Pointed DripstoneShare article feedback

Pointed Dripstone

• Base
• Middle
• Frustum
• Tip
• Tip Merge

Renewable	Yes
Stackable	Yes (64)
Tool
Blast resistance	3
Hardness	1.5
Luminous	No
Transparent	Yes
Waterloggable	Yes
Flammable	No
Catches fire from lava	No
Map color (Java)	48 TERRACOTTA_BROWN

{
    "title": "Pointed Dripstone",
    "rows": [
        {
            "field": "Yes",
            "label": "(link to Renewable resource article, displayed as Renewable)"
        },
        {
            "field": "Yes (64)",
            "label": "Stackable"
        },
        {
            "field": "<span class=\"sprite-file\" style=\"height:32px;width:32px;--vertical-align:middle\">(link to File:SlotSprite Pickaxe Required.png article, displayed as 32x32px|link=Pickaxe|alt=|class=pixel-image|This block can be broken with any tool, but a pickaxe is the quickest)</span>",
            "label": "Tool"
        },
        {
            "field": "3",
            "label": "(link to Explosion#Blast resistance article, displayed as Blast resistance)"
        },
        {
            "field": "1.5",
            "label": "(link to Breaking#Blocks by hardness article, displayed as Hardness)"
        },
        {
            "field": "No",
            "label": "(link to Light article, displayed as Luminous)"
        },
        {
            "field": "Yes",
            "label": "(link to Opacity article, displayed as Transparent)"
        },
        {
            "field": "Yes",
            "label": "(link to Waterlogging article, displayed as Waterloggable)"
        },
        {
            "field": "No",
            "label": "(link to Flammable article, displayed as Flammable)"
        },
        {
            "field": "No",
            "label": "Catches fire from (link to lava article, displayed as lava)"
        },
        {
            "field": "<span style=\"display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap;\"><span style=\"display: inline-block; background-color:  rgb(76, 50, 35)\n; border: 1px solid #888; border-radius: 0.3em; width: 1em; height: 1em; vertical-align: -0.36em; margin-right: -0.1em\"><br></span>  48 TERRACOTTA_BROWN\n</span>",
            "label": "(link to Map color article, displayed as Map color) <small>((link to Java Edition article, displayed as Java))</small>"
        }
    ],
    "invimages": [
        "Pointed Dripstone"
    ],
    "images": [
        "Pointed Dripstone Base (D).png",
        "Pointed Dripstone Base (U).png",
        "Pointed Dripstone Middle (D).png",
        "Pointed Dripstone Middle (U).png",
        "Pointed Dripstone Frustum (D).png",
        "Pointed Dripstone Frustum (U).png",
        "Pointed Dripstone Tip (D).png",
        "Pointed Dripstone Tip (U).png",
        "Pointed Dripstone Tip Merge (D).png",
        "Pointed Dripstone Tip Merge (U).png",
        "Pointed Dripstone (item) JE1.png"
    ]
}

Pointed dripstone is a block that makes up stalactites and stalagmites.

Stalactites (which point downward) can be used as falling projectiles, to renewably drip water and lava into cauldrons and to convert mud into clay.

Stalagmites (which point upward) deal extra damage to players and mobs that land on them.

Obtaining

Breaking

Pointed dripstone can be mined with any tool, but pickaxes are the quickest. Pointed dripstone breaks instantly when hit by a thrown trident. However, it may not be broken with any other projectile.

Block	Pointed Dripstone
Hardness	1.5
Tool
Breaking time (sec)
Default	2.25
Wooden	1.15
Stone	0.6
Iron	0.4
Diamond	0.3
Netherite	0.25
Golden	0.2
Options
Efficiency	0
Haste	0 JEBE

Legend

• incorrect tool, drops nothing
• correct tool, drops nothing or something other than the block itself
• correct tool, drops the block itself
• italicized can be instant mined

Natural generation

Pointed dripstone can be found in dripstone caves in cluster formations.

Trading

Wandering traders can sell 2 pointed dripstone for 1 emerald.

Post-generation

Pointed dripstone can grow only if it is hanging directly under a dripstone block while there is a water source above. In addition, if there is a solid block less than eleven blocks below this stalactite, a stalagmite grows on that block toward the stalactite. This growth does not occur if the stalactite's tip is waterlogged, and a stalagmite below does not grow if its tip is waterlogged. They do not grow to more than seven blocks long.

Every time the block receives a random tick there is a small chance of 1.138% (⁶⁴⁄₅₆₂₅) for a stalactite or stalagmite to grow one block, meaning that every single growth step takes an average time of 5 in-game days (100 minutes).

