Minecraft Igloo Basement: Where to Find It and How to Cure a Zombie Villager
A Minecraft igloo basement is an optional underground room, and about half of igloos include one. You reach it through a hidden oak trapdoor under the third carpet from the igloo’s doorway. Igloos appear in snowy biomes like Snowy Plains, Snowy Taiga, and Snowy Slopes. The basement has been part of the game since the February 2016 Combat Update.
Inside, you’ll find a villager and a zombie villager in separate barred cages, plus a chest holding a golden apple. Curing the zombie villager takes about 3 to 5 minutes once you apply Weakness and use that apple, so you can finish the job in one visit.
Key Takeaways
- You can find a Minecraft igloo basement in about half of igloos, so check several igloos in Snowy Plains or Snowy Slopes before giving up.
- The hidden oak trapdoor in a Minecraft igloo basement sits under the third carpet counted from the doorway, and if you find a snow block there instead, that igloo has no basement.
- The zombie villager in the Minecraft igloo basement converts back into a villager about 3 to 5 minutes after you use the golden apple from the chest on it, once you have thrown the Splash Potion of Weakness at it.
- If the golden apple from the Minecraft igloo basement chest is already gone, you can craft a new one at a crafting table using eight gold ingots around one regular apple.
- Grab the Splash Potion of Weakness and the golden apple before you open the zombie villager’s cage so you don’t have to climb back up the ladder partway through the cure.
Do Igloos Have Basements in Minecraft?
Some do, but not all. About half of igloos include an underground basement, so don’t expect one in every igloo you find. The basement is an optional extra. The Minecraft Wiki’s igloo page lists the details on how igloos generate.
From the outside, a basement-free igloo looks exactly like one with a hidden room. Snowy Plains and Snowy Slopes often have several igloos close together, so you may need to check more than one before you find a basement.
An igloo without a basement has a snow block where the trapdoor would be. If you lift the third carpet from the doorway and find snow instead of wood, skip that igloo and try the next one on your map.
Where Is the Hidden Hatch Under an Igloo?
Your hidden hatch is an oak trapdoor under the third carpet from the igloo’s doorway. Check that spot first so you don’t have to search the whole igloo.
Here is how to get down once you’ve found the right carpet.
- Stand in the doorway and face the inside of the igloo.
- Walk along the floor and count three carpets from the doorway.
- Lift the third carpet to reveal the oak trapdoor underneath.
- Open the trapdoor and climb down the ladder shaft into the basement.
Be careful on the way down. Some of the stone bricks in the shaft are infested, and breaking one can release silverfish.
If you lift the third carpet and find a snow block instead, that igloo has no basement. Skip it and head to the next igloo on your map.
What Is Inside the Igloo Basement?
The basement is a small room reached by a ladder shaft, and most of what you need is within arm’s reach once you climb down. Watch your footing. The walls and shaft are built from stone bricks, and some of those bricks are infested. Break one and a silverfish can pop out, so take your time around the bricks.
Two villagers wait in separate cages behind iron bars: a regular villager and a zombie villager. The bars keep them apart, so you can focus on the zombie without worrying about the other one.
Several other items sit around the room:
- A cauldron filled two-thirds with water
- A flower pot holding a cactus
- A brewing stand with a Splash Potion of Weakness
- A chest containing a golden apple
The brewing stand and chest hold the items that matter for the cure. Grab the Splash Potion of Weakness and the golden apple before you open the zombie villager’s cage, so you aren’t climbing back up the ladder partway through the process. The cauldron and cactus aren’t part of the cure, so you can leave them alone.
How Do You Cure a Zombie Villager in an Igloo Basement?
To cure the zombie villager, you apply Weakness, use a golden apple, and then wait while it converts back into a villager. The whole process takes about 3 to 5 minutes, so you can finish it in one visit.
Work through these steps in order, because the apple only does its job after Weakness is in place.
- Open the zombie villager’s cage and throw the Splash Potion of Weakness from the brewing stand at the zombie villager.
- Once Weakness has taken effect, hold the golden apple from the chest and right-click the zombie villager to use it on him.
- Close the cage door and leave the zombie villager inside while it converts.
The conversion needs time, so don’t break out or move the zombie villager to another spot. Keep it in its cage and stay nearby until the transformation finishes.
Iron bars and beds can speed up the process. The basement’s cages are already built from iron bars, so keep them intact and avoid replacing them with other blocks. If you have a bed to spare, place one close to the cage to help the cure along.
Once the zombie villager turns into a regular villager, you can open the cage and leave it in peace. The cured villager is a regular villager you can trade with, so you won’t need to cure it again.
Where Can You Get a Golden Apple for Curing?
The basement chest holds one golden apple, which is enough to cure the zombie villager during your visit. If you need a spare, or you’ve already used that apple on another cure, you can craft a new one in a crafting table with eight gold ingots and one regular apple.
Open the crafting table and place the apple in the middle square of the 3×3 grid. Then fill the other eight squares, all around the apple, with gold ingots. Once the grid matches that pattern, the golden apple appears in the output slot, and you can move it into your inventory.
Gather your gold before you start. You can smelt raw gold or gold ore in a furnace to make the ingots, and you’ll need eight of them for each golden apple.
Spotting Your Next Igloo Basement on a Snowy Map
Your next step is to pick a snowy biome on your map and start scanning for igloos. Snowy Plains and Snowy Slopes are good places to begin because they often have several igloos close together. Walk up to each one, stand in the doorway, and count three carpets in to check for the oak trapdoor.
Before you set off, make sure your inventory is ready. Gather eight gold ingots and one regular apple, since you’ll need them if the chest’s golden apple is already gone or you find a second zombie villager. A crafting table is all you need to turn them into a golden apple.
Keep a tally as you go. Mark each igloo you check as either a hatch or a snow block so you don’t walk back to the same one twice. Once you find a basement, follow the steps in this guide and you’ll have a cured villager before you leave.