TNT is an explosive Minecraft block, available in all versions of the game (PC and Mac, Pocket and Console). There are many ways to detonate it, safely or not. You can set fire to a TNT block using a simple flintlock, or you can create a complex redstone circuit that blasts it from a safe distance.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Creating the TNT
Step 1. Find 5 gunpowders
You need 5 powders to build a dynamite block. You cannot create gunpowder and you must find it by defeating some enemies who can leave it as loot, or recover it in chests around the world:
- Defeated creepers (before exploding) have a 66% chance to drop 1-2 gunpowder.
- Defeated ghasts have a 66% chance to drop 1-2 gunpowder.
- Defeated witches have a 16% chance to drop 1-6 gunpowder.
- In the desert temple crates you have a 59% chance to find 1-8 gunpowder.
- In dungeon crates you have a 58% chance to find 1-8 gunpowder.
Step 2. Obtain 4 sand blocks
You can use normal or red sand. They are interchangeable materials and you can use both of them to make TNT. You can find sand in the following biomes:
- Beach.
- Desert.
- Banks of the rivers.
- Mesa (red sand).
Step 3. Open the creation window
Right click on the crafting table to open the grid.
Step 4. Put the gunpowder at X
One in each corner of the grid, plus one in the center.
Step 5. Fill the remaining spaces with sand
Place a block in each of the four open spaces of the grid. You will create the TNT.
Step 6. Put the TNT in your inventory
Drag it from the space it is in to the inventory. Now you can place it in the world to make it explode.
Part 2 of 3: Explode the TNT with fire
Step 1. Use the lock to ignite a block of TNT
This is the simplest way to do this. Read this article for more instructions on how to build this tool. Approach the TNT with the flintlock equipped, then right click to set it on fire. The block starts flashing when it is about to explode.
- Make sure you get away at a safe distance before it explodes (4 seconds after power on).
- The TNT has a blast radius of approximately 7 blocks.
Step 2. Use a flaming arrow to ignite the TNT
If you don't want to risk blowing up when you detonate dynamite, you can use an arrow.
- You can enchant your arrows with fire using the spell table. Read this article for further instructions on how to make a spell table and how to use lapis lazuli to enchant items.
- You can also set an arrow on fire by shooting it through fire or lava. Then you can start a fire in front of the TNT block and shoot an arrow through the flames to detonate the dynamite.
Step 3. Use a fire charge to ignite the TNT
You can create it by placing a lump of charcoal in the center of the grid, blaze powder on the left, and gunpowder below. Fire charges are not as efficient as flintlock, because you can only use them once.
- Throwing a charge of fire on the TNT will set it on fire. You can do this by selecting the item from your inventory before using it.
- Putting the fire charge in a dispenser will be fired like a fireball. This is not a very useful method for lighting dynamite, as the ball starts at a random angle.
Step 4. Detonate the dynamite using another block of TNT
Explosives caught in the radius of a TNT block will ignite and blow up. Contrary to the blocks you ignite, which always pop after 4 seconds, dynamite hit by an explosion bursts after 0.5-1.5 seconds.
Since the explosions do not produce an exact radius, make sure the block fits well within the blast, no more than 3-4 blocks from the original dynamite
Step 5. Pour lava or start a fire near the TNT
Lava flowing near dynamite will cause them to catch fire and explode. This can happen even if the lava is not adjacent to the explosive. The same principle applies if the area around the TNT is engulfed in flames.
Part 3 of 3: Detonate Dynamite Using a Redstone Circuit
Step 1. Get some redstone dust
You can use the powder to create a circuit that can transmit a signal. For a simple circuit, you can make a fuse of up to 15 blocks. Longer fuses require redstone repeaters.
- You can find redstone only at heights 0-15 and this material is most abundant at heights 4-13. You have to dig down to the mother rock layer, then start looking for a vein of redstone. You can use any type of pickaxe to mine Redstone Ore.
- You can get nine redstone powders from a single block of ore. Usually, you will find 4-5 blocks of ore per vein.
- You can find Redstone Dust in the chests of dungeons and fortresses. Witches can drop Redstone Dust when defeated. In the jungle temples you will find 15 redstone powders, used to arm a trap.
Step 2. Build a switch
You can use several mechanisms to activate your redstone circuit.
- Button: Place this mechanism on the side of a block and press it to get a redstone signal. You can create a stone button by placing a single stone block in the center of the crafting grid. You can do the same with a wooden plank, in order to obtain a wooden button.
- Lever: This mechanism must be placed on a solid surface and can activate or deactivate a redstone signal. You can make a lever by placing a stick in the center of the crafting grid and a block of crushed stone beneath it.
- Push Plate: This is a button that you can press by walking on it. The main difference from the other two mechanisms is that the plate can be activated by monsters and this makes it perfect to be used for a trap. You can create it by placing a block of stone or wood in the center of the grid and an identical block to the left of it.
Step 3. Create a simple circuit
Now that you have the redstone dust and a switch available, you can create your circuit:
- Put the switch where you can use it. This will be your detonator, so make sure you can see the explosion.
- Place a redstone dust fuse, from the switch to the TNT block. The first section must be adjacent to the switch. To place Redstone Dust, equip it, then look at a block and right click on it. Dust can connect blocks one level height apart and the total length of the circuit must be less than 15 blocks.
Step 4. Place the TNT at the end of the redstone fuse
The circuit will activate the explosive block. Make sure the dynamite is at the same level as the powder and is directly adjacent to the last section of the fuse.
Step 5. Activate the circuit
Now that you've placed the dynamite, you can activate the circuit using the switch. Once activated, the TNT will immediately begin to glow and explode after 4 seconds.
Step 6. Try a more complex circuit
Using redstone torches, you can create more advanced logic gates that can detonate many blocks of TNT at different intervals. Read this article to find instructions for building and using redstone torches, a critical component of larger circuits.
Advice
- TNT is very useful for digging large blocks of earth in a mine, but bear in mind that there is a good chance it will destroy most of the materials involved in the explosion. You should avoid using dynamite near veins rich in precious materials.
- Protect yourself from a TNT explosion: If you (or a monster) find yourself in a cart, take minimal damage from a TNT explosion. This can allow you to detonate the block even from quite close range.
- If you want to quickly create an open pit mine, pile a few TNT blocks on top of a mountain and blow them up to reveal their contents. This is great fun in the overhanging gorges.
- Obsidian, bedrock, and liquid blocks are immune to TNT explosions. This allows you to build bomb shelters or a cannon with which to launch the TNT.
- The beds will act as TNT in the Underworld and the End, but NOT in the Ether.
- TNT is the vandals' favorite tool for destroying everything.
- Armed TNTs do not detonate other armed TNTs.
- TNT is the only block made with the main purpose of exploding. You can create explosions in less controlled ways, such as by detonating a bed in the Underworld, in the End, or by approaching a creeper and letting it explode.
- If the TNT is detonated in water, it will not destroy any built or structural blocks. However, if a player or monster is within range of the explosion, they will take damage.
- If you are using an older version of Minecraft and you place TNT around your house, cover it with water to avoid accidentally detonating it.
Warnings
- Too much TNT will cause your game to perform poorly, so be careful. The bigger the blast, the more CPU power will be required and this can result in a drop in frames per second in single player mode or very intense lag in multiplayer.
- It is best to move away from a TNT block that has been lit, otherwise you could explode.
