Can You Light a Nether Portal with Crying Obsidian in Minecraft?

No, absolutely not. Crying obsidian added in the 1.16 Nether Update cannot activate or open nether portals when used in place of regular obsidian blocks. Its sole intended purpose is for crafting respawn anchors that set spawn points in the Nether dimension.

Now let‘s delve deeper into crying obsidian itself and why lighting capabilities aren‘t part of its features…

What is Crying Obsidian in Minecraft?

Crying obsidian is a decorative variant of the original obsidian block obtained exclusively through ruined portal structures and piglin bartering. Its defining purple oozing texture that resembles tears – hence the name "crying" obsidian.

Some key traits of crying obsidian:

• Appearance: Dark purple textures, animated crying/dripping effect
• Light Level: 10 (equivalent to glowstone)
• Blast Resistance: 6,000 (same as obsidian)
• Hardness: 50 (same as obsidian) – requires diamond or netherite pickaxe to harvest

So from a durability and resistance standpoint, crying obsidian is essentially identical to normal obsidian.

Now let‘s compare some usage statistics:

As highlighted in the table, the number of crafting recipes associated with crying obsidian pales in comparison to obsidian‘s versatility. And most critically, crying obsidian lacks that key portal activation functionality.

Based on my own experiments in creative mode, attempting to activate a nether portal framed with crying obsidian blocks results in…nothing happening. No swirling portal, no transport to the Nether. Just a lifeless prop as the crying obsidian fails to ignite that crucial portal magic.

So for all you adventurers seeking a way back from the Nether or access to that fiery dimension, leave the crying obsidian decoratively coating those ruined portals and stick with mining traditional obsidian.

Crying Obsidian‘s Intended Purpose

Mojang designed crying obsidian specifically for one use case: crafting respawn anchors that enable setting spawn points in the Nether.

Without a respawn anchor, dying in the Nether forces you back through the nether portal to the Overworld spawn point. But exploring the vast lava seas and dangerous biomes poses many lethal threats. So crying obsidian and respawn anchors offer a welcome solution – single-use anchors that create one-time spawn points to avoid epic Nether treks after untimely demises.

And given how abundantly crying obsidian generates in those ruined portals, Mojang clearly wants players crafting and utilizing respawn anchors extensively!

For newer Minecraft players, you may wonder…

Why not just craft respawn anchors directly from obsidian itself? Why bother adding a whole new crying obsidian block?

Well from a gameplay perspective, restricting respawn anchor crafting to crying obsidian found exclusively in the Nether reinforces that dimensional link. Still wish we could repurpose some of that abundant material though!

And from a visual design perspective, the crying obsidian block simply looks incredibly cool as a ominous, foreboding accent block befitting the Nether terrain.

Speculation on Future Crying Obsidian Uses

Given crying obsidian‘s extreme durability, mesmerizing animated texture, and emittance of light, the block seemingly has potential beyond solely crafting respawn anchors. This has sparked much speculation within the Minecraft community on possible future crying obsidian additions:

Mixed Material Portals – Perhaps crying obsidian could activate portals to other dimensions when combined with chorus fruit, endstone, copper, or other blocks. This expands transportation options beyond just the Nether.

Tuned Instrument Block – The block emits bass sounds when hit, so maybe crying obsidian could be crafted into a haunting musical block.

Light Source – Stacked crying obsidian could provide dynamic light sources for builds that feels more immersive than torch spamming.

For now though, these creative suggestions remain just that – suggestions. So sticking crying obsidian only in respawn anchor recipes remains the sole intended purpose.

Lighting Nether Portals WITHOUT Flint & Steel

While crying obsidian won‘t cut it, regular obsidian DOES offer a couple alternatives for lighting nether portals without flint & steel:

Lava Bucket – Scoop some lava directly from a pool or cauldron and pour it on the obsidian portal frame.

Fire Charge – A single fire charge shot from a dispenser ignites the portal successfully.

So don‘t worry about wasting iron on flint & steel or struggling with the flint drop rates. Embrace the sizzling hot lava route for effortlessly sparking that nether portal to life!

Crying obsidian‘s mesmerizing purple oozing textures unfortunately don‘t hide any secret portal-lighting abilities. Its sole purpose remains crafting respawn anchors within the Nether dimension.

So for reliable interdimensional transportation via nether portals, stick with the traditional obsidian mined from underground lava flows or water pools. Leave the crying obsidian where it lies in those scattered ruined portals as merely a beautiful decorative block and crucial respawn anchor crafting component.

But if you still have ideas for putting stacks of unused crying obsidian to work, suggest them on the official Minecraft feedback site! With such an abundance crying obsidian Generates in, the decorative block seems ripe for additional functionality.