TL;DR: Hoglins flee from warped fungus. They drop porkchops and leather when killed. They spawn in Crimson Forests. You can farm them, flee from them, or breed them. Pick the approach that matches your gear.
Hoglins are big, pink, tusked, and fast. They charge on sight. And they're one of the most useful mobs in the Nether once you understand them.
What they actually do
A Hoglin charges from about 16 blocks away. The charge deals 4-9 damage on Normal difficulty and knocks you back significantly — often off ledges if you're near one.
Adult Hoglins deal more damage. Baby Hoglins are mostly harmless.
They don't shoot, they don't fly, and they don't have ranged attacks. They just run at you and hit hard.
Warped fungus — the fear factor
Hoglins are terrified of warped fungus. Place one on the ground near a Hoglin and it immediately flees.
This works as:
- An escape tool — place warped fungus behind you while running.
- A pen boundary — line a pen with warped fungus to keep Hoglins from breaking out.
- A combat opener — place fungus to force the Hoglin to turn, then attack from behind.
Warped fungus grows in the Warped Forest biome (the teal-blue Nether forest). Collect it whenever you pass through. It stacks.
When to fight them
Fight a Hoglin when:
- You need food (they drop raw porkchops and leather).
- You have full iron armor or better.
- You have a sword with Knockback II (sends them flying — prevents their charge landing).
Don't fight them when you're above a lava pit, near a ledge, or below 6 hearts.
Combat approach: Place warped fungus. When it turns to flee, hit it from behind. Repeat. Never let it face you directly if you can help it.
Breeding Hoglins
You can breed Hoglins with crimson fungus (the red mushroom from Crimson Forest). Right-click two Hoglins with crimson fungus and they produce a baby Hoglin.
This is useful for:
- Creating a sustainable porkchop farm near your base.
- XP — killing baby Hoglins still gives a small XP amount.
You need a fenced pen (Hoglins can break some blocks), warped fungus lining the fence perimeter, and a regular supply of crimson fungus for breeding.
Zombified Hoglins
When a regular Hoglin enters the Overworld, it zombifies after 15 seconds and becomes a Zombified Hoglin — which is actually a different mob.
Zombified Hoglins are still hostile but much slower. They don't drop porkchops — just rotten flesh. Not useful for farming.
Common mistakes
- Fighting a Hoglin near a ledge. The knockback from a charge sends you over the edge. Always fight on flat ground.
- Placing warped fungus too late. Place it before the Hoglin starts its charge, not after.
- Ignoring baby Hoglins. They grow up. If you're farming adults, clear the babies or they'll become a problem in 20 minutes.
- Building a pen without warped fungus lining. Hoglins will pathfind out through weak barriers.
A closing thought
Hoglins are the Nether's most misunderstood mob. First encounter: pure panic. Third encounter: managed threat. Tenth encounter: renewable food source.
The Bedtime episode about the Hoglin Who Wanted to Be a Cat is, among other things, about learning that the creatures you fear are often something else entirely.
Pair with The Complete Nether Guide and Nether Wart Farming for the full food + potions setup.
Listen to the audio version above. Send corrections to [email protected].
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