The list of Minecraft mobs just received a brand new addition, and it’s the first ancient mob of the game. If you haven’t guessed already, we are talking about the new dinosaur mob Sniffer, which is coming with the Minecraft 1.20 update. It is a fluffy powerhouse that can unlock a bunch of great items in the game. But what makes this mob incredible isn’t only its abilities or size. Even the Sniffer’s spawning mechanic is game-changing. So, let’s dive in and figure out everything there is to know about the Sniffer in Minecraft 1.20.
Sniffer in Minecraft 1.20 (2023)
Note: Sniffer is currently only available as a part of the experimental features of Minecraft Snapshot 23W07A. All its mechanics, behavior, and properties are subject to change before the final release.
What Is a Sniffer in Minecraft
The winner of Minecraft Mob Vote 2022 is Sniffer, a passive functional mob that’s being added to the game with the 1.20 update. It is the first ancient mob to enter the game’s world and possesses some unique powers. The Sniffer roams around the overworld, moving its nose dramatically and sniffing ancient seeds. It pulls ancient seeds out of the ground which you can collect to grow exclusive plants.
Where to Find Sniffer in Minecraft
Sniffer is one of the few Minecraft mobs that can’t spawn naturally in the game’s world. Instead, you have to make it come out of an ancient egg in the form of a Snifflet. This Snifflet or baby Sniffer will then grow into the giant dinosaur mob that we know and love. However, at the moment, the ancient egg is not a part of Minecraft. So, you have to access this new mob via the creative inventory.
If you don’t plan on waiting, you can use our guide to get Sniffer in Minecraft right now. Meanwhile, when it comes to the ancient egg, you need to look for:
- Suspicious Sand
- Ocean Monuments
Since Sniffer is an ancient mob, its egg will spawn hidden in archaeology blocks and forgotten underwater structures. More details about the same are yet to be revealed.
Basic Properties of Sniffer Mob
Now that you know the basics of Sniffer in Minecraft, let’s dive into the detailed mechanics of this new mob. But keep in mind that all these mechanics are subject to change in the final release.
Health & Regeneration
Even though Sniffer is one of the largest mobs in the game, its size doesn’t reflect in its strength. Its health is worth 14 points, which is equivalent to seven player hearts. Unfortunately, they don’t even regenerate any of their health even if they are close to death.
When it comes to health reduction, Sniffer doesn’t seem to have any special abilities or defenses. Its health fatally reduces due to fire, lava, and fall damage in Minecraft. Moreover, even though Sniffer’s eggs spawn inside the ocean, the mob itself is not immune to drowning and suffocation. So, except for its special sniffing ability, our new mob is just like every other passive mob.
Attacking & Drops
Sniffer is a passive mob in Minecraft, so it’s completely tolerant and doesn’t attack you even if you hit it first. Furthermore, when it comes to mob interaction, both Warden and Wither attack the Sniffer without any discrimination. The former can slay the Sniffer with a single hit. Meanwhile, it takes around 14 simple hits for the players to put the Sniffer to rest.
When it comes to loot, the Sniffer drops 1-3 experience points (around 10% of the time) and a moss block. However, we suggest that you don’t take drastic steps for this loot as breeding provides more experience and moss blocks spawn readily in Minecraft’s lush caves biome.
What Does Sniffer Do in Minecraft
Focusing on mob behavior, the Sniffer mob roams around the world of Minecraft aimlessly. It consciously avoids any obstacles, including water, fire, lava, and non-climbable blocks. While roaming, the Sniffer smells its surroundings (possibly for seeds) and dramatically moves its nose around.
Then, after every little while, the Sniffer sits on all fours and puts its head underground. After that, slowly but surely, it pulls out ancient seeds from the ground. You can pick up the seeds as an item and throw them on the farmland to get unique plants.
Ancient Seeds in Minecraft
As the name implies, the ancient seeds are rare seeds that are buried underground in the overworld and only the Sniffer can find them in Minecraft. Each seed grows into a beautiful plant that you can use for decorative purposes. However, unlike regular plants, you can’t get more seeds from the plant. For Torchflower seeds, you have to rely entirely on the Sniffer.
There are multiple ancient seeds in Minecraft that the Sniffer can find:
- Torchflower
- More seeds are yet to be revealed
How to Make Sniffer Sniff in Minecraft
Sniffer’s sniffing mechanics are automatic and random. You can’t really predict the same. But at the same time, we know that the Sniffer can only dig out blocks from a small group of blocks. So, if you increase the amount of these Minecraft blocks around the Sniffer, you will automatically also increase the chances to make it sniff.
In Minecraft 1.20, the blocks a Sniffer interacts with include:
- Dirt
- Podzol
- Coarse Dirt
- Rooted Dirt
- Grass Block
- Moss Block
- Mud
- Muddy Mangrove Roots
Once you have set up the compatible area for the Sniffer, it all comes down to waiting for the Sniffer to do its job. Though, having more than one Sniffer might help.
How to Breed Sniffer in Minecraft
Breeding the Sniffer is easy in Minecraft. You just need to get two Sniffers together and wait for them to dig out Torchflower seeds. Once they find them, you have to feed the seeds to the Sniffer to get them into “love mode”. After that, a baby Sniffer aka Snifflet will spawn.
It takes around 20 minutes for the Snifflet to grow into an adult Sniffer. Further, the parents need a 5-10 minute break (cooldown) before being ready for another round of breeding. With such simple breeding mechanics, you can get a small army of these new mobs in no time. And if you face any trouble while doing so, feel free to use our dedicated guide to learn how to breed Sniffer in Minecraft.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you tame the Sniffer?
Unfortunately, the Sniffer can’t be tamed in Minecraft or attracted by food or seed. But you can use a lead, to take it anywhere you want.
Can Warden smell the Sniffer?
The Warden is hostile toward all mobs in Minecraft including the Sniffer. It can detect its scent and vibrations.
Is Sniffer hostile?
Sniffer is a completely passive Minecraft mob. It won’t attack you even if you hit it first.
Meet the Sniffer in Minecraft
Just like that, you know everything there’s to know about the Sniffer mob in Minecraft 1.20. But it is not the only new mob of the upcoming update. So, you should also make some time to meet the camels in Minecraft. Much like the Sniffer, they are also passive mobs, but you can use them to get a lot of tactical advantage during combat. Furthermore, you can even ride camels and use them as a means of transport. But let’s don’t venture too far from the mob in focus. So, how excited are you to meet the Sniffer in Minecraft? Tell us in the comments below!
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