How to Beat a Raid in Minecraft
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How to Beat a Raid in Minecraft
Raid TipsRaids are one of Minecraft’s most exciting mid-game events — a structured combat challenge that directly rewards preparation and skill with one of the most powerful economic bonuses in the game. The Hero of the Village discount makes previously expensive Librarian and Fletcher trades trivially affordable, effectively bootstrapping your entire enchanting setup in a single 10-minute raid. The Totem of Undying drop from Evokers adds a genuine power item reward on top of the trading bonuses. For players who’ve been cautious about triggering raids, the key insight is that proper preparation (Shield, Bow with Infinity, Milk, Golden Apples) makes even Hard difficulty raids very manageable. The first raid is always the most uncertain — once you know the wave structure and enemy priorities, subsequent raids become fast, profitable farming events. Build your equipment with the enchanting guide and set up your first village with the village guide before deliberately triggering your first raid.FAQ
⚡ Quick Answer
How to Start and Win a RaidTo beat a Raid, enter a village with the Bad Omen effect active (gained by killing a Pillager Captain). Survive all waves of Illagers — Pillagers, Vindicators, Ravagers, Witches, and Evokers — to win the Hero of the Village reward. Prepare with full Diamond or Netherite armour, a Bow with Infinity, and several Golden Apples. On Normal difficulty there are 3 waves; on Hard difficulty there are 5.
1
Trigger a Raid — kill a Pillager Captain first. Raids are triggered by entering a village boundary while having the Bad Omen status effect. Bad Omen is gained by killing a Pillager Captain — identified by the ominous banner they carry on their backs. Pillager Captains spawn at Pillager Outposts and occasionally as patrol leaders in the open world. Each captain killed stacks one level of Bad Omen (up to VI). A higher Bad Omen level increases raid difficulty. On your first raid, kill one captain only for Bad Omen I — the minimum difficulty. Drink Milk to remove Bad Omen if you want to delay the raid until you’re better prepared.
2
Prepare your gear before entering the village. Don’t trigger a raid unprepared. Minimum recommended loadout: Full Iron armour (Diamond preferred) with Protection IV, a Sword with Sharpness IV+, a Bow with Power IV and Infinity, at least 2 Golden Apples for emergencies, and several stacks of arrows (or just 1 arrow with Infinity). Potions are a strong bonus: Strength II for melee damage, Regeneration for sustain, and Swiftness for mobility. Brew these beforehand if possible. Also bring a Shield — Pillager crossbow bolts are deflected entirely by a raised Shield, making it one of the most important items in the raid loadout.
3
Understand the wave structure and enemy types. Raids come in waves — Normal has 3, Hard has 5, and the final wave always includes an Evoker (the hardest enemy). Each wave spawns increasingly dangerous enemy types: Wave 1 — Pillagers with Crossbows (ranged, manageable). Wave 2 — Pillagers + Vindicators with Iron Axes (melee, hit very hard). Wave 3+ — Ravagers (large mob that charges, knocks back, and destroys crops and blocks), Witches (throw harmful potions), and Evokers (summon Vexes and instant-kill Fang attacks). A Ravager can kill an unprepared player in 2–3 hits — always prioritise killing it quickly before dealing with Pillagers.
4
Build a defensive position before the raid starts. Once you enter the village with Bad Omen, the raid countdown begins. Use this brief window to: build a platform 3–4 blocks high near the village centre (melee mobs can’t reach you; Pillagers and Witches still can but you have more control); place torches extensively around the village to reduce passive mob spawns during the raid; and identify where Villagers are hiding (they run indoors — make sure doors exist for them to shelter). A raised position lets you use your Bow effectively against the initial Pillager and Vindicator waves while staying out of reach of Ravagers and Vindicators until you choose to engage.
5
Prioritise targets: Evokers and Ravagers first. Target priority matters significantly in raids: Evokers are the highest priority — their Fang attack (a line of ground spikes) can kill you in seconds and their Vex summons are hard to track. Kill the Evoker as soon as it spawns in the final wave, even before finishing other enemies. Ravagers are second priority — they’re extremely tanky (100 HP) and deal massive knockback, so they need sustained focus. Use the Bow to chip Ravager health while staying mobile. Witches are third — they throw Poison, Slowness, and Harming potions; use Milk to cure Poison quickly or kill them before they can throw multiple potions. Kill Witches from range if possible — their splash potions are weaker against ranged attackers.
