How to Make a Totem of Undying in Minecraft: Complete Guide to Obtaining This Life-Saving Item

The totem of undying is one of Minecraft's most coveted items, capable of literally bringing you back from the brink of death. If you're wondering how to make a totem of undying in Minecraft, there's something crucial you need to know right from the start: totems of undying cannot be crafted. To understand why this limitation exists, read about what is a totem of undying and its unique properties. This golden, angel-like item is one of the few things in Minecraft that you simply cannot create at a crafting table, no matter what materials you have.

This unique limitation makes totems of undying extremely valuable and creates an entire gameplay loop around obtaining them. Understanding what does the totem of undying do helps explain why they're worth the effort to obtain. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore everything you need to know about acquiring totems of undying, the game mechanics involved, and strategies to maximize your chances of obtaining these life-saving items.

Why Can't You Craft a Totem of Undying?

Before diving into acquisition methods, it's important to understand why Mojang designed totems of undying as non-craftable items. This design choice serves several purposes:

• Maintains game balance: If totems were craftable, they would become too common and diminish the challenge and risk that makes Minecraft engaging
• Encourages exploration: By making totems obtainable only through specific means, the game encourages players to venture into dangerous areas
• Creates meaningful rewards: Finding a totem feels rewarding precisely because you can't just make one whenever you want
• Preserves difficulty: The rarity ensures that avoiding death still requires skill and strategy

How to Obtain Totems of Undying: Your Complete Guide

Since crafting isn't an option, there's only one primary method to obtain totems of undying: defeating Evokers. For detailed strategies on finding and fighting these mobs, see our comprehensive guide on how to get totem of undying. These hostile illager mobs are the exclusive source of totems in the game, making encounters with them both dangerous and potentially rewarding.

Method 1: Woodland Mansions

Woodland mansions are massive, rare structures that spawn in dark oak forests. These imposing buildings are home to various illager mobs, including the Evokers that drop totems of undying.

Finding Woodland Mansions:

• Use a cartographer villager to obtain a woodland exploration map
• Trade emeralds with the cartographer to get the map showing the nearest woodland mansion
• Mansions can be extremely far from spawn (sometimes 10,000+ blocks away)
• Look for dark oak forest biomes, as mansions only generate there

Navigating Woodland Mansions:

• Bring plenty of food, weapons, and armor
• Light up areas as you explore to prevent mob spawning
• Be prepared for various illager types: vindicators, evokers, and vexes
• Search every room systematically – mansions are large and complex
• Each mansion typically contains 2-3 Evokers

Method 2: Pillager Outposts and Raids

While Evokers don't naturally spawn at pillager outposts, they can appear during raids that you trigger by entering a village with the "Bad Omen" effect.

Starting a Raid:

1. Find a pillager outpost
2. Kill the pillager captain (the one with the banner)
3. Obtain the "Bad Omen" status effect
4. Enter a village to trigger a raid
5. Evokers appear in later waves of the raid (usually waves 5-7 in harder difficulties)

Raid Strategy:

• Raids have multiple waves, with Evokers appearing in later stages
• Higher difficulty levels spawn more Evokers
• Protect villagers to maintain the village for future raids
• Stock up on healing items and good equipment

Method 3: Patrol Encounters (Rare)

Occasionally, illager patrols roaming the overworld may include an Evoker, though this is extremely rare and not a reliable method for obtaining totems.

Essential Combat Strategies for Evokers

Evokers are among Minecraft's most dangerous mobs, with unique abilities that make them formidable opponents.

Understanding Evoker Abilities

Vex Summoning:

• Evokers summon 2-4 vex mobs that can phase through blocks
• Vexes are small, fast, and deal significant damage
• They have limited health but can be difficult to hit

Fang Attack:

• Creates a line of magical fangs that emerge from the ground
• Deals substantial damage and can hit through armor
• Has a predictable pattern you can learn to avoid

Wololo Effect:

• Can change blue sheep to red sheep (a fun Easter egg reference)
• Only works on blue sheep specifically

Combat Tips

1. Keep your distance: Evokers are most dangerous at close range
2. Deal with vexes first: Eliminate summoned vexes before focusing on the Evoker
3. Use ranged attacks: Bows, crossbows, or tridents are highly effective
4. Watch the ground: Learn to recognize and dodge the fang attack pattern
5. Bring backup equipment: Always carry extra weapons and food

Understanding Totem of Undying Mechanics

Once you've obtained a totem of undying, understanding how it works is crucial for maximizing its effectiveness. Our detailed guide on how to use totem of undying covers all the strategic applications.

How Totems Work

• Activation: Must be held in your main hand or offhand when you take fatal damage
• Effect: Prevents death and restores you to 1 health point
• Status effects: Grants temporary Regeneration II, Absorption II, and removes all negative status effects
• One-time use: The totem is consumed upon activation and disappears from your inventory

Strategic Usage

Best Practices:

• Always keep a totem in your offhand when exploring dangerous areas
• Don't waste totems on easily avoidable deaths
• Consider your inventory space – totems are precious
• Save totems for high-risk activities like End raids or Nether exploration

When to Use Totems:

• Fighting the Ender Dragon
• Exploring the Nether, especially near lava
• Taking on Wither bosses
• Deep cave exploration
• Ocean monuments and guardian encounters

Maximizing Your Totem Collection

Since totems are so valuable, here are strategies to build up your collection:

Difficulty Settings Matter

Playing on higher difficulty levels increases the number of Evokers that spawn during raids, giving you more opportunities to collect totems.

Farm Raids Efficiently

Set up a raid farm near a village to repeatedly trigger raids and fight Evokers. This is the most efficient way to collect multiple totems, though it requires advanced planning and construction. Learn the complete process in our how to make a totem farm guide.

Looting Enchantment

The Looting enchantment on your sword increases the drop rate of totems from Evokers. Looting III gives you the best chance of getting a totem from each Evoker you defeat.

Planning Your Totem Hunt

Before embarking on your quest for totems of undying, proper preparation is essential:

Equipment Checklist:

• Diamond or Netherite armor with good enchantments
• Multiple weapons (sword for melee, bow for ranged combat)
• Plenty of food and healing potions
• Building blocks for defensive structures
• Maps and navigation tools
• Extra equipment in case of death

Survival Tips:

• Never venture out for totems without proper preparation
• Consider bringing friends – Evokers are easier to handle with multiple players
• Set your spawn point near your base before long journeys
• Carry an Ender chest to store valuable items safely

Conclusion

While you cannot craft a totem of undying in Minecraft, obtaining these powerful items through combat with Evokers provides some of the game's most rewarding challenges. Whether you choose to explore the mysterious woodland mansions or trigger village raids, the journey to obtain totems of undying will test your combat skills and reward your persistence.

Remember that totems of undying represent more than just an item – they're a symbol of your dedication to mastering Minecraft's more challenging content. Each totem you earn is a testament to your growing skills as a player and your willingness to face the game's most dangerous encounters.

So gear up, plan your expedition, and venture forth to claim your totems of undying. Your future self will thank you when that golden angel saves your life in a moment of dire need.