Putting Villagers In Boats: A Step-By-Step Guide

Transporting villagers in Minecraft can be a tricky task. While they are one of the most profitable mobs in the game, they do not follow the player and wander off in random directions. One way to move them is by using boats. This method is recommended for medium distances and is relatively simple. Players must first locate their target villager and prepare the route by either using naturally spawned waterways or creating a temporary river. Then, they can trap the villager in a building, block the door, and place a boat down for the villager to get into. Once the villager is in the boat, the player can row them to their destination.

Luring villagers with job blocks

Villagers are passive mobs that can be found in every type of village in Minecraft. They can take on various jobs, each with its own distinct advantages and functions. Here is a guide on luring villagers to take on a specific job using job blocks:

• Armorer: Armorers trade iron, armor, and chainmail. Their job site block is the blast furnace, which is used to melt ores. You can get pieces of armor, a bell, and a shield from them. Expert-level armorers can provide enchanted diamond armor pieces.
• Butcher: Butchers offer cooked meat and rabbit stew. They can also offer eight cooked chicken pieces for a single emerald. Their job site block is the smoker, which is used for cooking meat faster than a regular furnace.
• Cartographer: Cartographers can provide empty maps, frames, banners, ocean maps, and woodland explorer maps. Their job site block is the cartography table, used to create maps.
• Cleric: Clerics offer magical items such as Redstone dust, glowstone, ender pearls, and Bottle o' Enchanting. Their job site block is the brewing stand.
• Farmer: Farmers offer high-level food items and ingredients for potions. You can trade bread, pie, apple, cookies, cake, and stew at lower levels. Expert farmers offer golden carrots and glistering melon slices. Their job site block is the composter, which is used to create bonemeal.
• Fisherman: Fishermen offer cooked salmon, cooked cod, a bucket of cod, a campfire, and an enchanted fishing rod. Their job site block is the barrel, useful for storing items.
• Fletcher: Fletchers offer arrows, flint, bows, and crossbows. Upper-level fletchers provide enchanted bows, crossbows, and tipped arrows. Their job site block is the fletching table.
• Leatherworker: Leatherworkers trade leather armor pieces and leather horse armor. A master-level leatherworker can offer a horse saddle. Their job site block is the cauldron, which can store water, lava, powder snow, dyed water, and potions.
• Librarian: Librarians offer enchanted books, compasses, clocks, name tags, glass, lanterns, and bookshelves. Their job site block is the lectern, useful in multiplayer mode and as a redstone component.
• Mason/Stone Mason: Masons trade different types of bricks, terracotta, and quartz. At higher levels, they can offer colored terracotta, glazed terracotta, blocks of quartz, and quartz pillars. Their job site block is the stonecutter, used to craft stone-related blocks.
• Shepherd: Shepherds offer decorative items like carpets, colored wool, banners, and paintings. They can also offer shears and beds. Their job site block is the loom, which allows players to create unique patterns on banners.
• Toolsmith: Toolsmiths trade tools such as axes, pickaxes, shovels, and hoes. They may also offer bells. Their job site block is the smithing table, which can be used to upgrade diamond tools to netherite tools.
• Weaponsmith: Weaponsmiths offer swords and axes, both with and without enchantments. They can also offer bells. Their job site block is the grindstone, used to repair tools and weapons, and remove enchantments.

To assign a job to an unemployed villager, simply craft and place the required job site block near them, and they will automatically take on the associated profession.

Trapping villagers inside buildings

Blocking Them in Their Homes

Villagers in Minecraft need a place to rest, usually in the form of a village house. You can use this to your advantage by blocking off the entrance to the house. Here are some specific methods:

• Place a block in front of the door to prevent them from climbing out.
• Break the door and replace it with a fence gate or trapdoor, which villagers cannot open.
• Use a trapdoor above a counter to prevent them from following you out of a room.

Using Beds

Villagers in Minecraft are connected to their beds. Without beds, they cannot increase their population as each villager needs a bed to sleep in. You can use this to your advantage by:

• Picking up their beds and building an enclosure, preferably without doors.
• Placing their beds inside the enclosure and waiting for them to return to sleep.
• Sealing off the area while keeping the villagers inside.
• Ringing the village bell to expedite the process and force the villagers back to their homes.

Using Boats and Minecarts

Boats and minecarts can be used to transport villagers, but also to contain them. When bumped into a nearby boat or minecart, villagers will jump inside. Unless you break the vehicle, they won't be able to get out. This method can be used to hold villagers in a set position or to transport them to another location.

