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For calibrated version of Sculk Sensor, see Calibrated Sculk Sensor.

The sculk sensor is a block in the sculk family. It detects vibrations caused by actions and events in a radius around it and emits a redstone signal, and, if it was triggered by a player, also activates nearby sculk shriekers. Players can sneak to avoid making vibrations and wool can be used to occlude and block them.

Obtaining[]

Breaking[]

Sculk sensors can be mined with any tool enchanted with Silk Touch, but hoes are the quickest. If mined with a non-Silk Touch tool, they drop 5 experience instead.

Block Sculk Sensor
Hardness 1.5
Tool
Breaking time[A]
Default 2.25
Wooden 1.15
Stone 0.6
Iron 0.4
Diamond 0.3
Netherite 0.25
Golden 0.2
  1. Times are for unenchanted tools as wielded by players with no status effects, measured in seconds. For more information, see Breaking § Speed.

Chest loot[]

Item Structure Container Quantity Chance
Java Edition
Sculk Sensor Ancient City Chest 1–3 23.2%
Bedrock Edition
Sculk Sensor Ancient City Chest 1–3 23.2%

Natural generation[]

Sculk sensors generate within the deep dark biome and ancient cities.

Post-generation[]

A sculk catalyst has a 9% chance of generating a sculk sensor on top of a sculk block.

Usage[]

Crafting ingredient[]

Sculk sensors can be used to craft calibrated sculk sensors.

Name Ingredients Crafting recipe
Calibrated Sculk Sensor Amethyst Shard +
Sculk Sensor
Sculk Sensor
Calibrated Sculk Sensor

Light[]

A sculk sensor has a light level of 1. When active, it changes to a lighter block state without a change to the light level.

Vibration detection[]

Vibration JE1 BE1

The sculk sensor vibration particle.

Sculk sensors detect vibrations in an 8 block spherical radius around it. Vibrations are caused by various events, such as a player and mobs walking, placing or breaking blocks, gliding with elytra, items falling on the ground, a piston extending or a wet wolf shaking itself off. While sneaking, a player is not detected. Walking, falling, dropping items, or shooting a projectile all trigger the sensor.

When a vibration is made within the range of a sculk sensor, a signal travels from the vibration source to the sensor at a speed of one block per game tick (20 blocks per second). When the signal arrives, the sensor is activated for 40 game ticks (2 seconds). The sensor cannot detect any other vibrations while activated or while a signal is traveling to it.

Sculk sensors have a cooldown period of 1 game tick (0.05 seconds) after being placed or after deactivating. During this short cooldown period, they cannot detect vibrations. This prevents them from activating when a contraption it is powering is being unpowered.

Sculk sensors don't detect vibrations from other sculk sources or the warden.

Wool and carpets have a special interaction with sculk sensors. If a wool block is placed between a sensor and a vibration source, the sensor is not able to detect the placed wool nor vibrations behind it. Specifically, if the ray joining the cube centers of the sensor block and the vibration source passes through any wool blocks, the noise is muffled. If the ray passes diagonally through the edge between two blocks, either one or the other block may muffle it but not both. Sculk sensors are not able to detect footsteps or dropped items on wool blocks or carpet, and they are also unable to detect dropped items of wool and carpets.

Sculk sensors pass on the vibrations made by players to sculk shriekers within 8 blocks of the sensor. For example, an item dropped by a player triggers the shrieker, but an item dropped by a dispenser or from a broken block does not; a player flying around with elytra triggers the shrieker, but a bat flying around does not. Alarms can be blocked by wool placed in between the sensor and shrieker, similar to how wool can block vibrations from reaching the sensor itself.

Redstone emission[]

Sculk sensors emit a redstone signal when they are activated. The strength of the redstone signal is inversely proportional to the distance the vibration signal traveled – the closer the vibration is to the sculk sensor, the stronger the redstone signal is, so it reaches the maximum redstone signal strength when the vibration is directly on top of the sensor.

Vibration amplitudes[]

Jigsaw Block (top texture) JE2 BE2
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Instructions: Bedrock Edition values

Each vibration in the game falls under a certain amplitude value. This value can be measured with a comparator. With the right contraption, the player could detect if a certain action has occurred or is occurring nearby.

