The best way to make and use conduits in Minecraft

Minecraft conduits are both incredibly valuable and very difficult to acquire, so it’s good to make the most of them. Here’s how to make and use conduits in Minecraft.

Underwater bases are some of the coolest things to build in Minecraft, but they come with a ton of potential hazards. In addition to flooding, dangerous water monsters like drowned and elder guardians can bother undersea adventurers. That’s where conduits come in. While difficult to build, the mysterious structures grant a powerful buff and can protect an undersea area from harm. So here’s how to build a conduit and use it to the fullest extent in Minecraft.

How to make a conduit in Minecraft

Conduits are crafted by surrounding a Heart of the Sea with eight nautilus shells on a crafting bench. This will produce a single conduit.

Nautilus shells are available from drowned mobs or villager trading, but the most efficient way to acquire eight nautilus shells involves a lot of fishing. Each cast has a small chance to find a nautilus shell. On Minecraft Java it’s a 3% chance, while Bedrock has a much higher 8% chance.

The Heart of the Sea is the more difficult Minecvraft conduit part to acquire. These are only found in underground buried treasures. The easiest way to find buried treasures is to first find a buried treasure map in a shipwreck or undersea ruin. It’s also possible to feed raw fish to a dolphin, which will lead the player to the nearest undersea structure including buried treasures. Each buried treasure chest is guaranteed to include one Heart of the Sea. There is no other way to acquire this item.

How to use conduits in Minecraft

Placing a conduit underwater will not immediately turn it on. The small block must be surrounded by prismarine mined from underwater monuments. The easiest way to build a conduit cage is to create rings around it similar to intersecting nether portals. When enough prismarine is present, the conduit will burst open and become active.

The most important feature of conduits is their ability to grant a powerful aura to players. Conduit Power provides several buffs, most notably night vision and a small increase in mining speed. Minecraft conduits only work when fully submerged in water, so make sure to put it in the ocean or in a deep lake to make full use of it. 

In addition to providing a useful buff to the player, conduits are also helpful in combat. They will automatically attack hostile mobs underwater, making it a good way to protect an underwater base. Guardians and drowned will start taking damage as soon as they get near a conduit, so plant it near an entrance to keep your home safe.

What does Conduit Power actually do?

After interacting with a conduit, players will immediately become affected by the Conduit Power buff. It will immediately restore full oxygen as long as the player is near it. Minecraft conduits will also grant approximately 17% bonus mining speed and underwater night vision, which make undersea exploration much easier. Conduit Power only lasts 12 seconds but refreshes whenever a player gets near a conduit again.

Conduit Power is one of the most useful status effects in the game, so naturally it comes with a few limits. Players can only be affected by a single instance of Conduit Power, and attempting to apply a second stack will only refresh the initial buff.