Nether Fortresses were officially added to Minecraft in Beta 1.9 and are considered a favorite access point for players looking to get closer to mid-game features like potions and heavy armor. They are almost entirely made up of a variety of nether brick blocks and are one of the only places to find specific hostile mobs!
How to find a Nether Fortress in Minecraft
The quest falls to many players: how to find one? Like all structures, Nether Fortresses have a specific way of spawning in the world. If you explore the wrong way (we use that term loosely), you might end up never finding one! We'll go over some basics for finding a Nether Fortress ASAP.
#1: Look Into The Nether (Obviously)
We only included this tip as a formality. Yet, surprisingly enough, some people might not know it's necessary. Its good! We are not all experienced veterans!
#2: Don't explore directly from north to south.
Nether Fortresses tend to spawn in strips that line up with other fortresses on the Z axis (running north to south). If you look north and south of the Nether and don't see a stronghold, it's best to start exploring east to west. Since they tend to line up on the Z axis, that could mean you're just not close enough to any of these bands to see them.
Related: All Minecraft Nether Biomes - Pro Game Guides
#3: When you find one, explore from north to south.
Again, they tend to appear in bands on the Z axis. If you find one, that means there's a good chance you'll find more on the same line that runs north to south. Now you know you're on one of these bands, so it's best to continue on to find out more.
#4: Consider a Night Vision Potion
You will usually need to find a Nether Fortress to gain access to a night vision potion. Still, if you attacked the one you found, use the Nether Warts you found inside to get night vision potions and explore further. The contrast provided by Night Vision is remarkably helpful.
#5: Move a significant distance away from other fortresses and bastion remnants.
Working from build models: don't look near other fortresses and bastion remnants. The generation code keeps them away from each other. Even though they tend to generate in a band on the Z axis, you still have to move a significant distance away from one of them to find another.
Did you know that we now have lists of some of the best Minecraft creative maps? Check out our list of the best Minecraft adventure maps for 1.16!
