Top 5 smartest mobs in Minecraft 1.18 update

The mobs in Minecraft can sometimes feel quite unintelligent. They often follow basic pathfinding that is easy to take advantage of. But there are certain mobs in the game that can surprise players with how they act, almost seeming to have a level of genuine intelligence to them.

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5 mobs in Minecraft 1.18 that show a surprising amount of intelligence

5) Zombies

A zombie holding a door they broke (Image via Minecraft)

Often one of, if not the, first hostile mob that players will encounter in a new world, zombies can often seem like their movie counterparts: Slow, shambling masses of undead flesh with a desire to eat brains.

The zombies of Minecraft have been demonstrated to be able to make their way through mazes perfectly to reach a detected mob. They also have the smarts to know that they can break down doors to reach a player hiding in a building or base. They are the only mob with the ability to do so in the game.

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4) Shulkers

A shulker brought to the overworld (Image via Minecraft)

Shulkers are the sole surviving inhabitants of the cities scattered across the islands of the End dimension. They demonstrate their intelligence in how they attack the player and defend themselves from an attack.

They can shoot projectiles that track the player, making turns and twists to follow them. They can also detect the player through walls. This can combine with their ability to shoot projectiles that track by allowing them to shoot players from around corners or from inside buildings.

Their major defensive ability is that they can teleport away from the player when the player gets too close or when they take damage. This demonstrates their ability to figure out which locations are safer than their current one.

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3) Witch

A witch drinking a health potion (Image via Minecraft)

Witches in the game are very smart regarding how they attack and buff themselves. They use potions as a means of attack and defense, which requires quite a bit of intelligence to brew.

They can turn invisible to avoid the player and heal themselves with healing potions. They can also hit players with potions of weakness and poison, as well as instant harming potions. This demonstrates intelligence by showing that they know how to weaken a player in combat before going in for the kill.

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2) Piglins

A fully armored piglin in the Nether (Image via Minecraft)

Piglins are the still-living inhabitants of the Nether, replacing the old zombie pigmen. They demonstrate their brains in their ability to trade with the player. They see gold as a valuable resource and will offer goods and items in return for the player giving them gold.

They can also see if the player is wearing gold armor and will refrain from attacking them if they are. They also use crossbows as weapons, which are more complex than regular bows or swords, another demonstration of their intelligence.

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1) Villagers

A large double village (Image via Minecraft)

Villagers are by far the most intelligent mob in the game. They actively practice agriculture for numerous different crops. They have specialized jobs and trades within their villages, one of the hallmarks of an advancing civilization. They also have a thriving economy that players can participate in by trading emeralds with these tradespeople.

They can also craft things that the player cannot, or at least are heavily implied as having this ability. The best representation of this is the bell that functions as a centerpiece in many villages. There is no way for the player to get a bell other than taking it from a village.

They can also craft iron golems to defend their villages at night, and they know to sleep through the night to avoid hostile mobs.