This article is part of a directory: Minecraft Complete Guide And Walkthrough
Table of contents

No one can deny just how impressive it is that Minecraft's popularity continues ten years after its release. Fans are showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, the game and its community just seems to be getting better and better as time goes on. With new content on the horizon, Minecraft is expected to be around for a long time.

RELATED: 10 Tips For Mending In Minecraft

While the past year has been an introduction to many new features, even some of Minecraft's old creatures and mechanics tend to be shrouded in mystery. The game doesn't exactly give you a guidebook, which is why we're sharing 10 things to know about the Iron Golem, a mysterious iron creature that protects villagers from harm.

10 He's Born From Gossip

Iron Golems will always spawn in a village, but not all villages will have an Iron Golem. There's usually a greater chance of finding one in a bigger village, but the real requirement for an Iron Golem to spawn is gossip. Yes, that's right, Minecraft villagers are big on gossip. Whenever these otherwise antisocial beings stare at one another, they're actually socializing.

Villagers gather by the village's bell to share gossip with one another, about the player and any trading that has been going on. This has a chance of spawning an Iron Golem, as one of the villagers gossips about the need of having one in the village.

9 He Can Be Crafted

While the Iron Golem will usually spawn by himself in a village where gossip is taking place, he can actually be crafted by the player as well. However, the resources needed for this titan of a creature aren't exactly insignificant. Four blocks of iron have to be arranged similarly to summoning the Wither.

RELATED: Minecraft: 10 Curse Of Vanishing Memes That Are Too Funny For Words

On top of the iron blocks, the player also needs a pumpkin, which has to be carved with shears into a pumpkin head. With that they should have their very own Iron Golem to protect their base from mobs.

8 He's Sometimes A Prisoner

With the 1.14 update, Minecraft's villages changed a lot. Along with these changes also came some new features, such as the Pillager outposts. These evil versions of villagers would occasionally attack villages from their outpost, usually located a few blocks away from the actual village itself.

Sometimes, an Iron Golem can be found inside a wooden cage nearby a Pillager outpost. If he's released from his prison, he's able to help the player fight off the Pillagers. This is a great strategy since outposts can be surprisingly deadly if there are tons of Pillagers around, along with a Captain.

7 He Can Be Used To Farm Iron

It might sound really heartbreaking, but there's a very useful machine-like farm out there that actually kills Iron Golems over and over again. Iron farms basically have a bunch of villagers in them, which then spawn Iron Golems into a body of water. The flow of the water will then push it down a chute, into a chamber with lava.

This is by far the most efficient way to farm iron in Minecraft. Players who can't be bothered to constantly go caving and find iron for their needs will greatly benefit from recreating a farm like this, even if it's a bit cruel towards the Iron Golems.

6 He's The Arms Of The Villagers

When the Iron Golem was first released, the developers said he was inspired by the giant in the movie The Castle In The Sky. The reason why he was put into the game in the first place was the lack of protection that villagers had against mobs. Since villagers don't have arms, developers wanted to create a protector creature that would stand up for them.

RELATED: 5 Reasons Why Minecraft Needs A Sequel (& 5 Why It Doesn't)

The Iron Golem can often be seen wandering around villages, usually patrolling down the pathways that run through it. Sometimes, however, he'll communicate with the villagers. He can be seen offering a poppy to the villagers at times, which goes to show he's very sweet and reliable.

5 He Can Be Healed

Iron Golems will attack the majority of hostile mobs on sight if they present a threat to the villagers. However, he's not immortal or unbeatable. Against a whole group of enemies, he can be surprisingly vulnerable if he doesn't get help from the player. Eventually, as his health goes down, cracks will begin to appear on his body.

Iron ingots can be used by the player to heal up a damaged Iron Golem. With an ingot equipped in the right hand, press Mouse 2 on a Golem to heal 25% of its lost health. This can be done several times to fully restore them.

4 He Deals A Lot Of Damage

While they might not look like much, Iron Golems are fearsome creatures. When they turn hostile, they will hurl the enemy into the air and deal immense amounts of damage by smacking their opponent continuously.

If that doesn't seem like much, keep in mind that one single attack from an Iron Golem is about 7-21 hearts of damage. This is a lot from a creature that can be summoned very easily and is found in many villages. Pro tip: don't hurt villagers and never, ever challenge an Iron Golem without proper gear.

3 He Needs A Village

It should go without saying that an Iron Golem is always tied to a village. This is where he spawns: among villagers, to protect them. Forcing him outside of a village is nearly impossible, as he'll often wander back into his village to fulfill his duty.

RELATED: 10 Facts You Didn't Know About Minecraft

Even if an Iron Golem is summoned in the middle of nowhere, it will slowly try and wander towards the nearest possible village. This is why Iron Golems should always be summoned into an area where they cannot escape from, so that they're not lost into the wilderness.

2 He Doesn't Care About Water

The Iron Golem has one big immunity, which is water. Made of iron, this makes sense. He doesn't seem to rust or drown, and can stand underwater for as long as he wants. It's not the ideal place for a Golem, but at least a player doesn't have to fear losing their Iron Golem underwater.

Iron Golems also don't take any fall damage, no matter high up they fall from. Since they're entirely made of iron, that's also a pretty logical immunity and a good thing to know in case a player somehow manages to accidentally push their Golem down a cliff.

1 He's Often Underestimated

There was once a time when the Iron Golem was known as the second sturdiest creature in the game. His health pool was the second largest, which is kind of hard to believe even today. After the Wither was added as a boss, the Iron Golem became the mob with the third biggest health pool.

This is another reason why challenging an Iron Golem is a terrible idea. But it's also why they're such reliable guardians to the villagers, due to their ability to sustain and dish out incredible amounts of damage.

Next: Minecraft Complete Guide And Walkthrough