The Eyes of Ender are important items in Minecraft that are used to locate the elusive strongholds found deep underground. Strongholds contain the End Portal, which is the gateway to the End dimension and the Ender Dragon boss battle.
Many players wonder just how many Eyes of Ender they need to gather before beginning the search for a stronghold. The answer depends on a few factors, which we will cover in this comprehensive guide.
What are Eyes of Ender?
Eyes of Ender are crafted items made from Ender Pearls and Blaze Powder. To make one Eye of Ender, you need:
- 1 Ender Pearl
- 1 Blaze Powder
Ender Pearls can be obtained by killing Endermen, while Blaze Powder is dropped from defeating Blazes in Nether Fortresses.
Once crafted, the Eye of Ender can be used for two purposes:
- Thrown to guide you to the nearest End Portal stronghold
- Placed into End Portal frames to activate the portal
We will be focusing on the first use to track down a stronghold.
How Eyes of Ender Work for Locating Strongholds
When you throw an Eye of Ender into the air, it will fly for a short distance before changing direction and falling to the ground as an item again. The direction it flies in will lead you closer to the nearest stronghold.
As you get nearer to the stronghold, the Eye of Ender will travel further before falling. Once overhead the stronghold, it will float downwards and embed itself into the ground.
By methodically throwing Eyes of Ender and following their trail, you can zero in on the stronghold location. But just how many Eyes will you need to pinpoint it?
Factors Determining Required Number of Eyes
There are a few key factors that influence how many Eyes of Ender you’ll need to locate a stronghold:
1. Distance from Starting Position to Stronghold
The further you are from a stronghold when you begin your search, the more Eyes you’ll need to follow the trail. Starting right on top of it requires very few Eyes to pinpoint.
2. Stronghold Density in World
Minecraft worlds have a random number of strongholds generated – anywhere from 3 to 128. In worlds with more clustered strongholds, you’ll come across one faster.
3. Luck and Randomness
There is some inherent randomness in Eye of Ender pathing behavior. You may get lucky and have them guide you directly, or may need to account for randomness with extra Eyes.
4. Player Navigation Skill
Your ability to tactically use and follow Eyes of Ender will impact how many you need. An experienced player may use less Eyes than a new player.
How Many Eyes of Ender Needed on Average
Taking these factors into account, the average number of Eyes of Ender needed to locate a stronghold is approximately:
12-16 Eyes of Ender
However, this number can vary widely across different worlds and player circumstances. You may need as few as 3-4 Eyes if you stumble upon a stronghold early on. Or it can take as many as 50+ if you’re far across the map from the nearest one.
As a general rule of thumb though, stockpiling at least 16 Eyes of Ender before searching is a good baseline to ensure you have enough to find a stronghold.
Strategies to Conserve Eyes of Ender
Eyes of Ender can be tricky to obtain in bulk early in survival worlds. Here are some tips to conserve your supply while stronghold hunting:
1. Craft and Bring Only What You Need
Craft Eyes in small batches instead of all at once. Bring 8-12 to start and make more as needed. Don’t waste resources crafting extras unnecessarily.
2. Collect Any Dropped Eyes
Recover any Eyes that drop to the ground after throwing. They can be rethrown repeatedly.
3. Travel Light and Store Gear
Leave non-essential items behind so you can quickly retrieve any dropped Eyes before they despawn.
4. Use Fast Transportation
Methods like sprinting, horses, minecarts, and boats will speed up following the Eyes and reduce the number needed.
5. Throw Vertically
Throwing Eyes straight up lets them travel further horizontally before falling. This extends their pathing range.
How Many Eyes of Ender for Activating the Portal?
Once you’ve located the stronghold, you’ll need additional Eyes of Ender to activate the End Portal.
A complete End Portal requires 12 Eyes of Ender placed into the portal frames.
However, some frames will already contain Eyes when the stronghold generates. On average, strongholds contain:
- 2-3 frames with Eyes already placed
- 9-10 empty frames requiring Eyes
So expect to use an additional 9-12 Eyes of Ender beyond what was needed to find the stronghold originally.
Quick Summary:
- ~12-16 Eyes to locate stronghold originally
- ~9-12 more Eyes to activate End Portal
- Total: ~21-28 Eyes of Ender on average
Of course, this may still vary dramatically based on luck and world generation. Prepare extra just in case!
Filling in Portal Frames Strategically
When placing Eyes into portal frames, there are some useful strategies to conserve Eyes:
- Only fill in frames with missing Eyes first
- Save frames with Eyes already placed for last
- Constantly test portal after placing each Eye
- Stop once portal activates
This ensures you won’t waste Eyes filling up frames you don’t need to.
What To Do If You Run Out of Eyes in the Stronghold
Despite your best efforts, you may still come up short on Eyes of Ender while in the stronghold.
If this happens, don’t panic! You have options:
Gather More Ender Pearls
– Loot any chests in the stronghold for pearls
– Return to the Overworld and hunt Endermen
– Locate a second stronghold to loot for pearls
Craft Eyes of Ender Onsite
As long as you have enough Blaze Powder, you can craft Eyes in the stronghold from any pearls obtained there.
Teleport Back Home
Use your existing portal at home, a nether portal, or ender pearls to teleport back and collect more supplies.
Spawn Camping
Set up a safe spawn point near the portal and intentionally die. Then repeatedly return to collect your previous equipment.
So don’t worry if you underestimate the Eyes needed! Just be prepared with backup plans.
Conclusion
While the specific number of Eyes of Ender required will vary, expect to craft and use approximately 21-28 on average when locating and activating an End Portal.
Conserve Eyes by only crafting what you immediately need, collecting any dropped Eyes, traveling light, and filling portal frames strategically.
If you do run low while in the stronghold itself, gather more Ender pearls onsite, teleport back home, or spawn camp to finish the job.
With smart preparation and resourcefulness, you’ll secure enough Eyes of Ender to successfully follow their trail to the End dimension. Just be ready for whatever number that may take!
