Action: You need obsidian for a second portal and you don't want to go back to the Overworld. Here's how to get it in the Nether.
TL;DR: Obsidian does not naturally form in the Nether the same way it does in the Overworld, because there's no water (water evaporates instantly in the Nether). But obsidian is available in three Nether-specific locations: Ruined Portals almost always have obsidian blocks you can mine, Bastions sometimes have obsidian near Piglin gold storage areas, and Piglin bartering occasionally gives you crying obsidian (which is not the same thing — more on that). If you need full obsidian without mining from the Overworld, ruined portals are your best source.
Water does not exist in the Nether. Throw a bucket of water and it evaporates the instant it hits. This is the reason obsidian doesn't form naturally the way it does in the Overworld — obsidian requires water and lava to meet, and half of that equation is missing.
But obsidian does exist in the Nether. You just need to know where to look.
Ruined Portals — Your Best Source
Ruined Portals spawn in both the Overworld and the Nether. In the Nether, they appear as partially-built portal frames made from obsidian, sometimes with crying obsidian mixed in, surrounded by scattered netherrack and a chest.
The portal frame itself is made from obsidian. You can mine it with a diamond or netherite pickaxe. A standard ruined portal has anywhere from 6 to 14 obsidian blocks in the frame, which is enough to build a new portal (you need 10 blocks minimum, 14 for a full frame with corners).
Mine the frame. The chest next to it usually contains a fire charge, some gold ingots, and occasionally a piece of enchanted gold armor — all useful. The chest is worth checking before you leave.
Bring a diamond pickaxe minimum. Obsidian requires diamond or netherite to mine. Iron pickaxe gives you nothing on obsidian — you'll mine for several seconds and the block will drop no item.
Bastions — Harder to Access, More Obsidian
Bastion Remnants are large structures that generate in the Nether. They're guarded by Piglins and Piglin Brutes. The Brutes are dangerous — they spawn with axes, hit hard, and do not respond to gold armor the way regular Piglins do.
Inside Bastions, near the treasure room areas, you'll sometimes find obsidian as part of the structure and near gold block piles. How much varies by the Bastion type (Bridge, Hoglin Stable, Housing, Treasure) — Treasure Bastions tend to have the most accessible obsidian.
This is a riskier source than ruined portals. Recommended only if you're already in a Bastion or if you've cleared the Brutes.
Crying Obsidian — Similar Name, Different Use
Piglin bartering (throwing gold ingots to a Piglin) has a chance to give you crying obsidian. Crying obsidian looks like obsidian with purple particles. It is not interchangeable with regular obsidian for portal construction — you cannot build a functioning Nether portal out of crying obsidian.
What crying obsidian does: it works as a respawn anchor material (not the same as a respawn anchor, but used in crafting one). If you're trying to build a portal and you bartered yourself a stack of crying obsidian, you have something useful, just not what you came for.
Lava Columns in the Nether — Rare Natural Obsidian
In rare cases, lava flowing over certain generation patterns creates naturally occurring obsidian columns in the Nether. This is uncommon and not reliable as a source. If you happen to find it, mine it — but don't go looking for it specifically.
Common Mistakes
- Trying to mine obsidian with an iron pickaxe. It mines for 15+ seconds and drops nothing. Use diamond or netherite.
- Confusing crying obsidian with regular obsidian for portal building. They look similar. Crying obsidian has visible purple glow effects. It will not activate as a portal frame.
- Overlooking ruined portals. They generate often enough that a few minutes of Nether exploration will usually find one. They're one of the most reliable early sources of Nether obsidian.
- Mining the ruined portal frame before looting the chest. Minor thing, but the chest sits near the frame — loot it first so you know if you need to stay or if you can move on.
A Closing Thought
The Nether looks like a place that should have no useful resources, and then it turns out to have most of what you need once you know where it hides things. Obsidian is a good example — it's not sitting on the ground in obvious piles, but it's in the portal frames and the Bastion walls and the trade pool. The Nether rewards players who look carefully rather than players who move fast.
Pair this guide with Nether Brick Uses and Where to Get It and Nether Biomes: A Field Guide and Food in the Nether: A Practical Guide.
Listen to the audio version above. Send corrections to [email protected] — we read everything.
← BACK TO NETHER WASTES