Minecraft: 10 Hardest Achievements

Minecraft Java Edition boasts over 30 achievements, offering players optional challenges that can add variety to gameplay. While there’s no shiny reward for completing them all, chasing these achievements can give you a sense of purpose when you’re unsure what to do next.

For those who love a good challenge, tackling the game’s most difficult achievements is the ultimate flex. Whether you’re aiming to impress your friends or simply prove your skills, these achievements are sure to test your patience and creativity. In this article, we’ve compiled the 10 hardest achievements in Minecraft, so let’s jump in and see if you’re up for the challenge!

#10: When Pigs Fly

This achievement may sound simple, but it’s more challenging than you might expect. To earn “When Pigs Fly,” you’ll need to saddle a pig, ride it, and then make it take fall damage while you’re still on its back. The tricky part? Finding a saddle, as they can’t be crafted and must be looted from dungeon chests, bastions, or other rare loot locations.

Once you’ve got a saddle, you’ll need to guide the pig off a ledge using a carrot on a stick. Timing and location are key—too small a drop won’t cause fall damage, while too large a fall might kill the pig before you earn the achievement. It’s a quirky yet deceptively tricky challenge that requires resourcefulness and a bit of patience.

#9: On A Rail

“On A Rail” challenges players to travel at least 1,000 blocks in a straight line on a minecart. While it might sound straightforward, achieving this milestone takes a significant amount of time, resources, and planning.

To start, you’ll need a large amount of iron and gold for crafting rails and powered rails, as well as redstone to activate the powered rails. Once you’ve gathered the materials, you’ll need to find or create a flat, uninterrupted area for the track. This can take hours, especially if you’re clearing obstacles or building over rough terrain.

The achievement isn’t just a test of patience but also resource management and planning. Completing it is an impressive feat that proves you’re willing to put in the work for Minecraft’s more grind-heavy challenges.

#8: Return to Sender

“Return to Sender” is a Nether-specific achievement that tasks players with deflecting a Ghast’s fireball and hitting it back to kill the Ghast. While it may seem simple at first glance, the execution can be surprisingly difficult due to the Ghast’s erratic movement and the Nether’s dangerous environment.

First, you’ll need to locate a Ghast, which isn’t always easy in the vast and treacherous Nether. Once you find one, you’ll have to time your attack perfectly to reflect its fireball back. Adding to the challenge, the Ghast’s floating and unpredictable movement can make landing the killing blow frustratingly tricky.

To improve your chances, bring a bow as backup in case the fireball doesn’t connect, and be sure to clear out nearby lava pools to avoid accidental burns. Successfully completing this achievement is as rewarding as it is satisfying, proving your mastery of combat in Minecraft’s fiery underworld.

#7: Sniper Duel

The “Sniper Duel” achievement requires you to kill a Skeleton from at least 50 blocks away using a bow. While it might sound simple, the challenge lies in both the distance and the precision required.

First, finding a clear line of sight over 50 blocks can be tricky, especially in Minecraft’s naturally uneven terrain. Once you’ve found the perfect spot, you’ll need to locate a Skeleton, preferably at night or in a dark area. The challenge escalates as you aim and fire, compensating for the bow’s drop-off and ensuring the Skeleton doesn’t wander out of range or into cover.

Using higher ground or crafting a makeshift sniper tower can help you keep a steady aim. Enchantments like Power and Punch on your bow can also make the process quicker. Completing this achievement showcases not just your archery skills but also your ability to strategize under pressure.

#6: The Beginning

“The Beginning” is a challenging achievement that requires players to summon and defeat the Wither, one of Minecraft’s most dangerous bosses. This feat demands not only preparation but also strategy, as the Wither is an incredibly destructive and powerful enemy.

To summon the Wither, you’ll need to gather three Wither Skeleton skulls by farming Wither Skeletons in Nether fortresses—a task that is both time-consuming and luck-dependent due to their low drop rate. You’ll also need four blocks of Soul Sand to complete the summoning structure.

Once summoned, the Wither will immediately begin wreaking havoc, firing explosive projectiles and regenerating health. You’ll need strong armor, plenty of healing items, and a powerful weapon (preferably enchanted) to survive the battle. A controlled environment, like an underground chamber, can help contain the chaos.

Defeating the Wither is no small task, making “The Beginning” a true testament to your combat and preparation skills in Minecraft.

