5 best tips to find ancient debris for Minecraft beginners (2022)

Ancient Debris in the Nether (Image via Mojang)
Ancient Debris in the Nether (Image via Mojang)

Ancient debris was first introduced to Minecraft players in the 1.16 update. It is the first step to getting Netherite in the game.

However, acquiring ancient debris can be quite a challenge. Firstly, finding it is fairly difficult as it doesn't spawn that often. Secondly, players have to find four ancient debris just to make one Netherite ingot and upgrade an item.

Regardless of how difficult it is, fully upgrading items in Minecraft is necessary. The first step in doing so is to find ancient debris, so here are a few tips on how to do just that.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer


Bringing a lot of pickaxes, looking for a bastion remnant, and 3 other tips that Minecraft beginners can use to find ancient debris (2022)

1) Pay attention to coordinates

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Paying attention to coordinates is important for several reasons. Firstly, it is incredibly easy to get lost in Minecraft, even if one is mining in a straight line. Many players veer off in new directions either due to the terrain or a lack of success.

Secondly, ancient debris is concentrated at Y level 8 to 22. If players aren't within those coordinates, they're unlikely to find anything.

Coordinates in the Nether are often overlooked, but they can be the key to surviving and not getting lost.


2) Bring a lot of pickaxes

Players should bring plenty of pickaxes when strip mining for ancient debris in the game because they do not last a long time (Image via Mojang)
Players should bring plenty of pickaxes when strip mining for ancient debris in the game because they do not last a long time (Image via Mojang)

Strip mining is an easy way to start looking for ancient debris in Minecraft, but it is very easy to go through pickaxes using this method.

Ancient debris requires a diamond pickaxe, but even that doesn't last forever. It's imperative to have a good number of pickaxes so that one isn't forced to retreat to the Overworld to make more.


3) Bring a lot of beds

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Blowing up beds is one of the best ways to find ancient debris in Minecraft. The only problem is that players can only carry so many of them.

Apart from food, tools and a few other items, a player's entire inventory should be filled with beds to maximize the trip. A Shulker Box full of them would help, but most players don't have it prior to hunting for ancient debris.


4) Find a bastion remnant

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Bastion remnants are difficult to find and even more difficult to safely explore, but they remain one of the few places to find really good loot. Included in this loot is ancient debris.

Certain chests found in these structures can have ancient debris. Here are each chest's chances of containing it:

  • Generic chest- 13.5% chance of having one
  • Treasure chest- 12.7% chance of having two
  • Stable chest- 5.7% chance of having two (only one in Bedrock Edition)

Bastion remnants are a rare generation, but they do have good loot and can totally remove the need to strip mine for ancient debris in Minecraft 1.19.


5) Crouch when strip mining

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Crouching is arguably the most important thing to do when strip mining for ancient debris (the most common method of looking for it). This is true for all strip mining but especially in the Nether, where everything is much more dangerous and where water can't save anyone.

The act of crouching prevents a Minecraft block from giving way to an opening through which players can fall into lava or a steep drop.

This happens very often as Netherrack is weak and easy to break. Many players break too many blocks of it and accidentally fall through.