All Minecrafters know that hostile mobs are a pain to deal with. Every update seems to bring something new to these mobs, such as the Village & Pillage Update that brought a hostile, extremely aggressive look-a-like of the villager to the game. Minecraft had its fair share of insane updates, making it harder for the player to do everyday tasks such as mining.
Mojang Studios consistently creates and brainstorms new ideas for their games, allowing them to build anything they could imagine - assuming that players can survive the dangerous game-world! Minecraft mobs have made huge changes in normal gameplay for the average Minecrafter, causing them to change the way they play the game entirely just to survive another night. So without further delay, here are 10 Minecraft mobs that changed the game forever.
Updated on November 7, 2021, by Anastasia Maillot: Each update of Minecraft introduces a bunch of new content, including new hostile and passive mobs. While some mobs are added in more for their aesthetic value, other mobs bring in huge value and go as far as changing the game.
With the upcoming 1.19 update introducing the infamous Warden mob, it's safe to say Mojang is bound to bring in some huge changes to mobs in future versions of the game. However, even some of these past mobs have changed the game drastically from what it used to be.
15 Dolphins
Dolphins were introduced in the 1.13 Aquatic update and were a much-needed addition to the bare bones Minecraft oceans. Some players might still wonder why dolphins might be more important to the game than axolotls for example, and the main reason for that is their utility and how they interact with the world.
Dolphins provide a powerful speed boost for any players swimming in their vicinity and will play with various loose blocks that are floating in the water. Moreover, dolphins can lead players towards treasure chests found in shipwrecks, making them extremely underrated mobs.
14 Drowned
With the 1.13 Aquatic update, a new hostile mob was introduced known as the Drowned. These water-based zombie-like creatures would try to attack any player unfortunate enough to swim in the depths of the ocean. They also have their own ruins that they patrol underwater.
Drowned are actually quite important mobs since they have a chance to spawn with the rare trident weapon, which can only be looted off of them. Moreover, players wanting to build a conduit might want to hunt down some Drowned, since they also have a chance to sometimes hold a nautilus shell in their hand.
13 Shulkers
Item management is a huge thing in Minecraft. That's why the upcoming bundles are something word getting excited about, as the game is constantly trying to update how items can be managed and carried more efficiently. One of the major changes to that came in the form of Shulkers.
Shulkers as enemies are also quite unique, but it's what they drop when killed that makes them really revolutionary. The Shulker shells can be crafted into shulker boxes, which allow players to carry entire small chests in their inventory. It was the first big evolution to Minecraft's inventory and item management that didn't come in the form of a game-changing mod.
12 Striders
Lava has always been known as that one element that shouldn't be traversed or touched. However, the 1.16 Nether update put this all into question by giving players Striders, a passive mob found in the Nether that can walk in lava freely.
Striders can be ridden by players like horses, as long as players have a saddle. This is huge for Nether gameplay and exploration since the Nether dimension is full of giant lava lakes that were previously almost impossible to traverse easily without bridging or using an elytra. Striders provide a safe alternative for Nether travel, however.
11 Piglins
Before the 1.16 update, trading items only occurred with passive mobs like villagers or the wandering trader. But now, Piglins, a mob that can be both passive and hostile, has changed that rule. Piglins are truly unique due to their dual personality, which can change instantly depending on whether or not the player is wearing gold armor.
Speaking of gold armor, Piglins also gave a real utility to the previously useless gold gear. Now, any Minecraft player worth their salt has to enter the Nether with at least one piece of gold armor. A for the Piglin trades, they have revolutionized item rarity in Minecraft by giving players an alternate way to get access to rare items like ender pearls. Thanks to Piglins, survival in the Nether is actually a possibility.
10 Phantom
Phantoms have been a huge problem for Minecrafters ever since their announcement during the MINECON Earth event in 2017. Jeb, one of the game's developers, announced a contest that year, asking fellow Minecrafters to vote on a new mob that would be implemented in an update later that year. In the end, the Phantom was able to get the most votes out of the two other mobs. The other mobs on the ballot were thrown out, never to be seen again.
The Phantom brought a huge change to an average Minecrafter's routine. The player couldn't go without sleep for three days, so if they wanted to go mining they had to watch their backs! Phantoms fly around and swoop down to attack Minecrafters and deal a lot of damage to their prey.