#5: Beaconator

To earn the “Beaconator” achievement, you must construct a fully-powered beacon pyramid, one of the most resource-intensive and time-consuming tasks in Minecraft. This achievement not only requires defeating the Wither to obtain a Nether Star for the beacon itself but also gathering a massive amount of valuable resources for the pyramid base.

A fully-powered beacon pyramid consists of four layers made entirely of iron, gold, emerald, diamond, or netherite blocks, totaling 164 blocks in all. Mining and collecting this much material is a monumental grind, especially if you’re using rarer resources like diamond or netherite.

Once you’ve built the pyramid, you’ll need to place the beacon on top, power it, and activate a secondary effect to complete the achievement. It’s a true test of your patience, mining skills, and dedication, making it one of the hardest achievements in Minecraft.

#4: Master Trader

The “Master Trader” achievement requires you to successfully trade with a Villager at the highest level of their profession. To earn this, you must level up a Villager to the maximum trading tier, which can be quite a challenge, especially if you’re trying to do it quickly.

Each Villager profession has five trade levels, and to reach the maximum level, you’ll need to either trade with them repeatedly or cure zombie Villagers to reset their trades. The process requires a lot of resources and time, as you’ll need to gather enough materials to trade for the most beneficial trades they offer.

While the achievement itself sounds simple, it’s a real grind. You’ll need to manage your resources, cure zombie Villagers, and potentially even build a trading hall to maximize your efficiency. Completing this achievement is a great way to prove your resourcefulness and patience in the world of Minecraft’s economy.

#3: Cover Me in Debris

“Cover Me in Debris” is an achievement that requires you to wear a full set of armor made from Diamond, Netherite, or any other material of your choice, but with a twist—it has to be enchanted with at least one enchantment on each piece.

To unlock this achievement, you’ll need to spend significant time and resources mining, crafting, and enchanting your armor. The toughest part is acquiring the enchantments, as you’ll need an enchanting table and possibly an anvil to apply them. You’ll need to grind for experience points to enchant each armor piece, ensuring that they are properly enchanted.

It’s a challenging achievement not only because it requires crafting the armor itself, but also because it requires getting the right enchantments, which might take several attempts. But once you’ve successfully enchanted each piece and equipped the full set, you’ll have earned an achievement that shows your dedication to survival and protection in Minecraft.

#2: The End

“The End” achievement is a major milestone in Minecraft, requiring players to defeat the Ender Dragon in the End dimension. To unlock this achievement, you’ll need to gather resources, locate and activate the End Portal, and then take on one of the most difficult bosses in the game.

The process begins with finding a Stronghold and activating the End Portal with Eyes of Ender. After that, you’ll face the Ender Dragon, which requires careful preparation, including powerful armor, weapons, plenty of arrows, and healing items. The Ender Dragon flies around the End, healing itself from the End Crystals located on obsidian pillars, so you’ll need to destroy those first before you can start dealing damage to the dragon.

This achievement not only requires combat skills but also strategic thinking and resource management, making it one of the toughest achievements to complete in the game. Defeating the Ender Dragon is a true test of Minecraft survival and skill, making “The End” one of the most rewarding achievements to unlock.

#1: Adventuring Time

“Adventuring Time” is arguably one of the hardest achievements in Minecraft due to the sheer amount of exploration and effort required. To earn this achievement, you must discover every biome in the game at least once, which can be an incredibly time-consuming and difficult task, especially with the vast world generation in Minecraft.

With over 60 biomes to explore, ranging from the familiar Plains and Forests to the more exotic and rare biomes like the Mushroom Island or the Ice Spikes, this achievement demands players to travel far and wide, often across massive distances. Some biomes, like the Jungle or the Swamp, can be particularly difficult to locate.

To complete this achievement, you’ll need to be patient, explore in every direction, and possibly even use tools like Elytra to speed up the process. It’s a true test of your dedication to exploration, and completing it is a huge accomplishment that will showcase your Minecraft adventure skills.

Conclusion

Minecraft offers a wide range of achievements that test players’ skills in different ways. Whether you’re conquering the Ender Dragon in The End, trading your way to success in Master Trader, or exploring every biome for Adventuring Time, these hardest achievements push players to their limits. Completing these challenges requires dedication, strategic planning, and a significant investment of time. But, once unlocked, they serve as a true testament to your perseverance and expertise in Minecraft. So, if you’re looking for your next challenge, these achievements will provide the ultimate test for any seasoned Minecraft player.