihood of it wandering too far and despawning.
10. Are there any mods that affect strider despawning?
Yes, some mods can alter the despawning behavior of mobs, including striders. Check the mod’s documentation for specific details.
11. If a strider is wearing a saddle, does that prevent despawning?
Yes, and you must apply it. Saddling a strider placed by the player will prevent the strider from despawning.
12. Why does my strider keep disappearing even though I built it a nice home?
If you haven’t named the strider or saddled it, it’s likely despawning despite having a shelter. Ensure you apply a saddle to the strider or name it using a name tag to prevent despawning.
13. Can striders despawn while I’m riding them?
No, striders cannot despawn while you are actively riding them, as the player’s presence prevents the despawning process.
14. Do striders despawn if they are in a boat?
Yes, being in a boat does not prevent a strider from despawning. The same rules apply: they must be named or saddled to prevent despawning.
15. Is there a way to track down a despawned strider?
Unfortunately, there is no way to track down a despawned strider. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. Prevention is the best approach.
By understanding the mechanics of despawning and taking the necessary precautions, you can enjoy the company of your strider in the Overworld without the fear of it disappearing. Happy Minecrafting!