When it comes to resource collection in Minecraft, players have a wide range of options to choose from, whether they're playing solo or on the best Minecraft survival servers. However, one often overlooked aspect of the game is trading, which can be a highly reliable way to get rare items. Moreover, if you do it right, trading can also be much faster than exploration. But, in order to trade, players need to collect emeralds, the in-game currency. So, we're here to take a deep dive into everything you need to know about emeralds in Minecraft. From finding, trading, and using them, we got it all covered. Let's dive in!
Emeralds in Minecraft (2023)
From spawning to uses, you can find out everything you need to know about emeralds in Minecraft within our guide. Just make sure to explore all the segments thoroughly and you will have no unresolved queries.
What are Emeralds in Minecraft
The emeralds are one of the rarest mineral items in Minecraft that act as the unofficial but primary currency in the game. They are green in color and have a distinct oval shape that resembles a cut ruby. However, unlike other valuable minerals such as diamonds or gold, emeralds cannot be used to craft tools or armor.
When it comes to obtaining them, as per Minecraft 1.20 ore distribution, emeralds are even rarer than diamonds. So, you might have a hard time finding and mining them naturally. Luckily, there are several reliable ways to get your hands on this coveted item. Keep reading to find out more.
How to Get Emeralds in Minecraft
There are seven main ways to get emeralds in Minecraft:
- Ore Mining
- Mob Loot
- Chests
- Villager Trading
- Wandering Trader Sale
- Archaeology
- Defeating Trials
Let's go over each of them in detail to find a method that suits your needs.
Emerald Ores
The traditional method of getting emeralds in Minecraft is by mining emerald ores. You can find them generating between the world heights of Y=-16 and Y=256. The maximum spawn rate of emerald ores is at Y=224, often at mountain peaks. You can use our best Minecraft mountain seeds to speed up the progress.
Fortunately, once you find an emerald ore, you just have to mine it using an iron pickaxe or better to get your reward. The great thing about emeralds is that, unlike other minerals such as iron or gold, they don't need to be smelted in a furnace. This makes them quite simple and straightforward to obtain. At least, as long as you can find them.
Killing Mobs
If looking for the ore blocks doesn't sound enticing to you, then a combat test might be a better pick. You can get emeralds by killing Vindicators and Evokers, which commonly spawn in the Woodland Mansion structure. But, make sure to keep a diamond sword handy because these mobs are extremely dangerous.
Not to forget, if you are lucky, you can also find a fox spawning with an emerald in its mouth. You can kill the fox or give it berries to obtain the emerald. This option is a safer alternative to facing off against dangerous mobs just for a single item.
Chest Loot
For players who enjoy exploring their world to loot structures, emeralds can be an easy bonus. This gem spawns in the chest of the following spots:
- Buried Treasure
- Desert Temple
- End City
- Igloo
- Stronghold
- Jungle Temple
- Shipwreck
- Underwater Ruins
- Village
- Trial Chamber
Please remember that Stronghold chests with an emerald only spawn in the Bedrock edition, while buried treasures contain emeralds only in the Java edition. Moreover, in either editing, the shipwrecks have the highest rate of generating chests with emeralds.
Villager Trading
It is common knowledge that you can buy various items from villagers with the help of emeralds. But, due to the dual nature of the currency, you can also get emeralds by selling them some items. Each villager type offers a unique set of trades, so it's worth experimenting to find the most profitable options. Though, if you can't find them then, some of the best Minecraft village seeds might help.
Expanding on the strategy side, many speedrunners prefer trading with archer villagers who sell emeralds for mere sticks. If your village doesn't have any archers, you can create a Fletching Table and use it to turn a regular villager into an archer.
Suspicious Blocks
If you are reading this guide after the release of Minecraft 1.20 or on a new snapshot, then there is one extra way to obtain emeralds. All you have to do is locate suspicious sand and gravel blocks and use a brush to uncover emeralds from them.
These blocks commonly spawn in desert wells, desert temples, cold ocean ruins, and even trail ruins. Although not every suspicious block has an emerald, you will have much better luck in archaeology than searching for ores. So, make sure you try this trick on the best Minecraft 1.20 servers to stay ahead of your peers.
Wandering Trader
Thanks to Minecraft 1.20.2 update, you can now sell a variety of items to the Wandering Traders in exchange for emeralds. The list of items includes:
- Water bottle for 1 emerald
- Water bucket for 2 emeralds
- 4 baked potatoes for 1 emerald
- Milk bucket for 2 emeralds
- Fermented spider eye for 3 emeralds
- Hay bale for 1 emerald
Out of these, baked potatoes are quite easy to farm and get you a bunch of emeralds in no time.
Defeating Trial
In Minecraft 1.21, you can take on waves of enemies within the Trial Chamber structure. On defeating all the mobs, the Trial Spawner block rewards you with various items including emeralds and even diamonds. Since you restart a wave after 30 minutes of cooldown, this is one of the most reliable ways to get emeralds.
Uses of Emeralds in Minecraft
There are a variety of ways in which you can use an emerald in Minecraft. These include the following:
- Trading: You can use emeralds to trade for a bunch of unique items with villagers and wandering traders.
- Block of Emerald: Combining 9 emeralds together turns them into emerald blocks. These blocks can be used for decoration or even to create a pyramid to activate beacons.
- Beacon Powers: Putting an emerald into an activated beacon unlocks certain powers.
- Smithing: You can use armor trims in Minecraft to decorate your armor with green emerald patterns. Though, you will also have to create a Smithing Table in Minecraft to get the task done.
Best Villager Trades for Emeralds
Unless you are using the best Minecraft villager mods, it can be a bit tricky to get the best price for your items. Fortunately, there are some trades that, if used smartly, can get you infinite emeralds in Minecraft. Let's explore two of them:
- Glass to Glasspanes: When you trade with a cartographer, they sell 3 glass panes for one emerald. You can use these emeralds to buy 4 glass blocks from librarians. Since 6 pieces of glass give you 16 glass panes, this loop can get you infinite emeralds in Minecraft.
- Bookshelf Loophole: If you trade with a cured librarian, they sell you one bookshelf for one emerald. But, when you break that bookshelf it gives out three books. You can then sell these books to the same librarian for one emerald each. This method gives you one less villager job to worry about.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Y level for emeralds?
Emerald ores generate most commonly at the world height of Y=224.
How rare are 2 veins of emerald ore?
Most emerald ores in Minecraft only generate one block at a time. But in some rare seeds, you can find an extremely rare 2-vein emerald ore too.
What is the purpose of emerald in Minecraft?
The main purpose of emeralds is to trade with villagers and wandering traders. But, you can also use them for a bunch of other purposes including smithing, crafting, and more.
What are rubies in Minecraft?
When the emeralds were first announced for Minecraft, they were known as rubies and were red in color. But with the 1.14 update, the developers replaced them with the green emeralds we know and love.
Find, Collect, and Use Emeralds in Minecraft
Now that you have access to emeralds in Minecraft, it's time to use them and trade with some villagers. The first step in the process is finding a village in Minecraft and talking to the residents. Later, you can breed villagers to increase their population and improve your chances of more profitable trades. Though, if you have a hard time bargaining, curing a zombie villager in Minecraft can be a quick hack to get the prices down. With that said, which method are you going to rely upon to find emeralds in your world? Share your opinion on our Discord server!