How does the Warden's detection system work in Minecraft?

There are different types of biomes in Minecraft, and each one has its own unique blocks and mobs. These biomes can consist of rolling plains, hills, and oceans that span vast distances. The game also has cave systems that run through the earth below, including one of the scariest biomes in the game: the Deep Dark.

As its name suggests, the Deep Dark is a biome located deep within the ground. The dark area contains the most horrifying mob in the game: the Warden.

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What is the Warden in Minecraft?

The Warden was added to Minecraft in the 1.19 The Wild Update. It is a hostile mob that, despite being blind, can relentlessly track down its prey.

The Warden is summoned by triggering the skulk shriekers in the Deep Dark biome. The skulk shriekers can activate and make their tell-tale sound when a player bumps into them or makes vibrations on a skulk sensor within an eight-block radius of a shrieker.

If a player activates a skulk shrieker four different times, the Warden will be summoned to their location within 24 blocks of the skulk shrieker.

Once the mob is up and active, it will cast the Darkness effect on players within a 20-block radius around it, which lasts 12 seconds. The effect can be cast every six seconds.

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How does the Warden locate or detect its targets in Minecraft?

While the Warden is a blind mob, it can still easily locate targets by using its other senses to detect sounds and vibrations. These sounds and vibrations can come from players who are running, throwing, or shooting projectiles and even minecarts. However, the detection has a cooldown of two seconds.

When a player is detected within 16 blocks of the Warden, the mob will begin to hone in on their location. To avoid being detected, one can slowly walk away from the fearsome entity.

The Warden can also sniff around an area to detect targets that are standing still or sneaking. It can detect all entities within a radius of 49×51×49 blocks. During the sniffing animation, it will channel for 4.2 seconds and begin a pathfinding sequence where it will walk toward the targeted entity, preferring players over mobs.

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The Warden can get very angry in Minecraft

In addition to using the power of sound and scent to find its targets, the Warden has an anger meter that rises depending on how many times it has detected a target.

This anger is directed towards specific targets in Minecraft. It is depicted on a meter that runs from 0 to 150. Each time the Warden hears a vibration from a projectile, its anger goes up by 10. Each time it hears any other type of vibration, the anger rises by 35. When the Warden is touched by a player/mob or hears two projectiles landing within five seconds, the anger will rise by 35.

Once the Warden reaches 80 anger with a target, it will roar for 4.2 seconds and add 20 more anger to the meter. Then, it will begin to pursue the target. During this angered state, it will be able to "see" the target normally and pursue them as if it had sight.

To make the Warden go away, players must either attack and defeat it (attacking it instantly adds 100 anger) or let it be calm for 60 seconds. To be calm, the mob must have 0 anger and hear no vibrations or sense any movement for 60 seconds. After this period, it will burrow back into the ground, and players will be safe to roam around normally again.