Usage

Pointed dripstone comes in two different forms, stalactites and stalagmites. Placing a pointed dripstone between a stalagmite and stalactite without sneaking connects them. It can be waterlogged. Mobs can jump up pointed dripstone as long as its height does not exceed four blocks. Horses and other similar mobs can travel up the same pointed dripstone as if they were stairs.

Stalactites

A stalactite.

Stalactites are created when pointed dripstone is placed on the bottom of a block.

Stalactites less than 11 blocks tall passively drip water particles (or lava particles in the Nether) in the absence of a liquid source, but these particles do not fill cauldrons. A waterlogged pointed dripstone at the tip of a stalactite does not produce drip particles. Waterlogging other parts of the stalactite does not affect the dripping.

If the block supporting a stalactite or any block of the stalactite is broken, all of the unsupported pointed dripstone below the broken block drops, causing damage to any player and mobs standing beneath it, similar to a falling anvil. The amount of damage is 6HP for each block of falling distance, 1HP on Bedrock Edition, after 2 blocks (e.g., a stalactite that falls 4 blocks deals 18HP × 9 damage). The damage is capped at 40HP × 20, no matter how far the stalactite falls. Wearing a helmet reduces the damage by ¹⁄₄, but this costs twice as much durability on the helmet as on other armor pieces. When a player dies by a stalactite falling on them, the death message "<player> was skewered by a falling stalactite" appears. However, if a player is merely touched by a falling stalactite entity, no damage is dealt unless the stalactite hits the ground in the same block where the player is located. Stalactites with multiple pointed dripstone can cause multiple damage; however, damage immunity prevents most of the damage from additional blocks.

Cauldrons

When the uppermost block of a stalactite less than 11 blocks tall gets randomly ticked, it checks for a water source or waterlogged block two blocks above it and a cauldron within 10 blocks under the tip with no non-air blocks in between. In Java Edition, open trapdoors, ladders and blocks with no collision box are also allowed. If both conditions are satisfied, there is a ⁴⁵⁄₂₅₆ (~17.6%) chance for it to drip water and fill the cauldron by one level. If there is a lava source above the stalactite, there is a ¹⁵⁄₂₅₆ (~5.9%) chance for it to completely fill an empty cauldron with lava instead, making lava a renewable resource. Refilling a cauldron with water or lava averages nearly one Minecraft day (19+ minutes) although the actual time for any individual refill varies.

Converting mud into clay

If mud is placed above a block with a stalactite underneath, the mud eventually turns into clay. There is a ⁴⁴⁄₂₅₆ (~17.2%) chance of this happening when the block gets randomly ticked. This conversion does not happen in the Nether.

Stalagmites

A stalagmite.

Stalagmites are created when pointed dripstone is placed on the ground.

Falling onto stalagmites multiplies the fall distance by two to calculate the total amount of fall damage, using the formula ceil(fall_distance × 2 − 2). A player or mob gets 1HP damage each time they jump on top of a single stalagmite (with a normal jump height of 1 ¹⁄₄ blocks). The distance traveled during the last game tick of falling time is not included in this calculation, making it slightly off at higher distances; see Damage § Fall damage for more information.

If a player dies from falling onto a stalagmite, the death message "<player> was impaled on a stalagmite" appears.

All mobs that are immune to fall damage do not take damage from falling into stalagmites; the same applies to the player if the game rule fallDamage is set to false.

Columns

A naturally generated dripstone column.

Dripstone columns can be found naturally in dripstone caves, they are formed when stalactites and stalagmites join together in mid-air.

To create them manually, simply keep stacking pointed dripstones on either the stalactite or the stalagmite or both until they join together, the last pointed dripstone placed being the most slender part of the whole column. Based on the direction of the last block placed, the shape of the column's slender part can vary.

Crafting ingredient

Name	Ingredients	[hide]Crafting recipe
Dripstone Block	Pointed Dripstone

Sounds

Generic

Java Edition:

[hide] v t e pointed_dripstone sound type
Sound	Subtitles	Source	Description	Resource location	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
	​Block broken	Blocks	Once the block has broken	block.pointed_dripstone.break	subtitles.block.generic.break​	1.0	0.8	16
	​Block placed	Blocks	When the block is placed	block.pointed_dripstone.place	subtitles.block.generic.place​	1.0	0.8	16
	​Block breaking	Blocks	While the block is in the process of being broken	block.pointed_dripstone.hit	subtitles.block.generic.hit​	0.25	0.5	16
	​Something falls on a block	Entity-Dependent	Falling on the block with fall damage	block.pointed_dripstone.fall	subtitles.block.generic.fall​	0.5	0.75	16
	​Footsteps	Entity-Dependent	Walking on the block	block.pointed_dripstone.step	subtitles.block.generic.footsteps​	0.15	1.0	16

