Desert pyramid

Biomes	Desert Desert Hills
Consists of	See Blocks
Can generate in existing chunks	No

Desert pyramids are pyramid-shaped sandstone structures naturally generated in deserts. Each pyramid contains valuable loot protected by a TNT trap.

Generation[edit]

Desert pyramids naturally generate in desert and desert hills biomes. They always generate with their floor at y=64. This may cause them to be partially buried in sand.

Structure[edit]

Main article: /Structure

Inside view of a desert pyramid.

Desert pyramids are constructed from normal, chiseled and cut sandstone, orange and blue terracotta, sandstone slabs, and sandstone stairs.

In the center of the pyramid's ground floor is a single block of blue terracotta. Underneath this terracotta is a 'booby-trapped' hidden chamber with four chests that can each contain valuable loot. The trap consists of a stone pressure plate (located directly under the blue terracotta), connected to a 3x3x1 grid of TNT. Setting off the TNT destroys the chests and their loot.

Preview of the 4 hidden chests with the TNT Trap under the desert pyramid.

Desert pyramids look yellow on maps, similar to sand and sandstone, but with a distinctive shape.

Loot[edit]

See also: Chest loot

In Java Edition each desert pyramid chest contains items drawn from 2 pools, with the following distribution:

Item	Stack Size ^[A]		Weight ^[B]		Chance ^[C]	Avg. per chest ^[D]	Avg. # chests to search ^[E]
Item	2–4×	4×	2–4×	4×	Chance ^[C]	Avg. per chest ^[D]	Avg. # chests to search ^[E]
Bone	4–6	1–8	²⁵⁄₂₃₂	¹⁰⁄₅₀	70.8%	5.216	1.4
Rotten Flesh	3–7	1–8	²⁵⁄₂₃₂	¹⁰⁄₅₀	70.8%	5.216	1.4
Gunpowder	—	1–8	—	¹⁰⁄₅₀	59.0%	3.600	1.7
Sand	—	1–8	—	¹⁰⁄₅₀	59.0%	3.600	1.7
String	—	1–8	—	¹⁰⁄₅₀	59.0%	3.600	1.7
Spider Eye	1–3	—	²⁵⁄₂₃₂	—	28.7%	0.647	3.5
Enchanted Book^{[note 1]}	1	—	²⁰⁄₂₃₂	—	23.5%	0.259	4.3
Saddle	1	—	²⁰⁄₂₃₂	—	23.5%	0.259	4.3
Golden Apple	1	—	²⁰⁄₂₃₂	—	23.5%	0.259	4.3
Gold Ingot	2–7	—	¹⁵⁄₂₃₂	—	18.0%	0.873	5.5
Iron Ingot	1–5	—	¹⁵⁄₂₃₂	—	18.0%	0.582	5.5
Emerald	1–3	—	¹⁵⁄₂₃₂	—	18.0%	0.388	5.5
Nothing^{[note 2]}	1	—	¹⁵⁄₂₃₂	—	18.0%	0.194	5.5
Iron Horse Armor	1	—	¹⁵⁄₂₃₂	—	18.0%	0.194	5.5
Golden Horse Armor	1	—	¹⁰⁄₂₃₂	—	12.3%	0.129	8.1
Diamond	1–3	—	⁵⁄₂₃₂	—	6.3%	0.129	15.8
Diamond Horse Armor	1	—	⁵⁄₂₃₂	—	6.3%	0.065	15.8
Enchanted Golden Apple	1	—	²⁄₂₃₂	—	2.6%	0.026	39.0

In Bedrock Edition each desert pyramid chest contains items drawn from 2 pools, with the following distribution:

Item	Stack Size ^[A]		Weight ^[B]		Chance ^[C]	Avg. per chest ^[D]	Avg. # chests to search ^[E]
Item	2–4×	4×	2–4×	4×	Chance ^[C]	Avg. per chest ^[D]	Avg. # chests to search ^[E]
Bone	4–6	1–8	²⁵⁄₂₃₂	¹⁰⁄₅₀	70.8%	5.216	1.4
Rotten Flesh	3–7	1–8	²⁵⁄₂₃₂	¹⁰⁄₅₀	70.8%	5.216	1.4
Gunpowder	—	1–8	—	¹⁰⁄₅₀	59.0%	3.600	1.7
Sand	—	1–8	—	¹⁰⁄₅₀	59.0%	3.600	1.7
String	—	1–8	—	¹⁰⁄₅₀	59.0%	3.600	1.7
Spider Eye	1–3	—	²⁵⁄₂₃₂	—	28.7%	0.647	3.5
Enchanted Book^{[note 1]}	1	—	²⁰⁄₂₃₂	—	23.5%	0.259	4.3
Saddle	1	—	²⁰⁄₂₃₂	—	23.5%	0.259	4.3
Golden Apple	1	—	²⁰⁄₂₃₂	—	23.5%	0.259	4.3
Gold Ingot	2–7	—	¹⁵⁄₂₃₂	—	18.0%	0.873	5.5
Iron Ingot	1–5	—	¹⁵⁄₂₃₂	—	18.0%	0.582	5.5
Emerald	1–3	—	¹⁵⁄₂₃₂	—	18.0%	0.388	5.5
Nothing^{[note 2]}	1	—	¹⁵⁄₂₃₂	—	18.0%	0.194	5.5
Iron Horse Armor	1	—	¹⁵⁄₂₃₂	—	18.0%	0.194	5.5
Golden Horse Armor	1	—	¹⁰⁄₂₃₂	—	12.3%	0.129	8.1
Diamond	1–3	—	⁵⁄₂₃₂	—	6.3%	0.129	15.8
Diamond Horse Armor	1	—	⁵⁄₂₃₂	—	6.3%	0.065	15.8
Enchanted Golden Apple	1	—	²⁄₂₃₂	—	2.6%	0.026	39.0

