This script was last updated for Java Edition 1.16.4 and Bedrock Edition 1.16.100.
The Nether is full of lava. Even if you have some blocks to bridge with or some fire resistance potions, it's slow and generally expensive to cross these lava lakes. A much quicker and cheaper option is to recruit the services of a mysterious creature with gray hair that can survive where most others would surely perish: a Strider. No, not the king from The Lord of the Rings: it's a mob found in the Nether.
The Strider is a mob that walks on the surface of lava. They spawn can spawn wherever there is lava with air above it. They hold the record for being the only mob that can spawn in every biome in the Nether. You can sometimes found it being ridden by zombified piglins, or even baby striders! As a player, you can ride it, too. First, you need to equip it with a saddle so you can sit on it. Then, to control the Strider, you need to use a plant on a fishing rod, just like with controlling pigs—only, this time, it's with Warped Fungus instead of a Carrot. Simply hold the Warped Fungus on a Stick and point in the direction you want to go. Right-clicking will cause the strider to walk even faster, but each use only lasts about fifteen seconds and uses some of the durability on the tool. Now, the strider can safely ferry you across the lava.
Striders like to be hot, so they'll usually stay in the lava. If they leave this hot liquid, however, they'll grow cold. It won't damage them, but they'll turn purple, shiver a lot, and walk a lot slower. Additionally, water and rain hurts them, so keep them away from it.
Striders, like most passive mobs, can be bred. If you feed two adults warped fungus, they'll breed and create a baby strider. Doing this will also give you a bit of experience. Baby striders take 20 minutes to grow up into an adult, but you can speed this up by feeding them warped fungus.
The Strider is very helpful for the player. It serves as a cheap and efficient method of transportation. If necessary, the player can kill the Strider; it will drop some string and some experience upon death. However, the Strider is not entirely dedicated to helping the player. As said before, zombified piglins can spawn riding striders. If they're angered, they'll control the striders to chase you down. Additionally, the Piglins like to use its hair as string for their crossbows, which they can then use to attack you if you're not careful.