Crying Obsidian: Your Complete Minecraft Guide

Crying obsidian is a purple variant of regular obsidian found exclusively in the Nether. Added in the 1.16 update, it's become essential for anyone setting up a permanent base in the Nether. Unlike standard obsidian, it can't be used to build Nether portals, but it serves a far more interesting purpose: it's the primary ingredient for crafting respawn anchors.

What's Crying Obsidian?

Crying obsidian gets its name from the tears that appear to drip down its surface, giving it a distinctive appearance compared to regular obsidian's smooth, glossy finish. The block has a purple and blue coloration that makes it stand out immediately in the Nether. I'd honestly say it's one of the best-looking blocks Mojang added to the Nether update, purely from an aesthetic standpoint.

The most crucial thing to know: you need at least a diamond pickaxe to mine it. A wooden, stone, or iron pickaxe won't drop anything if you try, which catches a lot of newer players off guard. Actually, let me be more precise here - with anything weaker than diamond, it'll break but won't drop the block. With diamond or netherite pickaxes, you get the item every time.

What makes crying obsidian mechanically different from regular obsidian?

Finding Crying Obsidian in the Nether

You'll find crying obsidian in specific Nether structures, not scattered throughout the landscape. Ruined portals are your best bet - these are half-destroyed Nether portals that generate in the Nether (and sometimes in the Overworld). They're built from various Nether blocks, including crying obsidian. Whenever I'm exploring the Nether, I keep an eye out for that distinctive purple color among the blackstone and aged copper.

Bastion remnants also contain crying obsidian, though it's less abundant there than in ruined portals. Ancient cities below Y-level 0 have some, but honestly, if you're deep enough to reach ancient cities, you've got bigger concerns than mining crying obsidian. The easiest approach is finding a ruined portal, mining a few blocks, and moving on.

If you want to search systematically, you can use the Minecraft Block Search tool to identify which structures spawn near your coordinates. This saves you from wandering the Nether aimlessly.

One thing worth noting: ruined portals generate randomly, so you might need to explore quite a bit to find them. Bring a stack of blocks for building down from floating portals.

How to Mine and Collect It

Mining crying obsidian is straightforward but requires preparation. You need either a diamond or netherite pickaxe - full stop. Netherite is obviously better since it won't break as fast, but a single diamond pickaxe can mine plenty of crying obsidian before wearing out (assuming you're not mining regular obsidian too).

The mining speed is slow, similar to regular obsidian. Don't expect quick results. Each block takes about 9-10 seconds with a diamond pickaxe, longer with netherite. What this means in practical terms: mining 16 crying obsidian blocks will take you several minutes. Plan your structure accordingly if you're thinking of building a large project.

Here's a tip from my own testing on my server: bring a Silk Touch pickaxe if you're planning to mine other blocks nearby, then switch to a regular diamond pickaxe for crying obsidian. You can mine the same ruined portal structure for both crying obsidian and other materials without wasting durability. Here's the thing, though honestly, diamonds are common enough that this optimization is probably overkill unless you're deep into a long session.

Crying obsidian always drops one block when mined successfully. No randomness, no variance.

What You Use It For

The main crafting use is the respawn anchor. So this is the real big deal for Nether bases. A respawn anchor lets you set your spawn point in the Nether, so instead of respawning at your Overworld bed if you die deep underground, you'll come back nearby. For anyone spending serious time in the Nether, this is invaluable.

The recipe is straightforward:

• 6 crying obsidian blocks
• 3 glowstone blocks in the center (arranged in a plus/cross pattern)

This gives you one respawn anchor. To actually use it in the Nether, you need to charge it with glowstone blocks - right-click it while holding glowstone to add a charge. Each charge lets you spawn there once. When you run out of charges, you need to recharge it. It's a resource sink designed to make Nether respawning feel consequential rather than free.

Most players mine 12-18 crying obsidian for their Nether base, depending on how many respawn points they want. I typically use 2-3 respawn anchors positioned strategically around my main base and mining tunnels.

Why Crying Obsidian Matters for Nether Exploration

Before respawn anchors existed, dying in the Nether meant losing everything immediately or making a desperate run back down to retrieve your items. The addition of crying obsidian and respawn anchors changed that completely.

For multiplayer servers, respawn anchors are nearly essential. When you're playing on a server like CraftMC with other players, having a safe respawn point means less drama when someone inevitably gets caught in lava or surrounded by ghasts. It's also useful for coordinating with teammates during dangerous expeditions - everyone knows where to meet up if things go wrong.

You can also use respawn anchors creatively in base design. Some players arrange multiple anchors in ritual circles or fortress-like chambers, turning the anchor system into an aesthetic feature rather than just functional. The glowing core pulses with energy, creating a neat visual effect.

Let me check the Minecraft Server Status Checker to see how many players are actively exploring Nether bases right now - turns out a lot of people are investing time in permanent Nether infrastructure.

Pro Tips for Working with Crying Obsidian

First: mine extra. You'll think you've enough until you decide to add another respawn anchor somewhere else, then you're trudging back to the Nether for more. Just grab 20-24 blocks while you're out there. The storage space is negligible.

Second: bring a shield and food. Ruined portals aren't always dangerous, but they can spawn in awkward places surrounded by lava or hostile mobs. The Nether is unpredictable. I've had more than one mining trip interrupted by a sudden blaze encounter.

Third: if you're playing survival, consider setting up a small mining outpost near where you find crying obsidian. You don't need anything fancy - a few blocks high to avoid mobs, a bed if you're in the Overworld, and some chests. Makes return trips much faster.

And here's something I learned the hard way: crying obsidian doesn't have any other crafting uses beyond respawn anchors. Don't hoard it thinking you'll need it later for something else. Two stacks is usually your maximum unless you're building something purely decorative.

Crying obsidian's placement in Minecraft's progression is interesting because it creates a meaningful choice for Nether exploration. You're committing resources to comfort and safety rather than raw power or efficiency. It's one of those design choices that makes the Nether feel like a place worth settling into rather than just passing through.