How to avoid endermen in Minecraft

Endermen have been a part of Minecraft for years, and they're not too bad as far as hostile mobs go. They remain passive until angered, but once they're upset, the teleportation and aggression of endermen make them a very difficult opponent to deal with.

There are a few tried and true methods to avoid angering endermen in Minecraft no matter the version being played. Some are easier than others, but they should all keep players safe from the rage of any endermen.

These unusual creatures from the End typically only become enraged if they are attacked or if you make eye contact with them, but there are a few tricks to keep in mind to ensure that doesn't happen.

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How to avoid angering endermen in Minecraft

Wearing a carved pumpkin will ensure you don't upset endermen with eye contact (Image via Mojang)

There are more than a few ways to avoid the ire of endermen in Minecraft, though some are situational and others are more practical. It really all depends on the situation that you're dealing with.

You'll have to use different tactics depending on whether you're in the Overworld and trying to avoid endermen or whether you're trying to avoid endermen in the final boss fight in the End. Regardless, there are some general rules of thumb that both veterans and newcomers alike can follow.

Tricks to avoid endermen in Minecraft:

1. Endermen hate water since it can damage them, so if you're worried about attracting the attention of an enderman, try traveling during the rain.
2. By equipping a carved pumpkin, you can stare directly at an enderman without upsetting it. However, the enderman will still be angered upon being struck. As long as you don't hit the enderman and have the carved pumpkin equipped, you should be considered safe from endermen in the future.
3. If all else fails, attempt to break some ender pearls in the area you've found. There's a 5% chance that a broken ender pearl will spawn an endermite, which endermen will attack without apprehension. This is also an effective tactic when you need to escape an enderman attack or move a group of endermen to a specific location, typically in the End.

While endermen are far from the most dangerous hostile mobs you'll deal with in Minecraft, you should still take precautions with them when possible. It only takes one slip-up to anger an enderman, and doing so can lead to a protracted fight.

If you don't have great equipment or are already injured, a dangerous encounter with an enderman is the last thing you need. However, with a little bit of foreplanning and some spatial awareness, you shouldn't be particularly threatened by endermen. The mob may pop up in unintended places at times, but they're relatively harmless as long as you don't attack them or lock eyes with them without a carved pumpkin helmet. For the most part, these unusual inhabitants of the End will go about their business and avoid bothering anyone.