1.20.2[]
Output Vibration type Game event Description
1 Step minecraft:step Player or entity steps
Swim minecraft:swim Player or entity swims, boat paddles
Flap minecraft:flap Entity flaps (bat)
Resonate 1 minecraft:resonate_1
2 Projectile Land minecraft:projectile_land Projectile lands (snowball)
Hit Ground minecraft:hit_ground Player or entity hits ground post-jump or fall
Splash minecraft:splash Player or entity splashes. Entity entering water or bubble column
Resonate 2 minecraft:resonate_2
3 Item Interact Finish minecraft:item_interact_finish Item Interaction (Shield, Spyglass, Bone Meal)
Projectile Shoot minecraft:projectile_shoot Projectile Shoots (arrow)
Instrument Play minecraft:instrument_play Goat Horn Plays
Resonate 3 minecraft:resonate_3
4 Entity Action minecraft:entity_action Entity Roars (Ravager), Entity Shakes (wolf after swimming)
Elytra Glide minecraft:elytra_glide Player glides
Unequip minecraft:unequip Armor unequip in armor slot or stand
Resonate 4 minecraft:resonate_4
5 Entity Dismount minecraft:entity_dismount Player Dismount
Equip minecraft:equip Armor equip in armor slot or stand
Resonate 5 minecraft:resonate_5
6 Entity Mount minecraft:entity_mount Player Mount (horse)
Entity Interact minecraft:entity_interact Player interaction with entity (breeding)
Shear minecraft:shear Shears a sheep
Resonate 6 minecraft:resonate_6
7 Entity Damage minecraft:entity_damage Damage or death to entities (except armor stand)
Resonate 7 minecraft:resonate_7
8 Drink minecraft:drink Player or entity drinks
Eat minecraft:eat Player or entity eats
Resonate 8 minecraft:resonate_8
9 Container Close minecraft:container_close Close container (Chest, shulkerbox, hopper)
Block Close minecraft:block_close Door Close (trapdoor and fencegate)
Block Deactivate minecraft:block_deactivate Lever or button deactivation
Block Detach minecraft:block_detach Tripwire detachment
Resonate 9 minecraft:resonate_9
10 Container Open minecraft:container_open Open Container
Block Open minecraft:block_open Open Door
Block Activate minecraft:block_activate Activate Blocks
Block Attach minecraft:block_attach Attachment of Tripwire hook
Prime Fuse minecraft:prime_fuse TNT or creeper activation
Note Block Play minecraft:note_block_play Note Block Sounds
Resonate 10 minecraft:resonate_10
11 Block Change minecraft:block_change Block Change (Chiseled Bookshelf, Lectern)
Resonate 11 minecraft:resonate_11
12 Block Destroy minecraft:block_destroy Block Destruction
Fluid Pickup minecraft:fluid_pickup Gathered Fluid (Water, honey bottle, powdered snow)
Resonate 12 minecraft:resonate_12
13 Block Place minecraft:block_place Block Placement
Fluid Place minecraft:fluid_place Fluid Placement
Resonate 13 minecraft:resonate_13
14 Entity Place minecraft:entity_place Entity Placement via Spawn-egg, Mob Spawner, Armor Stand Placement, or Evoker magic
Lightning Strike minecraft:lightning_strike Lightning Strike
Teleport minecraft:teleport Endermen, Chorus Fruit, Shulker
Resonate 14 minecraft:resonate_14
15 Entity Die minecraft:entity_die Armor Stand Dies, Firework Finishes
Explode minecraft:explode TNT, End Crystal, Bed/Respawn Anchor, Creeper Explosion
Resonate 15 minecraft:resonate_15
Vibration Resonance[]
Dark Oak Sapling
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When a sculk sensor detects a vibration, any adjacent block of amethyst will reemit a vibration on the same frequency that the sculk sensor detected.

Things which are not detected[]

The following occurrences, despite presumably causing physical motion, do not produce vibrations and therefore cannot be detected:

The following cases have been confirmed to be intentional:

Piston interactivity[]

Sculk sensors are immovable. Pistons cannot push them, and sticky pistons cannot push or pull them. Slime blocks and honey blocks do not stick to sculk sensors and have no effect whether the slime block or honey block is being pushed or pulled.

