Best Way to Get Netherite in Minecraft (1.21+)

If you’ve been playing Minecraft for a while, you already know that netherite is the best material in the game – tougher than diamond, fire-resistant, and it floats on lava. But getting it is a whole different challenge. Netherite comes from ancient debris, one of the rarest ores in the entire game.

In this guide, we break down the best way and every method to farm ancient debris, rank them from fastest to slowest, and give you a complete step-by-step walkthrough so you can get your first netherite ingot as efficiently as possible in Minecraft. This guide is fully updated as of June 2026 for Java Edition 1.21+ and Bedrock Edition.

What Is Netherite and Why Do You Need It?

Before we get into farming methods, here’s a quick refresher on the full netherite pipeline:

1. Mine Ancient Debris in the Nether
2. Smelt it in a furnace or blast furnace > you get Netherite Scrap
3. Craft: 4 Netherite Scrap + 4 Gold Ingots > 1 Netherite Ingot
4. Use a Smithing Table with a Netherite Upgrade Smithing Template to upgrade diamond gear to netherite

That means for a full set of netherite armor + tools, you need a significant amount of ancient debris. This guide focuses entirely on getting that ancient debris as fast as possible.

Where Does Ancient Debris Spawn?

This is the most important thing to understand before you start mining. Ancient debris only spawns in the Nether, and its distribution is very specific:

• Best Y-level: Y=16 (statistically the highest concentration)
• Primary range: Y=8 to Y=24 (triangle distribution, peaks at Y=16)
• Secondary range: Y=8 to Y=119 (small additional chance, evenly distributed)
• Never spawns exposed to air – it’s always surrounded by blocks
• Can only replace netherrack, basalt (Java only), and blackstone (Java only)

Best Biomes to Mine In

Ancient debris spawn rates are identical across all Nether biomes, but where you mine matters a lot for speed and safety.

Recommended:

• Nether Wastes – mostly flat netherrack with minimal obstacles, ideal for clean tunneling and bed mining
• Warped Forest – relatively open floor with fewer lava lakes near Y=15, lower death risk than most biomes

Spawn Rates by Edition

Java Edition:

• Up to 2 clusters per chunk
• Cluster 1: 0-3 debris, triangle distribution from Y=8-24
• Cluster 2: 0-2 debris, even distribution from Y=8-119
• Average: ~1.65 ancient debris per chunk

Bedrock Edition:

• Up to 5 clusters per chunk
• Two clusters of 0-3 debris from Y=8-23
• Three additional clusters of 0-2 from Y=8-119
• Slightly higher spawn rates than Java

Important: Ancient debris has a blast resistance of 1,200, meaning it survives TNT blasts. This is what makes explosion-based farming possible.

Method 1: Bed Mining (Fastest Method – Recommended)

Best for: Java Edition and Bedrock Edition players who want maximum efficiency

Bed mining is widely considered the single fastest way to farm ancient debris. In the Nether, beds explode rather than letting you sleep – similar to how TNT works. The explosion radius of a bed is actually larger than TNT, making it extremely efficient at clearing netherrack while leaving ancient debris intact.

What You Need

• A diamond or netherite pickaxe
• A stack of beds (at least 16-32 to start)
• Fire Resistance potions (strongly recommended)
• Food
• Optional: Blast Protection armor

Step-by-Step: Bed Mining

1. Enter the Nether and navigate to Y=15 (check with F3 on Java or the in-game coordinates display)
2. Dig a 1×2 tunnel heading in any direction
3. Every 5-6 blocks, mine a small alcove to the side (just 2 blocks deep)
4. Place a bed inside the alcove with the foot of the bed facing toward you
5. Back up and stand slightly to the side so you’re behind a block wall
6. Right-click the bed – it explodes, clearing a large area of netherrack
7. Check for ancient debris in the cleared area (it will be the brown/textured block that survived)
8. Mine any ancient debris you find with your diamond or netherite pickaxe
9. Repeat every 5-6 blocks down the tunnel

Tips for Bed Mining

• Always have a block between you and the bed when it explodes
• Drink Fire Resistance before you start – lava pockets are common
• Mine at Y=15 to center your blast over the Y=8-24 sweet spot
• You can cover massive amounts of terrain very quickly with this method
• In Bedrock Edition, beds are slightly more accessible in the early game

Method 2: TNT Mining

Best for: Players who have a lot of TNT and prefer a more automated feel

TNT mining works on the same principle as bed mining. Since ancient debris survives explosions (blast resistance of 1,200), you can use TNT to blow away the surrounding netherrack without destroying what you’re looking for.

How to TNT Mine for Ancient Debris

1. Go to Y=15 in the Nether
2. Dig a long 1×2 corridor
3. Place TNT every 4 blocks along the floor or walls
4. Ignite the TNT and let the chain reaction clear the area
5. Walk through and collect any exposed ancient debris

TNT vs Beds – Which Is Better?

Factor	Bed Mining	TNT Mining
Explosion radius	Larger	Smaller
Resource cost	Cheaper (wool + wood)	More expensive (gunpowder + sand)
Speed	Faster	Slightly slower
Availability	Easy to craft	Harder early game

Verdict: Beds win in almost every scenario. They’re easier to craft, have a larger explosion radius, and cost fewer resources. Use TNT if you have a large surplus or are playing on a mode where beds aren’t easily accessible.

Method 3: Branch/Strip Mining at Y=15

Best for: Survival players who prefer a safer, no-explosion approach.

If you don’t want to mess with explosions (or you’re on a server that restricts them), traditional branch mining at the right Y-level is still effective for finding netherite.

