Mine ancient debris in the Nether around Y=15 with a diamond pickaxe, smelt it into netherite scrap, and craft 4 scrap plus 4 gold into an ingot. Then use a smithing table with a Netherite Upgrade template, diamond gear and the ingot.
- Ancient debris is most common at Y=15 to 16 in the Nether.
- Beds and TNT blow up netherrack but not debris.
- 4 scrap + 4 gold ingots = 1 netherite ingot.
- Templates come from bastions; duplicate with 7 diamonds and netherrack.
- Each gear piece needs 1 ingot, so 4 debris.
01Where do you find ancient debris?
Netherite starts as ancient debris, a rare ore that only spawns in the Nether.
- On average, Y=16 holds the most debris. Tunnel with your feet at Y=15 so you see both layers.
- It generates between Y=8 and Y=119, but most of it sits low.
- The game tries to place it where it is not touching air, so you rarely spot it on cave walls.
- You need a diamond or netherite pickaxe to mine it.
Stay safe down there:
- The Nether lava sea sits at Y=31, so Y=15 is below it. Lava can pour in when you break into an open area.
- Drink a Potion of Fire Resistance before long trips. It makes you immune to lava damage while it lasts.
- Carry blocks to plug lava leaks fast. Netherrack is fine; it is everywhere.
Java averages under 2 debris per chunk. Bedrock attempts more clusters per chunk (up to five), so debris tends to be a bit easier to find there.
02How do you mine ancient debris fast with beds or TNT?
Ancient debris has very high blast resistance, so normal explosions don't break it. Netherrack, on the other hand, blows apart.
- Dig a long tunnel at Y=15.
- Every few blocks, blast sideways into the walls.
- Walk through the crater and grab any debris left standing.
TNT: craft it with gunpowder and sand. Beds: beds explode when you try to sleep in the Nether. They are cheap, but always stand behind a block and wear Fire Protection. Bedrock players: beds won't explode if the respawnBlocksExplode gamerule is off.
03How do you turn debris into a netherite ingot?
| Step | Input | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Smelt | 1 ancient debris | 1 netherite scrap |
| Craft (shapeless) | 4 netherite scrap + 4 gold ingots | 1 netherite ingot |
| Smithing table | Template + diamond item + 1 ingot | Netherite item |
A blast furnace smelts debris faster than a regular furnace. A full set of armor plus a sword and pickaxe is 6 items, so you need 6 ingots: 24 debris and 24 gold ingots.
Short on gold? Nether gold ore is common and drops gold nuggets. Nine nuggets craft into one ingot, and piglins in bastions guard whole blocks of gold.
Treasure bastion chests can also hold ready-made netherite ingots.
04Where do you get the netherite upgrade template?
Since 1.20, every upgrade uses up a Netherite Upgrade smithing template. They only come from bastion remnants.
- Treasure room chest: 100% chance.
- Bridge, hoglin stable and generic chests: 10% chance each.
Duplicate it once you have one. Put the template in the top middle slot, netherrack in the center, and fill the other 7 slots with diamonds. You get 2 templates back.
Bastions are dangerous. Keep these rules in mind:
- Wear at least one piece of gold armor so most piglins stay calm.
- Piglin brutes attack anyway, gold or not. Fight them from a doorway.
- Opening chests or breaking gold blocks makes nearby piglins angry, so clear the room or block their view first.
- Bastions often sit on lava. Bring blocks to bridge and a Fire Resistance potion.
05How do you upgrade diamond gear to netherite?
- Open a smithing table.
- Place the Netherite Upgrade template in the first slot.
- Place your diamond item in the second slot.
- Place a netherite ingot in the third slot.
- Take the netherite item.
Enchantments and armor trims carry over. It costs no XP and does not raise the anvil work penalty. Netherite items also survive fire and lava.
Tip: enchant your diamond gear first. You keep every enchantment when you upgrade. See our best enchantments guide for what to put on.
06Is netherite worth it over diamond?
For main gear, yes. Here is how a full armor set compares:
| Full armor set | Diamond | Netherite |
|---|---|---|
| Armor points | 20 | 20 |
| Armor toughness | 8 | 12 |
| Knockback resistance | None | 40% |
| Lost in lava | Yes | No, the item floats |
Higher toughness means big hits hurt less. Netherite also lasts longer and its durability isn't hurt by fire or lava.
What to upgrade first:
- Pickaxe, so you mine more debris faster.
- Chestplate and leggings, the pieces that give the most armor.
- Sword or axe, then helmet and boots.
07Go mining on a live server
CHEAT SMP is a Java 26.3 survival server where your starting Ore Ping power helps you spot ores nearby, and the Sell Chest pays for ancient debris (22 Cheater Cash base, before market scaling). Join at play.cheatsmp.dev, and check the economy page and legit x-ray page to see how it works.
FAQFrequently asked questions
What is the best Y level for ancient debris?
Y=15 to 16. Y=16 has the most debris on average, so tunnel with your feet at Y=15.
How many ancient debris do you need for full netherite armor?
Each piece needs 1 ingot, which takes 4 debris. A full armor set is 16 debris and 16 gold ingots.
Can you duplicate a netherite upgrade template?
Yes. Craft 1 template, 1 netherrack and 7 diamonds to get 2 templates.
Does TNT break ancient debris?
No. Ancient debris is blast resistant, so TNT and bed explosions clear netherrack around it without destroying it.
Like this? Play it with powers.
On CHEAT SMP, ancient debris sells for 22 Cheater Cash base in Sell Chests, and the starting Ore Ping power helps you spot nearby ores legitimately.
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Published Oct 30, 2026. Written for Minecraft Java 26.3; we update posts when the game changes. Not affiliated with Mojang or Microsoft.
