How to start a raid in Minecraft: Java and Bedrock guide

To start a raid in Minecraft, drink an Ominous Bottle, enter an inhabited village, and wait for the 30-second Raid Omen countdown to finish. Once it expires, the raid begins.,

This method applies to modern Java and Bedrock editions using the mechanics introduced in Minecraft 1.21. Killing a banner-carrying raid captain no longer gives you Bad Omen automatically—you need to collect and drink its bottle first.

Here is how to get the bottle, trigger the raid, prepare your village, and fix common problems.

What do you need to start a raid in Minecraft?

Before triggering the event, prepare these essentials:

How to start a Minecraft raid

Prepare the village before drinking your bottle. Once Bad Omen changes into Raid Omen, you have a short window before the attack begins.

1. Find a raid captain

Look for a pillager carrying an Ominous Banner above its head. Captains can appear in pillager patrols and around pillager outposts.

Defeat the captain outside an active raid, then collect its Ominous Bottle. Picking up the banner alone will not give you the effect needed to start a raid.

Alternatively, Ominous Bottles can appear as loot in Trial Chamber vaults.

2. Drink the Ominous Bottle

Select the bottle in your hotbar and use it to drink its contents. This applies Bad Omen.
You can carry the bottle safely until you are ready. Simply collecting it does not trigger a raid.

Avoid approaching a Trial Spawner while preparing your village raid: Bad Omen can instead transform into Trial Omen, which starts a different type of ominous event.

3. Enter the village

Walk into the inhabited village while Bad Omen is active. When the game recognizes the village, your effect changes to Raid Omen.

Watch your active effects for that change. It is the clearest sign that you have reached the trigger area.
You do not need to attack a villager, ring a bell, or place the captain’s banner to activate the event.

4. Wait for the countdown

Raid Omen lasts 30 seconds. Let it expire to start the raid, then watch for the raid bar and approaching enemies.

If you change your mind, drink milk before the countdown ends. Milk removes Raid Omen and prevents that pending raid from starting.

How to prepare your village for a raid

Treat these as preparation tips rather than additional trigger requirements:

• Shelter villagers: Move them into enclosed buildings and secure entrances before drinking the bottle.
• Bring ranged damage: A bow or crossbow lets you attack enemies before they reach you.
• Wear reliable armor: Full iron armor is a practical starting point; stronger equipment gives you more room for mistakes.
• Stock food: Bring enough to recover between encounters.
• Set a nearby respawn point: Use a safe location where you can regroup.
• Keep supplies accessible: Store spare equipment and food near your defensive position.

Protecting villagers matters throughout the event. Avoid fighting directly beside exposed villagers when you can draw enemies into a clearer area.

Why is my Minecraft raid not starting?

Check your active effect first, then work through the village and world settings.

You killed the captain but did not drink its bottle

In current versions, defeating a captain does not automatically apply Bad Omen. Collect the dropped Ominous Bottle and drink it.

Bad Omen has not changed into Raid Omen

Move farther into the populated village. Check that villagers are alive and still have access to claimable beds.

A deserted village or a collection of decorative houses may not provide a valid trigger area.

You have Trial Omen instead

Approaching a Trial Spawner can convert Bad Omen into Trial Omen. That effect is associated with ominous trials, rather than village raids.

Use another Ominous Bottle when you are ready to try the village route again.

The world settings or terrain prevent the raid

Confirm that the difficulty is above Peaceful. On multiplayer servers, ask the administrator whether raids are disabled or modified.

In Java Edition, raid spawning also needs suitable nearby terrain. Mojang’s 1.21.2 changes prevent a triggered raid from starting when raiders cannot find a spawning location within a reasonable distance. This is especially relevant to custom platforms and raid farms.

Can you stop a raid with milk?

Milk can cancel Raid Omen before the raid starts. Drink it during the 30-second countdown.

Once the raid is active, removing a status effect does not undo the event. Prepare your escape route and supplies before allowing the countdown to finish.