Illagers in Minecraft and Minecraft Dungeons: How different are they?

Minecraft features many families of mobs, and some of them receive extra attention. Illagers are one such mob family that have grown in popularity over the years, becoming one of the most fleshed-out factions in the game. Further, they have the most personality among all the hostile mobs currently present.

Illagers were originally referred to as "ill-built villagers" during development. This term was eventually shortened to "ill-villager," and then to the current "illager." For those unaware, the illagers in Minecraft and its spin-off game, Minecraft Dungeons, exhibit noticeable differences.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinion.

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A look at illagers in the main Minecraft game

In the main Minecraft game, illagers are hostile mobs associated with structures such as pillager outposts and woodland mansions. There are four main types of illagers in the game: pillagers, vindicators, illusioners, and evokers. Of these, the illusioner is exclusive to Java Edition and can only be summoned using commands.

These mobs have allies like ravagers and vexes, which assist them during encounters with players. Despite this, the illagers lack a detailed backstory. They appear to be a rogue group rather than a unified army. This scattered behavior is reflected in their gameplay mechanics as well, since they are often found in small groups or defending specific locations.

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Illagers in Minecraft Dungeons

Minecraft Dungeons presents illagers as a far more organized and threatening force. The Arch-Illager unites the others under him, turning them into an empire. Consquently, the narrative focus on illagers is greater in Minecraft Dungeons.

There is a prequel novel, The Rise of the Arch-Illager, which provides a backstory for the entity and his rise to power. This narrative depth gives illagers much more depth in Dungeons, which is missing from the main game.

Illagers in Dungeons also demonstrate greater diversity in their ranks. In addition to variants of main game illagers, such as the Vindicator Chef, new classes like geomancers, wind callers, and iceologers introduce a range of magical and tactical abilities.

These new illager types pose significant challenges, and they would probably lead many players to rage-quit if they were in the main game. The illagers in Minecraft Dungeons have also formed alliances with other hostile mobs, such as the undead under the leadership of the Nameless One.

The Arch-Illager manages to convince the undead to follow him, and in return gives them the ability to survive sunlight. These triumphs further emphasize how much more scary they are in the spin-off. This unity among the foes and strength starkly contrast with the scattered nature of the illagers in the main game.

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In the main game, illagers are a much smaller faction with limited lore and a focus on simple gameplay mechanics. On the other hand, Dungeons turns them into a centralized enemy with diverse classes, alliances, and a compelling backstory.