Cheesing the Ender Dragon Fight Using Beds, Explained

The Ender Dragon, the final boss of Minecraft’s main storyline, can be a formidable foe for many players. However, a highly effective and popular strategy, often favored by speedrunners, involves utilizing beds to “cheese” the fight. This method leverages a unique game mechanic to deal massive damage to the dragon, making for a quicker and more controlled victory.

Understanding the Bed Explosion Mechanic

The core of this strategy lies in a specific game mechanic: beds explode in the End dimension when a player attempts to use them. This is not a bug, but an intended feature that prevents players from setting their spawn point in the End, similar to how beds explode in the Nether. What makes this explosion so potent against the Ender Dragon is its sheer damage output.

• This explosion mechanism makes beds a highly effective weapon against the Ender Dragon, often preferred by speedrunners due to its power.
• Bed explosions ignore most of the dragon’s armor, meaning the damage dealt is largely unmitigated by any defensive properties the dragon might possess.
• Crucially, these explosions hit multiple of the dragon’s hitboxes simultaneously, maximizing the overall damage dealt with a single detonation.
• The damage is greatest when the dragon’s head, particularly its smaller hitbox, is directly over the bed at the moment of explosion. This precise targeting is key to optimizing the strategy.

By understanding and exploiting these properties, players can systematically eliminate the Ender Dragon with a relatively small number of beds, provided they execute the strategy correctly.

Preparation for the Fight

Before venturing into the End to face the dragon with this strategy, careful preparation is essential to ensure success and minimize risks. Gathering the right materials and understanding their purpose will significantly improve your chances.

• Beds: You will need a substantial number of beds. For beginners, 12-15 beds are recommended to account for any missed timings or less-than-optimal placements. More experienced players might use fewer, but having extra is always safer.
• Solid Blocks: Bring a good stack of solid, blast-resistant blocks such as obsidian or end stone. These are crucial for creating a blast shield to protect yourself from your own bed explosions. Without adequate shielding, you risk taking fatal damage from your own offensive.
• Bow and Arrows: A bow and a decent supply of arrows are necessary for destroying the End Crystals. While the bed strategy primarily focuses on the dragon’s perch phase, eliminating the crystals first is non-negotiable.
• Food: As with any challenging Minecraft encounter, a plentiful supply of food is vital for health regeneration. Even with perfect execution, incidental damage can occur, and staying topped up on health is important.

Consider carrying wool and wood rather than pre-crafted beds to save inventory space. You can then craft the beds in the End as needed, allowing you to bring more raw materials or other utility items.

The Step-by-Step Bed Strategy

Executing the bed strategy requires precision, timing, and an understanding of the Ender Dragon’s behavior. Follow these steps carefully to maximize your damage and minimize risks.

1. Destroy End Crystals: Your first priority upon entering the End is to eliminate all the End Crystals located on top of the obsidian pillars. These crystals continuously heal the Ender Dragon, prolonging the fight and making it impossible to defeat her with beds until they are gone. Use your bow and arrows to shoot them down from a safe distance. Be wary of the explosion they create upon destruction.
2. Positioning at the Fountain: Once all End Crystals are destroyed, make your way to the bedrock fountain in the center of the main island. This fountain is where the Ender Dragon will eventually perch. Place a solid, blast-resistant block adjacent to the bedrock, creating a secure blast shield for yourself. This shield will be your primary defense against the powerful bed explosions.
3. Wait for the Dragon to Perch: Now, the waiting game begins. Observe the dragon’s flight patterns. You need to wait for it to descend and perch on the exit portal in the center, directly over the bedrock fountain. This behavior is often indicated by a sudden “flick” motion as it prepares to land or by the appearance of purple dragon’s breath around the portal. This is your window of opportunity.
4. Place the Bed: As the dragon’s head approaches the intended explosion spot – ideally the smaller hitbox directly above where you intend to place the bed – quickly place a bed on the bedrock adjacent to your blast shield. The timing here is critical; you want the bed to be placed just as the dragon’s head is in prime position.
5. Trigger the Explosion: Immediately after placing the bed, right-click it to attempt to “sleep” in it. Since you are in the End, this action will instantly detonate the bed. Ensure you are positioned behind your blast shield at the moment of explosion to protect yourself from the massive damage. The goal is to detonate the bed when the dragon’s head is directly over it, maximizing the damage.
6. Repeat the Process: The Ender Dragon will likely take significant damage but will not be defeated by a single explosion. It will fly away and then return to perch again after a short period. Continue this process of placing a bed, shielding yourself, and immediately right-clicking to explode it as the dragon repeatedly perches. Aim for its head each time for the most effective damage.

Developing a rhythm for placing, shielding, and exploding beds is crucial for a successful “one-cycle” kill, where the dragon is defeated in a single perching phase.

Important Tips for Success

Beyond the core steps, several tips can further refine your strategy and improve your chances of a quick and safe victory.

• Craft Beds On-Site: Instead of bringing pre-crafted beds, carry raw wool and wood. This saves valuable inventory space, allowing you to carry more resources or other useful items. Craft beds as you need them in the End.
• Blast Protection: Always use a sturdy block, such as obsidian or end stone, to shield yourself from the bed explosions. Failing to do so will result in severe self-damage, often leading to death. Position yourself so the shield is between you and the bed.
• Precise Timing: The exact moment you detonate the bed is paramount. Exploding the bed when the dragon’s head is as close as possible to the bed maximizes the damage dealt. Practice this timing to achieve optimal results.
• Develop a Rhythm: As you repeat the process, try to develop a quick and consistent rhythm for placing and exploding beds. Good timing and speed are crucial, especially if you aim for a one-cycle kill.
• Fall Damage Mitigation: The bed explosions can launch you high into the air. Boots enchanted with Feather Falling can significantly reduce the damage you take from being knocked upwards and falling back down.
• Water Bucket: A water bucket is an incredibly versatile tool. It can be used for “MLG” saves (placing water just before hitting the ground to negate fall damage) if you are launched too high. It can also be used to deter Endermen by placing it near them, as they avoid water.
• Blast Protection Armor: Wearing armor enchanted with Blast Protection can provide an additional layer of defense, further reducing any incidental damage taken from your own explosions, even if you are mostly shielded.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even with a solid plan, certain errors can derail your bed strategy. Being aware of these pitfalls can help you avoid them.

• Neglecting End Crystals: This is arguably the biggest mistake. Failing to destroy all End Crystals allows the dragon to continuously heal, rendering all your bed explosions ineffective and prolonging the fight indefinitely. Always clear the crystals first.
• Incorrect Timing: Exploding beds too early means the dragon’s head isn’t in the optimal position, significantly reducing damage. Exploding too late can also reduce damage, or worse, the dragon might destroy the bed before you can detonate it.
• Lack of Shielding: Attempting to use beds without a proper blast shield is a recipe for disaster. The explosions are powerful enough to kill a fully armored player, so always ensure you have a sturdy block between yourself and the bed.
• Ignoring Dragon’s Breath: The Ender Dragon will occasionally unleash purple dragon’s breath attacks. Be aware of these areas and avoid standing in them, as they deal continuous damage and can quickly deplete your health.
• Improper Placement: Beds cannot be placed once the dragon has fully landed on the portal. You must place the bed during its descent, specifically when its head is approaching the intended explosion spot. If you wait too long, you’ll miss your window.
• Aggravating Endermen: While focusing on the dragon, be mindful of Endermen. Avoid direct eye contact with them, as this will cause them to become aggressive and attack you, adding an unnecessary distraction and threat to the fight.