Using boats on the ground

Boats can be used on the ground in Minecraft to transport villagers. This method is best for medium distances and is easier than using minecarts or waterways.

To transport a villager by boat, first, prepare a path by using naturally spawned waterways or creating a temporary river to your destination. Boats can be rowed on the ground but this is slow, so it is recommended to use ice blocks if possible, as boats can be controlled more easily and at faster speeds on ice. Normal ice will give the slowest speed, packed ice has a medium speed, and blue ice is the fastest.

Once your path is prepared, you can try to get a villager into a boat. One method is to wait until a villager is inside a building, then block the door with you inside. Place the boat down and the villager will get into it. You can then row them to their destination. Another method is to place the villager in a small fenced-off area, place the boat so the villager is between the boat and the fence, and then place water on the other side of the boat. The flowing water will push the villager into the boat.

If you are playing the Bedrock Edition, you can also pull a boat up using a lead.

Transporting villagers through the Nether

Getting Villagers into the Nether

The first step is to get your villagers into the Nether, which can be tricky as they don't follow players and wander off in random directions. One way to do this is by building a pen around your Overworld portal and gently bumping the villagers into the pen, then through the portal. You can use slime blocks and a water bucket to guide them. Make sure to fence off the receiving area in the Nether and connect it to your rail line.

Using Minecarts or Boats

Once your villagers are in the Nether, you can transport them using either minecarts or boats. For minecarts, place a few of them near the portal and gently nudge the villagers into them. You can then push the minecarts along the rails to your destination. If you're dealing with steep terrain, consider using powered rails to make the journey faster and less tedious.

Alternatively, you can use boats to transport villagers. Place a boat near the portal and push the villager towards it. They will automatically sit inside, and you can then pilot the boat to your desired location. Boats are easy to craft, making this method efficient and convenient.

Returning to the Overworld

When you're ready to return to the Overworld, you'll need to build another Overworld portal in the Nether, less than 128 blocks from the first portal. Gently push the villagers into the new portal, and after a short delay, they should arrive at the corresponding Overworld portal. Keep in mind that there is a 15-second timer after portal travel before a non-player entity can pass through again.

Additional Tips

• If you're having trouble getting villagers into boats, try placing them in a small enclosed area with the boat and some water. The flowing water will push them towards the boat.
• For minecarts, place a group of them in a 'U' or 'V' shape and nudge the villager onto the cart that is on the rails.
• If you're transporting multiple villagers, consider building a waterway at y 62, incorporating oceans and rivers. This method allows you to push villagers into boats and travel with them.
• Leads can be useful for pulling mobs, but they don't work on villagers.

Using minecarts and rails

Step 1: Build a Minecart Track

Start by constructing a minecart track leading from the village to your desired destination. This can be done by placing rails on the ground, creating a path for the minecarts to follow. Make sure the track is clear of any obstacles and that there is enough space for the minecarts to move freely.

Step 2: Obtain a Boat

The next step is to get a boat. You can either craft one yourself or find one in-game. Boats are essential for this method as they provide a way to transport villagers over land.

Step 3: Get the Villager into the Boat

Now, you need to get the villager into the boat. One effective method is to create a small enclosed area, such as a 3x3 space surrounded by fences. Place the boat inside this area, with the villager between the boat and the fence. Then, use water to push the villager into the boat. Place water on the opposite side of the boat, so the flowing water guides the villager into the boat.

Step 4: Row the Boat onto the Minecart Track

Once the villager is securely in the boat, carefully row the boat onto the minecart track. Position the boat so that it is aligned with the rails, and make sure there is a clear path for the minecart to move forward.

Step 5: Push or Power the Minecart

Now, it's time to combine the boat and the minecart. You can do this by either pushing or powering a minecart into the boat. With a little patience and a few attempts, the minecart should pick up the boat, with the villager still riding inside. This may take a few tries, so be persistent!

Step 6: Transport the Villager

Once the villager, boat, and minecart are all connected, you can now transport the villager to your desired location. You can push the minecart manually or use powered rails to automate the process. If using powered rails, make sure to follow along to ensure the villager stays in the minecart and doesn't fall out along the way.

Step 7: Disembark the Villager

When you reach your destination, it's time to get the villager out of the boat. You can do this by breaking the minecart, which will cause the villager to pop out. Alternatively, you can use an activator rail to automatically eject the villager. Just be careful not to break the boat, especially if it contains valuable items or resources.

Frequently asked questions