↑ ^a ^b The size of stacks (or for unstackable items, number) of this item on any given roll.
↑ ^a ^b The weight of this item relative to other items in the pool.
↑ ^a ^b The odds of finding any of this item in a single chest.
↑ ^a ^b The number of items expected per chest, averaged over a large number of chests.
↑ ^a ^b The average number of chests the player should expect to search to find any of this item.

↑ ^a ^b All enchantments are equally probable, including treasure enchantments (except Soul Speed), and any level of the enchantment is equally probable.
↑ ^a ^b 'Nothing' does not refer to the chance of an empty chest. Instead, it refers to the chance that the random loot generator does not add any loot on a single roll.

Video[edit]

Note: The video was made before Java Edition 1.8, as desert pyramids now generate with terracotta instead of wool. It also says that desert temples are the only place that TNT generates naturally; it can now appear in woodland mansions, shipwrecks, and buried treasure chests.

History[edit]

Java Edition
1.3.1		12w21a			Added desert pyramids.
1.4.6		12w50a			Enchanted books now generate in desert pyramid chests.
1.8		14w03a			Desert pyramids now generate with terracotta (at that time called "hardened clay") instead of wool.
1.9		15w44a			Chest loot is changed.
					Added gunpowder, sand, string, spider eye, and normal and enchanted golden apples.
					Average yields of diamonds, gold ingots and iron ingots are decreased.
					Average yields of horse armor, enchanted books, rotten flesh, saddles and emeralds are increased.
Pocket Edition Alpha
0.13.0		build 1			Added desert temples.
0.15.0		build 1			Enchanted books now generate in desert pyramid chests.
Legacy Console Edition
TU14	CU1	1.05	Patch 1	1.0.1	Added desert pyramids.
TU31	CU19	1.22	Patch 3	1.0.1	Desert pyramids now generate with stained clay (now terracotta) instead of wool.
New Nintendo 3DS Edition
0.1.0					Added desert pyramids.

Issues[edit]

Issues relating to "Desert pyramid" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.

Trivia[edit]

The desert pyramid's basement measures 21 blocks by 21 blocks.
The orange symbols on the outside resemble the Ancient Egyptian symbol for life,^[1] an Ankh.^[2]
Desert pyramids have a rare chance of generating improperly causing some blocks to be lost or added.
As there is no light in the lower chamber, mobs can spawn inside and trigger the TNT trap, destroying the chests and loot before any player can reach it. Also, rarely a lava lake might generate next to TNT, potentially setting the trap off as well.
A desert pyramid does not generate fully if generated partially on water. When generated on lakes, they are only half-generated.
The top hole in the pyramid's ceiling is almost always generated above ground, so buried temples are accessible, but fall damage is likely.
When a desert pyramid generates above a ravine, it has a deeper foundation like the village houses prior to the Village and Pillage update.
Desert pyramids have entrances at the left and right near the top hole. At the back, an extra block of sandstone can be found sticking out.

Gallery[edit]

A desert pyramid containing terracotta.
The treasure room inside the hidden lower chamber of the pyramid.
The 9 TNT rigged under the stone pressure plate.
A pyramid generated in a desert village. A well is also visible.
A pyramid generated in an old village.
A desert pyramid generated under the sand.
A desert pyramid partly generated under the sand with a desert village generating near it.
What desert pyramids look like on maps.
A reconstructed pyramid with the shaft extending below it.
The previous pyramid viewed from a different angle.
A pyramid generated on a thin desert caused by a badlands biome being generated next to a plains biome resulting in the temple being in 3 biomes.
A perfect naturally-generated double desert pyramid.
A desert temple that has a dungeon generated inside it.
A desert pyramid generated inside a mountain