Best Dungeons, Ranked By Loot

Summary

• Ocean monuments are known for being the go-to spot for sponges, prismarine, and plenty of gold.
• Mineshafts offer basic but useful loot like enchanted books and various ores, making them great for early to mid-game.
• Ancient City and Trial Chamber introduce unique loot like Echo Shards and Heavy Core, while Woodland Mansion offers Totems of Undying.

Minecraft’s structures are what make the game feel the most exciting. Each of them typically provides some degree of challenge, with enemies protecting a treasure chest full of loot. While the latest version, 1.21, didn’t introduce a new structure, the addition of the Pale Garden and the creepy creaking shows that the game is still going through huge changes. No doubt something new will be on the horizon again, soon, dungeon-wise.

The following dungeons or structures were chosen as the best dungeons in Minecraft to explore, purely because of the value and/or utility of their loot. Loot can also include mob drops from specific enemies that spawn in these locations, as well. But among the best dungeons, which of them have the most valuable loot? The dungeons here are ranked either by how useful and special/rare the loot in them is. In some cases, the abundance of chests is also considered.

Updated on January 20, 2025, by Anastasia Maillot: Since the conception of this ranking, Mojang has released two whole new dungeons/structures that deserve a rightful spot here: Ancient City and Trial Chamber. Both of these structures contain loot that is entirely unique to them, from the heavy core and Breeze Rod to sculk blocks and Echo Shards. Some older structures have also been shuffled around as the ‘meta’ of acquiring certain items has shifted with each version of Minecraft.

12

Ocean Monument

Sponges And Prismarine Are In Abundance In These Underwater Dungeons

• Best Loot: Sponges, prismarine, gold blocks

Ocean monuments, though among the top Minecraft dungeons, rank the lowest on this list due to their rather niche loot pool. While it’s true that ocean monuments are key to getting some extremely rare items and resources in Minecraft like prismarine and sponges, these items have very limited use.

The only general loot that any player will see use out of are gold blocks, which can be used to trade with Piglins when converted into ingots. Otherwise, sponges and prismarine are only really useful for players who are looking to build underwater and construct a Conduit.

11

Mineshaft

A Common Structure Where The Loot Can Be Hit Or Miss Depending On Luck

• Best Loot: Enchanted books, Golden Apple, gold ingots, lapis lazuli, diamond, Enchanted Golden Apple

Mineshafts are a very common Minecraft structure found underground, with multiple treasure chests. Some are bigger than others, too, with several cave spider spawners that can be turned into emergency XP farms.

In terms of loot, it’s all quite basic but still extremely useful. Enchanted books have a 14% chance of appearing in a chest, which is decent. Moreover, various ores can be found in the chests, too, with beetroot, melon, and pumpkin seeds, which are great early to mid-game items.

10

Ocean Ruins

A Small, Fairly Common Structure That Hides Potentially Decent Loot

• Best Loot: Enchanted book, enchanted fishing rod, buried treasure map, emerald

Minecraft’s 1.13 update introduced ocean ruins, which spawn in all types of ocean biomes. They usually spawn in groups of several ruined constructions at the bottom of the ocean and are guarded by Drowned mobs.

Several of these structures will feature a treasure chest, which has a 21% chance of having an enchanted book. Treasure maps leading to even better loot have a 43% chance of being in these chests. Moreover, with fishing being so powerful, these chests have a chance of spawning powerful enchanted fishing rods, too. Given how common they are, these ocean ruins are nothing to scoff at.

9

Jungle Pyramid

A Rarer Structure Depending On Nearby Biomes, But The Loot Is Good

• Best Loot: Iron, emerald, gold, diamonds, enchanted book

Those lucky enough to find a jungle biome should comb through it to find a jungle pyramid. These cobblestone structures have two chests on the inside: one at the end of the hallway, and one behind the levers near the stairs.

What makes these such a great structure, despite having a low chance of spawning enchanted books, are the relatively high chances of getting diamonds. At 12.9%, players can expect to possibly find a diamond or two (or three) inside one of the two treasure chests. This makes jungle pyramids powerful early into the game.

8

Nether Fortress

Two Of The Game’s Most Important Pieces Of Loot Are Found Here

• Best Loot: Diamonds, iron, Nether wart, gold, Blaze rods

Nether fortresses are a staple dungeon for Minecraft players, but not necessarily due to valuables. While it’s possible to find diamonds, iron, and gold in some of the chests, overall, the loot remains average among the other dungeons on this list.

The reason it ranks this high is because of its useful loot. Nether wart and Blaze rods are both a must-have to make potions and to eventually find a stronghold and beat the game. So, technically, no player can avoid going to a Nether fortress if they wish to complete the game.

