Minecraft Suspicious Sand

What Does Suspicious Sand Do in Minecraft? – Answered

At least it's not an imposter.

Minecraft’s 1.20 update, Trails and Tales, brings many ways for players to create their own experiences. While this lies as the focus of the update, the desert has also seen some well-deserved additions through some new blocks and mobs. One new block that seems to trip some players up is the new Suspicious Sand, found in two structures and offering a unique set of items. Here’s what Suspicious Sand does in Minecraft.

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What is Suspicious Sand Used For in Minecraft?

Suspicious Sand, like its brother Suspicious Gravel, is used to get some exclusive items. Before you can get there though, you’ll need to find some. Suspicious Sand specifically is found within three structures: The Desert Temple, Warm Ocean Ruin and Desert Well. The sand has a chance to spawn either on the floor of a Desert Temple, around the Warm Ocean Ruin or within the Desert Well itself.

Minecraft Brush Crafting Recipe
Image via Prima Games.

Once you find some, you’ll want to get a Brush. This can be easily crafted in a Crafting Bench using a Feather on top, a Copper Ingot in the middle, and a Stick on the bottom. Make sure these are in a straight line up and down, or the recipe won’t work. If needed, we have an image above of the exact recipe. Once you have that Brush, hold it out and hold right-click/RT on it to sift through it and get a chance at some different drops. Make sure you’re not using it on Suspicious Sand you’ve already broken and placed since it won’t work.

What Can You Find in Suspicious Sand?

The drops from Suspicious Sand are rather vast and will change depending on where you’re sifting through them. We’ve included that distinction below. Otherwise, here’s everything you can get (drop rates are the same across both Java and Bedrock):

  • Desert Temple Drop Tables
    • Archer Pottery Shard: 12.5%
    • Emerald: 12.5%
    • Gunpowder: 12.5%
    • Miner Pottery Shard: 12.5%
    • Prize Pottery Shard: 12.5%
    • Skull Pottery Shard: 12.5%
    • TNT: 12.5%
    • Diamond: 12.5%
  • Desert Well Drop Tables
    • Arms Up Pottery Shard: 25%
    • Brewer Pottery Shard: 25%
    • Brick: 12.5%
    • Emerald: 12.5%
    • Stick: 12.5%
    • Suspicious Stew: 12.5%
  • Warm Ocean Ruin Drop Tables
    • Coal: 13.3%
    • Emerald: 13.3%
    • Wheat: 13.3%
    • Wooden Hoe: 13.3%
    • Gold Nugget: 13.3%
    • Angler Pottery Shard: 6.7%
    • Shelter Pottery Shard: 6.7%
    • Snort Pottery Shard:
    • Iron Axe: 6.7%
    • Sniffer Egg: 6.7%

If you’re planning to farm for Suspicious Sand, then you’ll want to focus primarily on finding Desert Temples over Desert Wells and Warm Ocean Ruins. Having all three is nice, but the additional TNT and Diamond drops are invaluable in the early game.

Related: What Is the Brush Used For in Minecraft? – Answered

While you’re looking into the newest update, check out our article on the patch notes for Minecraft update 1.20. There’s a lot to sift through, so to speak.


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About the Author

Shawn Robinson

Shawn is a freelance gaming journalist who's been with Prima Games for a year and a half, writing mainly about FPS games and RPGs. He even brings several years of experience at other sites like The Nerd Stash to the table. While he doesn't bring a fancy degree to the table, he brings immense attention to detail with his guides, reviews, and news, leveraging his decade and a half of gaming knowledge. If he isn't writing about games, he's likely getting zero kills in his favorite FPS or yelling at the game when it was 100% his fault that he died.