How to Find Netherite in Minecraft: Ancient Debris Y Level

To find netherite in Minecraft, mine for ancient debris in the Nether at Y=15, where it is most common. Smelt each debris block into netherite scrap, combine 4 scrap with 4 gold ingots for one netherite ingot, then use a smithing table and a netherite upgrade template to turn diamond gear into netherite. Bed and TNT mining are the fastest ways to find debris, because explosions clear netherrack but leave debris untouched.

Last checked: November 9, 2026. Heights, recipes and loot chances come from the Java 26.3 game files, the current release.

What Y level is ancient debris at?

Ancient debris only generates in the Nether, in all five Nether biomes. The game places it in two layers each chunk:

Both layers overlap at the bottom, so the best height is Y=15 to Y=16. Mine with your feet at Y=15 and a two-block-high tunnel covers both of the best layers.

Debris has one more rule that changes how you search: it never generates touching air. Any placement that would be exposed to a cave or open space is removed. You will almost never spot it in a cave wall, so you have to dig through solid netherrack, basalt or blackstone to find it.

What do you need before you go?

• A diamond or netherite pickaxe. Ancient debris needs at least diamond. Anything weaker breaks it with no drop.
• Fire Resistance potions. The Nether's lava sea fills open areas up to Y=31, so lava lakes and pockets are common around Y=15.
• One piece of gold armor. Piglins stay neutral to a player wearing any gold helmet, chestplate, leggings or boots.
• Blocks to seal lava, like cobblestone or cobbled deepslate, since netherrack burns.
• Beds or TNT if you want to use explosion mining.
• A way home. The Nether portal calculator converts coordinates so you can find or link your portal again.

Best ways to mine ancient debris

Branch mining at Y=15

Dig a long main tunnel at Y=15, then cut side tunnels from it every few blocks. It is slow but safe, and it works with only a pickaxe. Efficiency V and a Haste beacon make a big difference, since netherrack breaks almost instantly with a good pickaxe.

Bed mining

Beds cannot be slept in within the Nether. Using one makes it explode instead. Ancient debris has a blast resistance of 1200, the same as obsidian, so the explosion clears the netherrack around it and leaves the debris exposed.

1. Dig a straight tunnel at Y=15.
2. Place a bed against the end of the tunnel, or in a side pocket.
3. Put a block between you and the bed, or stand around a corner, so you are not caught in the blast.
4. Use the bed. It explodes and opens a large pocket.
5. Look over the walls for debris, then repeat a few blocks further on.

Beds are cheap, needing 3 wool of one color and 3 planks each, and the blast can start fires, so keep Fire Resistance active.

TNT mining

TNT works the same way and also leaves debris intact. Place TNT along the tunnel wall, light it with flint and steel, and step back. TNT costs gunpowder and sand, so beds are usually cheaper for long sessions.

How do you turn ancient debris into netherite?

Smelting takes 10 seconds per block in either a furnace or a blast furnace and gives 2 XP each. Ancient debris and netherite scrap do not burn in lava or fire, so dropping them by accident is not the end of the world.

Every netherite item needs one ingot, which means 4 debris per piece. A full set looks like this:

Swords, tools, armor, spears, horse armor and nautilus armor can all be upgraded.

Where do you get netherite upgrade templates?

Each upgrade uses up a netherite upgrade smithing template, and those come from bastion remnants:

You can duplicate a template at a crafting table with 7 diamonds, 1 netherrack and the template itself, which gives you 2. So one template plus 7 diamonds per extra upgrade covers a full set. Copy the first one before you use it.

Bastions are dangerous: piglin brutes ignore gold armor and hit hard. The treasure room has the guaranteed template but also the most brutes and a magma cube spawner. Bring good armor and blocks for cover.

Does upgrading to netherite keep enchantments?

Yes. The smithing table keeps all enchantments, names and durability damage on the item. Enchant your diamond gear first, then upgrade it, and you keep everything.

Netherite is a solid step up from diamond:

Netherite items also float in lava instead of burning, the same as the debris they came from. The armor trims guide covers the netherite trim material, and the ore Y level chart lists the best heights for every other ore.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Y level for netherite?

Y=15. Ancient debris is most common around Y=16, and a two-block tunnel with your feet at Y=15 covers both of the densest layers.

Can you find ancient debris in caves?

Very rarely, if ever. The game removes any debris that would generate touching air, so it is almost always buried in solid netherrack, basalt or blackstone.

What pickaxe do you need for ancient debris?

A diamond or netherite pickaxe. Iron and below break the block without dropping anything.

How many ancient debris do you need for full netherite armor?

You need 16 ancient debris and 16 gold ingots. Each armor piece takes one netherite ingot, and each ingot needs 4 scrap and 4 gold.

Does Fortune work on ancient debris?

No. Ancient debris always drops itself, one block at a time, so Fortune does not help. Efficiency is the enchantment that speeds things up.

Where is the netherite upgrade template?

In bastion remnants. The treasure room chest always has one, and other bastion chests have a 10% chance each. Duplicate it with 7 diamonds and a netherrack block.