Most players use gunpowder to make dynamite, but it can also be used for potions and fireworks. Hunting creepers is the easiest way to find this material. The other methods aren't quite as effective, but they give you a chance to recover more valuable loot.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Killing the Creepers
Step 1. Learn how to get gunpowder from creepers
Each of these monsters drops 0, 1 or 2 units of gunpowder, but only if you manage to kill it before it explodes. Now that you know the basics, you can read on to learn how to take out these enemies without damaging their loot.
The following steps are sorted according to the tools they require. The latter methods involve the use of Smart Objects, but make it easier and faster to eliminate creepers
Step 2. Place cacti along the creeper path
Placing cactus blocks behind you is a very easy way to kill exploding monsters without using expensive tools. Plants damage enemies who get too close to the thorns. This method is much quicker if you use cacti to injure a creeper to the point where you can kill it with a single swipe of the sword.
- After thirteen cactus strikes you can kill a creeper with one iron sword strike.
- After twelve cactus strikes you can kill a creeper with one diamond sword strike.
- A cactus block can hit a creeper multiple times. The monster complains every time it takes damage, so you can count the number of its cries to see how many hits it has taken from the thorns.
Step 3. Fight the creepers underwater
Explosions cannot hurt you if you are submerged in water. Lure the monster into water deep enough to completely cover you, then take it out with a sword.
Remember, you have to take out the creeper before it explodes to get the gunpowder. Water is a safety measure to avoid risks in case of unwanted bursts
Step 4. Kill the creepers in close combat
You can take out these monsters without resorting to complex tactics, but it is quite a dangerous undertaking. Keep only an iron or diamond sword and deposit any valuables you own in a chest before you go hunting. Here's how to successfully attack a creeper:
- Lure the monster to a clear area.
- Press the forward button twice to start running (requires version 0.12.1+ for Pocket Edition).
- Hit the creeper with your sword as you dash to push it back. This should cancel its countdown which causes it to explode.
- Move away now to increase the distance between you.
- Repeat. The monster will die after three hits with an iron or diamond sword.
Step 5. Lure the creepers onto burning ground
Equip the lock and have the monster chase you across grass, wood, or other flammable ground. Ignite the ground in front of you as you run backwards. The creeper will catch fire through the flames and slowly burn to death. This method does not cause an explosion, so you can collect the gunpowder the monster drops.
Step 6. Shoot the creepers with a bow and arrow
This is one of the easiest ways to take out these monsters, especially if you are in a higher position than them. Here's how to get this weapon:
- Each skeleton has a small chance to drop a bow and 0-2 arrows.
- To build a bow, connect three wooden sticks and three strings. You can find the ropes by eliminating the spiders or breaking the cobwebs with a sword.
- To make arrows, combine a flint, a wooden stick and a feather. Flint is an object that you can find by digging gravel. To get the feathers, on the other hand, remove some chickens.
Step 7. Tame an ocelot as a bodyguard
You can find these animals in the jungle, in all versions of Minecraft (the Pocket Edition needs to be updated to version 0.12.1). Creepers don't come close to them, so finding gunpowder becomes a lot easier if you have one by your side. Here's how to tame them:
- Get as many fish as possible by fishing.
- Approach the leopard, in a clear area. Squat down and hold a fish.
- Stay still, wait for the animal to look at you and come closer.
- Feed the ocelot fish. Use the left or L2 trigger on consoles. Press and hold the right mouse button on PC.
- Keep feeding the leopard until it turns into a cat. At that point it will follow you.
Method 2 of 4: Killing the Witches
Step 1. Check the version of Minecraft you have
Witches were introduced in version 1.4.2 of the PC game and in the December 2014 update on consoles. They are not available in Minecraft Pocket Edition.
A known bug in version 1.8 of the PC game prevents the creation of witches in their huts for some users (perhaps only those with Windows 7). At the moment (November 2015), there is no news on possible fixes in version 1.9 of the game
Step 2. Study the odds
Each witch killed has a 16% chance of dropping gunpowder, compared to 66% for creepers. Witches, however, can earn you up to six items, including spider eyes and glowing stones. If gunpowder isn't the only thing you're interested in, killing a witch offers you much more valuable loot than a creeper's.
