How to Make, Mine, and Master Obsidian in Minecraft

The journey in Minecraft is one of constant upgrades, and no block signals your progress quite like Obsidian. It is a deep, dark igneous rock that can withstand almost anything. The Mounts of Mayhem Update has emphasized durability and high-tier materials, making Obsidian more important than ever for survival and defense.

Obsidian remains the most important utility block in Minecraft because it is the gatekeeper to the Nether and The End. You need it to build the Nether Portal Frame, which opens up a whole new world of resources and challenges. Without Obsidian, you can not progress to the final stages of the game. Its unmatched blast resistance makes it essential for protecting your base from explosions, whether from creepers or even the Wither Boss.

What is Obsidian in Minecraft?

Obsidian is one of the most durable and valuable blocks in Minecraft, essential for progressing in the game. It is a dark, purplish-black block known for its high resistance to explosions.

How to Make Obsidian in Minecraft

Obsidian is created through a simple but powerful thermal reaction between the game’s two primary liquids. You must learn how to manage this liquid interaction to start your high-level crafting. The final product is a volcanic glass block with an extreme hardness level.

Understanding the Water and Lava Interaction

When Flowing Water touches a Lava Source Block, the resulting thermal reaction instantly creates an Obsidian block. If you let the flowing water touch the flowing lava instead of a Lava Source Block, you will get Cobblestone, which is why correct placement is the key.

Why do you need a stationary lava to create Obsidian

dothey: Lava Source Block plus any Flowing Water equals Obsidian. A Lava Source Block is lava that is not moving; it is static lava. If you use a water bucket on a static lava block, it solidifies immediately into Obsidian. You can find a Lava Source Block naturally in an underground aquifer or a Lava Pool deep down at Y-Level -54, near the Deepslate Layer.

Why do they keep getting Cobblestone instead of Obsidian

You are most likely getting Cobblestone because the Flowing Water is only touching flowing lava and not a Lava Source Block. Always make sure the Water Source Block is placed so the water flows directly onto the stationary lava. Another common mistake is trying to make Obsidian with a water bottle; you must use a full Water Source Block from a bucket.

How to Get Obsidian in Your Inventory

Once you have created your Obsidian, you will need a specific tool to collect it. Obsidian has one of the highest hardness levels in the game, and only the strongest tools will work.

Why only Diamond and Netherite Pickaxes work

To successfully mine Obsidian and get the Item Drop into your Inventory Slot, you must use a Diamond Pickaxe or a Netherite Pickaxe. If you use any weaker tool, you will break the Obsidian block, but it will not drop as an item, wasting a huge amount of time and causing Durability Damage to your tool.

Mining speeds in the latest 1.21/1.22 updates

The current 1.21/1.22 updates have not changed the base Obsidian hardness level, but high-level enchantments can speed up your work dramatically.

• A standard Diamond Pickaxe takes about 9.4 seconds to mine Obsidian.
• A Netherite Pickaxe is slightly faster, taking around 8.4 seconds.

To mine Obsidian almost instantly, you need both Efficiency V Enchantment and the Haste II Status Effect, which can be granted by a Beacon Power. This combination reduces the mining time to less than one second.

What happens if you use Iron, Gold, or Stone tools?

If you try to mine Obsidian with anything weaker than a Diamond Pickaxe, like Iron, Gold, or Stone, the block will break after a very long time, but it will not drop the Obsidian item. The block simply disappears. This rule is a core part of the game’s progression, forcing players to find Diamonds before they can enter The Nether Dimension.

Getting Obsidian Without a Diamond Pickaxe

In the world of Speedrunning Tactics, you often need Obsidian to build the Nether Portal Frame before you find Diamonds. This method allows you to make the portal without ever mining a single block of Obsidian yourself.

Building a portal frame with dirt and buckets

This technique uses Lava Casting and Mold Building to create the portal frame shape.

• You create the 4x5 portal shape with temporary blocks like dirt or stone.
• You then strategically pour Lava Source Blocks and Water Source Blocks into the mold.
• The Liquid Interaction turns the lava into Obsidian blocks that form the Nether Portal Frame.

Reaching the Nether in under 10 minutes

The Mold Building method is central to Speedrunning Tactics. You need only a few iron ingots for a Water Source Block and an empty bucket to scoop up lava from a nearby Lava Pool or Lava Lake on the surface of the Overworld Caves. Once the Nether Portal Frame is complete, you use a Flint and Steel or an early Fire Charge to light the portal.

