New Farms · Deep Dark · Java & Bedrock
How to Make a Sculk XP Farm
Kill mobs on a sculk catalyst to grow a field of sculk, then mine it for a burst of experience.
MOB DIES → SCULK SPREADS → MINE FOR XP
deaths spread sculk
mining sculk gives XPA mob dying on a sculk catalyst spreads sculk across the blocks around it. Mine that sculk and it drops experience, so a mob farm over a catalyst doubles as an XP source.
What you need
A sculk catalyst
The sculk it growsThe XP you harvest
Blocks for it to spread onDeaths grow it, mining gives XP
A sculk catalyst blooms when a mob dies beside it and spreads sculk across the floor, spending the kill's experience to do so. You get that XP back by mining the sculk with a normal tool. So drop a mob farm onto a catalyst, let a big patch grow, then harvest the whole field for experience and let it spread again.
Quick answers
What is a sculk XP farm in Minecraft?
It is a farm that turns mob deaths into a field of sculk, which you then mine for experience. Mobs die on a sculk catalyst, the catalyst spreads sculk across the blocks, and breaking that sculk gives you XP, so a mob farm over a catalyst doubles as an XP source.
How does a sculk catalyst work?
When a mob dies within a few blocks of a sculk catalyst, the catalyst blooms and spreads sculk and sculk veins onto nearby blocks, sometimes adding sensors or shriekers. It uses the death's experience to power that spread, so the kill itself does not drop XP orbs.
How do you get XP from sculk?
You mine it. Breaking a sculk block with a normal, non-silk-touch tool drops a little experience, and sculk sensors, shriekers and the catalyst drop more. Grow a big patch of sculk from many deaths, then harvest the whole field for a pile of XP.
How do you build a sculk XP farm?
Drop mobs from a spawner or mob farm onto a sculk catalyst sitting on a floor of convertible blocks. Let the deaths spread sculk across the floor, then mine the sculk for XP and let it regrow. Some builders automate the mining and collection.
Is a sculk XP farm better than a normal mob farm?
It depends. A normal mob farm gives XP straight from kills and is faster per point. A sculk farm is slower but renewable and great when you also want sculk blocks for builds or want to harvest XP in bursts by mining.
Does a sculk XP farm work on Bedrock?
Yes. Sculk catalysts spread sculk from deaths and sculk drops XP when mined on both editions, though spread and timing differ a little, so a Java design may need tuning on Bedrock.