How do you obtain prismarine shards in Minecraft?

Who this is for: Minecraft players looking to gather prismarine shards for crafting sea lanterns, prismarine blocks, or decorative builds.


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Killing Guardians and Elder Guardians

The primary way to obtain prismarine shards is by defeating guardians and elder guardians found in ocean monuments. Regular guardians drop 0-2 prismarine shards when killed, while elder guardians drop 0-2 shards as well. Using a sword enchanted with Looting III can increase these drops significantly, potentially giving you up to 5 shards per guardian.

Locating Ocean Monuments

Ocean monuments spawn in deep ocean biomes and are large, temple-like structures made of prismarine blocks. You can find them by exploring ocean areas or using the /locate command if cheats are enabled. These monuments are guarded by multiple guardians and typically contain 3 elder guardians.

Mining Prismarine Blocks

You can also obtain prismarine shards by mining prismarine blocks found within ocean monuments. Each prismarine block drops 3-5 prismarine shards when mined, making this method quite efficient if you can safely clear out sections of the monument. However, you’ll need to deal with the guardians first to mine safely.

Trading with Wandering Traders

Occasionally, wandering traders may offer prismarine shards in exchange for emeralds. This method is unreliable since their trades are random, but it can be useful if you’re struggling to find ocean monuments or prefer not to fight underwater mobs.

Essential Preparation Tips

Before heading to an ocean monument, prepare thoroughly with:

  • Respiration III helmet and Aqua Affinity for underwater breathing and mining
  • Depth Strider III boots for faster underwater movement
  • Plenty of food and potions of water breathing
  • A sword with Looting III to maximize shard drops
  • Blocks to create air pockets if needed

Once you’ve gathered enough prismarine shards, you can craft them into prismarine blocks, dark prismarine, or sea lanterns for your building projects.

TL;DR

Kill guardians and elder guardians in ocean monuments for 0-2 prismarine shards each, or mine prismarine blocks for 3-5 shards per block.

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Joyst1ck

Gaming Writer & HTML5 Developer

Answering gaming questions—from Roblox and Minecraft to the latest indie hits. I write developer‑focused HTML5 articles and share practical tips on game design, monetisation, and scripting.

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