How to find and explore Ancient Cities in Minecraft without summoning the Warden: what to bring, how sculk sensors and shriekers work, moving quietly, the best loot, and tips for building an underground base in the Deep Dark.
Ancient Cities are some of the most dangerous and rewarding structures in Minecraft. Hidden in the Deep Dark biome, they hold unique loot, including the Swift Sneak enchantment, but they're guarded by the Warden, a mob designed to be avoided rather than fought. Here's how to explore safely. Details are for current Java and Bedrock versions; mechanics can change in updates.
Finding an Ancient City
Ancient Cities generate in the Deep Dark, a biome deep underground, usually below mountains, with the city floor around Y level -51. Look for patches of dark sculk blocks while caving low down. Tools such as seed maps can show locations for a known world seed.
What to bring?
- Plenty of light sources and blocks to build with.
- Wool: it blocks vibrations, so you can lay carpets of it to walk quietly or wall off sensors.
- Snowballs or arrows, to create distractions.
- Good armour, food and healing, in case things go wrong.
- Ender pearls, for escape.
- A hoe, which mines sculk quickly, and a Silk Touch tool if you want to collect sensors and shriekers.
- Night vision potions help you see in the Darkness effect.
Leave valuables you don't need at home, and set your spawn point near the entrance with a bed if possible.
How the Deep Dark detects you?
- Sculk sensors detect vibrations: walking, jumping, placing or breaking blocks, opening chests, landing projectiles and more.
- Sculk shriekers are activated by nearby sensors or by stepping on them. Each shriek gives you the Darkness effect and raises a hidden warning level.
- When the warning level gets high enough, after repeated shrieks, the Warden emerges from the ground.
Shriekers placed by players don't summon the Warden; only naturally generated ones do.
Moving quietly
- Sneak: crouch-walking doesn't trigger sculk sensors, though some actions while sneaking still make vibrations.
- Walk on wool or carpet, which dampens vibrations.
- Avoid jumping, sprinting and eating near sensors.
- Break or cover sensors near your route, carefully, from a distance where possible.
- Take breaks: the warning level slowly falls if you stay quiet.
If the Warden appears
The Warden has 500 health, hits extremely hard, and can fire a sonic boom ranged attack that goes through armour and shields. It's blind and tracks you by vibrations and smell.
- Don't panic and sprint, which makes noise.
- Throw snowballs or shoot arrows away from you to distract it.
- Move away quietly, or pearl out.
- If it doesn't detect anything for a while, it digs back into the ground.
Fighting it is possible with strong gear but rarely worth it: it drops only one sculk catalyst and some experience.
Loot worth finding
- Swift Sneak enchanted books, found only in Ancient City chests, which let you move faster while sneaking.
- Echo shards, used to craft a Recovery Compass, which points to where you last died.
- Music disc fragments for disc "5".
- Ward and Silence armour trim templates.
- Enchanted golden apples, enchanted gear and other valuables.
Building an underground base in the Deep Dark
Building there is challenging but atmospheric. Hostile mobs don't spawn naturally in the biome, apart from the Warden, which helps. But every block you place creates vibrations, so:
- Clear sculk sensors and shriekers from the area first, or block them with wool.
- Build with the dark palette around you: deepslate, sculk, soul lanterns and reinforced deepslate details.
- Use Ancient City architecture, its arches and pillars, as inspiration.
- Many players choose a nearby cave instead, to keep the city intact.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the Ancient City portal frame?
No. The large frame at the centre is decorative, made of reinforced deepslate, which can't be mined in survival.
Does Sneak stop all noise?
No: sneaking stops walking vibrations, but other actions can still trigger sensors.
Sources and further reading
Facts checked on 20 October 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it.
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Last updated: 2026-04-25 · Fact-checked by editorial team
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