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Water on a lava source becomes obsidian, on current lava becomes cobblestone
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Obsidian on portal
/give @s minecraft:obsidian 10 -
Lava Bucket
/give @s minecraft:lava_bucket
Water seeping to lava source, turns it into obsidian. It can only be mined by diamond pickaxe or netherite pickaxe — 9.4 s with an unenchanted diamond pickaxe. You can also cast a Nether portal in place using buckets, without a pickaxe.
Water touching a lava source turns it into obsidian.
- Find the lava source — for example, stationary lava in a lake.
- Pour water so it reaches the lava from above or the side.
- The source becomes obsidian, and the flowing lava around it becomes cobblestone.
A lava source is stationary lava from which lava flows. Flowing lava next to water becomes cobblestone, not obsidian. Lava from a bucket is always placed as a source. More generators — Cobblestone, Stone, Basalt.
| What | How many blocks to break | It drops |
|---|---|---|
| By hand | 4 min 10 sec | no |
 Wooden Pickaxe | 2 min 5 sec | no |
 Stone Pickaxe | 1 min 2,5 s | no |
 Copper Pickaxe | 50 s | no |
 Iron Pickaxe | 41.7 seconds | no |
 Diamond Pickaxe | 9.4 seconds | yes |
 Netherite Pickaxe | 8.35 s | yes |
 Golden Pickaxe | 20.85 seconds. | no |
| Netherite pickaxe with Efficiency V | 2,15 s | yes |
Iron Pickaxe breaks Obsidian, but it does not drop — time is wasted. Time is calculated by game formula; for any block and enchantment — Resource calculator.
- Place a temporary form: a dirt or cobblestone column next to where the frame block will stand.
- Pour lava into the block where the frame is located, either on top or beside it, and pour water so it reaches the lava.
- A lava source turns into obsidian. Remove water with a bucket and form — then proceed to the next block.
- Ten blocks — ten times lava and water. Then ignite the frame with flint and steel.
Lava from a bucket is always a source, so it turns into obsidian, not cobblestone.
The smallest frame is 4×5 blocks, requiring 10 obsidian without corners. The largest is 23×23. To calculate other frame sizes, use Portal calculator How the portal works — «Portal to the Nether».
| Where | Chance |
|---|---|
| Chest | 46% |
| Bastion chest | 24% |
| Weapon Smith's Chest in village | 23% |
| Trade with piglin for a gold ingot | 8,5% |
| Nether Fortress Chest | 7,5% |
The chance — per chest or per trade. The most common prepared obsidian is found at broken portalsFound in chests and in the frame itself. Piglins give it for gold. barter. Crying Obsidian — another block: it cannot be turned into water or lava, only found or traded.
Beacon — 3 Obsidian blocks
Enchanting Table — 4 obsidian
Ender Chest requires 8 Obsidian blocksObsidian is nearly unbreakable by explosions: creepers and TNT cannot destroy it, so it's used for protection. Learn more about the block — «Obsidian».
How to make obsidian in Minecraft?
Pour water so it reaches the stationary lava — the source — turning it into obsidian. Current lava exposed to water becomes cobblestone, not obsidian.
How to obtain obsidian?
Use a diamond or netherite pickaxe. Other pickaxes can break it, but will not drop obsidian. An unenchanted diamond pickaxe takes 9.4 s.
How to make a portal to the Nether without a diamond pickaxe?
Pour lava into the frame's location using a bucket and water. Requires 10 blocks — 10 buckets of lava. Corner blocks are not needed.
- A portal to the Nether
- Cobblestone generator
- Infinite water
- How to build an elevator?
- How to breed villagers
- How to Cure a Zombie Villager
- Invisible item frame
- Totem of Undying
- How Villagers Restock Trades
- Text on Sign
- Latest Minecraft version
- How to build a house
- How to avoid breaking
- Item sorter
Minecraft 26.3 data: numbers and rules — from client code and files; every command is verified by the game.