You’ve spent hours mining. You’ve traded with villagers until your pockets are empty, and you’ve finally hopped through that static-filled black portal. Now what? Honestly, the first time most people see the health bar pop up at the top of the screen, they panic. It's dark, there are terrifying tall men everywhere, and a giant flying lizard is trying to headbutt you into the void. If you’re wondering how do you defeat the Ender Dragon, you aren't just looking for a "hit it till it dies" strategy. You need a survival plan.
The Ender Dragon isn't actually the hardest boss in Minecraft—that's probably the Wither if you're playing on Bedrock Edition—but she is the most iconic. She’s the gatekeeper to the End Cities and those sweet, sweet Elytra wings. But if you go in underprepared, you’re just going to end up as a death message in the chat.
The Gear Most People Forget
Most players know they need diamond or netherite armor. That’s a given. But armor alone won't save you from a 50-block fall when the dragon launches you into the stratosphere. You need a water bucket. Seriously. It is the most important item in your hotbar. Whether you’re MLG-watering a fall or scaring off an Enderman that’s mad you looked at him, the bucket is king.
Bedrock players should prioritize Feather Falling IV. Java players, get your slow-falling potions ready.
Bring a stack of empty bottles. Why? Dragon’s Breath. When she sprays that purple cloud of lingering damage, you can right-click with a bottle to collect it. It clears the area so you don't die, and it gives you the rarest brewing ingredient in the game. It's a win-win. Also, bring way more blocks than you think. Cobblestone is fine, but End Stone is better because the dragon can't destroy it as easily. You'll need them to bridge or tower up to those pesky iron-barred crystals.
💡 You might also like: Finding Advanced Warfare Intel Locations: Why Most Players Still Miss Them
The Bow vs. Snowballs Debate
It sounds like a joke, but snowballs actually deal damage to the Ender Dragon. They’re fast, you can carry stacks of them, and they’re great for sniping the End Crystals. However, for the actual kill, a Power V bow is your best friend. Don't bother with Infinity unless you really hate inventory management; a stack of arrows is usually plenty.
Taking Down the Towers
You can't kill her while those crystals are up. They heal her. It’s annoying. Most of the towers are easy to snipe from the ground, but a couple of them are encased in iron bars. This is where people usually die.
You have to climb.
While you're up there, you’re a sitting duck. The dragon loves to "perch" or charge while you're mid-climb. If you hear that roar and the flapping of wings getting louder, move. Fast. Once you’re at the top, break the bars, hit the crystal, and get down. Pro tip: You can actually hit the crystal through the corner of the iron bars with a well-placed arrow or a snow ball if you find the right angle, saving you the climb entirely. It’s tricky, but it’s a total game-changer for speedrunners.
The Perch Phase
Eventually, the dragon will fly to the center of the arena—the "bedrock fountain." She’s immune to arrows here. This is the melee phase.
👉 See also: Your Car Needs Service Tarkov: That Bizarre Bug or a Feature You Missed?
Do not stand in front of her. Her breath will melt you in seconds. Instead, get under her tail or hit her from the side. If you’re feeling brave (and a little bit crazy), use beds. In the End, beds explode with more force than TNT. If you place a bed on the bedrock portal and try to sleep in it just as the dragon’s head is over it, you’ll deal massive damage.
Just make sure there's a block between you and the bed. Otherwise, you’re going to explode too.
Dealing with the Endermen
The real boss isn't the dragon; it's the hundreds of Endermen watching the fight. If you accidentally look at one, your focus shifts from the dragon to a screaming teleporting nightmare.
Wear a carved pumpkin.
It ruins your vision and makes the screen look like a grainy Halloween movie, but Endermen won't attack you. If you hate the pumpkin overlay, you can actually change your GUI scale or use a resource pack to make it transparent, but even without cheats, it's safer than fighting ten Endermen at once. If you refuse to wear the pumpkin, just stay in the water or keep a 2-block high roof over your head.
🔗 Read more: Exactly how many chapters are in The Evil Within 2 and how long it takes to beat them
The Final Blow and the XP Drop
When her health hits zero, she’ll fly to the center and disintegrate in a shower of purple light. This is the most satisfying moment in the game. But don't just stand there staring at the light show.
The XP drop is massive—enough to take you from level 0 to about level 65. It drops in waves. Make sure you’re standing near the fountain to soak it all up. If you aren't careful, half of those orbs will fall into the portal, and while they aren't gone forever (they usually end up at the world spawn point in the Overworld), it’s a pain to go find them.
Practical Steps for Your Next Attempt
- Set your spawn right outside the portal in the Stronghold. Use a bed. If you die, you want to be back in the fight in ten seconds, not ten minutes.
- Empty your inventory of anything you don't need. You're going to want space for that dragon egg and the loot you find later in the End Cities.
- Bring a ladder. If you get knocked off a tower, a well-placed ladder can save your life if you miss the water bucket clutch.
- Kill the crystals first. Seriously. Don't even try to hit the dragon until every single crystal is gone. It's a waste of durability.
- Bridge away. Once she's dead, don't just go home. Look for the small floating portal surrounded by bedrock. Throw an Ender Pearl into it. That's how you find the Outer Islands, the Elytra, and the Shulker boxes that actually make the game "finishable."
Defeating the dragon is really just the beginning of the endgame. Once she's out of the way, the entire dimension opens up. You'll go from struggling to survive to soaring through the air with rockets and wings. Just remember: stay calm, watch your feet, and never, ever look an Enderman in the eye unless you mean it.