Bedrock Edition:

[hide] v t e pointed_dripstone sound type
Sound	Source	Description	Resource location	Volume	Pitch
	Blocks	Once the block has broken	break.pointed_dripstone	1.0	1.0
	Blocks	When the block is placed	place.pointed_dripstone	1.0	1.0
	Blocks	While the block is in the process of being broken	hit.pointed_dripstone	1.0	1.0
	Players	Falling on the block with fall damage	fall.pointed_dripstone	0.4	1.0
	Players	Walking on the block	step.pointed_dripstone	0.17	1.0
	Players	Jumping from the block	jump.pointed_dripstone	0.12	1.0
	Players	Falling on the block without fall damage	land.pointed_dripstone	0.14	1.0

Unique

Java Edition

[hide]Sounds
Sound	Subtitles	Source	Description	Resource location	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
	​Lava drips	Blocks	When a lava drip from a pointed dripstone lands on a block	block.pointed_dripstone.drip_lava	subtitles.block.pointed_dripstone.drip_lava​	0.3-1.0	1.0	16
	​Lava drips into Cauldron	Blocks	When a lava drip from a pointed dripstone lands on and fills a cauldron	block.pointed_dripstone.drip_lava_into_cauldron	subtitles.block.pointed_dripstone.drip_lava_into_cauldron​	2.0	0.9-1.0	16
	​Water drips	Blocks	When a water drip from a pointed dripstone lands on a block	block.pointed_dripstone.drip_water	subtitles.block.pointed_dripstone.drip_water​	0.3-1.0	1.0	16
	​Water drips into Cauldron	Blocks	When a water drip from a pointed dripstone lands on and fills a cauldron	block.pointed_dripstone.drip_water_into_cauldron	subtitles.block.pointed_dripstone.drip_water_into_cauldron​	2.0	0.9-1.0	16
	None​​	Blocks	When a pointed dripstone lands from falling	block.pointed_dripstone.land	None​​	2.0	0.9-1.0	16

Bedrock Edition:

[hide]Sounds
Sound	Source	Description	Resource location	Volume	Pitch
	Blocks	When a lava drip from a pointed dripstone lands on a block	drip.lava.pointed_dripstone	0.3-1.0	1.0
	Blocks	When a lava drip from a pointed dripstone lands on and fills a cauldron	cauldron_drip.lava.pointed_dripstone	2.0	0.9-1.1
	Blocks	When a water drip from a pointed dripstone lands on a block	drip.water.pointed_dripstone	0.3-1.0	1.0
	Blocks	When a water drip from a pointed dripstone lands on and fills a cauldron	cauldron_drip.water.pointed_dripstone	2.0	0.9-1.0

Data values

ID

Java Edition:

Name	Identifier	Form	[hide]Translation key
Pointed Dripstone	pointed_dripstone	Block & Item	block.minecraft.pointed_dripstone

Bedrock Edition:

Name	Identifier	Numeric ID	Form	Item ID	[hide]Translation key
Pointed Dripstone	pointed_dripstone	563	Block & Giveable Item	Identical	tile.pointed_dripstone.name

Block states

Java Edition:

Name	Default value	Allowed values	[hide]Description
thickness	tip	tip_merge
		tip
		frustum
		middle
		base
vertical_direction	up	up down	The direction of the pointed dripstone.
waterlogged	false	true false	Whether or not there's water in the same place as this pointed dripstone.

Bedrock Edition:

Name	Metadata Bits	Default value	Allowed values	Values for Metadata Bits	[hide]Description
dripstone_thickness	Not Supported	tip	merge	Unsupported
			tip	Unsupported
			frustum	Unsupported
			middle	Unsupported
			base	Unsupported
hanging	Not Supported	true	false true	Unsupported	Whether or not the pointed dripstone is pointing down.