How to Branch Mine for Ancient Debris

1. Dig down to Y=15 in the Nether
2. Mine a central hallway (1 wide, 2 tall) going in one direction
3. Branch off every 3 blocks with perpendicular tunnels
4. Each branch should be 30-40 blocks long
5. Use a diamond or netherite pickaxe with Efficiency V and Haste II (from a Beacon) for maximum speed

Enchantments That Help

• Efficiency V – dramatically speeds up mining through netherrack
• Fortune III – does NOT work on ancient debris (it always drops 1), but useful for other ores
• Unbreaking III – makes your pickaxe last longer

Is Branch Mining Worth It?

Branch mining at Y=15 is reliable and safe, but it is much slower than explosion methods. The expected yield per hour is significantly lower than bed mining. It’s best used as a supplementary method or for players who find explosion timing stressful.

Method 4: Bastion Remnant Looting

Best for: Early game netherite, speedrunners, and players with bad RNG on mining

Bastion Remnants are Nether structures that contain chests with a chance of already having ancient debris inside – no mining required.

Ancient Debris Loot Chances in Bastion Chests

Java Edition:

• Hoglin Stable chest: 12% chance for 1 debris, 5% chance for 2
• Treasure chest: ~24.5% chance for 1 debris, ~10.3% chance for 2
• Generic chest: ~13.5% chance for 1 debris

Bedrock Edition:

• Hoglin Stable chest: 5.7% for 1, no double stack
• Treasure chest: ~11.3% for 2 debris
• Generic chest: ~13.5% for 1

The Treasure Room of a Bastion is your best bet. It contains the highest-value loot in the structure and sometimes yields multiple ancient debris in a single run.

How to Find a Bastion

1. Enter the Nether
2. Look for a large dark structure made of blackstone and basalt
3. Bastions spawn in all Nether biomes except Basalt Deltas
4. Approach carefully – Piglins and Piglin Brutes are extremely dangerous
5. Wear gold armor to prevent Piglins from attacking while you loot

Method 5: Quarry Mining (Late Game)

Once you have a netherite pickaxe and access to a Haste II beacon, quarry-style mining is viable for large-scale ancient debris collection. You simply clear out a massive flat area at Y=15, exposing everything at that level. This is resource-intensive and time-consuming, but the sheer volume of blocks checked makes it effective for truly dedicated farming sessions.

How Much Ancient Debris Do You Need?

Here’s a quick reference chart to craft netherite tools:

Goal	Ancient Debris Needed	Netherite Ingots Needed
Netherite Sword	4	1
Netherite Pickaxe	4	1
Full Netherite Armor	16	4
Full Armor + All Tools	36	9

Remember: 4 Ancient Debris = 4 Netherite Scrap > combine with 4 Gold Ingots = 1 Netherite Ingot.

Pro Tips for Getting Netherite Faster

1. Always use Fire Resistance potions. The Nether is full of lava pockets. Dying and losing your diamond pickaxe before you can make it netherite is one of the most frustrating things in Minecraft.

2. Bring a Looting III sword. If you’re passing through Bastions, Looting increases the value of mob drops and helps with general Nether exploration.

3. Mine at Y=15, not Y=16. The bed/TNT explosion goes upward and outward. Starting at Y=15 means the blast hits the Y=16 sweet spot.

4. Use a Haste II beacon if you’re branch mining. The mining speed bonus is substantial and makes netherrack feel like dirt.

5. Pair bed mining with Bastion looting. Find a Bastion early and loot the treasure room before you start your mining session. You might already have 2-4 debris before you swing a single pickaxe.

6. Use a Respawn Anchor instead of beds if you want to be safer. You can set your spawn point in the Nether without triggering the explosion, letting you die safely if something goes wrong.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you get netherite without mining?

Yes – Bastion Remnant chests can contain ancient debris. For a truly no-mining approach, speedrunners occasionally get lucky with Bastion loot, but it’s not a reliable primary strategy.

Does Fortune affect ancient debris?

No. Fortune has no effect on ancient debris. It always drops exactly 1 ancient debris block regardless of the enchantment. Save your Fortune pickaxe for diamonds, coal, and other Overworld ores.

What level should I mine for netherite?

Mine at Y=15 in the Nether. This is the best Y-level because it centers explosion blasts over the Y=8-24 zone, where ancient debris spawns most frequently.

Can you use a Wither to farm ancient debris?

Technically, yes – Wither skulls cause an explosion in the Nether. However, the Wither is extremely dangerous, difficult to control, and much more expensive to summon than simply using beds or TNT. It’s not recommended for ancient debris farming.

Is netherite mining different in Bedrock vs Java?

The core method is the same, but Bedrock has slightly higher spawn rates (up to 5 clusters per chunk vs 2 on Java). The bed explosion method works on both editions. Coordinates are displayed differently by default on Bedrock, so make sure you have coordinates enabled in your world settings.

Final Verdict: Best Method for Each Type of Player

Player Type	Best Method
Speedrunner	Bastion looting first, then bed mining
Casual survival	Branch mining at Y=15 with Fire Resistance
Efficient farmer	Bed mining at Y=15
Late game / abundant resources	TNT mining or quarrying
Multiplayer / server play	Check server rules; branch mining is safest

The overall best method is bed mining at Y=15. It’s fast, cheap, and incredibly effective once you get the hang of the timing. Combine it with a Bastion loot run before you start, and you’ll have your first full set of netherite gear in no time.

Sources: @Shulkercraft