Soul Soil — Minecraft block

Soul Soil

Soul Soil is the smooth, dark sibling of soul sand — added in 1.16, walked on at full speed and the substrate of blue soul fire.

Block ID minecraft:soul_soil
Mod Vanilla
Game versions
1.21

Description

Soul Soil was added in the Nether Update (1.16) as the companion block to soul sand — the same haunted aesthetic, but smoother and without the slow-walk effect that makes soul sand a hassle. The texture is darker, almost black with hints of a blue ambient glow, and the surface no longer shows the gasping faces; instead it reads as packed scorched earth.

A shovel is the fastest mining tool, and any tool (or your bare hand) drops the block. Soul Soil's main use is as the substrate of soul fire — a flame placed on top burns blue, casting an eerie cyan glow and dealing more damage to mobs than orange fire. Soul Soil is also a crafting ingredient for soul torches, soul lanterns, and soul campfires, and four blocks of it can replace soul sand when summoning the Wither. Builders use it as flooring for haunted shrines, pirate caverns, and any structure that should glow blue at night.

Java & Bedrock Guide

How to make soul fire with Soul Soil in Minecraft

  1. 1

    Mine Soul Soil in the Nether

    Travel to a Soul Sand Valley biome in the Nether and dig up Soul Soil; a shovel is fastest, but any tool or your bare hand works.

  2. 2

    Place the block

    Set the Soul Soil where you want the blue flame, such as a path edge, a lantern post, or a shrine floor.

  3. 3

    Light the soul fire

    Use flint and steel or a fire charge on the top face; the flame ignites blue instead of orange and gives off light level 10.

  4. 4

    Craft soul torches

    Combine 1 coal or charcoal, 1 stick, and 1 Soul Soil to craft 4 soul torches that emit the same eerie blue glow.

Soul fire vs normal fire

Soul fire only appears on Soul Soil or soul sand; on any other block the flame burns orange. Soul fire deals more damage to mobs, which is why it is popular for Nether traps and builds.

Related blocks

Frequently asked questions

Is Soul Soil craftable?

No. Soul Soil cannot be crafted — it only generates naturally in Soul Sand Valley biomes in the Nether, so you must mine it.

What is the difference between Soul Soil and soul sand?

Soul Soil lets you walk at full speed, while soul sand slows you down. Both can host soul fire and can be used to summon the Wither.

Can you summon the Wither with Soul Soil?

Yes. Four Soul Soil or soul sand blocks topped with three wither skeleton skulls summon the Wither.

What tool mines Soul Soil fastest?

A shovel mines Soul Soil fastest, but the block still drops with any tool or with your bare hand.

What version added Soul Soil?

Soul Soil was added in the Nether Update — Java Edition 1.16 and Bedrock Edition 1.16.0.

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