6
Collect the Hero of the Village reward. Surviving all waves completes the raid and grants you the Hero of the Village status effect for ~40 minutes of in-game time. This effect causes all Villagers in the village to offer you heavily discounted trades — up to 30–50% off their prices based on the effect level. Villagers also throw gift items at you (bread, emeralds, etc.) while the effect is active. The Hero of the Village reward is one of the most powerful economic boosts in the game — immediately trade with every Villager while the effect lasts to stock up on enchanted books, equipment, and Emeralds at near-free prices. The Evoker also drops a Totem of Undying on death — one of the rarest and most valuable items in Minecraft, granting a one-time death prevention.
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Drink Milk immediately if a Witch hits you with Poison: Witches throw Splash Potion of Poison and Slowness during raids. A well-timed Milk drink cures all negative effects instantly — keep a Bucket of Milk in your hotbar specifically for this. Poison from a Witch can drain your health significantly in the middle of a Ravager or Vindicator fight if left uncured, and the combination is what kills most players during their first raid.
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A Shield blocks Crossbow bolts entirely — use it constantly: hold a Shield in your off-hand and raise it (hold right-click) whenever Pillagers are firing at you. Crossbow bolts are completely blocked — zero damage. This dramatically reduces incoming damage during Pillager-heavy early waves and lets you focus on melee threats without worrying about ranged chip damage. Drop the Shield only when actively attacking with your sword.
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Don’t let Villagers die — fewer survivors means fewer trades: a raid that technically succeeds but kills all the Villagers gives you Hero of the Village but no one to trade with. Keep Villagers alive by keeping them indoors (ensure all village doors are intact before the raid starts) and by intercepting any Vindicator or Ravager that breaks into a building. A Ravager can destroy doors and crop blocks — prioritise it when it enters a building area.
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The Totem of Undying from Evokers is worth the raid alone: Evokers always drop a Totem of Undying on death — the only way to get one in survival. Hold a Totem in your off-hand and it activates on lethal damage, restoring health and granting Regeneration and Absorption. It’s effectively a second life in your pocket. Multiple raids = multiple Totems = near-immortality for dangerous situations like the Ender Dragon fight.
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Trade immediately after winning — Hero of the Village expires: the discount from Hero of the Village lasts approximately 40 real-time minutes. Go directly to your most valuable villager traders — Librarians for Enchanted Books, Farmers for food, Armourers for gear — and trade aggressively while prices are slashed. This is the best time to stock up on expensive enchanted books like Mending and Fortune III that are normally very costly.
How do you start a Raid in Minecraft?
Kill a Pillager Captain (identified by the ominous banner on their back) to get the Bad Omen effect, then enter a village boundary. The raid starts immediately with a horn sound and a health bar appearing at the top of the screen. Drink Milk before entering the village to remove Bad Omen and delay the raid if you’re not ready.
How many waves does a Raid have in Minecraft?
Raids have 3 waves on Normal difficulty and 5 waves on Hard difficulty. The final wave always includes an Evoker — the most dangerous raid enemy, who drops a Totem of Undying on death. Higher Bad Omen levels (from killing multiple Pillager Captains) increase the raid’s difficulty and can add bonus waves.
What is the reward for winning a Raid in Minecraft?
Winning a Raid grants Hero of the Village — a status effect lasting about 40 minutes that gives you 30–50% discounts on all Villager trades in that village. Villagers also throw gift items at you while the effect is active. Evokers drop a Totem of Undying on death. Vindicators and Pillagers drop Emeralds and Crossbows.
What is the hardest enemy in a Raid in Minecraft?
Evokers are the most dangerous raid enemy — they summon Vexes (small flying mobs that pass through walls) and use the Fang attack (a line of instant-kill ground spikes). Kill Evokers immediately when they spawn. Ravagers are the most threatening in terms of raw damage — they have 100 HP, deal high knockback, and can destroy crops and doors. Prioritise Evokers first, Ravagers second.