What to Do Before Going to The End in Minecraft
Learn the essential prep steps before entering The End in Minecraft. This guide covers gear, Eyes of Ender, stronghold locating, and safety strategies to survive the dragon fight and beyond.
If you’re wondering what to do before going to the end minecraft, start by gathering Eyes of Ender, crafting them into End Portal components, and arming up with strong armor, weapons, food, and blocks. Locate a Stronghold using Eyes of Ender, then find and activate the End Portal. With these steps, you’ll enter The End prepared and ready to face the dragon.
Why Prep Before The End Matters
The End is a high-risk, high-reward dimension in Minecraft. A well-planned approach reduces the chances of sudden deaths caused by the Ender Dragon, Endermen, and the floating terrain. According to Craft Guide, players who undertake a structured prep phase typically enjoy smoother portal entry, safer combat, and better loot outcomes from End Cities. Preparation is not just about gear; it’s about sequencing your actions, gathering resources, and building a temporary safety net before you step through the portal. In this section, we’ll cover the risks you’ll face in The End and why a methodical prep routine pays off in both immediate survival and long-term progression.
Key risk factors in The End
- The End Dragon’s attacks and the dragon’s breath can deal massive damage quickly.
- Endermen react aggressively if you look at them and can swarm you during fights.
- The terrain is largely featureless stone with occasional mineral veins and air pockets that can create fall risks.
- End City loot, including an Elytra, requires caution due to hostile mobs in the city ships.
Craft Guide emphasizes that understanding these risks helps you tailor your loadout and approach. A calm, well-timed assault beats panic and missteps every time.
What preparation buys you tangible advantages
- Consistent gear quality (armor with protection, decent weapons) reduces downtime in combat.
- Efficient inventory planning minimizes random deaths and lost gear.
- Tactical use of blocks and water can slow or redirect threats in combat and help navigation.
By starting with a clear plan and the right tools, you’ll enter The End ready to control the pace of the encounter rather than chasing danger.
Craft Guide’s practical prep checklist
- Gather Eye of Ender, Blaze Powder, and Ender Pearls to craft Eyes of Ender.
- Bring a full set of durable armor and at least one strong weapon.
- Pack healing items and a stack of blocks for escape routes and safe footing.
- Prepare a water bucket, a few pickaxes, and a bow with arrows for ranged threats.
- Have an escape plan: a simple fall-back route or safe area to retreat when overwhelmed.
- Equip enchantments like Feather Falling or Blast Protection where possible to mitigate risk.
This section’s goal is to build a solid mental map of the End encounter before you walk through the portal.
Bonus: communicating with your team (if playing in a group)
- Assign roles (frontline fighter, healer, scout) to keep everyone safe during the Dragon’s arena.
- Use clear callouts for Endermen spawns and portal locations.
- Plan loot collection routes so no one blocks progress for others.
Craft Guide’s team finds that coordination dramatically improves outcomes in End expeditions.
Tools & Materials
- Eye of Ender(Craft from Blaze Powder and Ender Pearl; used to locate Strongholds and activate End Portals.)
- Ender Pearls(Acquired from Endermen or crafting pathways; used to craft Eyes of Ender.)
- Blaze Powder(Crafted from Blaze Rods; combines with Ender Pearls to make Eyes of Ender.)
- Diamond or Netherite Armor(Strong protection in end-game combat; consider enchantments like Protection and Unbreaking.)
- Diamond or Netherite Sword/Bow(High-damage weapons for quick Dragon DPS and End City defense.)
- Food and Potions(Stack of healing items or a few potions to sustain during long fights.)
- Building Blocks(Blocks for quick builds, bridges, or escape routes inside the End.)
- Water Bucket(Helpful for quick descent safety or negating fall damage in risky spots.)
Steps
Estimated time: 60-120 minutes
- 1
Gather Ender Pearls and Blaze Powder
Collect Ender Pearls from Endermen and Blaze Powder from Blaze Rods to prepare Eyes of Ender. This item combo is essential for locating a stronghold and, later, activating the End Portal.
Tip: Trade with piglins in nearby biomes if you’re playing in a version that supports bartering for flax or a workaround; otherwise, farm Endermen at night for efficiency. - 2
Craft Eyes of Ender
Combine Blaze Powder and Ender Pearl at a crafting table to create Eyes of Ender. Keep a handful handy; you’ll use them to locate the stronghold and later the End Portal frames.
