Minecraft 1.8 - New Guardian Mob

The first update for Minecraft 1.8 has been released and as many had thought it does contain the sea serpent - "Guardian mob". Armed with a ranged attack, the Guardian Elder patrols underwater dungeons for intruders. This is the first aggressive mob we've seen in Minecraft since 2013 and it's on par with the Wither.

The Guardian doesn't have a corresponding spawn egg yet so players must either find the secret water dungeons or summon the mob using the summon command. Be prepared though because much like the Wither mob, the Guardian boss is hard to defeat.

Thankfully, Mojang added a new enchantment in v1.8 called "Depth Strider". This Boot enchantment helps you walk faster underwater which obviously gives you a considerable advantage against the Guardian.

How to kill the Guardian Elder

Before you go looking for the new mob, I recommend you arm yourself with the following:

Diamond armour
Water breathing potion
Respiratory Enchantment
Depth Strider enchantment

Without those, fighting the new BOSS underwater is near impossible. His ranged attack shoots from his head at high speed, inflicting a noticeable amount of damage per hit (3 hearts).

As for a weapon, your sword (preferably diamond) is going to be the best choice if you're fighting inside the temple because you can get close enough for a good strike. But if you're swimming around in open water then a ranged weapon such as a bow is the only chance you've got.

Movement is hampered underwater so take your time and approach the mob from the side while his range attack shoots past you. Another good tip is to use squid as a distraction because the Guardian hates those things more than you. Wait till he's busy fighting the squid and creep up behind for the strike.

Lastly, use the pillars and walls of the temples as cover to avoid getting blasted by the lazer beam.

What does the mob drop?

When killed the mob will drop shards and crystals which are ingredients in the crafting recipe for the Sea Lantern block.

Where to find the Guardian mob

The new mob lives in the underwater dungeons which are found in the Ocean biome. As you probably know that biome is a huge void with no tell-tale signs of life. Scanning the depths of the ocean is the best way to find the dungeons, keeping your eye out for the new Sea Lanterns which glow underwater too.

Why go looking for water dungeons?

Finding an underwater dungeon is certainly worth the effort because there's usually treasure inside. On my first venture to the new dungeons I found solid gold blocks encased between Prismarine blocks: