If you’ve ever beaten the Ender Dragon and wished you could bring that eerie, floating End vibe right to your overworld base, or build a custom End arena for server events, you’re not alone. I’ve spent dozens of hours testing different custom End builds for both single player survival and multiplayer servers, and I’ve narrowed down the most efficient, low-lag methods that work for every game version after 1.18. Whether you want a small End-themed corner for your base or a full, functional End dimension you can access without using a portal, this guide will walk you through every step. We’re covering how to build the End in Minecraft without relying on messy mods or cheats that can break your world file, too.
What You’ll Need Before You Start Building Your Custom End
First, you’ll want to gather all necessary supplies before you start, so you don’t have to run back to your base halfway through construction. The exact materials will vary based on how big you want your End build to be, but the core supplies are universal for both creative and survival mode builds:
- At least 4 stacks of end stone (you can harvest this from the actual End, or craft it with 4 end stone bricks if you have access to a silk touch pickaxe and end stone blocks)
- 2 stacks of obsidian for spawning platforms and portal frames if you want to add a functional return portal to the overworld
- 1 stack of end rods for lighting, since End biomes don’t have natural light and you don’t want hostile mobs spawning outside of endermen
- Optional supplies: chorus plants, end crystals, shulker shells for decor, and name tags to keep spawned endermen from despawning on multiplayer servers
If you’re building in survival mode, you’ll want to bring a feather falling enchanted set of armor too, since most End builds are floating high in the air to mimic the real End’s floating island layout. I made the mistake of skipping feather falling on my first custom End build and fell 80 blocks to my death twice before I corrected that, so don’t skip that step. If you’re in creative mode, you can skip the armor and just fly to place blocks as needed.
How to Build the End in Minecraft: Core Structure Steps
Start by picking a location for your build. If you’re working in the overworld, pick a spot at least 100 blocks above ground level, or find a flat void area if you’re building in a custom flat world. For multiplayer servers, it’s best to build your End at least 500 blocks away from any other player bases to avoid lag and prevent endermen from wandering into nearby builds and picking up blocks. This is one of the best parts of learning how to build the End in Minecraft, since you can tweak every feature to fit your server’s specific rules.
First, lay out your main floating island base with end stone. I recommend making it at least 30 blocks wide and 30 blocks long to give you enough space for decor, spawn areas, and a return portal. You can add smaller floating islands around the main one by placing 5-10 block wide end stone patches 10 to 15 blocks away from the main platform, connected by thin end stone bridges if you want.
Next, add your lighting. Place end rods every 8 blocks on the top and sides of your island to keep regular hostile mobs like zombies and creepers from spawning. Endermen can still spawn at light level 0, so if you want to have natural enderman spawns on your build, leave small 2x2 patches of end stone unlit across your islands. If you don’t want random endermen spawning, light every block to light level 1 or higher.
After that, add decor to match the real End biome. Plant chorus plants on the edges of your islands, place end stone brick towers at each corner of the main platform, and add shulker boxes or purpur blocks if you want to mimic End cities. I also like to add small gaps in the end stone flooring to show the void below, which makes the build feel way more authentic. Just don’t make the gaps too big if you’re building for survival players, or they might fall through by accident.
Adding Functional Features to Your Custom End Build
A custom End build doesn’t have to be just for show. You can add tons of functional features that make it feel just like the real End dimension, even if it’s built in the overworld.
First, you can add a functional Ender Dragon spawn platform if you want to let players fight the Ender Dragon on your custom build. To do this, place a 3x3 square of bedrock (or obsidian, if you don’t want to use bedrock) in the center of your main island, and place 4 end crystals on each corner of the square. When you right click the center of the square with an eye of ender, the Ender Dragon will spawn just like it does in the real End. Just make sure you build the island at least 100 blocks away from any other builds, because the Ender Dragon’s fireballs can destroy blocks for a 50 block radius.
You can also add a working return portal that takes players back to your overworld spawn point. To set this up, build a standard 4x5 obsidian Nether portal frame, but instead of lighting it with flint and steel, use a command block if you’re on a server, or link it to the real End’s return portal using a data pack. For survival players without access to commands, you can just build a regular portal that leads back to your base’s nether portal, which works almost as well.
If you’re building for a multiplayer server, you can add a shulker spawn area too. Place a few purpur blocks in a closed 5x5 room on one of your small floating islands, and use a spawn egg or command to place shulkers inside. They’ll stay in the room and drop shulker shells when killed, just like they do in End cities. Just make sure you put a roof on the room so they don’t teleport out and wander around your server.
Common Mistakes to Avoid With Your Custom End Build
I’ve made almost every mistake possible when building custom End builds over the years, so I can save you a lot of time and frustration by pointing out the most common issues players run into.
First, don’t build your End too close to other builds. As I mentioned earlier, endermen will pick up blocks from nearby builds if they wander off your End island, and the Ender Dragon’s attacks can destroy blocks hundreds of blocks away if you’re not careful. I once built a custom End 200 blocks away from my survival base and came back to find half my roof missing because an enderman had picked up the blocks, so I always recommend leaving at least 500 blocks of space between your End and any other builds.
Second, don’t skip proper lighting if you don’t want random hostile mobs spawning. A lot of players assume only endermen spawn in the End, but if you build your custom End in the overworld, regular mobs like creepers and skeletons will spawn on any unlit blocks. Always place end rods or other light sources on every block if you want to avoid surprise creeper explosions blowing up your end stone platforms.
Third, don’t use too many end crystals if you’re on a multiplayer server. End crystals cause a lot of lag when there are more than 10 placed in a small area, so stick to 4-6 end crystals maximum for your Ender Dragon spawn area. I’ve seen servers crash because a player placed 50 end crystals on their custom End build, so that’s an easy mistake to avoid.
Finally, don’t forget to add safe walkways between your floating islands. It’s really easy to fall into the void when moving between small islands, so add 2-block wide end stone bridges or place slabs on the edges of islands to give players more room to walk. You can also place cobwebs below gaps between islands to catch players if they fall, which is a nice touch for survival servers with new players.
Building a custom End is one of the most fun, rewarding projects you can take on in Minecraft, whether you’re building for your own single player world or a public multiplayer server. You don’t need any fancy mods or advanced technical skills to pull it off, either—all you need is a little patience and the right materials. Next time you’re looking for a big building project that stands out from regular base builds, give this guide a try. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to learn how to build the End in Minecraft and customize it to fit exactly what you want for your world.