Netherite is the strongest material in Minecraft – tools and armour made from it are more durable than diamond and don't even burn in lava. The path leads through the Nether: Ancient Debris → Netherite Scrap → Netherite Ingot → upgrade your gear. This guide covers every step.

The road to Netherite: smelt Ancient Debris, craft the ingot with gold, upgrade at the smithing table

What you need

  • A diamond pickaxe (or better) – with anything less, Ancient Debris won't drop
  • Gold ingots (4 per Netherite ingot)
  • A furnace or blast furnace
  • A smithing table
  • From version 1.20: the Netherite Upgrade smithing template
  • Full Nether kit: Fire Resistance potions never hurt 😉

Step 1: Find Ancient Debris (Y-level 15)

Ancient Debris only generates in the Nether, most commonly at level Y = 15. It's rare: on average just 1–3 blocks per chunk.

Proven strategies:

MethodHow it works
Strip miningDig long 1×2 tunnels at Y = 15, with a side branch every 3–4 blocks
TNT miningDetonate TNT in the tunnel – Ancient Debris is blast-resistant and survives
Bed trickBeds explode in the Nether when used – a cheap TNT substitute

Cross-section: tunnel at level Y = 15 with Ancient Debris in the walls and lava below

Important
Ancient Debris only drops when mined with a diamond or Netherite pickaxe. The Fortune enchantment does nothing here – the block always drops exactly itself.
Caution
TNT and bed mining loves to uncover lava. Drink a Fire Resistance potion and never stand right next to the explosion.

Step 2: Smelt into Netherite Scrap

Smelt each Ancient Debris in a furnace or blast furnace to get Netherite Scrap:

1× Ancient Debris  →  1× Netherite Scrap

Step 3: Craft Netherite Ingots

For one Netherite Ingot, combine on a crafting table (shapeless, any arrangement):

4× Netherite Scrap + 4× Gold Ingots  →  1× Netherite Ingot

Crafting recipe: 4 Netherite Scrap and 4 gold ingots make one Netherite ingot

Step 4: Get the Netherite Upgrade (from 1.20)

Since version 1.20, upgrading requires the Netherite Upgrade smithing template. It's found in chests of Bastion Remnants in the Nether.

Tip
The template can be duplicated: 7 diamonds + 1 netherrack + the template on a crafting table yield 2 templates. Find it once and it lasts for your whole kit.

Step 5: Upgrade at the smithing table

At the smithing table, combine: Netherite Upgrade + diamond item + Netherite ingot.

Template + Diamond Sword + Netherite Ingot  →  Netherite Sword
Info
All enchantments are kept – so upgrade your enchanted diamond gear first instead of re-enchanting.

Material costs at a glance

Each item needs 1 Netherite ingot (= 4 Ancient Debris + 4 gold ingots):

GoalNetherite ingotsAncient DebrisGold ingots
1 item144
Full armour (4 pieces)41616
All 5 tools52020
Complete kit93636

Why Netherite is worth it

  • Doesn't burn: Netherite items are fireproof and float on lava
  • More durable than diamond (about 30% more durability)
  • Knockback resistance: Netherite armour noticeably reduces knockback
  • Tools mine faster and deal more damage

FAQ

What Y-level is Netherite (Ancient Debris) found at? Most commonly at Y = 15 in the Nether. Ancient Debris spawns roughly between Y = 8 and Y = 22, peaking around Y = 15 – that's where mining pays off most.

How much Ancient Debris do I need? One Netherite ingot needs 4 Ancient Debris (plus 4 gold ingots). A complete kit (armour + all tools) costs 9 ingots, so 36 Ancient Debris.

Does Netherite burn in lava? No. Netherite items are fireproof and even float on lava – a big advantage over diamond.

Next steps