Using Wind Charges to safely navigate lava pools

The Mounts of Mayhem Update introduced the Wind Charge, which is now a powerful tool in Speedrunning Tactics. You can use the Wind Charge to push yourself across large Lava Pools or up high cliffs, reducing the time needed to collect lava and minimizing the risk of death by fire.

• Steps for Wind Charge Lava Jump:
  • Place a block at the edge of the Lava Pool.
  • Stand on the block and point slightly down and away from the lava.
  • Jump and fire a Wind Charge at the same time to launch yourself over the lava.

Where to Find Obsidian Naturally (2025 Exploration)

If you do not want to make your own Obsidian, the game generates it in several structures, giving you a starting supply. These are great targets for early exploration.

Looting Vaults and Ominous Vaults for Obsidian rewards

The new Trial Chambers introduced in the 1.21/1.22 updates are a reliable source of Obsidian. After defeating The Breeze and other mobs, you can access the reward chambers.

• Steps to Find Obsidian in Trial Chambers:
  • Locate a Trial Chamber deep underground.
  • Defeat the mobs in the Trial Spawners.
  • Use a Trial Key on the Vault for resources.
  • Use an Ominous Key on the Ominous Vault for a chance at high-value rewards, which often include a small stack of Obsidian.

The ultimate "infinite" source of bulk mining

The largest natural source of Obsidian is in the End Dimension. After you defeat the Ender Dragon, you will notice tall structures called the End Pillars or Obsidian Spikes that hold the crystals used to heal the dragon. These pillars are made completely of Obsidian.

• This location provides hundreds of blocks of Obsidian, perfect for a Beacon Base or a mega-build.
• You will need a Netherite Pickaxe with Efficiency V Enchantment to make this bulk mining worth your time.

Ruined Portals, Bastion Remnants, and Village Blacksmiths

Older structures still hold good starting amounts of Obsidian.

• Ruined Portal Structure: These broken-down portals, found in both the Overworld Caves and The Nether Dimension, often have a few Obsidian blocks remaining in the frame and a chest nearby with sometimes more.
• Bastion Remnant: Chests inside this large Nether Dimension structure can sometimes hold Obsidian, but it is a dangerous location due to the hostile Piglins.
• Village Blacksmith: The chest inside the blacksmith’s building in a Desert Village sometimes has a few pieces of Obsidian.

How to Build an Obsidian Generator

Once you need thousands of Obsidian blocks for mega-projects, a generator is the best solution. These methods rely on game mechanics to make Obsidian a Renewable Resource.

Regenerating 4x4 platforms for infinite farming

This Obsidian Generator uses a glitch where the game regenerates the Obsidian blocks around a Nether Portal Frame when it is created or destroyed in specific ways.

• By automatically destroying and relighting the Nether Portal Frame using pistons and Redstone Dust Consumption, you can force the game to constantly replace the 4x4 platform blocks, giving you an Infinite Resource Farm. This method requires precise Redstone knowledge.

How to reset and harvest 25 blocks every 30 seconds

This Obsidian Generator is very efficient and simpler to build. When you enter The End Dimension for the first time, the Spawn Platform is made of Obsidian.

• By using a secondary account or a clever trick with an Ender Pearl to enter and leave The End Dimension quickly, you can sometimes force the Portal Regeneration of the Spawn Platform, giving you 25 fresh Obsidian blocks to mine very quickly.

Using 2025 Redstone to assist bucket management

The new Automated Crafter from the 1.21/1.22 updates can greatly simplify Obsidian production. While it can not make the block, it can manage the buckets needed for lava casting.

• Steps for Automated Crafter Obsidian:
  • Set up a lava collection system using Pointed Dripstone and Cauldron Farming.
  • Use the Automated Crafter to instantly turn empty buckets into Water Source Blocks or lava buckets.
  • A player can then quickly swap out Water Source Blocks and lava buckets without stopping the Lava Casting process.

Crying Obsidian: Everything You Need to Know

Crying Obsidian is a beautiful, light-emitting version of Obsidian that has a very important use in high-difficulty survival mode.

Can you "make" Crying Obsidian with water and lava?

No, you can not make Crying Obsidian using the standard Liquid Interaction of Flowing Water and Lava Source Block. Crying Obsidian only generates naturally in structures or is obtained through trade.

Piglin bartering and Trial Chamber loot tables

The primary source of Crying Obsidian is in the Nether Dimension.

• Piglins: The most reliable source is through Piglins bartering. Piglins will sometimes drop a few pieces of Crying Obsidian after you toss them a gold ingot.
• Ruined Portal Structure: You can often find Crying Obsidian already set in the frame of a Ruined Portal Structure or in the nearby chests.
• Trial Chambers: The Ominous Vault in the Trial Chambers has a chance to drop Crying Obsidian as a reward.