9 The Guardian
When dealing with this hostile mob, Minecrafters need to have protective gear to counter against the Guardian's powerful lazar-beam. They are an aggressive mob that eliminates anything in-sight, including harmless squid. Their aggressiveness comes from their function: protecting the gold blocks hidden inside of their ocean monuments.
If players need some quick gold without having to mine for hours, Guardians are a good source for a quick buck. Know which potions are needed for a successful loot because if one faces a Guardian empty-handed, they could die in an instant.
8 Iron Golem
These mobs may be the most useful in Minecraft, as the Iron Golem serves as a protector of its creator. They are one of the few mobs that can be created along with the Wither. Players may often see Iron Golems in large villages and they will keep a close eye to make sure visitors don't try anything stupid.
Iron Golems deal a lot of damage to hostile mobs by throwing them into the air; it goes without saying that they're pretty dangerous. Gamers interested in building an Iron Golem need to have materials such as iron and a pumpkin, and can have as many as they can create!
7 Ocelots
Ocelots have become the go-to pet in Minecraft more so than their opposite, Wolves. Ocelots can be found in the jungle biome but players have to be smart to catch one. They are extremely quick and can run away from any danger. To tame these lightning-fast creatures players will need to feed them raw cod or salmon, so going on a fishing trip beforehand is a must.
Another thing about Ocelots is that they are really good house pets and amazing companions who can even scare away Creepers. Cat lovers adore this update!
6 Wolves
Wolves can do certain things that Ocelots can't, such as attacking hostile mobs. Similar to the Ocelot, they can be tamed with bones instead of fish. Wolves are very loyal companions that will stay with the player till the very end... unless they see a Creeper. They will scamper away and leave players to fight that battle alone.
A plus side to wolves is that they will attack every other mob that poses a threat to the player. Wolves make essential house pets and will follow commands, except for anything to do with those explosive blocks.
5 Skeleton
One of the only mobs who shoot arrows to attack players, the Skeleton is a normal mob that has been in Minecraft since the beginning. Gamers have seen the Skeleton in many different versions, inspiring players to create enchanted weapons to defeat them as well as useful redstone contraptions.
Skeletons are pretty weak mobs and won't be a problem if the players are aware of their presence. Mojang Studios may endorse beefing up the Skeleton to become stronger in the future, but it's uncertain when or if that will happen.
4 Evokers
"Dangerous" is an understated description for these monsters. Evokers are wizard-like versions of the villager that can shoot harmful claws and spawn tiny blue men with swords called Vex. They have a big advantage over most players because of their wide attack radius, so attacking with a bow and arrow is the only option.
The icing on top is that they won't fight alone, because their doppelgängers (the Pillagers) are pretty angry and won't think twice about attacking. Anyone who is daring enough to come in contact with them has to find their woodland mansion first but be warned; in this mansion, mercy is in short supply.
3 The Enderman
The Enderman is hands-down one of the most terrifying hostile mobs in Minecraft's history. They are really smart and they can also teleport, which is a unique skill no other mob has.
Using water is a good strategy to kill an Enderman, as it is one of their biggest weaknesses. Doing so will provoke them and they will become hostile. Another good strategy is to dump water near them for a quick attack. When they die, they often drop an Ender Pearl.
2 The Ender Dragon
The Ender Dragon is pretty much the final boss of Minecraft. In order to kill this mob, players have to destroy the End Crystals that regenerate its health. A good strategy is to climb up the towers to get a better angle to damage the crystals.
This advantage will protect players from the crystal's explosion when they're destroyed. When attacking the Ender Dragon, use enchanted weapons because they deal more damage to this massive beast. When the Ender Dragon is killed, two portals will appear, with one leading back to the overworld and the other to the End City.
1 Creeper
It would be a crime to not put the Creeper on this list. After all, the Creeper has been one of the most (in)famous yet terrifying hostile mobs in Minecraft. Since the birth of the game, creepers have had only one function: to explode!
They often spawn in caves and places where they are least expected so always watch out. What would Minecraft be without this explosive green block? It's an iconic figure in the gaming community, and all Minecrafters know that the Creeper is a staple of their world.
Minecraft was released on November 18, 2011, and is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, Wii U, PlayStation Vita, and many other platforms.