Chain — Minecraft block

Chain

Chain is a compact metal block for hanging lanterns and adding detail to bridges, cranes, and dungeon builds.

Block ID minecraft:chain
Mod Vanilla
Game versions
1.21

Description

Chain is a thin decorative metal block crafted from one iron ingot placed between two iron nuggets, added to Minecraft in the 1.16 Nether Update. It can be placed vertically or horizontally, is waterloggable, and lets light pass through, which makes it the cleanest way to hang a lantern or soul lantern from a ceiling. A chain only connects to neighbouring chains by orientation, so builders set the direction deliberately rather than relying on auto-joining.

The block is mostly cosmetic, but its visual role is broad. Mines, docks, blacksmiths, prisons, chandeliers, cranes, drawbridges, and Nether corridors all gain realism from small metal links. Chain generates naturally in bastion remnants and hanging from some ruined portals, and it pairs well with iron bars, lanterns, anvils, bells, and blackstone for believable industrial and gothic scenes.

Crafting Guide

How to craft and use a Chain in Minecraft

  1. 1

    Get iron nuggets and an ingot

    Smelt iron ore or raw iron into iron ingots, then craft one ingot into nine iron nuggets. You need one iron ingot and two iron nuggets per chain.

  2. 2

    Craft the chain

    Open a crafting table and place the two iron nuggets and one iron ingot in a vertical line in the center column: nugget on top, ingot in the middle, nugget at the bottom. This yields one chain.

  3. 3

    Place it vertically or horizontally

    Aim at a ceiling, wall, or floor and place the chain. It snaps to the surface you target, so you can run it straight down to hang an object or sideways as a railing detail.

  4. 4

    Hang a lantern under it

    Place a lantern or soul lantern on the bottom of the chain to make a clean hanging light. Stack several chains first to lower the lantern further from the ceiling.

Version note

Chains became craftable in Java and Bedrock Edition 1.16. They are waterloggable and must be mined with a pickaxe, otherwise they drop nothing.

How to craft this block

Ingredients:
Iron Nugget Iron Nugget x2
Iron Ingot Iron Ingot x1
Crafting
Iron Nugget
Iron Ingot
Iron Nugget
Chain
1
Chain

Used in crafts

  • Warped Hanging Sign
  • Crimson Hanging Sign
  • Bamboo Hanging Sign
  • Cherry Hanging Sign
  • Mangrove Hanging Sign
  • Dark Oak Hanging Sign
  • Acacia Wall Hanging Sign
  • Jungle Hanging Sign
  • Birch Hanging Sign
  • Spruce Hanging Sign
  • Oak Hanging Sign

Related blocks

Frequently asked questions

How do you craft a chain in Minecraft?

Place one iron ingot in the center of a crafting grid with one iron nugget directly above it and one directly below. This vertical pattern makes one chain.

What Minecraft version added chains?

Chains became craftable in the 1.16 Nether Update in both Java and Bedrock Edition. Before that they only existed in the game files.

Can chains be placed horizontally?

Yes. Since 1.16 a chain can be placed vertically or horizontally by aiming at the surface you want it to attach to.

Do you need a pickaxe to mine a chain?

Yes. A chain must be broken with a pickaxe to drop itself; breaking it by hand or with the wrong tool yields nothing.

Where do chains generate naturally?

Chains generate in bastion remnants in the Nether and hang from some ruined portals in both the Overworld and the Nether.

Are chains waterloggable?

Yes. A chain can hold water, so it stays usable as a detail in underwater or fountain builds.

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