Mob Encyclopedia ① Creeper — A Monster That Almost Became a Pig, Now the Face of Minecraft
This story was machine-translated from Korean.
Even people who haven't played Minecraft recognize this face. With its green body, four short legs, and drooping mouth, the Creeper has become more than just a mob in the game; it represents the very name of Minecraft. However, this mob wasn't originally designed to be a monster. It was born from a mistake while trying to create a pig.
MCNOW's new series 'Mob Encyclopedia' takes a deep dive into one mob per episode. It explores when and how it was created, how it has changed, how it moves now, and how to deal with and utilize it. The star of the first episode is the Creeper. All stats are based on Java Edition and only values confirmed from Minecraft the Wiki are included.
A Monster That Almost Became a Pig — The Birth Story
Mojang has left the story of the Creeper's birth on their official site. In a May 2017 post on minecraft.net titled 'Meet the Creeper', Jens Bergensten (Jeb) explained:
"It was originally a pig. But due to a mix-up with the height and width values, or the rotation values, it ended up standing instead of lying on its side. However, the AI behavior that made it look at the player remained. He thought the sight of this strange creature walking around and staring at him was too creepy, so he decided to keep it as a monster. He noted that a friend said it would be cool if it exploded, and that's how the Creeper came to be."
According to the development records on Minecraft the Wiki, Notch stated on August 20, 2009, that he would keep the incorrectly created pig model as a scary creature because "it looks creepier when it moves." The Creeper first appeared alongside zombies, skeletons, and pigs in Classic 0.24_SURVIVAL_TEST, released on September 1, 2009. At that time, the Creeper had 10 health points and would explode upon death, destroying nearby blocks.
Regarding its color, Jeb mentioned in the same post that "green is probably a camouflage color," but he joked that whether its skin is flesh, leaves, or fur is still a topic of debate within the team. Notch once said in October 2010 that he imagines it was made of something leaf-like and that it would be crispy like dry leaves. In fact, the Creeper's texture is based on the old oak leaf texture.
Ssshh, 1.52 — The Rules of Explosion
The reason the Creeper is scary is that it makes no sound. It approaches silently, and when it gets within 3 blocks of the player, it stops, makes a 'sshh' sound, and begins to swell up. From this point until it explodes, there are 1.5 seconds (30 ticks).
| Item | Value (Java Edition) |
|---|---|
| Health | 20 (10 hearts) |
| Tracking Distance | 16 blocks (14 blocks when sneaking) |
| Ignition Distance | Within 3 blocks |
| Fuse | 1.5 seconds (30 ticks) |
| Ignition Cancellation | If it moves out of sight beyond 7 blocks |
| Explosion Power | 3 (6 when charged) |
| Max Damage (Regular Creeper) | Easy 22.5 / Normal 43 / Hard 64.5 |
| Max Damage (Charged Creeper) | Easy 43.5 / Normal 85 / Hard 127.5 |
Ignition can be canceled. If you move out of sight beyond 7 blocks when the Creeper starts to swell, the explosion is canceled. The Creeper must be able to see the player throughout the countdown, so breaking line of sight is also a strategy. You can also make it explode yourself. Using flint and a bush will ignite it immediately (1.7.2), and from 1.19.3 onwards, it can also be detonated with a fireball.
The rules of explosion haven't always been the same. In Classic 0.26 SURVIVAL TEST, it was changed so that explosions wouldn't destroy stone-type blocks, and in [[#10]], a mechanic was added where it would explode if it fell from a height onto the player.
Charged Creeper — A Variant Created by Lightning
In Beta 1.5, a feature was added where a Creeper struck by lightning becomes a 'Charged Creeper'. If lightning strikes within 4 blocks of a Creeper, it gains a blue aura, and its explosion power doubles to 6, matching that of an End Crystal.
Charged Creepers are as useful as they are terrifying. If you kill zombies, skeletons, wither skeletons, piglins, or Creepers with this explosion, a mob head will drop. In Java Edition, only one head drops per explosion, chosen randomly. You can only obtain a Creeper head if it was killed by a Charged Creeper, and a Charged Creeper does not drop its own head. Summoning lightning with a trident's 'Channeling' enchantment on a stormy day has been an old method for head collectors.
Why Do They Avoid Cats?
In 2012, in [[#12]], Creepers were programmed to flee from cats and ocelots. Even now, if there is a cat or ocelot within a 6-block radius, Creepers will run away faster than when chasing a player. Cats do not attack Creepers. However, a Creeper that has already started to ignite will not stop even if a cat approaches, so the player must move out of the explosion range.
I couldn't find any official explanation from Mojang about why it's specifically cats during this research. What is clear is the result. Keeping a few cats in front of your house is still the simplest defense against Creepers.
Strategies and Utilization — How to Avoid and Obtain
- See it first, hit it first. With only 20 health points, it's safe to take it out with a bow before it gets close.
- When you hear the 'sshh' sound, back away. Move out of 7 blocks or break line of sight to cancel the explosion.
- In close combat, hit and run. Before getting within the ignition range (3 blocks), hit to push away, and if you hear the hissing sound, back off immediately.
- Light and cats around your house. Light it up to prevent spawns, and if you have a tamed cat, they won't come close.
What you get from creepers — 0 to 2 gunpowder (up to 5 with Looting III), and if a player or tamed wolf kills them, you get 5 experience. If a skeleton-type mob kills them with an arrow, a music disc will definitely drop. Gunpowder is used for TNT, firework rockets, and splash potions.
The music disc drop is a special reward just for creepers. If a creeper is killed by a skeleton or strays' attack, a disc will drop randomly, and Looting enchantments do not affect this. This is why 'music disc farms' are created, gathering creepers and skeletons together.
From mistake to symbol
Mojang concluded the previous article with the sentence, "What almost became a pig turned into the most iconic monster in Minecraft." The reason creepers became iconic lies in their design. As jeb said, this face was made to look "very dangerous with just a few pixels." With a simple face drawn with a few pixels, it can be recognized immediately on t-shirts, hats, toys, and LEGO sets.
In gameplay, creepers created a unique feeling in Minecraft. The frustration of a carefully built structure being destroyed in an instant, and the shock of hearing the hissing sound behind you, are hard to find in other games. In the community, memes like "That'sssss a very nice ... you've got there" circulated for a long time, making it seem like creepers were talking with their hissing sound.
Notch once mentioned that he wanted creepers to only explode due to player actions, saying, "Uncontrollable random destruction ruins the fun." Creepers only explode when the player approaches. It's dangerous, but it can be avoided. This is why creepers have been both hated and loved for over 15 years.
Summary
- Creepers were born from a pig model with swapped height and width values. They first appeared in September 2009 in Classic 0.24_SURVIVAL_TEST.
- Ignition within 3 blocks, 1.5 explodes after a second. If you move more than 7 blocks out of sight, it cancels.
- If struck by lightning, they become charged creepers with double power and can drop mob heads.
- 1.2.1 Avoid cats and ocelots.
- A dangerous but useful mob that gives gunpowder and music discs.
Next time, we'll cover the mob you shouldn't make eye contact with, the Enderman.
References
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