How to Make and Activate a Conduit - Minecraft Guide - IGN (2024)

In this Minecraft Conduit guide, we'll detail everything you need to know about Conduits, including what they are, how they work, their crafting recipe, and how you can obtain the items needed to craft these powerful beacons.

Looking for something more specific? Click these links to jump ahead!

• How to obtain a Nautilus Shell
• How to Obtain the Heart Of The Sea
• What is an Ocean Monument
• How to Make a Conduit

What is a Conduit and Conduit Power?

A conduit is a beacon that needs to be built in a 3x3x3 body of water in Minecraft. Once built it gives you “Conduit Power” that activates when the player comes in contact with either water or rain. Depending on how you build the conduit, it’ll have a range of 32-96 blocks. When it is activated, it’ll also damage any hostile mobs that get anywhere near 8 blocks of it (Only in Bedrock). When Conduit Power is activated you’ll be able to breathe underwater, have night vision, and have Haste.

In order to craft a Conduit, you'll first need to obtain two key items -- a Nautilus Shell and a Heart of the Sea. A full guide to obtaining these two items can be found below.

• How to Obtain a Nautilus Shell
• How to Obtain the Heart Of The Sea

Already got the items needed? Click the links below to jump straight the crafting process.

• How to Make a Conduit

How to Obtain a Nautilus Shell

There are three different ways you can go about obtaining the Nautilus Shell. They all do require a little bit of time and, depending on your playstyle, some of these might seem more fun than the others.

Killing Drowned

The Drowned are the only mobs that carry the Nautilus Shell. In Java, they have a 3% chance of dropping the shell, and in Bedrock, they have an 8% chance of dropping.

Fishing

Although it’s a bit rare to find a Nautilus Shell by fishing, it still can be done. You’ll also have a higher chance of catching one if you enchant your fishing rod with the Luck Of The Sea enchantment.

Wandering Trader

The Wandering Trader spawns randomly near the player. He’s pretty easy to spot too because you’ll always see the trader always has two lamas that it has leads. It’s important to note that even though the trader may sell Nautilus Shell, it may not always have them. And if the trader does they only sell up to five at a time.

Now that you have the Nautilus Shell check it off and look for the Heart Of The Sea.

How to Obtain the Heart Of The Sea

The Heart Of The Sea is an item that can not be crafted, and the only way to find it is through a Treasure Map. You can find a treasure map in a shipwreck or ocean ruins. The fastest way to find one of these is to feed raw cod or raw Salmon to a dolphin and they’ll lead you to one or the other.

Once you find the treasure map you’ll notice a big red X on the map. Head towards the X and start digging to find the treasure. There’s a 100% chance of finding the Heart Of The Sea buried treasure in both Bedrock and Java.

Now that you’ve found the Heart Of The Sea check it off and look for an Ocean Monument

What is an Ocean Monument

An Ocean Monument is a structure that can be found in water biomes. Although it is worth mentioning you can find the same materials by finding an Underwater Ruin. But an Ocean Monument will have more of the materials needed.

Materials needed

As for the materials needed for the conduit, you’ll need a Sea Lantern, Dark Prismarine, Prismarine Brick, and Prismarine. It’ll be safe to mix the materials to build the conduit so you can have fun with it if you really want to.

Now that you’ve found the materials needed, check it off and start building it.

How to Make a Conduit

Only 16 blocks are needed to make the conduit but in order to fully utilize it, you’ll need 32 blocks. The structure of the building itself needs to be built in a 5x5x5 to activate it. The conduit will need to be in the center of the building and floating in order to activate it. The building itself will need to be in a 3x3x3 body of water, so you can build it on the surface if you want.

You’ll know when it’s active because the conduit will open up and begin to suck in materials. You’ll also see the Conduit power symbol on the top right of the screen.