Savanna

Savanna

Type	Dry/Warm
Rarity	Common
Temperature	2.0
Structures	Villages Pillager Outposts‌[upcoming: JE 1.14 & BE 1.10]
Blocks	Grass Block Grass Acacia Log Acacia Leaves Oak Log Oak Leaves
Data value	dec: 37 hex: 25 bin: 100101
Biome ID	savanna

The savanna is a common warm biome. It typically generates bordering a desert or plains biome, and has four variations total. It is also the only biome where acacia trees can be found.

Description

Savannas are relatively flat biomes, with vast amounts of tall grass all over the terrain, making it closely resemble the plains biome. However, trees generate much more frequently here than in the plains, though not as often as they do in forests. Acacia and (less commonly) oak trees are the two types of trees that grow here; this is the only place where acacia trees naturally generate. Villages that generate in savannas, appropriately, are made mainly of acacia logs and planks; the bright-orange acacia planks make savanna villages easy to spot from a distance. Lakes generate somewhat infrequently.

Horses and llamas spawn in savannas, making it the only biome where both horses and llamas can spawn together. As the savanna has a warm climate, it never rains here, and thus lightning can never naturally strike; however, overcast skies (and daytime hostile mobs spawning in the case of thunderstorms) still apply. Grass and leaves in the savanna take on a dull, olive-green color, giving an illusion of dryness.

Survival in the normal savanna, along with its plateau variant, is generally easier than other biomes. The acacia and oak trees provide a decent source of wood, tamed horses can allow for fast travel and outrunning hostile mobs, tamed llamas can serve as useful pack animals, and villages can serve as a refuge and a way to trade items. However, the vast amounts of tall grass can prove to be a nuisance when building a shelter; additionally, it may serve as an obstacle when fighting hostile mobs, as the player might end up hitting the grass rather than the mob. Survival in the shattered savanna variant, however, is very dangerous for even experienced players, due to the utter extremes of the generated mountains.

Variants

The savanna has three variants, for a total of four different savanna biomes.

Savanna Plateau

Savanna Plateau

Type	Dry/Warm
Rarity	Common
Temperature	2.0
Blocks	Grass Block Tall Grass Acacia Log Acacia Leaves Oak Log Oak Leaves
Data value	dec: 39 hex: 27 bin: 100111
Biome ID	savanna_plateau

The Savanna Plateau is similar to the hills variants of other biomes, being a gradual rise in terrain, though flattens on the top about 20-30 blocks above sea level. The top of the plateau is similar to the regular savanna, featuring acacia trees and tall grass, though villages do not generate here. Horses and llamas both still spawn on the plateaus.

Shattered Savanna

Shattered Savanna

Type	Dry/Warm
Rarity	Rare
Temperature	1.1
Blocks	Grass Block Coarse Dirt Stone Tall Grass Acacia Log Acacia Leaves
Data value	dec: 163 hex: A3 bin: 10100011
Biome ID	shattered_savanna

The rare Shattered Savanna variant features arguably the most chaotic terrain in the game, a contrast from the otherwise flat savanna. It is full of extremely steep mountains, enormous overhangs, floating islands, and huge waterfalls and lavafalls, with higher and rougher terrain than even the mountains biome. In many cases, the mountains can go past Y-level 200 and even reach the world height limit, even without the Amplified terrain option. Horses cannot spawn and villages cannot generate in this biome, though llamas and other passive mobs remain prevalent on the cliffs, and trees can still grow. Enormous deep lakes often form on the bases of the mountains. The steep generated mountains make this variant almost entirely unsuitable for shelter, and even just exploring quite hazardous, due to the sharp cliffs often risking fatal fall damage if not above water. Additionally, the giant overhangs often reduce skylight on the terrain below them, not only enough to spawn hostile mobs in daylight, but to produce complete darkness similarly to caves, further adding to the difficulty of this biome.

Shattered Savanna Plateau

Shattered Savanna Plateau

Type	Dry/Warm
Rarity	Rare
Temperature	1.1
Blocks	Grass Block Coarse Dirt Stone Tall Grass Acacia Log Acacia Leaves
Data value	dec: 164 hex: A4 bin: 10100100
Biome ID	shattered_savanna_plateau

Like the normal Shattered Savanna, the Shattered Savanna Plateau variant features very steep mountains, cliffs, and overhangs, making it a treacherous place to explore. Though nearly indistinguishable from the regular shattered savanna at first glance, the shattered plateau's terrain is slightly gentler, though still often risks fatal fall damage if not above water. The giant lakes characteristic of the regular shattered savanna do not generate here either.

History

Java Edition Alpha
v1.2.0					Added true biomes, including savannas.
Java Edition Beta
1.8					The savanna biome has now been removed.
Java Edition
1.7.2			13w36a		Savanna biomes have now been re-added with variant biomes, along with many other biomes.
			13w43a		Savannas will now generate with new logs and leaves.
1.13			18w16a		Renamed Savanna M to Mutated Savanna.
					Renamed Savanna Plateau M to Mutated Savanna Plateau..
			18w19a		Renamed Mutated Savanna to Shattered Savanna.
					Renamed Mutated Savanna Plateau to Shattered Savanna Plateau.
			pre5		Changed the ID savanna_rock to savanna_plateau.
					Changed the ID mutated_savanna to shattered_savanna.
					Changed the ID mutated_savanna_rock to shattered_savanna_plateau.
Upcoming Java Edition
1.14			18w47a		Added pillager outposts, which can spawn in savanna biomes.
Pocket Edition Alpha
0.9.0			build 1		Added savannas, along with many other biomes.
					Added villages, which can now generate in savanna biomes.
0.15.0			build 1		Villages that generate in savanna biomes will now use acacia wood in their structures instead of oak.
					Added horses, which can now spawn in savanna biomes.
Pocket Edition
1.1			alpha 1.1.0.0		Added llamas, which can now spawn in savanna biomes.
Upcoming Bedrock Edition
1.10			beta 1.10.0.3		Added pillager outposts, which can spawn in savanna biomes.
Legacy Console Edition
TU5	CU1	1.00	Patch 1		Savannas, along with some other biomes, have now been removed from the base game.
TU31	CU19	1.22	Patch 3		Savannas and their variants have now been re-added.

Gallery

• 

  Another view of a savanna plateau.

• 

  Another view of a shattered plateau.

• 

  A savanna village that partially generated on a plateau, leading to some unique building generation.

• 

  An enormous lake that generated within (relatively short) shattered savanna mountains. The lake goes all the way down to Y-level 42.

• 

  A shattered savanna biome, noted by the coarse dirt and exposed stone, that failed to properly generate due to a river. The mountains in the background are part of a flower forest.

See also

• Plains
• Desert
• Mountains