Minecraft is one of the longest-running and most recognizable sandbox games in the world. With over 600 million total Minecraft players and billions of randomly generated maps, players have an infinite world to explore. But exploring under the oceans can be extremely difficult unless players have a few Potions of Water Breathing to help out.

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Updated on January 7th, 2022 by Russ Boswell: Minecraft continues to grow, adding new and interesting items, enemies, mobs, and even biomes to its ever-expanding worlds. Thanks to the Caves and Cliffs Part 2 update, players can now explore fantastical new areas and are even able to sift through Lush Biomes, which usually have large bodies of water within them. To better help players navigate these areas, as well as the Ocean and other bodies of water, the following list has been updated. It now includes even more information on Water Breathing Potions in Minecraft as well as some other alternatives to using Water Breathing Potions in Minecraft.

Water Breathing Potions in Minecraft

Minecraft Water Bucket

There are several variations of Potion of Water Breathing, but each of them allows players to breathe underwater. This will allow Minecraft players to destroy underwater monuments, fight sea critters, and even mine underwater with ease. However, making potions in Minecraft is never easy. The recipe for Potion of Water Breathing has to be followed carefully to get the right result.

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Ingredients

Before trying to make some of these Water Breathing potions, players will need a variety of materials and crafting stations at ready. The first thing they will need is a Crafting Table, which players will most likely have no issue getting. It can be crafted with 4 Wood Planks at any time, and Crafting Tables can be used for just about anything in Minecraft.

Crafting a Potion of Water Breathing in Minecraft

Players will also need:

  • 2 Blaze Rod
  • 3 Cobblestones
  • 1 Water Bottle
  • 1 Nether Wart
  • 1 Puffer Fish
  • 1 Redstone (optional)

Using one of the Blaze Rods and three Cobblestones from the list above, craft a Brewing Station. Brewing Stations can also be stolen from Minecraft villages or villagers, if players don't care to make one themselves. Igloos with basements will also have Brewing Stations in them, so players spawning in snowy plains biomes should look for one.

Blaze rods can be acquired from the Nether, by finding a Nether fortress. There's typically one around 100-200 blocks from the Nether spawn point. Players need to find a Blaze spawner and kill Blazes to acquire Blaze rods. Nether Wart is also found in these Nether fortresses, so keep an eye out for red mushroom-like plants growing on soul sand while exploring a fortress.

How to Make Water Breathing Potion

Once players have their list of ingredients and Brewing Station all ready to go, they will need to put the potion together. First, use the remaining Blaze Rod to make Blaze Powder. Then head to the Brewing Station, and follow these directions in this order:

  • Open Brewing Station Menu in Minecraft.
  • Add the Blaze Powder to the left-hand box. This will activate the Brewing Station and get everything bubbling.
How to craft Potion of Water Breathing in Minecraft
  • Add a Water Bottle to one of the three boxes at the bottom of the Brewing Station Menu (players can brew multiple potions if they fill each of these three slots with a water bottle).
  • Add the Nether Wart to the top box, then wait for brewing to complete. Players will now have an Awkward Potion.
  • Put the Puffer Fish in the top box, then wait for brewing to complete. The Awkward Potion will now be a Potion of Water Breathing.
  • Optional: Add a Redstone at this stage and get a Potion of Water Breathing that lasts longer.

Now players will be able to swim freely, without worrying about drowning or coming to the surface to breathe. The effect of the Potion is only temporary but will give players some time to discover what lies beneath the sea, like underwater temples, underwater mining, and even building an underwater Minecraft city if players get bored enough.

As mentioned, adding Redstone dust will extend the duration. Without Redstone, the timer for the effect is 3 minutes, and with Redstone dust added, the time extends to a whopping 8 minutes. Given how cheap Redstone dust is and how easy it's to get, players should always extend the potion duration when they can afford to.

When Should Players Use Water Breathing Potions?

Water Breathing potions might seem very niche to some players, but ever since the 1.13 aquatic update, they've become important to the game. So much loot is located underwater in ruins and shipwrecks, including treasure maps that can lead to buried treasure of diamonds and hearts of the sea, which is used to make a conduit.

Water Breathing potions are also required for those who want to defeat the Elder Guardians inside an Ocean Monument. These underwater dungeons are extremely tough without proper Water Breathing status effects, on top of having quite difficult enemies as well. Players wanting to get their hands on Prismarine, sponge blocks, and the gold treasure in these monuments will have to invest in Water Breathing potions.

Alternatives To Potion Of Water Breathing

Door Airpocket Minecraft
  • Although Potion of Water Breathing is the best way to explore underwater areas, it's not always practical (or easy) to make them. Thankfully, there are some other things that players can do to give themselves extra breathing capabilities underwater aside from simply crafting and using the potion. Here's a look at some other things that players can do to help themselves survive a deep dive.
  • Players that find a Turtle Shell can craft a Turtle Shell Helmet that comes with the Water Breathing effect, which will provide players with an additional 10 seconds of underwater breathing time.
  • Doors are capable of creating air pockets underwater. Players can simply place a door underwater (as long as there is ample space) and then open it to create a water-free space than can be moved into to replenish breath.
  • There are an array of items that, when placed underwater, create small air pockets that players can swim into head-first to refill their breath. Items like Stone Cutters, Banners, and even Cakes (which can also be eaten) will give the player a portable air tank of sorts.

Creating A Conduit

a conduit in minecraft being activated underwater.

One of the most useful underwater items in Minecraft is the Conduit. These structures, when built, give players a buff called Conduit Power, which imbues them with unlimited breath underwater, night vision, and even faster underwater mining speed, so long as they are nearby the Conduit.

To create a conduit, players will need to gather eight Nautilus Shells and one Heart of the Sea. Nautilus Shells can be found from defeating drowned that are carrying them or within treasure chests located with maps or in shipwrecks. The Heart of the Sea is also found in treasure chests but is a bit harder to locate. To build the Conduit, players can simply place the Heart of the Sea in the middle of a crafting table and surround it completely with Nautilus Shells.

Once they have created the Conduit item, players will need to build a Conduit Housing by using Prismarine. Players will need approximately 57 Prismarines to create enough blocks to house the Conduit and activate it. By creating a 3x3 frame, placing the Conduit inside, and then building Prismarine up around it, players will see the Conduit "open up" to showcase a blue sphere. If done correctly, the Conduit Power buff will activate for any players near the power source.

Minecraft is available now on Mobile, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

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