Can You Tame a Ghast? Minecraft Myths Debunked

No, you cannot tame a regular Ghast in Minecraft. However, there’s a rideable, passive alternative called the Happy Ghast, which was added to the game with the Chase the Skies update.

The standard Ghast found in the Nether is a hostile mob that cannot be tamed. Many wonder if there’s a secret mechanic to win a Ghast over. There isn’t, but Happy Ghasts are solid companions and up to four players can ride them at once.

Are Ghasts Tamable in Minecraft?

Only the Happy Ghasts in Minecraft can be tamed. Happy Ghasts work differently compared to how you’d tame a horse, because you need to raise a Happy Ghast from scratch for it to be “tamed.”

• Find or craft a Dried Ghast block
• Submerge it in water
  • The block hydrates over roughly 20 minutes and hatches into a Ghastling.
• Feed it snowballs
  • This speeds up Happy Ghasts’ growth.
• Craft a Harness to be able to ride the Happy Ghast.

Once you complete this process, the Happy Ghast will bond with you and practically become tamed.

Regular Ghasts are classified as hostile Nether mobs with no taming mechanic. Unlike wolves or horses, there is simply no progression path that ends with a Nether Ghast warming up to you.

Locations for Dried Ghast Blocks in the Nether

To start the Happy Ghast taming process, you first need a Dried Ghast block. These can be found in the Soul Sand Valley biome, next to Nether fossils.

Dried Ghast blocks can also be obtained through bartering with Piglins, also known as Piglin trades. Give them gold, and they may drop a Dried Ghast Block in return. Alternatively, you can craft a Dried Ghast Block by using Soul Sand surrounded by eight Ghast Tears in a crafting grid.

Ghast Tears drop from Ghasts with a 50% base drop chance.

The Transformation from Ghastling to Happy Ghast

Place your Dried Ghast block in water and the 20-minute transformation begins. You can’t ride new Happy Ghastlings immediately as you’ll need to feed them with snowballs first.

Snowballs speed up Happy Ghasts’ growth and once they are adults, they’ll be ready to go. To ride a Happy Ghast, you’ll need a Harness, crafted from leather, glass, and wool. Equip it on your Happy Ghast, then right-click to mount. Happy Ghasts, as mounts, can support 4 players, making them the perfect transportation mount in SMP servers.

Abilities and Features of a Tamed Happy Ghast

Happy Ghasts are versatile mounts, especially for squads with up-to four members.

• You can use Leads while riding a Happy Ghast to carry boats and large mobs, like Camels.
• When you dismount, you’ll stand on top of the Happy Ghast, which is quite useful while building at heights.
• A total of 4 players can ride on a single Happy Ghast.

Tips for New Ghast Owners

Here’s everything you should prioritize after getting a Happy Ghast:

• Build a landing platform
  • A raised landing platform at your base makes mounting and dismounting Happy Ghasts much easier.
• Stock up on snowballs
  • You’ll need them to grow Ghastlings faster and to lure Happy Ghasts. The easiest source is a Snow Golem.
• Mind the hitbox
  • Happy Ghasts have giant hitboxes so they might not fit into tight spaces.
• Know how healing works
  • Happy Ghasts regenerate health slowly on their own. That rate increases significantly at cloud level (Y 187–196) or during rain and snow.

By the way, Happy Ghasts don’t shoot fireballs, so you’ll still need to fight your own battles.

Myth: Ghast Transport to the Overworld for Taming

Bringing a Ghast through a Nether portal does nothing to change its behavior. It remains hostile in the Overworld.

A standard Ghast is always a threat in all Minecraft dimensions. They won’t magically become tamable in a new dimension, and will shoot fireballs at you regardless, an interaction you may run into in some Anarchy servers featured on MineRank, as well as the Nether.

The Best Way to Get a Ghast Pet

To recap, the standard Nether Ghast cannot be tamed. The Happy Ghast, introduced in the Chase the Skies update, can be tamed and become a companion.

Taming a Happy Ghast is simple. Find or craft a Dried Ghast block, hydrate it, raise the Ghastling with snowballs, then equip a Harness and you’re done.

Ghast FAQs in Minecraft

Are Ghasts tameable?

Regular Ghasts are not tameable. The Happy Ghast is the only Ghast variant you can raise and ride.

How do I get a Happy Ghast?

You need a Dried Ghast block to get a Happy Ghast. Submerge it in water for around 20 minutes and it hatches into a Ghastling, which then grows into a Happy Ghast.

How long until a Ghastling grows up?

A Ghastling takes 20 minutes to become a full adult Happy Ghast. You can speed this up by feeding it snowballs.

How do I get my Happy Ghast to come to me?

Hold snowballs or an unequipped Harness and the Happy Ghast will fly toward you.

Can Happy Ghasts fly away?

No, Happy Ghasts don’t fully fly away. Unharnessed Happy Ghasts roam within a 64-block radius of their home location. Harnessed ones stay within 32 blocks. You can use a lead to keep Happy Ghasts from drifting.