Skip to content
Block Atlas

Tools

Since 1.18, hostile mobs want true dark.

The old “light level 7” rule is retired. Block light has to be 0. A torch is 14 on the block it sits on, and it falls off with distance.

Block light

  1. 0
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14

The dark cell is 0, and it is the only level that spawns hostile mobs. 1 through 14 do not. A cave can still hide a zero in a corner the torch does not quite reach. Sky light handles the surface in the day. At night the surface goes dark unless you lit it yourself.

Phantoms

Stay out of a bed for three in-game days — one real hour — and the Overworld starts sending phantoms at night, while you have sky above you. Sleeping resets the clock. So does dying. A roof stops the spawn over that spot. It does not reset the insomnia.

What to actually place

  • Torches on the floor of a strip mine, close enough that no block reads 0.
  • A jack o’lantern or a lantern if you are tired of torches burning the floor plan.
  • Peaceful, if the light is not the problem you wanted.