The 10 Best Ways to Stop Endermen From Spawning & Attacking

Clever strategies to keep Endermen far away from you

Co-authored by Zac Churchill and Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: February 28, 2025 References

Endermen may seem strange but harmless when you first notice them in the vibrant world of Minecraft, yet they can be fearsome foes when provoked! When night falls, Endermen start appearing in the Overworld, so it’s important to know how to prevent their attacks. Luckily, there are plenty of creative ways to avoid Endermen, from getting into the water to placing a carved pumpkin on your head so they don’t notice you. Read on for a comprehensive list of ways to avoid Endermen attacks (and stop them from spawning in your home base).

1

Try not to look directly at an Enderman.

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Endermen won’t become hostile unless provoked. There are 2 ways to provoke an Enderman: looking directly at it (by putting the camera crosshairs at the center of your screen) or attacking it yourself with an object or your empty hand. If you’re trying to avoid an attack while playing Minecraft, it’s easy to refrain from striking an Enderman—but remember to turn away and redirect your crosshairs when you see one, too.^{[1]
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- Even if you accidentally look directly at an Enderman, it won’t move until you look away. Keep making “eye” contact with your crosshairs directly on it to make the Enderman stand still.
  - This also gives you a chance to back away! Endermen are faster than player characters in Minecraft, but you can get a head start on your getaway plan if you keep looking at them.
- Not sure whether you provoked an Enderman? If it’s hostile, you’ll see it start to shake, and its mouth will open. It’ll also start making a loud, angry noise that sounds like static distortion.

2

Equip a carved pumpkin.

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Wearing a pumpkin on your head will stop them from being hostile. When you have a carved pumpkin equipped (meaning your player character is wearing the pumpkin on their head), you’ll be able to look directly at Endermen without provoking them. However, remember you’ll still provoke an Enderman if you hit it. So long as you leave them be, you can pass by Endermen safely with your pumpkin helmet!^{[2]
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- To carve a pumpkin, all you’ll need is a pair of shears. Select the shears in your hotbar, then position your pointer over the pumpkin and use the shears to carve it!
  - Carving a pumpkin will also drop pumpkin seeds—so pick those up for use later if you want them.
- Pumpkins generate naturally in most Overworld biomes; they’re especially common in the Windswept Hills, Windswept Gravelly Hills, and the Plains.

3

Jump into a lake or river.

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If an Enderman attacks, entering the water will make it retreat. Endermen don’t like water and teleport away if they touch it—so if you find yourself under attack, run for the nearest body of water. Entering a river, lake, or other water will stop an angry Enderman from getting to you. It may even help to travel by swimming rather than passing through dry land if you know that Endermen are around.^{[3]
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- You may even be able to create a potion of water breathing in order to swim underwater rather than traveling on land!
- It’s also a good idea to carry a bucket of water around with you in your hotbar at all times!
- Simply place the water at your feet and stand in the puddle if an Enderman attacks. They won’t cross into the water, enabling you to avoid the attack.
- If you want to kill Endermen without getting attacked, stay near the edge of the water and hit them as they get close. They still won’t be able to reach you while you’re in the water.

4

Hide in a low, sheltered area.

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Endermen can’t enter an area less than 3 blocks high. Endermen are taller than your player character in Minecraft, standing 3 blocks tall. So, if you’re in a structure (or even a cave or hastily-built shelter) with only 2 blocks of vertical space, an angry Enderman won’t be able to get you there. If you can’t find natural shelter, use your pickaxe to dig a 2-block-high shelter into a vertical surface (like a rock face or cave).^{[4]
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- Alternatively, carry enough blocks around to create an impromptu shelter if needed!
- Simply stack 3 blocks vertically, then create a “roof” for your shelter from the tallest block. That’ll ensure only creatures less than 3 blocks high (like your character) can enter and keep Endermen out.
- If you build a temporary shelter, remember that Endermen can move certain blocks, including dirt, gravel, and sand. Build a shelter with a material they can’t move, like bedrock, cobblestone, ice, or obsidian.

5

Travel while it’s raining or sunny.

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While Endermen won’t burn in the sun (like zombies and skeletons do), they definitely don’t like it. So, when you’re in the Overworld during the daytime, you likely won’t see Endermen spawn. The same goes for rain; Endermen don’t like water, so if it’s raining—regardless of the time—they won’t spawn. That’s why it’s a good idea to travel during the day or while it’s raining!^{[5]
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6

Stand on a 3-block-high tower.

