Players looking to complete Minecraft while experiencing every aspect of the game should definitely consider taking on the generated structures. While some are pretty easy to deal with, such as desert temples or shipwrecks, others like the Ocean Monument require a bit of planning.
The Ocean Monument is one of the largest, if not the largest generated structure in the overworld of Minecraft. It only generates underwater, and is completely submerged, which is what makes it such a difficult structure to conquer. Luckily, with a bit of preparation it's completely doable.
Updated By Rosa Baumgartl on June 7, 2022: Ocean monuments have always been a tricky place to loot. They hold some unique and beautiful blocks but being underwater and filled with so many mobs makes them hard to conquer. However, with the introduction of Axolotls, there is now a new and easier way to get your hands on those prismarine goodies. We've updated this article to reflect the fact that the cutest predators can also be the deadliest.
11 Find Any Deep Ocean Biome
The first thing to know about Ocean Monuments is where exactly they generate. If there are any large bodies of water around, that should be the first place to start looking. That being said, not every body of water can house such a large monument.
The key is to find deep ocean biomes. There are several different kinds, and it doesn't really matter which one the player goes for, as long as they're deep enough to generate a monument. Going around on a boat is a great idea, since these monuments generate fairly frequently in the wild.
10 Trade For An Ocean Explorer Map
Alternatively, if there's seemingly no large ocean nearby, or the oceans in the area have already been explored, finding a village is the next best step. Once at a village, a cartographer can be traded with to unlock the Ocean Explorer map, which will lead you to a nearby monument.
If there's no cartographer in the village, you can craft a cartography table, break one of the existing work stations in the village, and place down the table to change the occupation of one of the villagers.
9 Prepare Supplies
Once you have either found a monument or acquired a map leading to one, it's time to pack up a few necessities for the trip. It's recommended to have at least diamond-tier armor, although those playing on snapshot versions should go for netherite, just in case.
Since the ocean is underwater, having a few spare wooden doors to create emergency air pockets is a good idea as well. Otherwise, enchanted diamond-grade tools will serve you pretty well, as well as a bed so you can set your spawn point nearby the monument in case you die.
8 Potions And Milk
Since the ocean is underwater, breathing and moving as easily as possible is the main priority. The first method involves bringing along several potions of water breathing, as well as potions of night vision, which will make seeing underwater much easier.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the Elder Guardians who guard the monument will curse you with mining fatigue when they get close enough. This means mining anything will be pretty much impossible for five minutes, which is why grabbing buckets of milk will be essential to success.
Milk will remove mining fatigue, but it will also remove potion effects, which includes water breathing and night vision.
7 Enchant A Scuba Suit
If you can afford it then you can also opt to take a so-called scuba suit along. This would involve crafting a full diamond armor with some water-related enchantments that will make conquering the monument ten times easier.
The best enchantments would be Depth Strider, Respiration, and Aqua Affinity. Depth Strider enables you to move faster underwater, while Aqua Affinity allows you to mine faster underwater, and Respiration gives you extra time to breathe. Even with this scuba suit, you should still at least bring milk and a few water breathing potions.
6 Build A Conduit
For those who have already conquered a monument before but would like to make the process even easier, building a conduit in range of the Ocean Monument is a perfectly valid strategy as well. This completely removes the need for any potions or special enchantments.
Moreover, if you want to eventually turn the monument into a guardian farm or drain it from water, it's a great idea to have the conduit around to make the job much easier. Just be careful of the guardians while building the conduit.
5
Build An Axolotl Army
Deep underground, amidst the bright flora of the Lush Caves, lives a creature that might be your best bet at a successful Monument take-down.
The cutest predator, Axolotls, can be tamed with a bucket of tropical fish, or simply scooped up themselves and transported to the Ocean Monument in question. From there they will attack hostile mobs, focusing on Guardians, and if they take damage themselves will play dead, gaining the Regeneration buff for ten seconds.
If you help this adorable army they will be gifted Regeneration too, and any Mining Fatigue will be removed in the Axolotl's presence. Once the place has been cleared, the Axolotl can be picked up again and stored ready for your next outing. All the you really need to bring is a source of oxygen and a pickaxe.
4 Dealing With Guardians
Once inside the monument, you'll notice that the place is absolutely packed with these one-eyed fish creatures. While they might look simple enough to deal with, these guardians are actually surprisingly tough, especially if they gang up on you.
The guardians attack with beams, which means they need to be in direct line of sight to deal damage. Thankfully, the monument has many tight corners and pillars you can hide behind if getting attacked by too many guardians. Overall, they should be ignored and avoided for now as they'll simply keep spawning.
3 Defeating The Top Elder Guardian First
The main enemy of the Ocean Monument is the Elder Guardian, of which there are three inside. Every minute or so, an Elder Guardian will inflict you with mining fatigue if you don't already have it. This is why it's important to take them out first, so they don't respawn.
The best one to start with is located right at the top of the monument. Mining down from the center will show the top room where it's usually located. Since it's the easiest to get to from the surface of the water, you should kill it first before proceeding.
2 Finding The Two Other Elder Guardians
The other two Elder Guardians are always located in roughly the same positions, on each extreme side of the monument, the parts that extended forward on both sides of the entrance. It might take a bit of time to swim around and fine them, but the Elder Guardians won't stray far from their locations.
The Elder Guardians don't have unique abilities from the regular guardians. They're simply larger and deal a lot more damage when beaming. Again, the best way to take them down is to stay out of the line of sight when they attempt to beam, and then quickly kill them with a sword.
1 Get Sponges And Gold
Once the Elder Guardians are dead, you can loot the monument. Aside from the abundance of prismarine blocks, the monument also has a dedicated sponge room. Sometimes there are multiples of these, so make sure to look around well, and collect all the sponges as this is the only place to find this block.
The largest room of the monument is the treasure room, where gold blocks can be found encased in dark prismarine blocks. Make sure to pick these up as well before exiting the monument.