Dripstone (feature)

Dripstone

Biomes	Dripstone caves
Generates in existing chunks	No
Consists of	Dripstone Block Pointed Dripstone Water

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    "title": "Dripstone",
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            "label": "(link to Biome article, displayed as Biomes)"
        },
        {
            "field": "No",
            "label": "Generates in<br>existing chunks"
        },
        {
            "field": "\n* <span class=\"nowrap\"><span class=\"sprite-file\" style=\"\">(link to File:BlockSprite dripstone-block.png article, displayed as 16x16px|link=Dripstone Block|alt=|class=pixel-image|)</span>(link to Dripstone Block article, displayed as <span class=\"sprite-text\">Dripstone Block</span>)</span>\n* <span class=\"nowrap\"><span class=\"sprite-file\" style=\"\">(link to File:BlockSprite pointed-dripstone.png article, displayed as 16x16px|link=Pointed Dripstone|alt=|class=pixel-image|)</span>(link to Pointed Dripstone article, displayed as <span class=\"sprite-text\">Pointed Dripstone</span>)</span>\n* <span class=\"nowrap\"><span class=\"sprite-file\" style=\"\">(link to File:BlockSprite water.png article, displayed as 16x16px|link=Water|alt=|class=pixel-image|)</span>(link to Water article, displayed as <span class=\"sprite-text\">Water</span>)</span>",
            "label": "Consists of"
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    "invimages": [],
    "images": [
        "Large dripstone.png"
    ]
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Dripstone features can be found commonly in dripstone caves biomes. There are three types of dripstone feature: large dripstone, dripstone cluster and pointed dripstone (also known as small dripstone).

Description

Dripstone features generate inside large hollows in the dripstone caves biome. They can generate in water.

There are three types of dripstone feature:

• The first type is the "large dripstone", which takes the form of either a separated stalagmite and stalactite, or a stalagnate, and is composed of dripstone blocks. Stalagnates generate around two positions selected on the floor and ceiling of a cave, which may potentially be separated by several blocks horizontally. The maximum possible size of a large dripstone varies depending on the available space.

• The second type is the "dripstone cluster", a patch of dripstone blocks replacing a section of a cave’s walls, floor and ceiling. Some pointed dripstone blocks will generate hanging from the ceiling and growing on the floor in these patches, attached to the dripstone blocks, forming detailed speleothem growths. Water puddles can also occasionally be found on the floor patches.

• The third type is the "pointed dripstone", which is similar to the dripstone cluster, but only has a single stalagmite or stalactite.

When these types overlap, it results in pointed dripstone generating on the large columns of dripstone blocks.

Data values

ID

Java Edition:

Feature type	[hide]Identifier
[No displayed name]	large_dripstone
[No displayed name]	dripstone_cluster
[No displayed name]	pointed_dripstone

Configured feature	[hide]Identifier
[No displayed name]	large_dripstone
[No displayed name]	dripstone_cluster
[No displayed name]	pointed_dripstone

Bedrock Edition:

Feature	[hide]Identifier
[No displayed name]	dripstone_cluster_feature
[No displayed name]	large_dripstone_feature

Feature	[hide]Identifier
[No displayed name]	pointed_dripstone_feature

which is used in:

Feature	[hide]Identifier
[No displayed name]	small_dripstone_snap_to_surface_feature

which is used in:

Feature	[hide]Identifier
[No displayed name]	small_dripstone_feature

Config

Java Edition:

If type is dripstone_cluster:

• [NBT Compound / JSON Object] config
  • [Int] floor_to_ceiling_search_range For how many blocks the feature searches for the floor or ceiling. Value between 1 and 512 (inclusive).
  • [Int][NBT Compound / JSON Object] height The height of the cluster. Value between 1 and 128 (inclusive).
    • Int provider see Template:Nbt inherit/int_provider/template[show]
  • [Int][NBT Compound / JSON Object] radius The radius of the cluster. Value between 1 and 128 (inclusive).
    • Int provider see Template:Nbt inherit/int_provider/template[show]
  • [Int] max_stalagmite_stalactite_height_diff The maximum height difference between stalagmites and stalactites. Value between 0 and 64 (inclusive).
  • [Int] height_deviation The height deviation. Value between 1 and 64 (inclusive).
  • [Int][NBT Compound / JSON Object] dripstone_block_layer_thickness The dripstone block layer's thickness. Value between 0 and 128 (inclusive).
    • Int provider see Template:Nbt inherit/int_provider/template[show]
  • [Float][NBT Compound / JSON Object] density Value between 0.0 and 2.0 (inclusive).
    • Float provider see Template:Nbt inherit/float_provider/template[show]
  • [Float][NBT Compound / JSON Object] wetness Value between 0.0 and 2.0 (inclusive).
    • Float provider see Template:Nbt inherit/float_provider/template[show]
  • [Float] chance_of_dripstone_column_at_max_distance_from_center Value between 0.0 and 1.0 (inclusive).
  • [Int] max_distance_from_edge_affecting_chance_of_dripstone_column Value between 1 and 64 (inclusive).
  • [Int] max_distance_from_center_affecting_height_bias Value between 1 and 64 (inclusive).

