Updated 25 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
Trial Spawners in Minecraft: How They Work
Trial spawners are the special spawners in trial chambers. When a player in Survival or Adventure comes within 14 blocks and can see it, it spawns a set wave of mobs, more with more players. Defeat them all and it drops a reward for each player, often a trial key, then rests for 30 minutes. With Bad Omen, it turns ominous and spawns harder mobs.
How does a trial spawner work?
- It activates when a Survival or Adventure player is within 14 blocks with line of sight.
- Mobs appear within 4 blocks of it, also needing line of sight, every second (every 8 seconds for the slow ones) until the wave is done.
- More nearby players means more mobs.
- When every mob is defeated, it ejects a reward for each player (50% chance it is a trial key), then waits 30 minutes.
What does an ominous trial spawner do?
Drink an ominous bottle for Bad Omen, then go near a trial spawner: Bad Omen turns into Trial Omen and spawners become ominous: stronger mobs with gear, extra dropped items such as lingering potions during the fight, and ominous keys for ominous vaults. See Bad Omen and Trial Omen.
What mobs can a trial spawner use?
Each spawner picks a type for its chamber, such as zombies, husks, skeletons, strays, bogged, spiders, cave spiders, slimes, silverfish or breezes. See breezes and the bogged.
Can you take a trial spawner home?
No: it cannot be mined into an item in Survival, and no tool speeds up breaking it. Only Creative, pick block or commands give one. Use the loot and keys instead; see vaults and trial chambers.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a trial spawner cooldown?
30 minutes.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.