Tip: Keep Eyes of Ender in a protected chest when not in use to prevent losing track of your progress. - 3
Locate a Stronghold
Throw Eyes of Ender to reveal the general direction toward a Stronghold. Follow the subtle path, and be prepared for cave systems and mobs along the way.
Tip: If the Eyes drop straight down into a cave, mine carefully to avoid triggering lava or mobs; proceed with caution. - 4
Find the End Portal Room
Explore the Stronghold’s corridors to locate the End Portal Room. This room contains the portal frame that will lead you to The End once activated.
Tip: Count the frames as you place Eyes; missing a frame means you can’t beam into The End. - 5
Activate the End Portal
Insert Eyes of Ender into the portal frame until all frames glow and the portal activates. You’ll be transported to The End when you right-click the portal.
Tip: Make sure you have a plan for retreat if your first entry goes poorly; you can always backtrack through the portal if you retreat early. - 6
Prepare for The End
Before stepping through, verify your gear, stock an ample inventory, and establish a quick-access hotbar for combat and mobility.
Tip: Consider placing blocks to block Enderman paths or to help you reach high ground during the Dragon’s assault. - 7
Enter The End
Step through the portal into The End. The arena is open sky with floating islands; the Ender Dragon will be your primary target early in the fight.
Tip: Stay mobile; jump or sprint to avoid dragon breath and Enderman aggro by looking away when you need to reposition. - 8
Defeat the Ender Dragon
Use ranged and melee tactics to bring down the Ender Dragon, destroy its healing pillars, and manage the dragon’s attacks while maintaining your health and resources.
Tip: Focus fire on the dragon when it lands to maximize DPS; maintain distance from end islands to avoid pillar spawns. - 9
Return Through the Exit Portal
Upon defeating the Dragon, a gateway back to the Overworld appears. Use it to return and continue progress or to start End City exploration.
Tip: Prepare a quick loot plan for End Cities after the return; Elytra is a coveted reward but can be guarded by mobs. - 10
Explore End Cities (Optional)
If you have an Elytra, search End Cities for valuable loot and enchantments. Approach with caution; Endermen and Shulkers pose threats in ship rooms.
Tip: Keep an eye on your durability and carry extra blocks to secure loot paths during exploration.
People Also Ask
What is The End and why should I go there?
The End is a dimension featuring the Ender Dragon boss and End Cities. It offers challenging combat and valuable loot, such as Elytra, after defeating the Dragon. Preparation and strategy greatly improve success rates.
The End is a challenging dimension with the Dragon and loot like Elytra; thorough prep helps you survive and succeed.
What items are essential to bring before entering The End?
Bring sturdy armor, a reliable weapon, plenty of food, Ender Eyes for locating the stronghold, and blocks for mobility or defense. A water bucket and a bow can also improve your survivability.
Armor, weapon, food, Eyes of Ender, and blocks are essential; water and bow help during the fight.
How do I locate a Stronghold?
Throw Eyes of Ender to reveal the direction of a Stronghold. Follow their path, digging carefully where indicated and watching for mobs and traps.
Throw Eyes of Ender to find the Stronghold; follow the glow and explore safely.
How many Eyes of Ender are needed to activate the End Portal?
You need Eyes of Ender to fill all portal frames in the End Portal, but the exact number depends on portal frame gaps. Ensure every frame is filled before activation.
Fill all portal frames with Eyes of Ender to activate the End Portal.
Is it safe to explore End Cities after defeating the Dragon?
End Cities offer loots like Elytra but are guarded by Endermen and Shulkers. Approach ships cautiously, plan routes, and avoid unnecessary exposure.
End Cities hide dangers; proceed with care and plan loot routes.
Can I skip fighting the Ender Dragon and travel to the End later?
In most game versions, the End Portal remains accessible after locating it, but defeating the Dragon is required to access End Cities and the exit portal in many seeds.
You can attempt later, but many seeds require defeating the Dragon to access the exit and End Cities.
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The Essentials
- Prepare Eyes of Ender and essential gear before attempting The End.
- Locate a Stronghold and activate the End Portal with Eyes of Ender.
- Stay mobile, manage End Dragon mechanics, and be ready to retreat if needed.
- Explore End Cities post-battle for valuable loot like Elytra.