Sounds[]

A sculk sensor is silent if waterlogged. It can still detect vibration, but does not produce sounds itself.

Generic[]

Java Edition:

SoundSubtitlesSourceDescriptionResource locationTranslation keyVolumePitchAttenuation
distance
Block brokenBlocksOnce the block has brokenblock.sculk_sensor.breaksubtitles.block.generic.break0.90.9616
Block placedBlocksWhen the block is placedblock.sculk_sensor.placesubtitles.block.generic.place0.80.9616
Block breakingBlocksWhile the block is in the process of being brokenblock.sculk_sensor.hitsubtitles.block.generic.hit0.250.516
None[sound 1]Entity-DependentFalling on the block with fall damageblock.sculk_sensor.fallNone[sound 1]0.50.7516
FootstepsEntity-DependentWalking on the blockblock.sculk_sensor.stepsubtitles.block.generic.footsteps0.151.016
  1. a b MC-177082

Bedrock Edition:

SoundSourceDescriptionResource locationVolumePitch
BlocksOnce the block has brokenbreak.sculk_sensor0.80.8-1.0
BlocksWhen the block is placedplace.sculk_sensor0.80.8-1.0
BlocksWhile the block is in the process of being brokenhit.sculk_sensor0.350.5
PlayersFalling on the block with fall damagefall.sculk_sensor0.41.0
PlayersWalking on the blockstep.sculk_sensor0.171.0
PlayersJumping from the blockjump.sculk_sensor0.121.0
PlayersFalling on the block without fall damageland.sculk_sensor0.141.0

Unique[]

Java Edition:

SoundSubtitlesSourceDescriptionResource locationTranslation keyVolumePitchAttenuation
distance
Sculk Sensor starts clickingBlocksWhen a sculk sensor detects a vibrationblock.sculk_sensor.clickingsubtitles.block.sculk_sensor.clicking0.730.8-1.016
Sculk Sensor stops clickingBlocksWhen a sculk sensor deactivatesblock.sculk_sensor.clicking_stopsubtitles.block.sculk_sensor.clicking_stop0.620.8-1.016
Amethyst resonatesBlocksWhen an amethyst block re-emits a vibrationblock.amethyst_block.resonatesubtitles.block.amethyst_block.resonate1.0varies[sound 1]48
  1. Picks number from 0, 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 18, 19, 21, 22, or 24 using the vibration's signal strength, and applies . It uses the same equation that note blocks do.

Bedrock Edition:

SoundSourceDescriptionResource locationVolumePitch
BlocksWhen a sculk sensor detects a vibrationpower.on.sculk_sensor0.730.8-1.2
BlocksWhen a sculk sensor deactivatespower.off.sculk_sensor0.620.8-1.2
BlocksWhen an amethyst block re-emits a vibrationresonate.amethyst_block3.0varies[sound 1]
NoneNoneUndefined sound eventblock.sculk_sensor.clicking1.00.73
NoneUndefined sound eventblock.sculk_sensor.clicking_stop1.00.62
  1. Uses the same system as Java Edition.[verify]

Data values[]

ID[]

Java Edition:

NameIdentifierFormTranslation key
Sculk Sensorsculk_sensorBlock & Itemblock.minecraft.sculk_sensor
NameIdentifier
Block entitysculk_sensor

Bedrock Edition:

NameIdentifierNumeric ID FormItem ID[i 1]Translation key
Sculk Sensorsculk_sensor562Block & Giveable Item[i 2]Identical[i 3]tile.sculk_sensor.name
  1. ID of block's direct item form, which is used in savegame files and addons.
  2. Available with /give command.
  3. The block's direct item form has the same id as the block.
NameSavegame ID
Block entitySculkSensor

Block states[]

See also: Block states

Java Edition:

Name Default value Allowed values Description
power00
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
The sculk sensor's current power level.
sculk_sensor_phaseinactiveactive
cooldown
inactive
Whether or not the sculk sensor is active.[more information needed]
waterloggedfalsefalse
true
Whether or not there's water in the same place as this sculk sensor.

Bedrock Edition:

NameMetadata Bits Default value Allowed valuesValues for
Metadata Bits
Description
sculk_sensor_phaseNot Supported00
1
2
UnsupportedThe sculk sensor phase.[more information needed]

Block data[]

A sculk sensor has a block entity associated with it that holds additional data about the block.

