The Warden Can‘t Break Blocks – But It Has Some Disturbing "Workarounds"

As an avid Minecraft gamer and content creator, one of the most frequent questions I‘ve gotten recently is: "What blocks can the terrifying new Warden NOT break when chasing you?"

This powerful blind monster was just introduced in the major 1.19 "The Wild Update". And trust me when I say understanding the extent of of the Warden‘s block destruction capabilities should be PRIORITY ONE for survival! Especially if you plan to loot the new Ancient Cities.

So let‘s dig into everything we currently know about what blocks stop this unstoppable force from pursuing you!

The Warden Lacks Any Block Breaking Ability

First, the good news – the Warden does not actually have the ability to break or destroy any blocks at all. This has been conclusively tested and confirmed by players analyzing the Warden‘s behavior code after 1.19‘s release:

So no need to panic about the Warden busting down walls or barriers directly like a ravager. But this doesn‘t make the Warden harmless either…it has some "workarounds" to pursue you regardless of obstacles, as we‘ll cover below.

The Warden Ignores Some Blocks Entirely

While the towering Warden can‘t actually destroy blocks, its massively muscular frame can plow through certain terrain unfazed, without needing to break them.

Based on player observations, the Warden moved freely through:

• Rails
• Powder snow
• Cactus
• Magma/bubble blocks
• Probably certain others

My presumption is any "less dense" blocks don‘t slow the Warden down whatsoever. So don‘t depend on rails, powder snow or cacti shields while running away!

The Sonic Blast Bypasses Any Barrier

However, the real terrifying block "workaround" for the Warden is its long-range sonic area attack.

When angered but unable to physically reach a target, the Warden will charge up a high damage shockwave blast from its ribcage, damaging and knocking back anything caught within a ~20 block radius!

And horrifyingly enough, this attack passes seamlessly through all block types – including terrain, the toughest metals, and even bedrock itself! No barrier can contain the blast or protect from damage.

So in summary:

• The attack radius is massive – ~20 block diameter sphere
• It seems to deal ~10 hearts of injury in this zone
• You‘ll also be flung away, disoriented
• And barriers are meaningless since it permeates all substances

Truly the stuff of nightmares for us Minecraft survivors! While you can block the Warden itself with obstacles, no materials provide true protection from the sonic sensing + assault abilities. Keep that in mind when taking refuge!

Solid Blocks Still Aid Escape By Obstructing Movement

Now don‘t abandon barricades entirely! Normal solid blocks like stone brick, iron, etc do provide benefit against the Warden by physically impeding its movement and search efforts.

Based on developer comments and experimentation, we know:

• Dense blocks force the Warden to pathfind slowly around them
• This delays its ability to reach your position
• Create twists and turns to confuse the chase
• Maze structures can isolate it entirely

So intelligent use of solid construction remains key for distracting and eluding pursuit from this freak of nature! Especially if you have to traverse the Deep Dark dimension where Wardens spawn…

Some structure tactics I recommend:

Just beware – the Warden can eventually navigate around even elaborate obstacles using hearing alone. So these tactics work best as delaying measures while you make an escape, rather than indefinitely trapping or containing this abomination!

Uncertainty Around Liquid Block Slow Effects

One question I still see debated is whether liquid terrain like water could hinder the Warden.

Some players claim surrounding or flooding the Warden causes slowness. However, this is still unclear – it may be contingent on depth or require total submersion.

From my testing, shallow liquid only mildly impedes Warden charges. But use that split second wisely! Consider water deployment as one more obstruction method when designing escape routes.

Flooding halls for group evasions could show more concrete promise. But we need more research given the Warden‘s unpredictable AI behavior. Share what you learn!

And if you somehow manage to fully encapsulate the Warden in liquid, please document results! This may uncover a rare Achilles heel for containment.

The Takeaway on Block Interactions

While we‘ve analyzed a lot of mechanics here, the key lesson around wielding blocks against the Warden boils down to:

Use solid construction to obstruct physical movement only – don‘t expect true protection.

No barrier will save you from the unnerving sonic projections once angered. Prioritize creative escape routes instead!

And if you must loot the precarious Ancient City structures found in the Deep Dark, go prepared with maximum speed & evasion gear. The Warden turns anywhere into a terrifying, inescapable death trap once awakened.

Tread cautiously my friends…and let me know what YOU discover taking on Minecraft‘s scariest foe! This may be our greatest survival test yet.

Share any of your own findings dealing with the Warden below! Let‘s uncover the secrets to outsmarting this unstoppable force together…