What is the Ender Dragon in Minecraft?
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The Ender Dragon is a Boss Mob in Minecraft that only spawns in one dimension in Minecraft. She is considered to be the final stage in the game because after slaying the dragon, you’re greeted with special text on the screen. In this Minecraft Ender Dragon guide, we will teach you everything you need to know about where to find the Ender Dragon, quick tips and facts that you may not have known, loot drops, and tips on how to defeat the Ender Dragon.
Looking for something specific about the Ender Dragon?
- What Do They Do in Minecraft
- Where to Find the Ender Dragon
- How to Defeat the Ender Dragon
- All Ender Dragon Loot
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What Does the Ender Dragon Do in Minecraft?
The Ender Dragon is a boss mob that can only be found in one Biome in Minecraft. She is a flying dragon that shoots fire at players. The Ender Dragon has four main stages while fighting the player:
- Guarding - When you first see the Ender Dragon it’ll be guarding the middle middle of the circle.
- Targeting - When the Ender Dragon is more than 150 blocks away from the original target it’ll begin to look for a new player to attack.
- Diving - The Ender Dragon is known to dive towards the player in hopes of attacking you. After the Ender Dragon dives towards you she’ll begin to fly in circles again.
- Sitting - When the Ender Dragon has completed, she’ll lap around the circle, sit down and do one of four things:
- Fire Breathing
The Ender Dragon will begin breathing fire that has a twenty-block radius. - Charge
If you’re not near the portal within five seconds of the Ender Dragon landing she’ll begin to charge up. - Fly Away
After breathing four successful fire breaths she’ll take off and begin to circle the center again. - Escape
If the Ender Dragons health is below fifty hearts it’ll fly away and reset all of its damage, after doing so she’ll begin to circle the area again.
The Ender Dragon can also melee you. See list below on how much damage she can do based on the difficulty you’re playing on:
- Easy: 6 Hearts
- Normal: 10 Hearts
- Hard: 15 Hearts
The Ender Dragon can hit you with her wings. Listed below is how much damage she can do, based on the difficulty you’re playing on:
- Easy: 3 Hearts
- Normal: 5 Hearts
- Hard: 7 Hearts
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The Ender Dragon can also hit you with its Dragon's Breath for 3 Hearts per second, and with a fireball for 6 Hearts per second. The fireballs can’t be bounced back.
If you catch yourself in one of these attacks, just build up because her breath and fireballs only attack horizontally.
Where to Find the Ender Dragon
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Ender Dragon only spawns in one Biome in Minecraft. To find and fight the Ender Dragon you’ll need to enter The End. Which can only be entered by finding a Stronghold and activating The End portal.
To learn more about the different types of Biomes that are available to find across Minecraft, be sure to check out our Biomes guide for more details.
How to Defeat the Ender Dragon
When fighting the Ender Dragon, it’s best to go in prepared because fighting a boss mob does take a lot of preparation. Listed below are all the recommended items needed for fighting the Ender Dragon:
- Full set of Diamond or Netherite Armor with the Protection Enchantment, Feather Falling
- Diamond or Netherte Sword with Sharpness Enchantment
- Diamond or Netherte Pickaxe
- Iron Shovel
- Shield
- Bow with Power Enchantment and Arrows
- Golden Apple
- Potion of Healing
- Dirt
- Potion Of Strength
- Potion Of Slow Falling
- Carved Pumpkin
- Totem Of Undying
Having your armor and weapons enchanted isn’t required for the fight, but it’ll make it a lot easier for you. It’s important to have a few Golden Apples saved up for this fight because eating them gives you an additional two hearts and temporarily regenerates your health. If you have anything less than Diamond gear when going into this fight you’re going to have a difficult time. Although it’s going to be a little hard to see, wearing the Carved Pumpkin will save you from getting attacked by the Enderman.
It’s important to have the Potion Of Slow Falling because you’re going to need it in the fight. When you enter The End, you’ll notice a couple of obsidian with End Crystals on top of them. You’ll need to destroy those crystals to defeat the dragon. Because if you don’t, the Ender Dragon will fly near them and you’ll see a white ore healing the dragon.
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You’ll want to shoot the crystals that don’t have any Iron Bars protecting them with an arrow. Although you can build your way up to them and destroy them by hitting them, that's not recommended. Why? Because they’re known to explode and kill players.
