The Drowned is an aquatic variant of the zombie in Minecraft, introduced in version 1.13 (Update Aquatic). These underwater undead creatures add both atmosphere and challenge to exploring Minecraft’s oceans, rivers, and flooded caves. Drowned can spawn naturally in water or as a result of a zombie transforming after remaining submerged for an extended period.
Drowned mobs can appear in any biome with suitable water bodies but are most commonly found in ocean biomes. They can also wield a powerful weapon known as the trident, making them one of the few mobs capable of ranged melee attacks. The Drowned can also appear with nautilus shells or fishing rods, adding more incentive for players to farm them.
They are hostile to players, villagers, wandering traders, and iron golems. Their ability to swim and attack underwater provides unique combat dynamics, forcing players to adapt their usual fighting tactics. Additionally, farming Drowned is one of the few ways to obtain tridents and nautilus shells, which are key items for crafting conduits and enhancing underwater exploration.
Understanding their behavior and mechanics can provide an advantage when navigating aquatic regions. Whether encountered during exploration or intentionally farmed, Drowned are a mob worth mastering.
Supported Platforms and Supported Version
| Platform | Supported Version |
|---|---|
| Java Edition (PC/Mac) | Yes (1.13+) |
| Bedrock Edition | Yes (1.4.0+) |
| Pocket Edition (PE) | Yes (1.4.0+) |
| Xbox One | Yes (1.4.0+) |
| PS4 | Yes (1.91+) |
| Nintendo Switch | Yes (1.5.0+) |
| Windows 10 Edition | Yes (1.4.0+) |
| Education Edition | Yes (1.4.0+) |
Note: Drowned mechanics can slightly differ between Java and Bedrock editions, particularly in spawning rates and behavior.
Background of the Drowned
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
| Hostility Level | Hostile |
| Health Points | 20 (10 hearts) |
| Where to Find | Oceans, rivers, underwater ruins, flooded caves |
| Weapon | Trident, fishing rod, or bare hands |
| Attack Method | Melee attacks; ranged trident throws |
| Drops | Gold ingots, copper ingots, tridents, nautilus shells, rotten flesh |
| Experience Points | 5 XP (additional XP if equipped with gear) |
| Special Skills | Underwater swimming, ranged attack with trident |
Hostility Level
Hostile — Drowned will actively attack players, villagers, and other non-undead mobs.
Health Points
Drowned have 20 health points (equivalent to 10 hearts).
Where to Find Drowned
Drowned can be found in:
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Oceans (especially deep oceans)
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Rivers
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Underwater ruins
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Flooded caves
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Created when a zombie remains submerged underwater for 30 seconds and transforms.
Weapon
Drowned can spawn with various equipment:
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Trident (rare; most dangerous variant)
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Fishing rod
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Nautilus shell
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Bare hands (default)
Attack Method
Drowned attack using:
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Melee attacks when close to the player.
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Ranged attacks by throwing a trident if equipped.
Behavior
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Swim naturally through water.
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Can walk on land but are slower and more vulnerable.
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Will pursue players underwater.
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Target and attack villagers, wandering traders, and iron golems.
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Zombies can transform into Drowned after submersion.
Drops
When defeated, Drowned may drop:
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Rotten flesh (common)
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Gold ingots (rare, Bedrock only)
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Copper ingots (Java only)
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Trident (rare drop if equipped)
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Nautilus shell (if equipped)
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Equipment it was carrying (fishing rod, armor, etc.)
Experience Points
Killing a Drowned grants 5 XP. Additional XP is awarded if it is equipped with gear or a trident.
Special Skills
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Underwater swimming: Moves quickly through water.
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Trident throws: Can hit players at a distance with thrown tridents.
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Transformation ability: Zombies can become Drowned if submerged.
Spawn Eggs
Drowned spawn eggs are available in Creative Mode inventory.
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Found under the Miscellaneous tab.
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Used to manually spawn Drowned in any water-filled location.
Things to do with the Drowned
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Farm for tridents — rare and valuable weapon.
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Collect nautilus shells — used to craft conduits.
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Build Drowned farms — optimize for XP and item drops.
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Practice underwater combat skills.
Commands for the Drowned
Spawn a Drowned with a command:
/summon minecraft:drowned ~ ~ ~
/summon minecraft:drowned ~ ~ ~ {HandItems:[{id:”minecraft:trident”,Count:1b},{}]}
Spawn Events for the Drowned
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Natural spawning in ocean and river biomes.
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Zombies transform into Drowned after being submerged for 30 seconds.
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Higher spawn rates during nighttime and thunderstorms.
Drowned Fun Facts
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Drowned were introduced in the Update Aquatic (Minecraft 1.13).
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Only mob that can drop tridents naturally.
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Drowned with tridents can throw them underwater and on land.
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In Bedrock Edition, they can rarely drop gold ingots instead of copper.
Advanced Tips for Farming
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Build a zombie-to-Drowned converter farm using water channels.
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Use Looting III swords to increase rare drop rates.
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AFK Drowned farms in river biomes are highly effective.
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Build farms near ocean ruins for natural Drowned spawns.
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Install soul sand columns to float Drowned for easier kills.
How the Mob Interacts with Other Game Mechanics
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Villagers: Drowned will seek out and attack villagers.
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Redstone: Drowned farms often use piston crushers and trident killers (Bedrock Edition).
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Conduits: Using a conduit provides underwater breathing and vision, making Drowned farming safer.
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Iron Golems: Drowned will attack golems if encountered.
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Turtle eggs: Drowned ignore turtle eggs (unlike zombies).
