Stalagmites are a somewhat new item in Minecraft that many players are still confused about. Known in-game as Pointed Dripstone, there are two types. Stalagmites are pointy droplets that point upward and are dangerous in caves where they most commonly occur. Continue reading the guide below to learn more about stalagmites and what they can do in Minecraft.
What is a spiky droplet in Minecraft?
Spiky droplet is the name for both stalagmites and stalactites in Minecraft. Stalagmites point upward from the ground, and stalactites point downward from the ceiling. Both generate in drip caves, and form naturally when connected to a drip block. Dripstone blocks have the ability to grow pointed dripstones underneath them.
Sharp dripstones and dripstone blocks can be mined in caves where they are generated. Any tool can be used to mine dripstone, but a pickaxe is the fastest method. You can also craft a droplet block by combining 4 pointed droplets at a crafting table. This will allow you to choose where to place your pointed dripstones and allow them to grow more.
How to get a spiky droplet in Minecraft
Now that you understand what a pointy dripstone is, how do you find one? Dripstone Cave is located in the overworld cave biome and can generate at any height. However, they most commonly occur far from water, so if you want to find caves, you’ll want to dig as far inland as possible. Basically, you can find the Drip Cave like any other cave.
Dripstone Cave has numerous stalagmites and stalactites that are immediately noticeable when discovered. Sharp dripstones do not occur naturally anywhere else. This means that if you see that block, you are near or inside the Dripstone Cave.
What can stalagmites do in Minecraft?
Especially when it comes to stalagmites, they don’t have much use in Minecraft. However, stalagmites are one of the most dangerous blocks you can encounter. Falling on top of it doubles your fall damage and can even kill you from a certain distance. This also applies to mobs, so if the stalagmites are placed correctly, you can use them to set up some nice traps around your base. This does not apply to mobs that are immune to fall damage.
In addition to causing damage, stalagmites are primarily used for decoration of the player’s base. When paired with stalactites, they can look very nice in the corner of a room or as the focal point of a basement hideaway.
What can stalactites do in Minecraft?
If you’re curious about stalactites too, they are additionally available in Minecraft. If you place a stalactite connected to a water source on top of the cauldron, there is less chance of water falling into the cauldron. This also applies to lava, but it’s much less likely. When you drop water or lava into a cauldron, the water level increases by 1 until the cauldron is full.
For this feature to work, the water or lava source connected to the stalactite cannot move. The source must be stationary, but submerged blocks will also work.
When stalactites fall, they can damage you or mobs. However, this only happens if the block connected to the stalactite is broken, so it’s not as useful as dealing damage with a stalagmite.