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An angry Enderman can’t get to you when you’re high on a tower. If you need to stand your ground in an Enderman attack but want to avoid taking damage or actually getting hit by it, simply stack 3 blocks on top of each other to build a quick, improvised tower. As long as you’re standing on top of those blocks, you’re taller than the Enderman, so it can’t reach you.^{[6]
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- This method also allows you to strike an Enderman when it gets close to you without getting hurt in return, making it an easy way to kill Endermen safely.

7

Build an Enderman-proof base.

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You won’t be attacked if Endermen can’t get into your base. Feel like building a cool house in Minecraft? Endermen can teleport inside home bases at night, especially if your home isn’t properly protected, so safeguard your home against them!^{[7]
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- Using non-solid blocks. Endermen won’t teleport onto non-solid blocks like glass, glowstone, or slabs, so using them may stop Endermen from spawning.
- Lighting torches. Endermen don’t like light, so a well-lit home base may deter them from entering.
- Installing glass windows. If you look at an Enderman through a glass window, they won’t be provoked and start attacking.
- Making a pool. A pool filled with water gives you a safe place to retreat if you need to defend your home.
  - Endermen tend to teleport into houses on nights when there’s a full moon—so make sure your home base is well-protected before the night of a full moon!

8

Create a water or lava moat.

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Water or lava may stop Endermen from teleporting into your base. Surround your base with a wide moat filled with either water (which Endermen are afraid of) or lava (which damages them) to prevent them from spawning in or around the home. Since Endermen can teleport up to 32 blocks horizontally, and hitting water causes them to teleport again, try making a moat at least 65 blocks wide.^{[8]
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- With a 65-block moat, even if an Enderman teleports in the direction of your home after hitting the moat, the likelihood of them getting inside is slim (since teleporting twice still only lets them travel 64 blocks horizontally).

9

Steer clear of the End.

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The End is where Endermen spawn most frequently. Therefore, it’s the most dangerous spot if you’re trying to avoid Endermen attacks. Try not to visit the End if you’re nervous about dealing with lots of Endermen and want to refrain from seeing them at all. However, the End is also a great source of Ender pearls—so you may need to go there occasionally.^{[9]
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- Wear a carved pumpkin on your head at all times while finding an End portal and visiting the End. So long as you don’t attack any Endermen, they should leave you be.
- Keep a bucket of water equipped in your hotbar. In case of emergency, pour the water onto the ground and stand in it to stop swarms of Endermen from getting close.

10

Throw some ender pearls.

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Broken ender pearls may spawn endermites, which Endermen will attack. Ender pearls only have a 5% chance of spawning endermites, but when you’re in a bind and there are Endermen very close to you, it may still be worth trying. Carry several ender pearls with you (or try to find them in the area). Throw the pearls when an Enderman approaches; if an endermite spawns, the Enderman will immediately attack it instead of you.^{[10]
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- To throw a pearl, all you need to do is press “use” and choose a direction; the ender pearl will be consumed, and an endermite may spawn at the landing site.
- This technique is also a great distraction if you need several Endermen to flock to a particular place—especially somewhere with many of them, like the End.

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Question

What do I do if I see an Enderman?

Banana Head

Top Answerer

If he looked at you, and started shaking, get in a pond/lake/body of water. If no body of water is close, make a 2 block high shelter, and stand underneath it. Since Enderman are 3 blocks tall, they cannot reach you in a 2 block high shelter.

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How can I prevent Endermen from spawning in my house?

Community Answer

Endermen hate water, so consider placing three lengths of water around your house. Make a bridge over the water so that you can get in and out. Also, use a glow stone inside your house instead of torches.

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Question

Why do Endermen take blocks in normal world?

Entity303

Community Answer

No one really knows, though there are theories. One of these theories is that Enderman were once normal humans, and the cure to return them back to humans is hidden underground. That is why they pick up blocks - to look under them for the cure. This also explains why they teleport - to cover more distance in their search. The reason they may want to be human again may be the fact that water hurts them, and they were so used to drinking water from when they were human. This theory also explains that Endermen are self-conscious, and think they are ugly as Endermen. That is also a reason why they want to be human. It is also why they attack you when you look at them.

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