Nether Reactor Core

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File:Minecraft Pocket Edition IconZ.png
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Nether Reactor Core
First Appearance Pocket Edition alpha 0.5.0
Type of Block Solid
Stackable Yes 64
Template:Tnavbar


The Nether Reactor Core was a block that could be crafted by a player to form the Nether Spire. It was crafted with three diamonds and six iron ingots. The block was exclusive to Pocket Edition as a replacement of the Nether, which is found in both Bedrock Edition and Java Edition. It was one of the three blocks exclusive to the Pocket Edition, the others being: Glowing Obsidian and Stonecutter. It no longer functions as of alpha 0.12.1.

Behavior[edit | edit source]

Once the pattern was built, all players were required to stand within a certain range of the Nether Reactor. If the pattern was somehow incorrect, there would be a message stating "Incorrect pattern!". Once it was hit (while in the correct pattern), a message stated "Active!", and the Nether spire would be formed around it. The Cobblestone would then change to glowing obsidian, which is a red obsidian-like block. After a while, the Gold Blocks would also become glowing Obsidian. Before they did, however, it was possible to mine them for re-use. While the Reactor was active, it would spurt out many items and blocks, as well as spawning zombified piglins (before the Nether Update, they were known as zombie pigmen). These zombified piglins were naturally hostile to players. After 45 seconds, the Reactor would stop spawning items and zombified piglins. Holes in the Nether Spire would appear, and all the glowing obsidian would become normal obsidian. The core then became a dull blue and could be mined and re-used.

Crafting[edit | edit source]

Nether Reactor
Iron Ingot Diamond Iron Ingot
Iron Ingot Diamond Iron Ingot
Iron Ingot Diamond Iron Ingot


The Setup[edit | edit source]

These are diagrams of how to set up the Nether Reactor to activate it, not crafting recipes.

Nether Reactor
Bottom Layer
Nether Reactor
Middle Layer
Block of Gold Cobblestone Block of Gold Cobblestone None Cobblestone
Cobblestone Cobblestone Cobblestone None Nether Reactor Core None
Block of Gold Cobblestone Block of Gold Cobblestone None Cobblestone
Nether Reactor
Top Layer
None Cobblestone None
Cobblestone Cobblestone Cobblestone
None Cobblestone None


Tutorials for Building the Activator[edit | edit source]

File:Minecraft PE - How to use the Nether Reactor Core TUTORIAL - Updated!
File:Making the Nether Reactor Core- Minecraft
A tutorial from December 12, 2013 by user maramokMCPE.
A tutorial from December 12, 2013 by user maramokMCPE.

Tips[edit | edit source]

  • If a player has a diamond pickaxe, they can quickly mine out the gold blocks before they convert to glowing obsidian. The reactor will still function as normally.
  • zombified piglins drop gold ingots, so killing enough zombified piglins can produce enough gold for a new visit to the reactor.
  • Because the Nether spire is a tall, dark room, it can be used as a mob farm.

Trivia[edit | edit source]

  • The reactor design was planned to use gold blocks and iron blocks, but the iron was changed to cobblestone because of its price.
  • The zombified piglins spawned in were naturally hostile.
  • If one quits to title while the Reactor is still active, the holes will not appear when it burns out, until 0.11.
  • The glowing obsidian dropped obsidian when mined.
  • Prior to the 0.6.0 update, the Nether Spire was made of obsidian. This is because Netherrack did not exist yet.
  • Activating the Nether Reactor at Bedrock level will cause the netherrack to cut through the Void. This was and to be used for access in Survival.
  • The Reactor did not work in Creative. (This is intentional.)
  • If one destroyed the nether reactor in Pocket Edition while it is active the obsidian would still glow as if active infinitely but will now spawn any materials or zombified piglins. One could stop this by quitting the game and returning to it or mining the obsidian. Also, the Nether tower would not have holes in them until one made any. Night was infinite until the obsidian is mined or the game is quit. Sleeping wouldn't stop this.
  • Normally in Pocket Edition, only 3 zombified piglins appeared at a time until killed. 6 zombified piglins would spawn before the core is done if one killed them continuously.
  • If the reactor was built after a certain height and try to activate it, a message would display saying "The nether reactor must be built lower down".
  • It was removed in the 0.12.1 update and was replaced with the Nether
    • It can still be obtained with inventory editors, however it will not serve any function.
  • In Minecraft Pocket Edition 0.15.0 the developers mistakenly switched the textures of Nether Reactor Core. They put the plastic texture in the normal one and put the normal one in the Plastic Texture Pack.
  • Players have to be at ground level when activating the Nether Reactor Core.