Soul Sand Valley

The Soul Sand Valley biome is a common biome you will run into often, generated in the Nether dimension and classed as a nether biome. Its climate is scorching (the Nether is uniformly hot, so water evaporates instantly), so the Soul Sand Valley gets no precipitation at all and stays permanently dry. In technical terms the game tracks it with a temperature value of 2 and the biome ID minecraft:soul_sand_valley.

Its defining terrain features are soul sand and soul soil terrain, soul fire, basalt pillars and bone block fossils. A haunting biome with blue soul fire and massive basalt pillars. Ghasts spawn at very high rates. Fossils made of bone blocks dot the landscape. Soul speed enchantment helps traverse soul sand.

The Soul Sand Valley biome was added to Minecraft in 1.16 and is still generated in version 1.21. As a Nether biome the Soul Sand Valley has no day/night cycle, no weather and a permanent lava-lit gloom.

The Soul Sand Valley biome generates in the Nether, so you must build and light a Nether portal to reach it. It commonly borders Nether Wastes, Crimson Forest and Basalt Deltas, so finding any of those is a good sign you are close.

Look for an open Nether canyon of soul sand and soul soil lit by blue soul fire and ribbed with basalt pillars.

If cheats or operator permissions are available, the fastest method is the command “/locate biome minecraft:soul_sand_valley”, which points you to the nearest Soul Sand Valley and gives its coordinates. Without commands you have to explore for the Soul Sand Valley on foot: because it is common, ordinary travel through Nether will usually reveal one before long.

The hostile life of the Soul Sand Valley biome is led by Enderman, Skeleton and Ghast. The Enderman teleports, picks up blocks and turns hostile if you look directly at its head, while the Skeleton fires arrows and burns in sunlight unless sheltered.

The blocks that give the Soul Sand Valley biome its character include Soul Sand, Soul Soil, Soul Fire, Basalt and Bone Block. Within the Soul Sand Valley, Soul Sand, Soul Soil, Soul Fire and Basalt are the most useful to gather early, whether for building, crafting or decoration.

The Soul Sand Valley biome can generate a Nether Fortress, the only place blazes spawn and the source of nether wart for brewing and a Bastion Remnant, a ruined piglin stronghold packed with gold blocks, piglins and the rare Pigstep music disc.

With Nether Fortress and Bastion Remnant all able to appear in the Soul Sand Valley biome, it is well worth exploring thoroughly, as each of these 2 structures offers its own loot and challenges.