Everything to know about Sculk shriekers in Minecraft: how to use, how they work, and more

Be careful; Sculk shriekers can summon the Warden.

Screengrab via Mojang | Remix by Kacee Fay

The arrival of Minecraft’s Wild Update on June 7 introduces two new biomes, a new structure type, new mobs, and several other improvements to the wild aspects of the game.

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Most of the update centers around the Deep Dark biome and what lies within it.

At the core of the Deep Dark biome are the various Sculk blocks that make the biome function. One of the most important Sculk blocks is the Sculk shrieker which is the block that ends the Sculk block process.

Screengrab via Mojang

What is a Sculk shrieker?

The Sculk shrieker is a block found solely in the Deep Dark biome and summons the Warden when one or more players are detected nearby by making enough noise to awaken it. This block functions as a redstone block that shrieks when it is activated by nearby Sculk sensors.

There are quite a few Sculk block variations, thus, it can be confusing trying to figure out which one is which and what each of them does. The Sculk shrieker is the block that has a swirling, moving vortex in the middle of it surrounded by four white pieces sticking up around it. Players who aren’t sure which one of the Sculk blocks is the Sculk shrieker can see exactly which block it is below.

Screengrab via Mojang | Remix by Kacee Fay

Related: How to find an ancient city in Minecraft

How do Sculk shriekers work?

Sculk shriekers are the final block in the process of awakening the Warden. Whenever a Sculk sensor near a Sculk shrieker is triggered the Sculk shrieker then adds one to what is called a “warning” level for the Warden. After the warning level reaches four, a Warden will then be summoned by the Sculk shrieker. The warning level will decrease by one every 10 minutes if no further activity to trigger it occurs.

The functionality of Sculk shriekers is a sort of stacking process that builds over time depending on players’ actions. Noisy events caused by players like mining, using an elytra, or jumping are examples of activities that can trigger Sculk sensors to send a signal to Sculk sensors that then adds to the “warning” level.

Screengrab via Mojang | Remix by Kacee Fay

Sculk shriekers can be gathered using a Silk Touch tool and otherwise will disintegrate and instead leave behind only five experience. Mining a Sculk shrieker will cause it to break quickest.

Because Sculk shriekers are the final step in the dangerous process of awakening the Warden, players should be wary near them and do their best to tread quietly. The Warden isn’t a foe that players are meant to fight. Thus, if you do find yourself face-to-face with the Warden you should do your best to sneak away before it’s too late.

Author
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Kacee Fay
Staff Writer at Dot Esports covering new releases and a wide array of topics including Minecraft, Disney Dreamlight Valley, Phasmophobia, general gaming, streaming, and more. She has been avidly writing and gaming her whole life and now spends her time combining the two. Kacee graduated from San Diego State University in 2021 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English and a Certificate in Creative Editing and Publishing. She then joined Dot Esports as a Freelance Writer in 2022 before transitioning to a Staff Writer in 2023. In her spare time, she enjoys buying more books than she can read, gaming alone or with friends, drinking too much tea, attending concerts, fangirling over movies and television, listening to music, and spending time with her family, friends, and pets, who are the most important parts of her world.