An example[show]

{
  "type": "minecraft:dripstone_cluster",
  "config": {
    "chance_of_dripstone_column_at_max_distance_from_center": 0.1,
    "density": {
      "type": "minecraft:uniform",
      "value": {
        "max_exclusive": 0.7,
        "min_inclusive": 0.3
      }
    },
    "dripstone_block_layer_thickness": {
      "type": "minecraft:uniform",
      "value": {
        "max_inclusive": 4,
        "min_inclusive": 2
      }
    },
    "floor_to_ceiling_search_range": 12,
    "height": {
      "type": "minecraft:uniform",
      "value": {
        "max_inclusive": 6,
        "min_inclusive": 3
      }
    },
    "height_deviation": 3,
    "max_distance_from_center_affecting_height_bias": 8,
    "max_distance_from_edge_affecting_chance_of_dripstone_column": 3,
    "max_stalagmite_stalactite_height_diff": 1,
    "radius": {
      "type": "minecraft:uniform",
      "value": {
        "max_inclusive": 8,
        "min_inclusive": 2
      }
    },
    "wetness": {
      "type": "minecraft:clamped_normal",
      "value": {
        "deviation": 0.3,
        "max": 0.9,
        "mean": 0.1,
        "min": 0.1
      }
    }
  }
}

If type is large_dripstone:

• [NBT Compound / JSON Object] config
  • [Int] floor_to_ceiling_search_range (optional, defaults to 30) The search range from start point to cave floor or ceiling (rather than from floor to ceiling). Value between 1 and 512 (inclusive).
  • [Int][NBT Compound / JSON Object] column_radius Used to provide a min and max value for radius. Note that this int provider doesn't provide a single int, but provides the min and max value of the specified distribution. Value between 1 and 60 (inclusive). See the graph for details.
    • Int provider see Template:Nbt inherit/int_provider/template[show]
  • [Float][NBT Compound / JSON Object] height_scale Higher value leads to higher height. Value between 0.0 and 20.0 (inclusive).
    • Float provider see Template:Nbt inherit/float_provider/template[show]
  • [Float] max_column_radius_to_cave_height_ratio The ratio of the max radius to the height of the cave. Value between 0.0 and 1.0 (inclusive).
  • [Float][NBT Compound / JSON Object] stalactite_bluntness Truncate the tip of stalactite. Higher value leads to lower height. Value between 0.1 and 10.0 (inclusive).
    • Float provider see Template:Nbt inherit/float_provider/template[show]
  • [Float][NBT Compound / JSON Object] stalagmite_bluntness Truncate the tip of stalagmite. Higher value leads to lower height. Value between 0.1 and 10.0 (inclusive).
    • Float provider see Template:Nbt inherit/float_provider/template[show]
  • [Float][NBT Compound / JSON Object] wind_speed Larger value results in larger inclination. Value between 0.0 and 2.0 (inclusive).
    • Float provider see Template:Nbt inherit/float_provider/template[show]
  • [Int] min_radius_for_wind The min column radius to used for the wind. Value between 0 and 100.
  • [Float] min_bluntness_for_wind The min value of the bluntnesses to used for the wind. Value between 0.0 and 5.0 (inclusive).

