A campfire is a block that not only looks impressive but also serves very practical purposes in Minecraft. It’s much more than just a decoration for your campsite – it can be used for cooking food, lighting up areas, and even as a signaling element thanks to the smoke that rises high into the sky. There are two types of campfires in the game – the regular campfire and the soul campfire. Both blocks function similarly, but they differ in appearance, light intensity, and properties. Choosing the right one depends on your needs – whether they are aesthetic, practical, or strategic.
How to make a Campfire
To craft the standard version of this block, you will need:
- 3 x stick
- 1 x coal/charcoal
- 3 x log/stripped log/wood/stripped wood blocks of any type
In the crafting table, place the ingredients in the following pattern:
- Center slot: coal or charcoal
- Bottom row: 3 wood/log blocks
- Sticks: one stick above the coal, and two sticks on either side of the coal in the middle row
How to make a Soul Campfire
To craft a soul campfire, simply replace the coal/charcoal with soul soil/soul sand. The rest of the ingredients stay the same – 3 sticks and 3 wood/log blocks. This block has a blue flame and slightly different properties compared to the regular version.
Uses of Campfire and Soul Campfire in Minecraft
This unique block has a variety of uses that can help you during your Minecraft gameplay:
Cooking food
One of the most common uses of a campfire is cooking raw food. Unlike a furnace, a campfire doesn’t require any fuel. You can place up to four pieces of raw meat on it at the same time, and after a few seconds, the cooked food will pop off automatically. This is especially useful in survival mode, when you don’t want to waste coal or don’t have access to a furnace.
Lighting up areas
A regular campfire emits light at level 15, the same as a torch. The soul campfire shines a bit dimmer – at level 10 – but its blue flame creates a unique atmosphere, especially in dark builds, Nether temples, or crypts. It can be used as a decorative light source or for adding a spooky, mysterious vibe.
Smoke signals
Campfires produce a tall column of smoke that reaches up to 10 blocks high. If you place a hay bale underneath, the smoke rises up to 24 blocks, making it a great way to mark your base or an important location from far away.
Mob damage
Both types of campfires deal damage when stepped on, especially the soul campfire, which deals more. This makes them useful in mob traps or as part of a mob farm – allowing you to eliminate weaker mobs without having to fight them yourself.
Harvesting honey
Campfires are also very useful when working with bees. Normally, if you try to collect honey or honeycomb from a beehive or bee nest, the bees become aggressive and attack. To prevent this, simply place a campfire directly underneath the hive – the smoke will calm the bees and allow you to safely harvest their products.