Java Edition:

Sculk Sensor/BE

Bedrock Edition:

See Bedrock Edition level format/Block entity format.

Achievements[]

Icon Achievement In-game description Actual requirements (if different) Gamerscore earned Trophy type (PS4)
PS4 Other
Sneak 100Sneaking [sic] next to a Sculk Sensor without triggering itSneak next to a Sculk Sensor or Warden without triggering or aggravating it.10GBronze

Advancements[]

Icon Advancement In-game description Parent Actual requirements (if different) Resource location
Advancement-plain-rawInvicon Sculk SensorSneak 100
Sneak near a Sculk Sensor or Warden to prevent it from detecting you AdventureSneak within 8 blocks from a sculk sensor, or 16 blocks from a warden.adventure/avoid_vibration

History[]

2020Prototypes for the sculk sensor are made, previously simply stepping on sculk would produce noise and alert the warden.
The sculk sensors were originally only going to emit a redstone signal after being triggered four times, visually shown by markings on its top that would light up each time.
October 3, 2020Sculk Sensor (pre-release 1)The sculk sensor is shown off at Minecraft Live 2020.
Sculk Sensor (pre-release item) Item model was without tendrils since they were an entity, similar situation to the book on the enchanting table.
November 13, 2020Sculk Sensor (pre-release 2) The sculk sensor has a new texture and clicking animation in a tweet from Brandon Pearce.
Tendrils are no longer entities and merged to block model.
November 23, 2020Sculk Sensor (pre-release 3) The sculk sensor has a new clicking animation in a tweet from Brandon Pearce.
November 27, 2020Inactive Sculk Sensor JE1 The sculk sensor has a new final texture in a tweet from Brandon Pearce.
Java Edition
1.1720w49aSculk Sensor JE1 Inactive Sculk Sensor JE1 Active Sculk Sensor JE1 Added sculk sensor with a new inactive and clicking animation.
20w51aEating Start has been removed as an event.
Entity Hit's frequency value has changed from 9 to 8.
Container Close's frequency value has changed from 10 to 14.
Container Open's frequency value has changed from 11 to 15.
Walking on wool no longer causes vibrations.
Throwing wool as an item onto the ground no longer causes vibrations.
Sculk sensors are now silent while waterlogged.
21w05aAdded the following game events:
21w13aThe two unused textures of the calibrated sculk sensor top and side has removed.
21w19aSculk sensors are now accessible only through commands.
1.18Experimental Snapshot 1Sculk sensors are now available in the creative inventory.
21w37aSculk sensors are once again accessible only through commands.
1.19Deep Dark Experimental Snapshot 1Sculk sensors now generate in the deep dark biome.
Sculk sensors now drop experience when mined without Silk Touch.
Sculk sensors now always activate when stepped on, even when sneaking.
Sculk sensors have been re-added to the creative inventory.
22w15aCarpets, like wool blocks, now dampen the vibrations caused by their placing, breaking or dropping as items.
Carpets now also dampen the vibrations caused by running and jumping over them.
1.19.423w06aSculk sensors are now able to detect more actions included in several existing and new game events, such as:
1.19.4 Pre-release 1The item_interact_finish event now has a vibration frequency of 2 instead of 14.
1.19.4 Pre-release 4Sculk sensors are now activated upon breaking shulker bullets.
1.2023w12aSculk sensors can now be used to craft calibrated sculk sensors.
Vibration frequencies of many actions in the game have been tweaked and greatly simplified to prevent unwanted interference, as following:
  1. a b c d e Is ignored when sneaking.
  2. a b c d e f g h i j k l m Also works with dispensers.
  3. Despite being an occurrence of splashing, sculk sensors do not detect fishing bobbers hooking a fish; this has been confirmed by Mojang to be intentional.[23]
  4. Milk does not trigger any vibration, and honey and stews trigger the eating event. See MC-213937.
  5. Honey bottles and stews count as food for this case.
  6. This includes blocks placed by a dispenser or enderman.
  7. Using fish buckets to breed axolotls does not cause this vibration. This inconsistency is intentional.[26]
  8. Replacing an existing fluid, in and out of a cauldron, does not trigger the event. See MC-213965.