Step 3. Find a witch's hut
You can find witches everywhere, but they are much more common near these huts. These are wooden buildings on stilts, which are found only in the swamp biome, the areas characterized by water and trees.
It can be difficult to find a witch hut. You can try a map editing program like AMIDST
Step 4. Dig a trap in front of the hut (optional)
Place it exactly in front of the door and build a small tower a short distance from it. Make sure you can shoot the bow in the pit from the elevated position. Include a barrier to hide behind, as witches throw poisonous potions.
Warning: you may find a witch inside the hut. Prepare to fight before building the trap
Step 5. Shoot a witch when you see one
A bow is the best weapon for killing a witch. If you stretch the rope to the maximum before shooting the arrows, three will be enough to take out the monster.
The witch can drink a healing potion, so you may have to shoot more arrows
Step 6. Kill a witch with a sword
You also have the option to run to the witch and eliminate her with your sword. Once you understand how monster potions work, it won't be too difficult:
- The witch will slow you down if she sees you more than eight blocks away. Attack it from behind a tree or other barrier to prevent this problem.
- The witch will poison you. Poison cannot kill you, but it can reduce you to one health point. Prepare healing items to recover life after combat.
- Each subsequent potion will deal 6 damage to you. You should be able to survive if your armor is decent and if you can take out the witch quickly.
Method 3 of 4: Killing the Ghasts
Step 1. Decide whether to hunt down ghasts
These monsters are very dangerous, as they shoot fireballs from 16 blocks away. They drop gunpowder with the same percentage as creepers. Their main advantage is that they can also drop tears of ghast, a special item used to make potions.
Step 2. Create a portal to the Underworld
Follow the instructions in the article to make a portal to the underworld with obsidian and a flintlock.
Step 3. Build a suit of armor and bow
It is not recommended to enter the Underworld if you do not yet have diamond armor, a bow and arrows.
- To take even less risk, enchant your equipment to make it better. Fire resistance will be very useful to you.
- A diamond sword is useful for taking out enemies in the Underworld, but you won't need it against ghasts, who fly and are agile.
Step 4. Hunt the ghasts
Look for them in the open and free spaces of the Underworld. They are large white flying blocks with small tentacles dangling beneath them.
Step 5. Create a barrier (optional)
Ghasts' fireballs are very powerful, but they cannot pass through solid blocks. A glass barrier is very useful for hiding between shots without losing sight of the monster.
Step 6. Shoot monsters with your bow
Three arrows are enough to kill a ghast if you tighten the string to the maximum. Move behind a barrier between shots or shoot while running to avoid the fireballs.
Be careful not to fight the ghasts above the lava. If the gunpowder fell into the lava, you wouldn't be able to retrieve it
Step 7. Deflect the fireballs
These bullets move rather slowly and can be deflected with an arrow or sword strike. Send them away from you and try to send them back against the ghast to kill it with one shot.
Method 4 of 4: Open Crates
Step 1. Study the odds
With this method you are not guaranteed to find gunpowder. In fact, there's only a low chance of randomly finding that material in the crates, along with many others. At least you'll still get something for your efforts, even if it won't be gunpowder!
Step 2. Find a dungeon
Dungeons are small underground structures made of crushed stone or stone with moss. They can only be spawned inside solid blocks, so digging has a better chance of finding them than if you were exploring caves.
In version 1.9 of the game, gunpowder can also be found in the chests of desert temples
Step 3. Place a torch on top of the monster creation block
In each dungeon you will find a monster creation block that produces a continuous stream of enemies. Fight until you find the block and put a flashlight on it to prevent more monsters from spawning.
Step 4. Enter the dungeon from the walls
Alternatively, if you want to avoid the crafting block, dig around the dungeon walls to reach the chest. The crates are usually found along the walls; this gives you the ability to access and escape quickly if you come directly from the wall.
Step 5. Destroy the crate
This is the fastest way to collect its contents and the crate itself. If there's gunpowder inside, you've got what you're looking for!
Advice
- It is also possible to produce gunpowder with a grinder. Even if it takes effort to create it, once it is done you will no longer take any risks.
- After hitting a creeper in combat, get away as fast as you can.
- Also in the Xbox version of the game you can get gunpowder by killing creeper or ghast.
- You can also get gunpowder using the Too Many Items mod.
- Gunpowder was called sulfur in the early stages of game development.
