Fermented Spider Eye is one of those crafting ingredients in Minecraft that many players use for potion-making, but understanding how to get it and how to utilize it in the brewing process can sometimes be tricky. Whether you’re brewing potions for combat, curing villagers, or just experimenting with different concoctions, the Fermented Spider Eye is an essential item to have in your inventory.
This guide will take you through the entire process—from gathering the necessary ingredients to crafting Fermented Spider Eye and using it in your brewing stand. Let’s dive in!
1. Gather the Ingredients
To craft a Fermented Spider Eye, you’ll need three specific ingredients: Spider Eye, Sugar, and Mushroom. Each of these ingredients is readily available in the game, but their acquisition might require a little bit of exploration. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how to gather them:
Spider Eye
- Where to find it: Spider Eyes are dropped by both regular spiders and cave spiders when they are killed. These mobs spawn in caves, dungeons, and abandoned mineshafts. You can also find them in caves during the night when spiders spawn.
- How to collect: Simply kill a spider or a cave spider, and it will drop a Spider Eye (though the drop rate can vary). Spider Eyes can also be obtained from the loot chests found in dungeons or mineshafts.
Sugar
- Where to find it: Sugar is made from sugar cane, which is commonly found near water, such as rivers, lakes, and swamps. Sugar cane can be harvested by breaking the blocks of sugar cane, which then drop themselves and can be replanted.
- How to craft: To make sugar, place one piece of sugar cane in the crafting grid. This will yield one sugar. If you need more sugar, simply repeat the process using more sugar cane.
Mushroom
- Where to find it: You can find mushrooms in caves, forests, and dark areas. Mushrooms come in two varieties: Red Mushroom and Brown Mushroom. Either type will work for crafting Fermented Spider Eye.
- How to collect: Mushrooms can be found growing on the ground or on the sides of blocks in dark or dimly lit areas. You can also obtain mushrooms by breaking mushroom blocks that generate in the Nether (specifically in Nether Fortresses).
- How to grow: If you want to grow mushrooms yourself, place them on a dirt, grass, or podzol block in low light conditions, and they will spread over time.
2. Craft the Fermented Spider Eye
Once you’ve gathered your Spider Eye, Sugar, and Mushroom, it’s time to craft your Fermented Spider Eye. This is a simple process that requires a crafting table (also known as a crafting grid).
Crafting Recipe:
- Open your Crafting Table to access the 3×3 crafting grid.
- Arrange the ingredients as follows:
- Center: Spider Eye
- Top-left: Sugar
- Bottom-right: Mushroom (either red or brown)
When you place these ingredients in the correct pattern, the crafting table will show a Fermented Spider Eye as the result. Simply drag it into your inventory.
Crafting Tip: Fermented Spider Eye is a one-time use ingredient, meaning it’s consumed when used in potion brewing, so make sure you have enough ingredients to craft multiple Fermented Spider Eyes if you plan on brewing multiple potions.
3. Potion-Making Applications
Now that you have your Fermented Spider Eye, it’s time to use it in the brewing process. The Fermented Spider Eye is a versatile item in potion-making, as it can be used to alter the effects of various potions. Here are some of the most common uses for the Fermented Spider Eye in potion brewing:
Turning Potions of Weakness into Potions of Harming
- Potion of Weakness: You can brew a Potion of Weakness by combining water bottles with fermented spider eyes in a brewing stand.
- Effect: The Potion of Harming deals damage to the target, making it a valuable tool for PvP combat or for use when fighting mobs or other players.
Changing Potions of Strength into Potions of Strength II
Fermented Spider Eye can also be used to change Potions of Strength into Potions of Strength II. This can be useful for enhancing your character’s abilities or making yourself stronger when fighting other mobs.
Curing Zombie Villagers
One of the most important applications of the Fermented Spider Eye in Minecraft is its role in curing Zombie Villagers. This process requires a Potion of Weakness and a Fermented Spider Eye to cure the Zombie Villager, turning it back into a regular villager.
To cure a Zombie Villager:
- Brew a Potion of Weakness: You need a Potion of Weakness, which can be made by brewing water bottles with fermented spider eyes in the brewing stand.
- Apply the Potion of Weakness to the Zombie Villager: Throw the Potion of Weakness at the Zombie Villager.
- Feed the Zombie Villager a Golden Apple: After applying the Potion of Weakness, right-click the Zombie Villager with a Golden Apple. After a short while, the Zombie Villager will be cured, and it will transform back into a regular villager.
Turning Potions of Fire Resistance into Potions of Fire Resistance II
You can also use a Fermented Spider Eye to modify a Potion of Fire Resistance and create a stronger version of the potion that grants more powerful protection against fire and lava. This is great when you’re exploring lava-filled caves or battling Nether mobs like Ghasts.
Splash Potions
Fermented Spider Eye can be used to create Splash Potions of various types. This is done by adding Gunpowder to any regular potion, which turns it into a throwable item that can be used on other players, mobs, or even yourself. Combining a Potion of Weakness with Fermented Spider Eye and then adding Gunpowder will give you Splash Potions of Weakness, which can be thrown to cause damage or cure zombie villagers.
4. Bonus Uses and Tips
- Zombie Villager Curing: As mentioned, curing Zombie Villagers is one of the most significant uses for the Fermented Spider Eye. When you cure a Zombie Villager, you’ll often get a discount on their trades, making it very useful for players who want to level up their villager trading system.
- Potion of Weakness for PvP: Using Potions of Weakness in PvP combat can be a powerful strategy. If you manage to hit your opponent with a Potion of Weakness, you can greatly reduce their attack capabilities, giving you an advantage in a fight.
- Brewing Potions of Harming: Potions of Harming can be a valuable tool for taking down other players, especially in competitive multiplayer games, where they deal instant damage. Adding a Fermented Spider Eye to a Potion of Weakness converts it into a Potion of Harming, which is then ready to be thrown.
Conclusion
The Fermented Spider Eye is an incredibly useful and versatile item in Minecraft. It may take a bit of time to gather the ingredients, but once you’ve crafted it, you’ll be able to brew a variety of potions, from curing Zombie Villagers to enhancing your combat abilities. Whether you’re preparing for battle, curing villagers, or just exploring the world of potions, the Fermented Spider Eye is an item you should always keep in your inventory. Happy brewing!