Crafting the Respawn Anchor for 2025 high-difficulty combat

The most important use for Crying Obsidian is to craft the Respawn Anchor.

• This block allows you to set your spawn point inside The Nether Dimension and The End Dimension, which is essential for extended stays and high-difficulty combat.
• The Respawn Anchor must be powered with Glowstone blocks to work. Do not attempt to set your spawn in the Overworld, or the Respawn Anchor will explode.
• Recipe for Respawn Anchor:
  • Three Glowstone blocks across the top row.
  • Six Crying Obsidian blocks fill the remaining slots.

Essential Crafting Recipes and Use Cases

Obsidian’s extremely high Blast Resistance means it is used for some of the most powerful and important items in Minecraft.

Enchantment Tables, Ender Chests, and Beacons

These three items are crucial to advancing in the game, and all require Obsidian.

• Enchanting Table: You need four Obsidian, two Diamonds, and one Book of Knowledge to make an Enchanting Table. This allows you to place enchantments like Efficiency V Enchantment on your tools.
• Ender Chest: You need eight Obsidian and one Eye of Ender to make an Ender Chest. This block is a portable, secure storage chest that can be accessed from anywhere.
• Beacon Base: You need Obsidian to form the base pyramid for a Beacon Power to function, along with a Nether Star.
• Recipes for the Big Three:
  • Enchanting Table:
    • One Book of Knowledge on top.
    • Diamond, Obsidian, Diamond in the middle row.
    • Three Obsidian on the bottom row.
  • Ender Chest:
    • Eye of Ender in the center.
    • Eight Obsidian surrounding the Eye of Ender.

Utilizing high blast resistance in "Mounts of Mayhem" PvP

Obsidian is the ultimate block for Anti-Explosion Walls because it has the highest Blast Resistance in the game. This is vital in the Mounts of Mayhem Update, where new weapons like the Spear Weapon and mobility mean players will use high-explosive tactics. Building a base with Obsidian ensures grief protection from TNT cannons and creepers.

Using Obsidian for mobile, blast-proof storage bases

For players who do not want a single large base, Obsidian is perfect for mobile or temporary structures. A small Obsidian cube is easily defended and can safely hold an Ender Chest, securing your most valuable resources anywhere on the map.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Does Obsidian burn in lava?

No, Obsidian does not burn in lava. Since it is created by lava, it is immune to fire and lava damage, making it safe to use in The Nether Dimension.

Can TNT or Creepers break Obsidian walls?

TNT and Creepers can not break Obsidian walls in Survival Mode. The block’s Blast Resistance is too high. Only the explosion from the Blue Wither Skull is powerful enough to destroy Obsidian in a clean hit.

What is the fastest way to mine Obsidian in 2025?

The fastest way to mine Obsidian is with a Netherite Pickaxe enchanted with Efficiency V Enchantment and having the Haste II Status Effect from a nearby Beacon Power. This combination reduces the mining time to a fraction of a second.

How to get Obsidian in Minecraft Bedrock vs. Java.

The process for creating Obsidian with Flowing Water and a Lava Source Block is the same in both Minecraft Bedrock and Java. The main differences are in some of the Obsidian Generator designs that rely on Chunk Loading mechanics, which are different between the two editions.

Final tips for mastering the "Obsidian Maker" workflow

• Always carry a Water Source Block and an empty bucket when exploring underground aquifers or the Deeps late Layer to turn every Lava Pool you find into instant Obsidian.
• Prioritize getting the Efficiency V Enchantment on your best pickaxe; it will save you many hours of mining time on every single Nether Portal Frame you build.
• Remember that Crying Obsidian can not make a Nether Portal Frame, but it is still essential for the Respawn Anchor to let you set your spawn in The Nether Dimension.

Conclusion: The Future of Obsidian

Obsidian is more than a block; it is a measure of your mastery over the elements. You have learned how to harness the Liquid Interaction of water and lava to make your own Obsidian, how to safely mine it with your Diamond Pickaxe or Netherite Pickaxe, and how to use it for defense and crafting.

What to expect in the 2026 "End Update" rumors

Current rumors about the 2026 "End Update" suggest that Obsidian’s role will only grow. The Obsidian Spikes and Spawn Platform in The End Dimension are expected to feature in new structures, and Obsidian’s unmatched Blast Resistance will be critical for facing the rumored new enemy.