  9. This does not include blocks broken by flowing water (MC-207410), nor redstone dust, redstone repeaters, redstone comparators or any type of rail being broken due to its supporting block being removed (MC-207411), nor the last slice of cake being eaten (MC-213968).
  10. Closing a minecart with a chest or with a hopper does not trigger this event. See MC-210707.
Sculk sensors now resonate their vibrations through amethyst.
23w14aThe default redstone output for sculk sensors has been modified to be more reliable for distance calculations.
Sculk sensors now strongly power the block they are placed on.
Removed the cooldown state of sculk_sensor_phase block state.
23w16aIf a vibration is scheduled to be received by a sculk sensor, it will stay queued until all adjacent chunks are loaded and ticking. This prevents vibration resonance setups from breaking when unloading their chunks from a distance.
23w17aSculk sensors now last 30 game ticks when in Active phase instead of 40.
Sculk sensors now last 10 game ticks when in Cooldown phase instead of 1.
23w18aLanding or jumping on the edge of wool no longer triggers sculk sensors.[28]
Walking on the edge of blocks now properly triggers sculk sensors.[29]
1.20.223w31aSculk sensors can now detect totems of undying activating.
Sculk sensors can now detect witches drinking a potion.
Sculk sensors can now detect turtles clearing away sand.
Sculk sensors can now detect camels standing up, sitting down, or dashing.
23w32aVibrations no longer risk being lost on simulation distance limit.
Unequipping items emits a new unequip vibration of frequency 4.
Chiseled bookshelves emit a block_change vibration of frequency 11 when receiving books from hoppers.
Turtle eggs cracking emit a block_change vibration of frequency 11.
Turtle eggs hatching emit a block_destroy vibration of frequency 12.
Using bone meal emits an item_interact_finish vibration of frequency 3.
Fire being doused by water potion emits a block_destroy vibration of frequency 12.
Evokers evoking vexes or fangs emit an entity_place vibration of frequency 14.
Carrots being eaten by rabbits emit a block_change vibration of frequency 11.
Sweet berries being eaten by foxes emit a block_change vibration of frequency 11.
Camels eating cactus emit an eat vibration of frequency 8.
Bedrock Edition
Caves & Cliffs
(Experimental)
beta 1.16.210.56Sculk Sensor BE1 Added the sculk sensor. It uses a different texture from the one in Java Edition.
sculk_sensor_redstone_signal particles are also different from the ones in Java Edition.
beta 1.17.0.50Sculk sensors can now detect walking vibrations below y=0.
beta 1.17.10.20Sculk Sensor BE2 Texture changed to match Java Edition. But not the animation.
1.18.0beta 1.18.0.20Sculk sensor are now available outside experimental gameplay.
beta 1.18.0.22Sculk sensors have been moved behind the "Vanilla Experiments" experimental gameplay toggle.
Vanilla Experiments
(Experimental)
beta 1.18.0.22Sculk sensors are now broken faster with a hoe.
Wild Update
(Experimental)
beta 1.18.10.21Sculk sensors have been moved behind the "Wild Update" experimental gameplay toggle.
beta 1.18.30.22Added wool occlusion to sculk sensors.
Sculk sensors no longer make clicking sounds if they are waterlogged.
beta 1.18.30.28Sculk sensors now generate in the "Deep Dark" biome.
1.19.0beta 1.19.0.20Added more game events to match Java Edition.
Sculk sensors now always activate when stepped on, even when sneaking.
Sculk sensors are now available without enabling experimental gameplay again.
beta 1.19.0.24Sculk sensors now drop experience when mined without Silk Touch.
1.20.10beta 1.20.10.20Sculk sensors can now detect the following events:
1.20.30beta 1.20.30.20Sculk sensors can now detect the following events:
beta 1.20.30.21Sculk sensors can now detect the following events:

Issues[]

Issues relating to "Sculk Sensor" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.

Trivia[]

  • "Sculk" is derived from "skulk", meaning "keep out of sight, typically with a sinister or cowardly motive".[30]
  • Originally the sculk sensor used to require 4 vibrations before it would emit a redstone signal which is the markings up the top, they would light up for each vibration received and would slowly go down after time.[31]

Gallery[]

References[]

External Links[]

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