As for the End Crystals that are protected by Iron Bars, you’re going to need to build up to them. Use the dirt and quickly build-up to the edge until your head is hitting it as soon as in the picture below.
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Once you’ve done that, use your Pickaxe to break the bars and the End Crystals. Don’t worry, you’ll take some damage and fall off, but as long as you have the Potion Of Slow Falling active, you won’t die.
Now that you’ve destroyed all the End Crystals, just keep hitting the Ender Dragon with your Sword or Arrows until she dies. You’ll know you’ve successfully killed the Ender Dragon when her health bar is depleted and she’ll go to the center and explode. But don’t worry, the explosion won’t hurt you.
You’ll be able to leave The End safely by jumping into the portal in the center and you’ll be greeted with text.
All Ender Dragon Loot
When the Ender Dragon is killed, it’ll drop a total of 12,000 XP orbs. It’s enough to raise a player’s level from 0 to 68. If you bring back the Ender Dragon and kill her again, she’ll only drop 500 XP orbs. Killing the Ender Dragon will also open a portal that’ll lead you to The End City, if you follow it all the way. The only way to enter the portal is by throwing an Ender Pearl in the center.
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What Does the Ender Dragon Drop Upon Death?
- Dragon Egg
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You’ll notice that the dragon egg will spawn on the top center of the portal.
To safely get the Dragon egg:
- You’ll need to hit it once so it falls off.
- After you’ve hit it, make sure it lands on some Ender Stone and if it doesn’t, keep hitting it till it does.
- Now that it’s on the stone, you’ll need to mine underneath the egg and place a Touch underneath it.
- Break the block that the egg is sitting on and it’ll fall on the touch and you’ll be able to grab the egg and store it in your inventory.
Up Next: Characters
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In This Guide
Minecraft
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As a seasoned Minecraft enthusiast and expert, I can confidently delve into the intricacies of the Ender Dragon encounter, providing a comprehensive understanding of the concepts presented in the article.
Overview of the Ender Dragon: The Ender Dragon is a formidable boss mob in Minecraft, serving as the final challenge in the game. Defeating the Ender Dragon triggers special text on the screen, signifying the completion of the game.
Ender Dragon Behavior:
-
Stages of Combat:
- Guarding: Initially stationed in the middle of a circle.
- Targeting: Seeks new players when over 150 blocks away from the original target.
- Diving: Dives towards the player and then resumes flying in circles.
- Sitting: After completing a dive, the dragon sits, engaging in various actions.
- Fire Breathing: Breathes fire with a 20-block radius.
- Charge: Charges up if the player is not near the portal within five seconds.
- Fly Away: Takes off after four successful fire breaths, circling the center.
- Escape: If below fifty hearts, the dragon flies away, resetting damage.
-
Melee Attacks:
- The Ender Dragon can inflict melee damage with varying intensity based on the difficulty:
- Easy: 6 Hearts
- Normal: 10 Hearts
- Hard: 15 Hearts
- Wings and Dragon's Breath attacks cause additional damage.
- The Ender Dragon can inflict melee damage with varying intensity based on the difficulty:
Where to Find the Ender Dragon: The Ender Dragon exclusively spawns in The End dimension. To reach The End, players must locate a Stronghold and activate the End portal.
How to Defeat the Ender Dragon: Preparation is crucial when facing the Ender Dragon. Recommended items include:
- Full set of Diamond or Netherite Armor with Protection Enchantment
- Feather Falling Boots
- Diamond or Netherite Sword with Sharpness Enchantment
- Diamond or Netherite Pickaxe
- Iron Shovel
- Shield
- Bow with Power Enchantment and Arrows
- Golden Apple
- Potion of Healing
- Dirt (for building)
- Potion of Strength
- Potion of Slow Falling
- Carved Pumpkin
- Totem of Undying
The article emphasizes that enchanted gear isn't mandatory but significantly facilitates the battle. Golden Apples, Potion of Slow Falling, and careful crystal destruction are crucial strategies for success.
Ender Dragon Loot: Upon defeating the Ender Dragon, players are rewarded with:
- 12,000 XP orbs, capable of raising a player's level from 0 to 68.
- Opening a portal to The End City, accessible by throwing an Ender Pearl into the center.
- Dragon Egg, which can be obtained by hitting it, ensuring it lands on Ender Stone, and placing a Torch beneath it.
In conclusion, mastering the strategies outlined in this comprehensive guide will empower players to confidently confront and conquer the mighty Ender Dragon in Minecraft.
