What is the Minecraft Dried Ghast? We've all stepped through a Nether Portal for the first time just to hear that terrifying shriek and be blasted by a fireball. Ghasts are deadly and truly horrifying, dare we say worse than the Ender Dragon? In fairness to the Ender Dragon, she's mad because people keep trying to steal her egg, and it looks like there's a similar situation going on with Ghasts.
We have to imagine The Nether isn't the nicest place to live in sandbox game, and find out what a Ghast would be like if only it were hydrated and happy. Prepare yourself, this might be the greatest Minecraft mob of all time.
Dried Ghasts
We now know that Ghasts start life as tiny little blocks, akin to Minecraft mob heads. They're so tiny, you might even miss them as you by huge fossils in the Nether's Soul Sand Valley. Keep your eyes open around here, though, and you might spot one of these poor, dehydrated souls with a heartbreakingly sad look on its face.
If you can't resist trying to save a poor creature in need, pick up a Dried Ghast by – weirdly – breaking it like a block. Maybe that method will change before it's released to vanilla Minecraft, or perhaps the feature is supposed to reiterate how dried up this little fella is. Either way, the Dried Ghast drops, and you can freely carry it around in an item slot like a normal block.
Take it back through your Nether Portal and place it in some nice, refreshing water. Now, just wait. Eventually, a smile will start to form on its face, and you'll soon wind up with your very own Ghastling.
Ghastling
Once happy and rehydrated, a Dried Ghast becomes a Ghastling, a small but slightly larger white cube. This happy little guy will imprint on you or other nearby mobs and gleefully follow you around the overworld.
As we learnt from the Dried Ghast, the angry, fireball-spitting creatures we've come to know are clearly just sad from being stuck in such a hot, fiery locale. Turns out, snowballs are their favorite food. Sorry, Ghasts. While those in the Nether might be past the point of no return, feed Ghastlings this cool treat and they'll grow into Happy Ghasts.
Happy Ghasts
This is the future they were always destined for. Now it feels pretty sad to see those tough guys in the Nether, knowing they could have had their happy-ever-after.
Not only are they incredibly sweet, but Happy Ghasts are one of the most exciting and game-changing mobs added to Minecraft for quite some time. Like normal Ghasts, they float, but you can now take advantage of this feature by harnessing your new friend and climbing aboard. Fly your new buddy around the overworld, giving yourself a new way to see the world around you before you've managed to get an Elytra from The End.
Minecraft harness recipe
To ride a flying Happy Ghast, you need a special harness. This simple crafting recipe consists of three leather, two glass blocks, and one wool block. The glass results in a cute pair of vintage aviator goggles for your new friend.
In a strange twist, these goggles are worn up when the Ghast is not being ridden, and down when they are. This actually gives away whether the Ghast is being ridden by another player, even if they're invisible.
The harness can be crafted with any color wool to determine the color of the harness, or it can be dyed.
We cannot wait to meet Minecraft Ghastlings and Happy Ghasts, and we'll be able to set off on our new friends in Minecraft Spring into Life update first.