An example[show]

{
  "type": "minecraft:large_dripstone",
  "config": {
    "column_radius": {
      "type": "minecraft:uniform",
      "value": {
        "max_inclusive": 19,
        "min_inclusive": 3
      }
    },
    "floor_to_ceiling_search_range": 30,
    "height_scale": {
      "type": "minecraft:uniform",
      "value": {
        "max_exclusive": 2.0,
        "min_inclusive": 0.4
      }
    },
    "max_column_radius_to_cave_height_ratio": 0.33,
    "min_bluntness_for_wind": 0.6,
    "min_radius_for_wind": 4,
    "stalactite_bluntness": {
      "type": "minecraft:uniform",
      "value": {
        "max_exclusive": 0.9,
        "min_inclusive": 0.3
      }
    },
    "stalagmite_bluntness": {
      "type": "minecraft:uniform",
      "value": {
        "max_exclusive": 1.0,
        "min_inclusive": 0.4
      }
    },
    "wind_speed": {
      "type": "minecraft:uniform",
      "value": {
        "max_exclusive": 0.3,
        "min_inclusive": 0.0
      }
    }
  }
}

If type is pointed_dripstone:

• [NBT Compound / JSON Object] config
  • [Float] chance_of_taller_dripstone (optional, defaults to 0.2) Value between 0.0 and 1.0 (inclusive). Probability for double-block dripstone.
  • [Float] chance_of_directional_spread (optional, defaults to 0.7) Value between 0.0 and 1.0 (inclusive). Probability that the dripstone spreads in a horizontal direction.
  • [Float] chance_of_spread_radius2 (optional, defaults to 0.5) Value between 0.0 and 1.0 (inclusive). Probability of horizontal spread by two blocks.
  • [Float] chance_of_spread_radius3 (optional, defaults to 0.5) Value between 0.0 and 1.0 (inclusive). After the spread by two blocks, probability of spreading the third block.

An example[show]

{
  "type": "minecraft:pointed_dripstone",
  "config": {
    "chance_of_directional_spread": 0.7,
    "chance_of_spread_radius2": 0.5,
    "chance_of_spread_radius3": 0.5,
    "chance_of_taller_dripstone": 0.2
  }
}

History

October 3, 2020							Dripstone clusters are announced and shown at Minecraft Live 2020.
November 18, 2020							Henrik Kniberg tweeted a picture of the equation used to generate the shape of stalagmites.
[hide]Java Edition
1.17			20w49a				Added dripstone features.
			21w13a				Dripstone clusters can now be found rarely in regular caves.
1.18			Experimental Snapshot 1				All three types of dripstone features now generate naturally in dripstone caves.
							Dripstone clusters can no longer generate outside dripstone caves biomes.
			Pre-release 5				Pointed Dripstone clusters no longer have a chance of spawning only stalagmites of height one.
			Pre-release 6				Dripstone now generates at high y values.
							Pointed dripstone no longer makes holes in lava pools.
							Dripstone features are generated a bit more sparsely.
			Pre-release 7				The numbers of dripstone features have been increased again.
[hide]Bedrock Edition
1.16.220			beta 1.16.220.50				Added the dripstone clusters. They don't naturally generate yet and are only accessible through add-ons.
1.17.0			beta 1.17.0.50				Dripstone clusters now generate throughout caves in the Overworld.
1.17.30 Experiment Caves and Cliffs			beta 1.17.20.22				Dripstone clusters can now generate below Y=0 to Y=-64 if the Caves & Cliffs experimental gameplay toggle is enabled.
1.18.10			beta 1.18.10.21				The numbers of dripstone features have been increased to match Java Edition.
			beta 1.18.10.26				Pointed Dripstone now sometimes generate on large stalactites and stalagmites.
							Pointed Dripstone clusters no longer have a chance of spawning only stalagmites of height one.
							Large Dripstone feature does not generate floating on top of lava anymore.

Issues

Issues relating to "Dripstone (feature)" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.

Trivia

• For a brief time in snapshot 21w06a, dripstone clusters were one of the only underground structures that did not generate correctly in negative y levels. This was because the developers initially hardcoded the minimum y level to be 0, intending to change it when changing the world height, then forgot to.

Gallery

Screenshots

• 

  A large dripstone stalagmite that generated in a cave.

• 

  A large dripstone stalactite that generated in a flooded cave.

• 

  Two dripstone stalagnates that generated in a flooded cave.

• 

  A dripstone cluster on the side of a ravine.

• 

  A pointed dripstone column in a dripstone cluster.

• 

  A large cave filled with dripstone.

• 

  A geode inside a dripstone cluster.

• 

  The math behind the shape of dripstone clusters.

• 

  Debugging dripstone clusters.

• 

  Debugging dripstone clusters.