7

Desert Pyramid

With Enough Lock, The Desert Pyramid’s Four Chests Can Contain Highly Valuable Loot

• Best Loot: Enchanted book, emerald, gold, iron, diamond, Enchanted Golden Apple, Golden Apple

Desert pyramids are a grossly underrated dungeon. They’re pretty common, as are desert biomes in general, so coming across one won’t be a problem for Minecraft players. Moreover, a single pyramid has four chests at the bottom, so there are plenty of chances of getting some sweet loot.

In the early game, it has one of the highest chances of dropping an enchanted book at about 23.5%. It is likely players will actually find their first enchantments in a desert pyramid if they can make it down safely. Moreover, diamonds, emeralds, gold, and other resources are commonly found in these chests, too.

6

Stronghold

A Rare Structure, Not Necessarily Appreciated For Its Loot

• Best Loot: Diamond, enchanted book, emerald, Golden Apple, Ender pearl, iron

Strongholds are very rare and hard to come by without crafting Eyes of Ender. But, if players do find them, they’re great for loot. On top of having potentially a chest with an Ender pearl, diamonds, emeralds, and iron, they often come with a library section that has a 67% chance of spawning an enchanted book.

Plus, if players haven’t built an enchantment set up by now in the game, mining those bookshelves in the library counts as good loot. Iron gear and iron tools can also be found in some of the altar chests if players are in dire need of new armor.

5

Ancient City

Incredibly Hard To Traverse, But Packed With Loot

• Best Loot: Enchanted Book, enchanted diamond leggings, Echo Shard, Potion of Regeneration, Ward and Silence Armor Trim Smithing Templates, Sculk blocks

No doubt one of the biggest dungeons on this list, the Ancient City is usually found beneath mountainous biomes and guarded by the fearsome Warden. It’s incredibly tough to traverse quietly without coming prepared with plenty of wool or carpets, so proceed with caution.

Considering its size, it’s no wonder the city is typically packed with loot. Various mini-structures in this gigantic location contain treasure chests that have everything from enchanted books to rare armor trim smithing templates.

4

Bastion Remnant

An Incredibly Dangerous Structure With Must-Have Loot For Those Striving For Netherite

• Best Loot: Ancient Debris, Golden Carrot, Golden Apple, enchanted diamond pickaxe, Netherite scrap, enchanted book, magma cream

Bastion Remnants are one of the hardest dungeons to defeat in Minecraft, and as a result, they also have very valuable loot inside. While it could be argued that they are better than Woodland Mansions due to the possibility of getting Ancient Debris or even Netherite scraps when compared to guaranteed Totems of Undying drops from a Woodland Mansion, they still rank lower.

Players have a 13.5% chance of finding Ancient Debris, which Netherite scraps are made of. Gold ingots and blocks can also be found in Bastion Remnants, along with Golden Carrots, which are considered one of the best foods in Minecraft.

3

Trial Chambers

A Highly Dangerous Structure With An Abundance Of Great Loot

• Best Loot: Emeralds, diamonds, Enchanted Book, Heavy Core, Enchanted Golden Apple, Block of Diamonds, Block of Emeralds, Enchanted Diamond Chestplate

Trial Chambers are so far the newest arrival to Minecraft’s dungeon repertoire. These chambers are a fun, but tough combat challenge that players should be well prepared for. By unlocking the vaults, especially Ominous Vaults in Trial Chambers, they can access a surprisingly good pool of loot.

From diamonds and diamond blocks to emeralds to enchanted books, there’s a lot to look forward to here. But most importantly, Trial Chambers are the one spot to go to in order to acquire the Heavy Core and Breeze Rod to craft a mace.

2

Woodland Mansion

One Of The Rarest Structures, Filled With Incredible Loot

• Best Loot: Golden Apple, Enchanted Golden Apple, diamond chest plate, emeralds Totems of Undying

The general loot of Woodland Mansions and their rarity might weigh their spot down in the eyes of some Minecraft players, but considering that these dungeons guarantee a ton of emerald drops and Totems of Undying, it’s hard to argue they would rank lower than second place.

Totems of Undying are one of the most powerful items in Minecraft, allowing players to cheat death when held in hand. That alone goes to show these dungeons are worth the effort. Some versions of the Mansion also contain a diamond block.

1

End City

The City With A Ship Is The Most Welcome Sight For Any Minecraft Player

• Best Loot: Enchanted gear and weapons, diamond gear and weapons, Elytra

When it comes to the best item in Minecraft, there’s no question about it: the Elytra. Being able to fly around and travel from one location to another quickly is key in a game with an infinite world and long distances.

The Elytra is also excessively rare, only found in specific End Cities with an End Ship. And if the Elytra itself isn’t a reward good enough for players, there’s also a whole array of chests inside End Cities featuring no less than enchanted diamond gear and weapons. It’s by far the best dungeon to grind for solid enchanted loot.