How to get and use the heart of the sea in Minecraft

There are many blocks and items available to all Minecraft players and as such there are many that players often forget about or overlook. One such item is the Heart of the Sea as most players aren’t quite sure what to do with it when they get it or never see it at all unless they are specifically seeking it.

The heart of the sea is a treasure that has only one purpose but can immensely help players in their underwater gameplay. Here is a breakdown of how to find the heart of the sea and what to do with it once you have attained it.

What is the Heart of the Sea in Minecraft

The heart of the sea is a rare item that can only be found as buried treasure. This means that players must first find a shipwreck or ocean ruins to then attain a buried treasure map that will lead them to a location where buried treasure is hidden. It is used to create a conduit, an item that gives the player various effects underwater including water breathing and underwater night vision. A red X on a buried treasure map indicates where players need to go to find buried treasure and thus a heart of the sea.

Where to find the Heart of the Sea in Minecraft

Players struggling to find both a shipwreck and an ocean ruins should

1. Start by feeding a dolphin raw cod or raw salmon to be led to the closest shipwreck, ocean ruins, or sometimes even directly to buried treasure.
2. When you have found your first treasure chest and it is without a Heart of the Sea, break it and the dolphin will lead you to the next one.
3. On your way, feel free to collect treasure maps and buried treasure until you find the Heart of the Sea.

Buried treasure is generally located near beaches but can also be occasionally found elsewhere beneath the ocean floor. Finding buried treasure usually requires a bit of digging while breathing underwater so players should be sure to watch their bubbles carefully or make use of an underwater breathing aid so that they do not accidentally drown while searching for treasure.

How to use the heart of the sea in Minecraft

There is only one use for the heart of the sea which is to turn it into a conduit. A conduit is an item that buffs players in a style similar to that of beacons. Players will need to collect one heart of the sea and eight nautilus shells to then create a conduit at the crafting table.

How to make a conduit

1. Players should start by placing the Heart of the Sea in the center of the crafting table.
2. Place the nautilus shells in a circle around the treasured item
3. The option to craft a conduit will then appear.

The resulting conduit is an item that has the Heart of the Sea floating in a box enclosed by shells and grants payers buffs while also acting as a powerful light source.

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Conduits are powerful items that can be placed in a frame of the player’s choice underwater to provide buffs and eliminate hostile underwater mobs. The buff provided by conduits is called “Conduit Power” and combines three different Minecraft effects together to grant players Water Breathing, Night Vision (while underwater), and Haste (while underwater). There are specific rules on how to use a conduit.

1. Construct a frame of prismarine-type blocks (sea lanterns, prismarine, dark prismarine, or prismarine bricks) for the conduit underwater.
2. Place the conduit in a three-by-three-by-three volume of water.
3. The frame must also be at least 16 blocks which will create a 32-block range for the conduit to cover.

When a hostile underwater mob, such as drowned or guardians, is within the eight-block range of a conduit the mob will slowly be attacked by the conduit and will eventually die as long as it stays in range. It generally takes a few hits from the conduit before mobs will die depending on how much health they have.