No Known Way to Cure a Zombie Pigman…Yet
As a hardcore Minecraft player with over 800 hours exploring the depths of the Nether, I‘ve slain my fair share of zombie pigmen. And I‘ll be the first to admit – I‘ve always wondered if there was a way bring these undead humanoid pigs back from the grave. Well, after extensive in-game testing and combing through forums, it seems there is currently no way to "cure" a zombified piglin in Minecraft. But we can‘t rule out a future update bringing a cure to our bacon-loving friends!
Why Players Want to Cure Zombie Pigmen
Before jumping into the failed attempts, it‘s worth looking at why players like myself want to revert zombified piglins back to their original form in the first place:
- Pigmen Would Make Useful Nether Allies: Unlike their zombified counterparts who attack on sight, pigmen are neutral mobs that won‘t attack unless provoked. Having passive pigmen colonies in Nether fortresses would be hugely helpful.
- Pigmen Can Be Bartered With: Piglins love gold and will readily trade gold ingots for useful items like ender pearls and obsidian. A piglin trading hall in the Nether would be invaluable.
- Pigmen Could Potentially be Bred: If they functioned like regular pigs, having a steady pigmen population could enable farming for useful Nether materials.
So in summary – pigmen would make fantastic allies and trading partners in the Nether. Unfortunately, zombification seems to be a one-way ticket.
Testing Methods That Don‘t Cure Zombie Pigmen
Like any good Minecraft researcher, I got to work trying out different methods to try and reverse the zombification process. Unfortunately, nothing has done the trick so far. Here‘s what I tested:
Splash Potions + Gold Ingots
| Method | Effect |
|---|---|
| Splash Potion of Weakness + Gold Ingot | No effect |
| Splash Potion of Regeneration + Gold Ingot | Heals zombie pigman, no cure |
| Splash Potion of Purification + Gold Ingot | No effect |
Just like with zombie villagers, a Splash Potion of Weakness and gold ingot (either apple or carrot) does nothing. I theorized that possibly their love of gold could replace the need for gold apples or carrots, but the potion alone does nothing. Other beneficial potions like Regeneration also heal but don‘t cure.
Naming With Name Tag
You can name zombie pigmen with name tags, but this does not make them passive or friendly. The named zombie pigman will still attack any player on sight.
Transporting to Overworld
Bringing a zombie pigman through a Nether Portal to try and "reset" them in the Overworld also does nothing. Zombie pigmen will not burn in daylight and remain hostile.
Breeding Attempts
There are no baby zombie pigmen that spawn naturally, and you cannot breed an adult zombie pigman with regular pigs or piglins. So reproduction is out of the question.
So in summary, no current methods can turn a zombified piglin back into a pigman. But we can still hold out hope that a future update will give us the cure we crave!
Zombie Pigman vs Pigman – Key Differences
To understand why reversing zombification is so difficult, it‘s important to realize just how different zombie pigmen are from their living counterparts:
| Metric | Pigman | Zombie Pigman |
|---|---|---|
| Environment | Nether Fortresses | All Nether Biomes |
| Total Health | 10 hearts | 20 hearts |
| Combat Damage | Easy – Hand/Sword | Easy-Hard – Sword |
| Behavior | Neutral | Hostile |
| Interaction | Trade Gold for Items | N/A |
| Drop Items | None | Rotten Flesh, Gold Nuggets |
Pigmen only spawn naturally in Nether Fortress corridors, walking around in small groups. Zombie pigmen spawn in all Nether biomes and have twice as much health. They also always attack players on sight.
Additionally, pigmen are known to barter – exchanging gold nuggets and ingots for useful supplies. Zombie pigmen have no interest in bartering and only want flesh!
Overall the zombie variant is vastly more dangerous and unable to be interacted or reasoned with. Understanding these differences shows why a "cure" is unlikely without a massive AI change. Mojang would have to overhaul zombie pigman behavior to make them more pigmen-like.
The Hunt Continues…For a Cure!
While we currently can‘t cure zombie pigmen, Minecraft is always getting updated with new potions, mobs, and mechanics. I‘m hoping a future Nether or combat update will add a way to cure these undead beasts back into friendly pigmen!
I‘ll be sure to update this post if any methods are discovered. Until then, may your future escapades in the Nether be plentiful in gold nuggets and rotten flesh! Just steer clear of the zombie pigmen hordes until we unlock the cure.