History

March 21, 2009							Notch shows interest in adding a spike block, but said he was "not 100% sure about this"
October 2020							Pointed dripstone concepts are created by xilefian.
October 3, 2020							Pointed dripstone is shown at Minecraft Live 2020 within the dripstone caves biome.
							Item texture was different.
[hide]Java Edition
1.17			20w48a				Added pointed dripstone.
			20w49a				Pointed dripstone can now be generated in dripstone caves, which is accessible using only the buffet or custom world type.
							Changed death message from being killed by a stalactite from "<player> was squashed by a falling block" to "<player> was skewered by a stalactite".
							Stalactites taller than 1 block can now fill cauldrons.
			21w03a				Pointed dripstone can now be used to craft dripstone blocks.
							Sounds drip_lava, drip_lava_into_cauldron, drip_water, and drip_water_into_cauldron now have subtitles.
			21w13a				Wandering traders now sell pointed dripstones, making them renewable.
							Dripstone clusters containing pointed dripstone can now generate in regular caves as well.
			21w16a				Placing a source block of water above a dripstone block with a stalactite hanging from it allows it to grow longer and to form stalagmites on the ground below.
1.18			Experimental Snapshot 1				Dripstone caves, where pointed dripstone can be found, can now generate naturally.
							Pointed dripstone can no longer be found outside the dripstone caves biome.
1.19			22w14a				Pointed dripstone can now be used to drain the moisture from mud, converting it to clay.
[hide]Bedrock Edition
1.16.210 Experiment Caves and Cliffs			beta 1.16.210.56				Added pointed dripstone behind the "Caves and Cliffs" experimental toggle.
1.16.220 Experiment Caves and Cliffs			beta 1.16.220.50				Item texture and rotation of pointed dripstone now matches Java Edition.
							Pointed dripstone can now be waterlogged.
							Tweaked visual shape of pointed dripstone to match Java Edition.
							Pointed dripstone now breaks if being hit by a trident.
							Pointed dripstone can now be used to craft dripstone blocks.
							Changed death message from being killed by a stalactite from "<player> was squashed by a falling block" to "<player> was skewered by a stalactite".
							Now uses the correct sounds for pointed dripstone.
							Now generate in dripstone caves, though they can generate only through add-ons.
1.17.0 Experiment Caves and Cliffs			beta 1.16.230.54				Wandering traders now sell 2 pointed dripstones for an emerald.
							Pointed dripstone now generate rarely in caves in small patch from layer 0 to 59.
							Water and lava now drip more often from pointed dripstone.
			beta 1.17.0.50				Stalagmites no longer deal damage when doFallDamage is set to false
							Pointed dripstone can now grow into longer stalactites and/or stalagmites.
1.17.0			beta 1.17.0.52				Now correctly gets destroyed after the block it was placed on is broken by block updates.
							Pointed dripstones are no longer available only through experimental gameplay.
1.19.0			Preview 1.19.0.25				Pointed dripstone can now be used to drain the moisture from mud, converting it to clay.
1.20.30			Preview 1.20.20.21				Increased the blast resistance of pointed dripstone from 1.8 to 3.

Issues

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

Java Edition

• MC-228595 – Small pointed dripstone cannot be placed on hoppers
• MC-207565 – Filling downwards pointed dripstone breaks bottom two blocks
• MC-212111 – Model of pointed dripstone can extend out past its position
• MC-212228 – Pointed dripstone blocks do not properly evaluate custom loot tables after breaking by falling
• MC-213638 – Some blocks can be placed on pointed dripstone
• MC-216791 – Pointed dripstone can get cut off or generate floating when intersecting the generation of mineshafts
• MC-240443 – Falling pointed dripstone don't break minecarts
• MC-256392 – Pointed dripstone breaking animation is horizontally misaligned, resulting in cut-off pixels
• MC-260952 – Pointed dripstone can replace lava
• MC-262755 – Entities sometimes don't recognize pointed dripstones as obstacles when pathfinding
• And 11 other open issues.

Bedrock Edition

• MCPE-115818 – Sculk sensors do not detect players jumping on top of pointed dripstone
• MCPE-119730 – Particles falling on pointed dripstone appear when jumping
• MCPE-119899 – Pointed Dripstone shape doesn't update instantly
• MCPE-119901 – Pointed Dripstone has a separate triangle shape for its mining animation
• MCPE-122136 – Pointed dripstone in first person hand does not match the java version
• MCPE-126799 – Trident clips through blocks when thrown at a pointed dripstone
• MCPE-147692 – Pointed dripstone can be generated when clipped in mineshaft
• MCPE-153884 – Glow lichen can replace dripstone block and pointed dripstone when generating
• MCPE-153974 – Jumping on pointed dripstone with Jump Boost deals no damage
• MCPE-159718 – Pointed dripstone are invisible on the map
• And 4 other open issues.

Gallery

Screenshots

• 

  Naturally generated pointed dripstone in a canyon.

• 

  Up and down pointed dripstones connecting.

Concept artwork

• 

  Render of prototype pointed dripstone.