How to Make a Simple Mob Farm in Minecraft

A mob farm (or “XP grinder”) is the closest thing to a Minecraft life hack. Why spend hours chasing mobs through caves when you can have them all delivered right to you? Here’s everything you need to know about how to make a safe and effective mob farm in Minecraft.

What You Need:

Note: This is the minimum number of blocks you need to build the mob grinder itself, but it’s a good idea to bring more of each block.

• Building Blocks (20 stacks) Ideally, you want to use hard blocks, like deepslate or cobblestone.
• Half Slabs (6.5 stacks)
• Trap doors (1 stack)
• Ladders (2 stacks)
• Chests (2)
• Hoppers (4)
• Buckets of water (2)
• Torches (6)
• Carpets (48) Only needed to stop spiders from spawning.

Other Items to consider bringing:

• Bed
• Anvil
• Enchanting table
• 15 Bookshelves

How to Build a Mob Farm in Minecraft

Read More: How to Check Your Coordinates in Minecraft

1. Start by building straight up 128 blocks. If you start at sea level, the top of your tower should be at Y level 191.

   Note: If you build your farm on the ground, mobs will be able to spawn in the caves below you. In Minecraft, mobs can only spawn within 128 blocks of the player. So, building up to this height mean mobs will only be able to spawn in your farm.

   
2. Build a 4×6 platform. If you want to add an enchanting room, sleep in a bed, or just AFK for a while, you’ll need to make the platform larger.
3. Build a ladder to the platform. Start placing ladders from the base of your tower all the way to the 4×6 platform.

   Note: If your mob farm isn’t above water, use one of your water buckets to get down safely (just remember to pick up the water after you build the ladder).

   
4. Use 8 blocks to build a square on the platform. This square should have a 4×4 space in the middle and no corners (to save blocks). Also, don’t build it right in front of your ladder.
5. Build this square up 24 blocks high. Not including the platform itself, you should create a column exactly 24 blocks tall. When you make the mob farm at this height, most mobs in Minecraft will just survive this fall with only half a heart. Then, you’ll be able to use your fist to kill skeletons and creepers with one hit and zombies with two hits (unless they have armor). Other mobs, like witches, will take more hits.
6. Fill in the corners at the top. You should have a full square with 12 blocks surrounding a 4×4 hole. This will make it easier to move around and build the walls later.
7. Build a 7×2 platform on each side. You want to build these platforms from the middle of each side of the square.
8. Build a 2-block high wall around the platforms. You want to build the walls around the platforms, so the floors of each trench are still 7×2.
9. Then build four 8×8 platforms. You want to build these platforms at the same height at the top of the walls you just built (but don’t fill in the trenches). These four 8×8 platforms are where mobs will actually spawn.
10. Add torches to each platform. It can take a long time to build a mob farm, and mobs might start spawning on these platforms before you’re done. Adding torches now might save you from getting hit off the edge later.
11. Build an infinite water source. On one of the platforms, build a square with a 4×4 empty space in the middle. Empty one bucket in one corner and empty the other bucket in the opposite corner. This will fill the entire square with an infinite water source, so you don’t have to bring 8 buckets.
12. Place water on the end of each trench. Empty 2 buckets on the 2 back walls of each trench. Then, make sure the water goes right up to the edge of the pit on every side—but it doesn’t flow into the center. Since water flows exactly 7 blocks horizontally, the trench should be just long enough to fill the bottom with water.
13. Go back down to the platform. To get down safely, empty a water bucket over the side of the top platform. Then you can “swim” up and down without taking damage.
14. Mine a 2×6 hole into the front of the column. Create a 2-block-wide by 6-block tall hole at the bottom of the column. This is where you will eventually stand and hit mobs when your farm is done, so make sure it’s facing the right way.
15. Place a double chest in front of the 4×4 hole. Once you place the first chest, hold the shift key and right-click the side of the first chest.
16. Place 4 hoppers behind the double chest. Jump on top of the double-chest and hold the shift key while placing the first two hoppers on the back of the chest. Then keep holding the shift key and place the last 2 hoppers on the back of the first 2 hoppers.
17. Place half-slabs on top of the hoppers.
18. Replace the top 2 blocks you removed. When you add these two blocks back to the top of the hole, you’ll only have a half-block opening. This way, mobs won’t be able to see you or get through (even baby zombies).
19. Go back up to the top of the top platform.  
20. Add trap doors to the top of each trench. Mobs will try to walk on top of trap doors, even when they are open. So, the mobs will fall into the trench, get swept away by the water, and fall down the center hole.
21. Fill your infinite water source and remove it. Keep at least one bucket of water, so you can use it to get back down safely.
22. Build a 2-block high wall around the entire platform. You want it to be exactly 2 blocks high so Endermen don’t spawn up there.
23. Open all the trap doors.
24. Remove the torches.

    Note: If you don’t want spiders spawning, place carpets like this before adding the roof.

    
25. Fill in the roof with full blocks. To save blocks, you don’t need to add blocks to the top of the walls.
26. Cover the roof with half slabs. Mobs can’t spawn on half slabs, so this will prevent them throwing a party up there.
27. Get grinding! Go back down to the platform and wait for mobs to fall down the chute. All you need to do is stand in front of the small hole and hit mobs. Pretty soon, you’ll be drowning in XP.

If you don’t want to keep coming up and down the ladder, I suggest expanding your platform and building a little house. You’ll want to add a bed, chests, crafting table, furnace, enchanting table and at least 15 bookshelves. This way, you can use your levels to enchant items quickly.

Note: Make sure to light up your home and slab your roof to stop mobs from spawning!